Grand Theft Autumn

Chapter 30

Pete's POV

Someone was knocking on my door. I tore my eyes away from the TV in front of me (playing Sesame Street) and stood up. Even before I got to the door, there was another knocking. "Chill, Brendon," I called. It was getting kind of late. I swung the door open, causing Natasha to nearly falling into my arms. She must have been leaning against the door.

"Natasha?" I sputtered in confusion as I pushed her back up. Natasha looked at me with weary eyes. It was then I noticed that she was swaying slightly. I grabbed her arm gently, leading her inside the room and closing the door behind us. "Are you okay?" I asked as I sat her down in the chair. Natasha propped her head up with her hand, and rubbed her face.

"Yeah. Cool. Totally." I scanned her body, looking for any visible wounds. I sucked in a breath at the sight of her neck and her arms. On her arm, there were fingernail markings, and bruises around her wrist as if someone had grabbed there.

And her neck was covered in hickeys. My face starting to flush, I looked away. That was until I noticed the look on her face. It was of partial shock, and anger. Natasha had never really been one to show emotion.

"Natasha, what had happened?" She shook her head, keeping her hands on her face. "Natasha, did someone do this to you, like in a bad way?" My heart was racing. Believe it or not, I cared about Natasha. She may be cryptic, mean and really scary, but she has been helping me find Patrick, and that means a lot for me.

At my last question, Natasha raised her head and looked at me.

"In this world-" Her voice was wobbly. "There is an evil. People who will continue while others tell them to stop. I just happened to get into one of those scenarios." Natasha looked at me in the eyes, but then looked away. "I was raped. By K."

It felt like someone had punched me in the stomach. All of the wind was knocked out of my lungs, and I struggled to breathe.

"Then we leave. Tomorrow. Soon. I don't know, but he needs to pay, he needs to go to jail or I don't know," I kept rambling as the rage slowly built up. Natasha frowned at me, and shook her head again.

"No. It is fine. I can keep him distracted-" I had to cut her off.

"'It's fine'? No. It isn't. God, he raped you." I sat down on the bed across from Natasha and looked at her. "Do you want to go to a doctor's? Do you need something?" Natasha slowly met my eyes.

"Do you have any ice? My hands kind of hurt." She said almost shyly. In an instant I was up, heading for the door.

"I can go get some- stay here." I am not sure if she would, so I had to get some ice fast. Right next to the ice machine was a vending machine, and I got a candy bar. I felt unprepared. She needed a doctor, to be checked out. To go to the police, and get K in jail.

But we had to get Patrick first. Everything was planned out, we couldn't risk it. All I have to do is convince her was to get the plan going now. Like tomorrow.

Bag of ice and candy bar in hand, I came back into my room. Part of me was surprised that she was still there, and the other part of me was surprised that she had moved, and was now curled up on my bed.

Her eyes were glued on the TV which was still playing Sesame Street. She barely reacted to the door closing, only glancing over at me when I walked closer to her. I tossed the candy bar at her, and beckoned her closer. I carefully handed the bag of ice to her. "I can get a towel-" I mumbled, grabbing one from the bathroom. Once the towel was wrapped around the ice, and Natasha was gently holding it against her wrist, I looked at the screen. "Sesame Street, huh?"

"Lin-Manuel Miranda is on this episode," Natasha said simply, confusing me. "He wrote a musical I like," Natasha explained at my confused look.

I hummed quietly, looking at the screen again.

We sat there like that for a while, until there was a commercial break. I turned to Natasha, who was still looking at her wrists.

"We need to move up the plan. It doesn't need to happen tomorrow, but the day after that. Is that okay?" Natasha hesitated.

After a few seconds of silence, Natasha looked up at me. She put the ice on the bed and got up, pulling her shoes back on. A rush of urgency went through me. Oh God, I hope she wasn't mad at me.

After her shoes were on, Natasha stood up straight and looked me square in the eyes.

"Pat meant the world to Lukas. I am doing it for him." Natasha gave me a brisk nod, and headed out of the room.

At this point I have learned not to question this stuff. I won't get anything from it.