Red

Chapter Nine

Veronica POV:

I get my purse (finally) and head back out into the gym, ready to go outside. As I'm about to, however, I feel my phone buzz inside the purse. If I didn't have it on vibrate, I wouldn't even know I'd received a text. It's too loud in here to hear anything. I take the phone out of the purse, checking the message. I expect it to be from Chandler, but it's not. It's Heather Macnamara.

Mac: Hey, it's Heather! Chandler's sitting in my car with me. Ram was harassing her, so I brought her outside. Anyway, thought you should know. She said you were taking her home.

Ram? Ram was harassing her? This is it. I can't deal with him anymore, not without saying something.

Me: You're a lifesaver, Mac. I'll be right out. I've got to take care of something first.

She responds within seconds.

Mac: Don't get yourself hurt. He's a big guy. Text me if you need anything.

She knows exactly what I'm about to do. I just hope she doesn't tell Chandler. She's not a very confrontational person, but the fact that she isn't trying to stop me tells me that she would do it, too, especially in my position.

Me: Thank you. I swear I'll be right out.

Mac: I know you will. <3 Good luck, Ronnie.

I put my phone away after that, and then my eyes are scanning the dance floor. I don't see him at first, but then I spot him at the edge of the dance floor, chatting up some girl. I've never seen her before, but she doesn't seem to mind his advances. My eyes narrowing, I walk over to them.

Every part of me is on fire. I've never been this angry at anyone in my life. I clench my fists to keep from doing something I'll regret (although with Ram, there's not much I could do that I would regret) as I approach, stopping in front of them. The girl gives me a sideways glance, but Ram turns to face me.

"What do you want, Veronica?" he asks, slurring my name. I want to punch him in the face. That's what I want. I don't, however. Instead, I just start talking.

"You're an asshole," I begin, and I can hear the anger in my voice. The volume of my voice rises as I go on. "You're an asshole, and you know what you did, and if you ever go near my girlfriend again, I swear to God I'll-"

And then he's closer to me. He's so close that I can feel his hot breath on my face when he speaks and smell the alcohol he's been drinking. I feel some of the anger getting replaced by fear, but I don't move. He can sense it, though. He can sense that I'm afraid. "You'll what?" he asks quietly. "What will you do?" I want to say something, but I don't know what, and so I just stare. And then he says something even more quietly, something that makes angry tears form in my eyes. "She was the best I've ever had, babe. She'll come crawling back to me for more, too. She liked it. I know she did. Who wouldn't?"

I'm so blinded by how angry I am that I don't realize what's happening until I'm on the floor of the gymnasium. I slapped him, and he shoved me to the ground. I try to get back up again, but he kneels down, pinning down my shoulders. Now, all of the anger is fear. I can't help it. He's huge in comparison to me. He could probably kill me if he wanted to. "You'd be a lot worse off right now if we were alone," he threatens, his voice quiet. "Don't ever do that again, or I'll make your life a living hell." With that, he's up again.

I scramble to my feet, ignoring the panic I feel rising in my chest. He knows what that would mean for me. He knows what my life consists of right now. He'd hurt Chandler again. I know he would. He glares at me once more, turning back to talk to the girl. She gives me a look of distaste. I feel the tears running down my cheeks as I back away from them, heading out of the gym.