it all started with a bet

Chapter twenty one

Nicole's POV

I can't even make out the images that have me tied up in this car. I don't know exactly what to do. I don't know if I should just sit still or yell and bite at the duck tape.

They are having a conversation and I am desperate to know so I take all I have in me to.

"Dude that's the one I'm sure. He's got his hands on her"

"Then just fuck it up for him."

"He deserves this...he's fucked up my own girlfriend."

"I don't think he's had his hands on her yet. Let's just wait till then. But first what do you do to her"

"You can't just let her go that way. You know what."

"What?"
"A tape"

They all have their faces masked and I can't see a  single feature on their face.

I am dragged out of the car roughly. A sweaty hand pushes me to the ground and my head comes in contact with a tree.

I push my knees to my chest and shut my eyes. One of those guys bring out a camera and one of the others pull his jeans down.

Hell no, this isn't happening.
Images of a crying little girl running into the middle of nowhere fills my mind.

A dirty hand tugs at my jeans and drag it down.
I try kicking him but he's way stronger. And my hands are behind my back.

A really sweaty hand trails up my thighs and squeezes at my bottom.

Another one comes behind my back and pulls my shirt up my head. There is nothing I can do now. I might as well just pass out.

I hear the screeching of wheels against a gravel road. Hard thumps I suspect are from boots. And the rest is black.

I slowly blink my eyes open to the blinding light.

Everything I see is blurry. Was last night really real or I was really just hallucinating.

"Are you fucking crazy!" I hear someone yell.

I assume that the duck tape is still on my mouth but when I click my lips they are free.

"Whah?" I manage to say.
Everything hurts.

"You think you can just start running around and climbing dangerous things. You crazy little child!" Another voice booms.

Climbing dangerous things

I don't remember climbing anything. I only remember cameras and dirty hands. History repeated its self last night.

"You were busy blabbing shit about cameras and sweaty palms when you were almost committing suicide."

I open my eyes to see a very angry Cody in front of me. His lips are moving very fast. I assume he's talking but no one is listening.

Esther is on the seat fast asleep in Dan's hands.

"Where am I?" I regret the words.

"In the mental asylum" he rudely remarks.

I immediately lift my head from the pillow and study my environment . It's a hospital. I immediately start crying. I don't want to end up here.

I'm not that crazy.
"Hell no"

"It's a hospital, calm down"

"Dont ever do that again" I place my hands on my chest.

"I should say that to you , you almost killed yourself ."

In a few minutes we are back to Cody's apartment. We decided to leave Dan and Esther in the ward sleeping. I really wish I could see the priceless look on their faces.

"Hey Nick Why is your junk phone buzzing like a crying child"

"I immediately drop the plate on the floor and rush to get the phone.

It's that reminder every year I don't ever want to see. When I get there Cody is staring up at me with surprised eyes.

"Fuck! Next two weeks is your birthday."

"Yes and I don't want anything. Neither do I even want to see that day so don't do any thing to change my mind"

With that I walk into my room I suppose.
I had changed the dull room into a pretty much lively room.

My books were neatly arranged on the shelf and I had somehow managed to hang stickers.

I open the large windows for the first time and look at the beautiful stars.

The atmosphere was perfect and I try to look down memory lane on the reason I hate birthdays.

November 2010
It was a breezy morning and I couldn't help but be the happy little kid I was , smiling at everyone and at every situation.

I had marked my calendar, counting down the days to my birthday. It's was going to be a big party as usual and ill have my sister there.

I rushed downstairs for breakfast only to meet moody parents and sad maids.

My dad had given me his credit card to go shopping for my birthday.

Being the naive girl I was I didn't bother to know the reason behind moody parents.

I had skidded down the streets jumping and singing down the streets like every three year old would.

I bought every thing I wanted and headed back home.

On getting home my parents told me they had some news for me.

I sat on the table smiling and being as happy as I could be.

"Honey we are so sorry" my mum had began.

"It's okay if you couldn't have gotten Nicki minaj to come , I knew she couldn't make it " I had shrugged.

"No sweetie , it's something else" my dad had said after my mum had sat down.

"You couldn't get the guy for the tattoos ? It's fine."

I hadn't given them a chance to talk,  being a typical three years old. I ran to my room and danced and then I heard a few noise downstairs and rushed there.

I stoped at the door when I saw my parents shouting. I couldn't take it in.

"How are you supposed to tell her, her sister isn't coming to her party. " my dad had yelled.

I stayed strong enough to hear the rest.
"Let her know we love her at least for this year. She's only three and next year we won't be. You'll crush her if you don't let her have a bit of memories to hold on to."my mum was in tears and so was I.

They must have noticed I was there because they tried to cover up but I was way wiser.

"Honey it isn't like that"
I ran out of the house and into the woods. I stepped on every thing I saw.

When I looked around I was in the middle of nowhere. I sat on this really huge rock and cried my eyes out.

I screamed and yelled like everyone else could hear.
In the middle of my tantrum a boy taller than me runs in . His cheeks were red and his hair was like a mop of black on his head.

The rest I have little memories about.

Taking myself down memory lane on this dreadful day was the worse I could do. In fact Cody was really right.

The worse feeling in the world was loving someone who didn't love you

Or at least thinking about it.