Abhor

Chapter 10

Dylan

"Yeah. Yeah, I understand you" I replied in a drone, my stomach churning. 

Natalie rolled her eyes from where she walked alongside me, her annoyance palpable. "Prom is tonight, you know" she jabbed me with her pointer finger, "I put your suit in your car. My dress matches. I assumed you already got the tickets? I already bought myself a corsage" she kept talking nonstop, going on and on. 

My whole life, I had been looking forward to prom, but now that it was here, I was dreading it. At least Emma would be there. That was something, and I chose to hold onto it. I pictured what she would like, under the glittering lights, her smile beaming back at me. I imagined what it would be like to be with her, dancing with her, calling her my date. And suddenly, I wanted that. I wanted it more than anything.

"Natalie" I sighed, my tolerance finally wearing thin. "I'm not going to prom with you," I stated, my heart fluttering with the freedom that flooded me. I watched her blink in disbelief. "In fact, I'm not dating you. Not anymore." 

One moment I'm walking down the hall, the next I'm pinned against the wall of lockers. "Did you forget? You're doing this for a reason, Dylan. A very important reason" she growled, her arm pressed against my throat. "I remember my original blackmail. Your father's in jail. Blah blah blah. I watched you change, grow more confident. I knew it wouldn't keep you silent for long." 

My skin broke out in goosebumps, a wave of nausea washing over me. "So I took it upon myself to do a little research. Just why was Dylan's Daddy in Jail? It wasn't hard to find you know" she smirked, getting off on the look of dread that coated my face.

My muscles were rigid, my lungs paralyzed. I hoped- I prayed she was wrong. If she knew, it was all in danger of falling apart. I was in danger of losing everything, in danger of losing her.

"Natalie, you can't" I whispered, my voice wavering in the silent hallway. We were going to be late for class, but that didn't matter now. None of it did. Not if Natalie knew. Not is she told. 

Natalie just smirked, knowing she had me exactly where she wanted me. "She doesn't know, does she?" Natalie read my face, laughing in realization. "She doesn't know about your father and what he did to her?" Natalie mocked, shaking her head in disbelief.

A tear slipped down my face as she released me, her hands on her hips. "I actually feel a bit bad for you. You really don't want her to know. Then she would really hate you, wouldn't she?" Natalie prodded, her lips pursed in thought. 

I felt sick to my stomach, a thin layer of sweat coating my skin. "Natalie, please" I begged, practically on my knees. There was nothing more I could say, nothing more I could do. It was all hanging by thread. 

"Contrary to your beliefs, I'm not soulless. If you cooperate tonight, just like we agreed, your secrets safe with me" she mimed the locking of her lips, tossing the key over her shoulder. Her eyes studied me, watching as I gulped. 

"Okay. Okay. I will" I agreed readily, panting as the panic consumed me. 

Natalie took a step back, satisfied with my answer. "Good. Then I will see you tonight" she nodded before heading off down the hallway. 

I stood against the lockers, my trembling breaths slipping in and out. Emma couldn't find out. She would never forgive me. And I just couldn't take that.

After a few more deep breaths, my legs no longer felt like they were going to give out beneath me. I began trudging towards Biology. Any glimmer of excitement for the night had been extinguished, my mind just wishing it was over already.