spoken word. (gxg)

thirty-four. (Character Q&A Open)

thirty-four.

The grip on my wrist immediately threw me-- my heart sped, body remembering my time in captivity; I lurched forward shoving the girl backward and twisting my arm so I was freed from her grasp. Unfortunately, her hand was tight, so when I pushed her back I ended up falling forward as well.

I heard a car door swing open, the familiar voice of Asshole filling my ears. My breathing sped up.

"Mia," he spoke, low and soothing. Mia, Mia, Mia, his words echoed inside my head. Mia.

I felt my fists clench, anger overwhelming me. How dare he make me fear like this? He didn't have the right to get so far inside of me that I was terrified to even go to school. I twisted my wrist like I was petting a dog, a self-defense movement Tyler had taught me recently, and, finally, escaped the girl's grasp. She was out of breath, and I made a move to stand up. Behind me, I could hear Asshole's footsteps approaching. My heart rate skyrocket as I spun around.

I was expecting to see a muscular and imposing figure eyes of darkness that swallowed me endlessly in my nightmares-- the smirk and gentle touch as he caressed a lock of my hair. His sickeningly sweet words, how my name rolled off his tongue-- Mia-- and made my stomach lurch. Involuntarily, my eyes squeezed shut as my body whirled around, bracing myself.

Part of me was scared that, by seeing him, I would be thrown back into captivity-- not physically, but mentally, caged like a bird under his gnarled hands.

I peeked through my eyelashes, but not into the eyes of the man who haunted me-- instead, I gazed at red hair and a strong back, standing belligerently in my view.

At that moment my heart swelled, the affection I had for June threatening to burst out at any moment. Had she known?

"June, "I whispered, shocked at my own voice, which was soft and quivering.

"Who are you?" June's voice, encased in stone, was cold. I shivered as I recognized the clenching of one of her fists, barely noticeable, which betrayed that she was beyond furious.

"June Willow, is it?" His voice was conversational, just how I remembered it, though it wasn't sweet like it was when he spoke to me. I shrunk back, glad that June was blocking my view. Behind me, the girl shifted to get up.

"June," I said again, to let her know. Her head turned a fraction of an inch toward me.

"You can afford to get distracted at a time like this?" The man spoke. June stayed silent, but I knew her mind was whirling to find a solution. Warily, I pulled out my phone, discreetly dialing 911 and keeping my eyes on the girl in case she tried to make a move.

The girl's eyes flickered to me, then my phone, then June. Slowly, she backed away, opening up the door to her car.

"Smart," I let her know, failing at trying to sound threatening. She sneered at me, slamming the door and revving the engine.

I put my phone up to my ear, answering the dispatcher's questions as quietly as I could while June spoke to Asshole.

"What do you want, June? What's so special about that girl that you're willing to protect her like that?"

"..."

"As quiet as the rumors say. How boring."

"An officer will get to your location in 5 minutes. Can you stay on the line?" The dispatcher, a matronly-sounding woman, asked.

"Yes," I whispered.

"June Willow," the man said again, and I realized how odd we looked-- in front of a school, speaking with an older man, his impressive vehicle parked in the middle of the road. It seemed like almost everyone had left-- it was an early-release on midterm days-- but there were still a few wary students eyeing us, and the man's car, disdainfully.