His reasons are always the same. One slap, because I was a mistake. Two kicks, because he's stuck with me. Three punches, because in his eyes I'm a disgrace, and lastly, the final knockout hit because I'm the reason why his life was destroyed.
• • •...
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∞
I stood so fast, one could have thought the bench was on fire. My hands instinctively raised by my head, palms facing towards the guy who had a gun pointed in my face.
"Woah!" I shouted, "Put the gun down!"
He grinned as a sick laugh slipped from between his lips, "Oh don't worry, I'll put it down eventually..."
I couldn't deny that I was terrified.
My lip quivered as I tried desperately to hold back my tears. Not because I didn't want to cry in front of him, but because I was afraid of my vision fogging up and not being able to see him.
"Why are you doing this?" I asked, my voice cracking. His smile only grew as he took in my terrified state. A shrug was the only response I got, but that wasn't good enough for me.
"Max, why are you doing this?"
"Shouldn't be long..." he said, his eye twitching as his smile slowly faded, "you'll have company soon... all in due time."
Then he reached inside his pocket with his free hand, revealing a phone with a bright purple case. One that looked strikingly familiar...
Very similar to Nicole's "missing" phone.
Luckily (or unluckily), the company did come. After five minutes and thirty two seconds (I was counting) of standing still, wondering if he would just end it all and pull the trigger.
"Max?" questioned a familiar voice from behind me, and then she saw the gun, "oh sh-" she tried to say.
"Nicole!" he shouted with a genuinely happy smile. Her eyes were wide as she stepped closer, realizing he had a gun.
"Max... why do you have a gun?"
She was wary, even I could tell - but thankfully, Max wasn't aware.
"Now that you're here, we can end this..." he grinned, moving his other hand to clasp the other side of the gun; which was still pointed at me.
"Max! Wait!" she yelled, holding out her hands towards him, "what in the world has gotten into you!"
His hand lowered from the gun as he turned to look at Nicole, the smile completely wiped from his face. I released a breath I didn't even know I was holding.
"What in the world has gotten into me?" he laughed, "what has gotten into you! I thought you would be all for this! After all, you were the one trying to ruin their lives all year!"
