1 is Greater Than 7

Flip the Script Part 1

Taliah POV

It was almost time for the concert to start. I was so nervous. So much had happened today, but I REFUSED, whether it be Luna or Cole, to be intimidated by their presence. The past was the past, and this was the time to live my life and find my happiness. I won't let anyone take that from me.

The concert started off without a hitch and before I knew it, it was my turn to come on stage. While performing I couldn't help but scan the crowd, looking for him. I knew he was here, lurking in the shadows, observing me from a distance. I started to feel a little anxious but then heard two loud screams come from the front, "TALIAAAAAHHHH! LETS GOOOOOO! KILL THE GAAAAMMMEE! YAAAAASSSS QUEEN!" I whipped my head over towards the voices and saw my biggest fans, Hyungwon and I.M., waving fan cards in the air and calling out to me. The rest were right by them and cheering louder than anyone else. It's amazing how just seeing their faces can melt everything else away, even my biggest worries. I flashed them a bright smile and blew a kiss for fanfare, I.M. And Hyungwon pretended to pass out and I had to keep myself from giggling in the middle of my singing.

Just as soon as it started, the stage sadly, but quickly ended. I headed to my dressing room to change and get ready for a small meet and greet being held after the concert. B.A.P. only had one more stage and their final farewell song to perform. I got the finishing touches put on my makeup and now I was just playing games on my phone while time passed. Manager-nim knocked on my door on let me know that B.A.P just finished up the concert and he would come to collect me once they had finished changing. I gave him an okay sign and he left back out. I went back to playing games on my phone and a few seconds later I saw my door open again out of the corner of my eye, but I didn't look in its direction. He always does this. "What did you forget to tell me this time, Manager-nim?" I asked.

Instead of Manager-nim, a different voice responded, "Well, aren't you a hotshot now?" I know that voice. I got chills down my spine. I slowly looked over only to face the dead, it was Cole. I knew he was out there somewhere in the back of mind, but actually seeing him in flesh just solidified that this is actually real.

"What are you doing here?" I whispered shocked. "How'd you get past security!?" I said little louder. He just scoffed. "You mean the LACK of security? It wasn't that hard to sneak in here. Anyway, I've missed you babe." He started walking towards the couch I was laying on with his arms open. I hurried and stood up grabbing the nearest object, ready to throw it straight at his head. "Don't you dare come near me." I said with all the grit I could muster. "How are you here!? I got a call from the prison saying you were dead."

He gave me a smug smirk, "It's not that hard to fake your death in prison if you have the right connections." He started moving towards me again and I launched whatever what was in my hand at him and grabbed something else. A teddy bear just bounced off of his chest. Really girl? Really!? A teddy bear!? That's what you grab right now!?

"Heh. That tickles." he said and continued to come towards me. This time I had a glass jar in my hand and I threw it straight at his head. It didn't break, but it certainly didn't sound like that was a pleasant contact. He held his hand just above his eye. I didn't know it was possibly for humans to growl, but I'm sure I heard him Grrr, and when he looked back at me, his eyes had changed. They were the same stone cold grey I saw this morning. This was the true Cole, the Cole I knew. "I'm trying to give you a chance here, but you are trying my patience Taliah." he said through gritted teeth.

"You can keep it," I spit back, "I don't want anything to do with you. Now get out."

He let out a slow chuckle, "I don't think you understand how this works sweetheart. You either say yes, or you aren't walking out of this room. 5 years gave me a lot of time to think, and something just clicked when I saw you at the airport with those 7 idiots. No matter where you are or where you go, someone will always be trying to approach what's mine. So what's the only way to keep what's mine and only mine? Make it so no one else can possibly reach you." and he smiled a sickening smile, "So I'll ask you one more time, be mine, Taliah."

When I was with Cole, he would beat others, he would verbally abuse me, and he even killed some in the past, but one thing he never did was put his hands on me. But now, now I sense a completely different feeling from him. If I don't play things right, he will KILL me. I looked around the room for options. He had me with my back against the wall, standing between me and the couch I had just been laying on. I could try and run past him to the door but I wouldn't be able to open it in time and leave. Besides, I kinda wanted to keep what happens in this room, in here only. No one else needs to interfere right now. I looked over to the right and I left my phone on the couch. Perfect. I don't really need it for anything, but I needed to make the first move. I eyed him warily, picked up something else and threw it, and booked it over to the couch for my phone. Just as I felt it touch my fingertips, he yanked me back by hair. I let out a pained screech and reached up trying to get him to let go of my hair. He only increased his grip and lifted me up completely off the floor by my hair alone.

"I'll take that as a no." he said venomously. Then he slammed me onto the ground so hard I was seeing black spots. All the air left out of me. He straddled me and started choking me. "It's a shame really. I wanted you to see how I was going to take care of your little 'family'. Those 7 idiots, the bastard you were dancing with today, even your little girlfriend, what her name? Dani? You wouldn't have needed anyone but me."

I was trying to pry his hands off my neck but it was no use. I wasn't strong enough. This crazy bastard was going to kill Dani? My bright innocent star who does nothing but enjoy her life? I. Was. Pissed. I started crying hot tears of frustration. My vision was starting to go, but I needed to pull through, for them. "Y-you-" I managed to croak out. He loosened his grip just slightly so I could speak, "All you do is get rid of the people I love the most. You push them away from me, you kill them. That day, I was the only one who saw through that garbage insanity plea. You killed them on purpose."

"What? Those trifling people you called parents? Of course I did! They stepped out of line. They couldn't go unpunished. That's why I caused the accident. I knew that couple liked to go on walks by that bridge everyday around that time. I knew they would pull you out, but only you. That river moves too quick and is too deep for there to be more than one person rescued in enough time. And that's what weak love does. It can't do anything of its own accord, it can only ask and take from others. That's why you should have chosen to stay by my side, where my love is strong."

I couldn't deal with this excessive ranting, he had already said more than enough. I wasn't expecting him to go into this speech mode, but it was the perfect distraction. Now that he too busy talking, his grip had loosened a bit. I mustered up all the strength I could into my screaming muscles. I moved my arms away from his wrist, and grabbed the front of his shirt instead, then with my legs, I lifted him off of me and completely flipped him over onto the floor behind me. That was able to knock the air out of him, and i didn't take any chances. I took my right foot and connected it right across his jawline, knocking him clean out. I took a couple steps back, and my legs fell out from under me as all my nerves caught up to me. I can't believe that worked. I almost died, but it worked! After I caught my breath a bit, I felt around under my dresser until I felt the rectangular device. I pulled the walkie talkie loose from the tape, and took the extra tape off the receiver. "Did you get all that?" I asked.

A few seconds passed then a second voice came through the other end, "You scared me so much Taliah! I wanted to tell Sergeant Kim to send his men in so many different times!" Manager-nim just sighed, "But we got everything. Good job. Sergeant Kim is sending men to collect the suspect. You get out of there and get ready to go home."

"Ah, Manager-nim, if it's okay, I just want to go to makeup and get fixed up. I have fans waiting on me you know."

"Taliah...you just went through a great ordeal, you need to rest."

"Please, Manager-nim. I feel like I floating on Cloud9 right now. I don't want to disappoint the people who support me, when I know I can easily go on right now."

Manager-nim didn't respond right away, but responded back a while later, "Fine. You can do the Meet and Greet, but the minute I see you feeling faint or your mood starts changing, I'm sending you straight home."

"Deal." I said. I thought back to earlier today, I can't believe my plan really succeeded.