Pedal to the Metal

by Stephanie Nichole

  Staring at my reflection in the mirror I shake my head at how naïve I had been a few weeks ago. I had made a deal with the devil and now I was paying my price. I looked down at my black evening gown for some charity event at the country club. The country club where I would be expected to act like the perfect daughter and girlfriend. I had chosen a black lace high lo gown that had a deep-v neckline and of the shoulders long sleeves. I had found a pair of shoes that reminded me of The Wizard of Oz. They were red glitter Mary Janes with a boy to lock the strap in place. I had added a red satin headband to my curled hair.

  I keep staring at my reflection because I know it’s me but I’m not me. I know that makes no sense, but I look like myself but nothing about my life right now is what I want. What I wanted was to go to the races but instead I’m going to the charity event. I’ve fallen right back into this role without a blink of an eye. I shake my head in disgust and head downstairs. As I make my way down Ryce enters my house and I inwardly cringe. I mean Ryce looks handsome in his tux but he’s the last person I want to spend the night with.

  “Here’s this necklace to go with that outfit," Ryce says extending a velvet jewelry box at me. Clearly, he doesn’t want to spend time with me anymore that I want to spend with him. I sigh and open the box is a beautiful ruby and diamond necklace that ends in a teardrop ruby. Any girl would be ecstatic to wear such a beautiful piece of jewelry, but I could care less. Ryce steps forward and yanks the necklace out of the box and I want to scream at him to be gentle with it but I don’t. He’s looking at me like I’m supposed to read his mind when he tells me “Well, don’t just stand there. Turn around so I can put this damn thing on we can get this night over with”.

  I turn around while he messes with necklace then cusses because he can’t get it to fasten. I smell a hint of tequila on his breath. Luckily my mom appears and can get the necklace fastened.

  I smile, shake hands and make pleasantries with everyone I’m expected to. I’ve been on Ryce’s arm all night as we made our rounds in the ballroom. Finally, it’s time to sit, eat and listen to speeches about whatever charity this is for. My feet are killing me and I feel like I’m drowning again, only this time I know I won’t be coming back up for air. Looking around at all the fake happy couples I realize this is my life now. Alivia is sitting next to me and despite her efforts I just don’t feel like being around her. Ever since I told Jagger about seeing Alivia and Ryce together I can’t the image from my mind. It’s really starting to put a strain on our friendship.

  After the speeches a band takes the stage and the dance floor is now open. Ryce asks me to dance because we are expected to but after three dances one of the older ladies snags him away from me. She laughs and apologizes but really, I should be thanking her. I’m going crazy and I need some fresh air. When I return to the ballroom I can’t find Ryce anywhere. I search until I find him and Bethany Law in some darkened corner in the hallway. I turn back around before they can spot me but when I reach the part of the hallway that leads back to the ballroom I notice the exit doors.

  I take of running and the sound of my heels slapping the tiles alerting Ryce that he was spotted. I hear him call after me. I’m almost out of the parking lot when his yellow Porshe catches up to me. “What the hell Londynn?”

  I sigh and roll my eyes. “You can go back Ryce. I’m going home.”

  “What home? You don’t have a home if you don’t keep up your appearance with me and if you don’t get in this car then you’re not keeping it up. Guess what happens then…mommy and daddy cut you off and kick you out," he says a harsh laugh coming from him.

  I stop and spin around to glare at him. “I don’t care! Let them! Let them cut me off and kick me out! No amount of money is worth being subjected to spending the night with you. I can’t even pretend to like you Ryce. If I have to give one my fake smile or tell one my person how lucky I am to have you I’m going to throw up!” I yell at him.

  He puts the car in park and before I can really register what he’s doing he gets out of the car and comes around to face me. “You know you were just supposed to hot piece of ass and pretty face. A trophy wife! Why the hell is that so hard for you?” He grabs my arm and yanks me towards the car. I tell him no but before I know it I’m forced into the passenger seat of his car.

  Great now I’m stuck in a car with a drunk driver. For a minute I think to call Farrah, but we haven’t really talked since I got back from New York. Even so I know she’d probably answer for me, but she had texted me to tell me that her and Connor were go away for the weekend. I fastened my seat belt and prayed I’d make it home in one piece.

  As we moved down the streets the speed of the car accelerated. My heart was pounding so hard in my chest I was sure it was about to come flying out at any moment. We in Farrah’s side of town which also meant that we were in Jagger’s side too. It was race night which meant somewhere on one of these streets would be the races. Ryce must have pushed the accelerator more because we were moving even faster. Everything around me was a blur. I caught a glimpse of a sign and suddenly my heart feel into my stomach. The curve, the same one that Jagger’s girlfriend and unborn baby had been killed on. We were coming up on it and fast. There was no way Ryce could make that curve without wrecking.

  “Slow down! You’re going to get us killed!” I screamed at Ryce, my panic rising. He just glares ahead. “Ryce! Please! Slow down!”

  “No one is going to make a fool of me! You think you can just choose some other guy. Jagger James, the white trash bad boy! Like hell you will!” Ryce hollered back but I noticed the car slowing. Maybe if he kept talking the car would keep slowing. “Don’t you know who I am Londynn? Our families had this planned for us before we were born!”

  Suddenly, the car slowed dramatically, and he pulled over on the side of the curb. Tears were streaming down my face, but I didn’t know where they had come from. Ryce had never been violent, he had a temper and there were a few times he’d grabbed my arm to hard, but he’d never hit me before. I was scared of him though in this moment. There was an unfamiliar look in his eye. I could almost feel his anger coming off him. He got out of the car, slamming the door with so much force the window rattled.

  He appeared, yanking my door open. He reached down and yanked my arm which caused me to yelp in pain. I was still fastened to the seat by the seatbelt. “Shut up you spoiled bitch!” He yelled in my face as he reached in and unbuckled the seatbelt.

  Once we were outside the car he pushed me backwards from him which caused me to stumble in my heels. “Ryce please calm down. I didn’t mean to upset you,” I pleaded with him.

  “Oh sure you didn’t! You’re always just so perfect! Girls would kill to be with me but no not you! You have to go around and be seen with Jagger. Leaving me to look like a fool in front of all friends. Make me look like an idiot in front of my parents with that whole allergic reaction bit! Then once you realized your pathetic dreams wouldn’t be coming true you ran back to me. Where’s Jagger now Londynn? Where is he to rescue you? What did I ever do to you to make you embarrass me the way you do?” Ryce asked stalking towards me.

  I knew I shouldn’t say anything, but I couldn’t stop myself. “What did you do? You want the list? How about the all those times you ignored me for weeks? How about the three months I was in rehab and you never bothered to write, call or visit?” I ask him while pushing his chest. “How about the night I came looking for you after Vivienne died and you were too busy hooking up with Alivia to even notice? How about any of those times? I can’t stand you Ryce. You are everything I hate about that part of the world. You think everyone is beneath you and that everyone wants you. But in reality, they tolerate you because you can bank roll every adventure and party. I’m pathetic, what the hell do you think you are?” I ask pointing at him “At least I wanted to try and make something of my life unlike you. You’re just one of their mindless robots, playing their game.”

  I turned around to leave. I wasn’t too far from Farrah�
�s maybe I could just walk there then call a cab or something, but I didn’t get too far. I felt Ryce’s hand clamp around my wrist and yank me back to him. My wrist was throbbing from his grip by the time he spun me around to face him. He did say a word, but I could tell by the look in his eyes that whatever was about to happen was the worst. He had managed to pin both my hands behind my back, even with me struggling against him I couldn’t get his grip to loosen. His free hand stroked my cheek and he whispered, “You were supposed to be my trophy…just mine.” Then before I knew it he had backhanded me across my cheek so hard I fell to the ground. My eye felt like it was going to pop out of its socket and there was a pounding in my ear. Tears fell down my face. He didn’t stop there though. He pulled me back up to my feet only to hit me again.

  By the time he got in his car and drove away I could barely see out of my left eye, my lip was bleeding and my legs and arms were stinging from where the dirt and gravel had scrapped them. I finally managed to sit up only to realize that my purse with my cellphone was in Ryce’s car. I doubt I could even walk to Farrah’s now. I was stranded on the side of the road in a fancy dress and hells with my face swollen and bruised in the not so great part of town. All I could do now was pray. I saw a gleam of silver and when I looked over I saw the cross with Harlyn’s name on it. This was the same spot Jagger had lost her. I get why he left, I’m too scary for him. He’s afraid I’m not stable enough and who could blame him. I lay my head on my knees and cry.

  ****

  I don’t know how long I sat there before a pair of headlights washed over me. I didn’t look but I heard the gravel crunch as the car came to a stop on the side of the road. I heard the car door open and shut and someone walking towards me. “Miss do you need some help?”

  That voice. I know that voice. I look up and see Ace electric blue eyes rimmed with thick black eyeliner staring back at me. Ace James, who would have thought he’d be my knight in shining armor tonight?

  “Londynn? What the hell happened to you?” He asks, and he runs to the spot that I seemed to be rooted in. He gently takes my head in his hands and examines my face. “We need to get you to a hospital.” I shake my head no. “Londynn come on. I don’t know what happened, but I have a pretty good idea. You need to see a doctor.” I just shake my head no again. I can’t seem to find my voice. “Londynn, I think you may be in shock.”

  I swallow, and my throat feels like sandpaper. “I probably am but no hospital.”

  I notice some relief flood his eyes when he hears my voice “At least you can talk. Do you want me to take you to Farrah’s?”

  I shake my head no “She’s out of town.”

  “Shit! I forgot her, and Connor took a mini vacation. Where do you want me to take you?” He asks.

  I go through everyone I know in my mind. I don’t want to see Alivia, Creed wouldn’t know what to do with any of this and if I go home my parents won’t care anyways. Then a name comes to mind. “Sadie.”

  “You want me to call Sadie?” I just nod my head yes to answer his question. “Okay let me help you up and get you in the car. I’ll take you to my apartment because it’s closer. Kynlee’s there and we can at least start getting you cleaned up. I’ll call Sadie and have her meet us over there.” When we get to the car he opens my door and reaches in to grab something. He holds out an electric blue zipper hoodie for me to step into. I let him help me get it on, I’m not sure I’m cold but the hoodie looked welcoming.

  On our way to his apartment he calls Sadie. I hear him explain how he found me and that I asked for her. When he hangs up he tells me she’ll be there then dials another number. It must be Kynlee because he tells her the same story. Once were at his complex he helps me out of the car and wraps an arm around my waist. “I live upstairs, think you can make it?”

  “Yes.”

  “Sorry about it," he says with an apologetic smile.

  I shrug or at least I try to. “It’s okay.”

  When we reach his door, Kynlee is standing there in a pair of really denim shorts and black tank top. All of her hair is pulled up into a ponytail and she has a pair of glasses. Her mouth goes moves to cover her mouth. “Oh my gosh! Londynn," she says as she steps forward and extends her hand out to me. It’s such a simple gesture but at the moment it makes tears form in my eyes. I take her hand and she pulls me into the apartment. “Ace, why don’t you grab the first aid kit?”

  “I have one of those?” he asks.

  Kynlee laughs “Never mind I’ll go get it. Why don’t you fix her something to drink?” She turns to face me “I’ll find you something to change into as well.”

  Ace shows me to the couch and sits me down then disappears into his kitchen while Kynlee went off down the hallway. I take the time to take in his living room. It’s everything I’d imagine for Ace. There’s one red wall with a bare black tree painted in as well as some lonely ravens. He also has a black sectional with a mixture of red throw pillows and black throw pillows that have skulls on them. A black gothic looking coffee table sits in front of me. At the end of the sectional is black bookcase full of horror DVD’s. He comes back and hands me a cup of hot tea. “This is some shit that Kynlee likes, it’s supposed to help calm you.”

  Kynlee reappears just as there is a knock on the door. “That should be Sadie," he says going to get the door. Kynlee comes over and tells me “Why don’t we go to the bathroom? Sadie and I will help you change.” I take her extended hand but as soon as I see Sadie come through the door I feel the flood of emotions come back and I nearly collapse from it. Ace grabs me before I hit the floor. He helps the girls get me to the restroom which is decorated in black and white skulls. Kynlee starts a shower, once I’m showered and dressed in a pair of shorts and a tank top, similar to Kynlee’s, her and Sadie go to work cleaning me up. I’m sure the cuts and scrap burn but I’m so numb I don’t feel anything.

  When they’re done they help me back to the living room where Ace hands me another cup of tea and Axell tries to give me a granola bar. Sadie sits in front of me on the coffee table. “What happened Londynn?” She asks but I shake my head no. I notice Kynlee standing next to Ace and the way he’s pulled her close to him, as if he can protect her from the world. Sometimes Ace James seems like your typical assy bad boy, but Kynlee brings something else out in him. She looks up and whispers something, he drops a kiss on top her head and she comes to sit beside me. She takes my hand in hers. “Londynn, you need to talk to us," Sadie tells me.

  “I had this stupid charity benefit to go to at my parent’s country club. I caught Ryce hooking up with some girl in the hallway and he chased me down. He forced me in the car and then drove like a maniac I was sure we’d wreck and it’d all be over but finally he slowed down. He pulled over on the curve and he was yelling about me making a fool of him or choosing Jagger and some other stuff. He yanked me out of the car and he kept yelling at me about stuff. I tried to keep my mouth shut but eventually I started yelling back and it made him angrier and then...well you can guess the rest," I tell them gesturing at my face.

  Axell steps forward “As he done this before?”

  I shake my head “No, he’s grabbed me a little too roughly before when he’s upset or drinking but he’s never hit me before.”

  “I’m going to kill that asshole!” Ace says angrily.

  Sadie turns to him. “That won’t help anything.” She turns back to me “Why don’t you come stay with us until Farrah gets back.”

  “No, I can go home. I don’t want to intrude. When Ace found me I just wasn’t thinking right. I should have had him take me home then," I tell them.

  I’m up and trying to get to the door when Ace steps in front of me. “You’re not going back there. They don’t protect you Londynn! They don’t care, you can stay here with Kynlee I or go home with Sadie and Axell. We will make sure you’re safe and that Ryce never does this to you again.” I think about arguing with him, but I can see something in his eyes that tells me I won’t win.

  Re
luctantly I agreed to take the couch at Sadie and Axell’s. Kynlee told me she’d swing by tomorrow and bring me some more clothes until I feel up to go shopping. I tell her thank you. Ace walks us out and I tell him thank you. He just smirks at me “I’m just glad it was me that found you.” I don’t tell him but I’m glad it was him too.

  When we get back to Sadie and Axell’s he disappears and comes back with blankets. He makes out the couch for me while Sadie gives me some Tylenol and water. They tell me good night before disappearing into their room. As soon as I lay my head on the pillow I’m out, the events of tonight leave me while I sleep.

  Chapter 16

  Jagger

  By the time I pull into the driveway of my childhood home back in L.A. it’s almost four o’clock in the morning. The house is dark and quiet, I feel nervous about what Sadie might tell me. I’ve tried to figure out what her words meant the whole way here. If I ever cared about Londynn I needed to get back here. During the trip I had come up with a thousand different scenarios, none of which were good. I pause at the front door and take deep a breath before quietly unlocking it and stepping inside.

  It seems everyone is asleep because the house is completely dark. I hear the leather of the couch moving and look that way. Immediately I assume Axell is in the dog house with Sadie but as I step into the living room I notice the moonlight catching the honey colored hair laid across the pillow. Londynn. What is Londynn doing asleep on the couch? Looking down at her I realize that out of all the scenarios I thought up this one never came to mind. There is a bag of unfrozen peas lying in her hand. The side of her face I can see is black and blue and slightly swollen, there’s a cut on her lip. The rage that takes over me at the sight of her makes me want to go beat whoever did this to her but instead I quietly go to my room and slip on a pair of sweats and muscle tank.