018
like a slow, arthritic dog

Bianca left the Church feeling as unfulfilled as ever.

There was no magic potion or quick fix to the guilt plaguing her. The metaphorical glass of her life was neither half full nor half empty. If anything, it had been shattered into a million pieces beneath her red-bottom Louboutins.

Dejectedly, Bianca sighed as she waved a quick farewell to her mother and grandparents who hopped into Reginald's Rolls Royce and sped off. She got into her own car and buckled herself in before beginning the trek toward the Chateau.

The roads between the Cut and Figure Eight were winding, and tedious. Most islanders typically stayed on their side, still stuck in the age-old turf war from when many of them were teenagers. Bianca respected their commitment to the cause but the little to no traffic also meant the trip was a lonely one.

So, when Bianca noticed a dusty, khaki-colored car with duct tape plastered on the headlights behind her, she thought nothing of it.

Oddly enough, it looked familiar but the girl shook it off. She must've seen over a million cars in her lifetime. This one was just as insignificant as the rest.

It was only after she took a couple of different turns, and the car followed, did Bianca shift in her seat. Her eyes flickered into the rear-view mirror, trying to peer through the tinted windshield but to no avail. She slowed down slightly but the car merely slowed with her.

Bianca knew she was just being paranoid but it was better to be safe than sorry. She drove in a square around the block until she ended up back on the same street she started on and when the car stayed on her, she knew this was no coincidence.

Bianca was being followed. And here she was, on a long, secluded road with nothing but her and this suspicious car for miles.

"What the fuck?" She swallowed thickly, tightening her grip on the steering wheel, and tried to determine the best course of action.

Bianca couldn't get out of the car, that would make her a sitting duck but she had nowhere to go. Looking out her windows on either side of her, trees walled her in, casting leafy shadows across the concrete.

Bianca pressed her foot harder on the gas when she noticed the car behind her tailgate her rear. They were almost bumper to bumper but as soon as she sped up, the car behind did as well. Her only option was to outrun this psycho, whoever it was.

The speed-o-meter ticked higher and higher as Bianca sped down the road, "Shit- shit, shit," She cursed, making an abrupt swerve but the car copied her every move.

The girl's eyes flickered over to her phone, ready to reach for it, maybe call for help or send someone her location when suddenly, she jolted forward and her phone tumbled out of her hand. The car had rear-ended her and before she could even blink, they did it again, trying to veer her off the road.

"What the fuck-" This wasn't the kind of adrenaline she felt when on an adventure with the Pogues. This was pure, unadulterated terror.

Bianca's chest tightened, sweaty palms readjusting her grip over the steering wheel till her knuckles turned white. Her desperate gaze clung to the car tailing her and pressed harder on the gas to put a good couple of yards distance between them. There was no way out of this.

Well, there was one way. But she couldn't go through with it. She needed to take a leap but Bianca Prescott did not take leaps. At least the old one didn't. The old Bianca Prescott took small, planned steps like a slow, arthritic dog.

But the old Bianca didn't exist anymore. That girl died somewhere along the way of meeting the Pogues, breaking up with her ex-boyfriend, and falling in love with JJ.

Bianca knew if she took this leap, she would most likely land in a belly-flop. But she was yet to explore this new version of herself and like a new pair of Mary-Jane platform pumps, she needed to break it in.

"Oh my god," Bianca whimpered as she spun the car around, nearly tipping it over in the process. "I can't believe I'm doing this."

The girl came to a stop in the middle of the road, face-to-face with the other car who also halted in place. For a moment, there was a cold, calculating silence. There was enough of an expanse between them to execute her plan but she had to time it correctly.

"God..." Bianca whispered under her breath, stomach twisting into knots. "If you really are up there, please let this work. But if I die, don't let Sarah keep my clothes. Make sure Kie gives it to one of those women and children charities she never shuts up about. Thanks- I mean, Amen."

Bianca revved her engine, the daring rumble reverberating through the woods. The overcast clouds drifted over the sun, encompassing them in shadows.

"Alright, asshole," She stretched her neck before setting her glare on the car ahead. "Let's see if you can dodge this."

Before she could overthink it, Bianca slammed her foot against the accelerator with no remorse, sending the car down the road. Her heart pounded in her ears as the trees on either side of her blurred into a concoction of greenery. The car in front of her began speeding forward at the same speed, their tires squealing for purchase.

They would bail first. Bianca knew they would. They had to.

Maybe JJ was right. Maybe she really did have a death wish. Or maybe it was bravery. Whatever it was, she definitely had more of it than whoever this dude was.

The car got closer and closer with each passing second until Bianca squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for impact. Only, none came.

And when her eyes fluttered open again, she was still speeding down the open road while the green car skidded to a stop behind her. Bianca continued ahead, leaving them in the dust and rubble.

Laugher bubbled within her, hysterical and loud. She knew if anyone saw through her window right then, they would've thought she was insane.

But all of a sudden, her smile dropped and her chuckles died on her tongue when the car restarted and began chasing after her again.

"Fuck," Bianca slammed her hand against the steering wheel. "Why won't you just give up—"

Before she could get another word out, the rear windshield exploded and shards like bullets peppered the leather interior. The girl swerved, a stifled scream tearing through her throat and she ducked down out of instinct.

Bianca knew that ricochet, like white-noise in her ears. Familiar and fatal all at once.

She tried to keep her eyes on the road, feeling the car fight to regain stability. Her hands trembled violently, no longer able to hear anything except her tires screeching against the ground and her labored breathing.

Another gunshot rang through the air, and Bianca didn't know where it landed, only that it clattered against the metal of her car. She tried to peer through her rear window, only to find the shattered glass blocking her view.

It was barely a split-second between the second shot when another bullet resounded through the air. Only this time, she knew it impaled one of her back tires because even as she desperately grappled the steering wheel, the car flew off the road.

The convertible spun out of control, smoke and burnt rubber filling the insides. Bianca's eyes squeezed shut when an immense blow hit the car from in front and felt an excruciating weight dig into her chest. The windshield imploded and a waterfall of glass cascaded down on her.

The front end of her beloved convertible crumpled with the force of impact against a nearby tree. Both the driving wheel and dashboard compacted into one mangled, metallic mess while the front two wheels were sent spinning out into the street.

The metal of the car groaned like the final cry of some wounded beast and then shuddered. After that, it was silent for a while.

Bianca knew, through whatever bleary haze her mind was in, she was lucky to be alive. The crash alone should have liquefied her insides, and yet here he was, her face pressed into an airbag, still strapped firmly into the driver's seat with nothing worse than cuts and scrapes to show for it.

Bianca could smell smoke; an oily taste hung in the air. She grappled with the airbag and managed to push it to one side. The car was filling with dark fumes that burnt her throat and caused her eyes to water.

Somewhere in her mind, Bianca understood her time was limited. The smoke could kill her as surely as the crash. She had to get out.

With whatever strength she had left, Bianca wasted precious seconds struggling with the door handle before she realized something pinned and held her back. Her seat belt was still attached. Frantically, she searched for the latch.

Bianca began to cough from the smoke inhalation, each lung full now. Her eyes were bloodshot and both streamed uncontrollably as she fumbled with the belt. She started to feel weak and nauseous.

Bianca could sense her body beginning to slow. Dimly, she knew she was losing consciousness, her brain was starved of oxygen.

Finally, the seat belt came undone and Bianca kicked her car door open, coughing violently as she crawled out. Her knees hit the cold, hard concrete, heaving and spluttering as she tried to draw in a single breath.

The girl's vision went in and out of focus. On her hands, she tried to push herself to her feet but struggled to find the strength. Her knees shook and her arms threatened to buckle.

So, Bianca settled with leaning her back against the open car door, chest rising and falling with shallow breaths. Her head tipped back, squinting through the morning sunlight when a familiar voice rang through the air.

"Woohoo-hoo!" Barry chuckled obnoxiously loud. "Look who it is! Bianca Prescott, back from the dead."

"Oh, God," Bianca groaned, banging her head on the open car door behind her. "Please no. Not right now."

As if her life couldn't get any more complicated. Whoever was writing her narrative really had it out for her.

Barry's dark hair was trimmed down to a clean buzz-cut but his cargo shorts and tank were still as raggedy as ever. He was still the same drug dealer she met on his front porch with Rafe, bargaining for a duffle bag full of cocaine.

His one golden tooth glinted as he grinned down at her, "I saw on the news you were back on the island," Barry towered over her, blocking the sun from her eyes. "Not sure if you heard but so am I."

Bianca's eyes narrowed into a hateful glare at the man who jumped her friends. Her ribs ached like they were alight with flames but she still managed to push herself up to face him.

"Surprised to see me, B-dog?" Barry smirked, crouching down on his haunches in front of her. "I just had to pay my favorite Kook a visit. I gotta say, I missed that li'l thing we had goin' on."

"What thing?" Bianca spat, then winced.

She tried to square her shoulders to appear more intimidating than she felt at that moment. The last time she saw Barry, she planted an eight-ball of cocaine in his pocket after double-crossing their deal to help get Rafe arrested.

"Y'know.. our thing!" Barry rubbed his jaw. "I hit. You hit back. I gotta say, it kept me on my toes for a while. Till you gon' went and put me in a jail cell," His faux-excited tone dropped.

Bianca's eyes flickered around her, looking for her keys, a large piece of glass, anything to defend herself with if things went awry. Every muscle and bone in her body ached, still struggling to find her bearings after the crash. The haze in her mind had yet to clear and she grappled to find a way of getting out of this.

"Bet you're wondering how I got out too, huh?" Barry taunted with a sly grin.

"Not even a little bit," Bianca rolled her eyes, pressing her back further into the car door to put distance between them. "But you're going to tell me anyway."

"Matter of fact, I am," Barry's chest rumbled with amusement. "Got off on good behavior. You see, I was in the military so I got people on the inside, pulling strings. Had got a couple of cop-buddies who served with me, owing me a favor. How you think I survived out here for so long, huh?"

"Yeah, like a fucking cockroach," Bianca sneered without thinking of the consequences.

Barry, however, didn't take this as an insult. Instead, he chuckled again, "God, I missed your smart mouth."

He reached forward to play with a fallen strand of Bianca's hair but she turned away from his grimy hand, squeezing her eyes shut. She was too exhausted to shove him off. Every time she took a breath in, a searing pain shot through her chest, not to mention the cuts and no-doubt bruises skittered across her skin.

"I got some friends up in high places. I got connections. But you, B-dog?" Barry leered, muscles taut. He wasn't fooling around anymore, "You got nothin'. Ain't nobody here to save you, little girl. Not Rafe. Not your little boyfriend. And certainly not your daddy."

Before the words could even register, Barry gripped her cheeks, fingers harrowing into her bones. Bianca gasped, trying to pull his hands off her, "Barry–"

"Take this as a warning, Bianca," He gritted his teeth, pulling her hair back so she was forced to look at him. "See this mess? All I had to do was stake outside your house, follow your car, and catch you alone. That's how easy it was."

Tears stung Bianca's already glassy eyes, not at the threat but out of instinct from the sting. Pins and needles pricked her fingers, trying to distract her from the pain but it was no use. She was forced to sit there and listen to Barry's demands.

"You started this war but I can get to you at any time," Barry sneered, his hot breath fanning her cheeks. "Don't get scared, now, I ain't gonna kill you. But I ain't gonna let you off the hook that easy. Y'see, I know where you live, B-dog. I know where everyone you love lives. And I ain't gonna rest till every last one of 'em knows my name and how you double-crossed me. This ain't the first time I done home deliveries to Maybank's house and it won't be the last. His dad had a real nose on him."

All of a sudden, all the pain and agony Bianca felt was extinguished by pure, unadulterated rage. Her heart stuttered at the thought of JJ getting hurt because of something she did, "I swear to God Barry, if you go anywhere near him—"

"Ah- ah- ah-" Barry tutted, shushing her. He pulled her forward roughly, tightening his hold over her scalp, "I told you, B. You mess with me, and it's not just me you're messing with. Now I got people on my ass and only you to blame for it."

Finally, Barry let the girl go and rose to his feet abruptly. The tears she was holding back finally came spiraling down her cheeks as she gasped for breath.

"This ain't over, Bianca," Barry straightened his back, towering over her before backing away. "I'm gon' come after you! And that punk-ass who stole from me. Your little friends too! Watch your back, B-dog!"

Bianca watched through blurred vision as he chuckled manically, got in his car, and drove off without another glance back. His tires skid off, leaving rubber tracks in their wake and the girl in the rubble to pick up the pieces.

Bianca's mind was barely working after the initial shock of seeing Barry again. She couldn't process what just happened, nor that he threatened her and her friends. So, she settled on the only thing that made sense at the moment— she was late for her meeting with the Pogues.

They needed to figure out what to do about the cross, and Bianca was already late enough as it was. She didn't have time to waste.

Although her hands were trembling violently, Bianca paid them no mind. Instead, she reached inside her open car, ignoring the crumpled metal and fallen glass pieces scattered across the pavement, knowing it would just make her more upset.

Her new phone had slipped onto the floor of the passenger side and she crawled over the seats to reach for it. After tapping the broken glass a couple of times, the screen finally flickered on. A sigh of relief fell from her lips upon realizing it was still working.

But that slight sense of reprieve evaporated when she read her friends' text messages lighting up the screen.

From Kiara;

dude! where r u!??
it's been thirty minutes
call me !!
is everything okay ur scaring me
you've been mia all morning
bianca pls call me im worried
yo its pope we're all waiting on u
hello??
bianca?
this is serious where the hell are u
u know how much this cross means to me
wtf where r u

Each text message made her head throb more than the last. She ignored them all and sent an SOS message to a different contact listed on her phone before calling her insurance company to get the car towed.

There was no way it was drivable anymore. She didn't even know if she had the energy to do so.

Bianca was standing on the side of the road and sent the tow-truck driver a wave goodbye just as a steely Rolls Royce pulled up beside her. The car door swung open and Reginald stared as the wreckage of her convertible and its remnants were towed away down the road.

"Miss Prescott?" Reginald took large strides, glass, and metal splintering under his feet. "Are you okay? What is this? What happened—"

"I'm fine, Reggie," Bianca waved him off and tried to offer a smile but it was half-hearted. "It was an accident. I crashed."

"I can see that," Reginald commented with a stern look. If Bianca didn't know any better, she would've assumed he was angry with her, "How?"

"I don't know, it just spun out and hit the tree," Bianca shrugged, glancing down at her feet. "I lost control of it or something."

"On an empty road?" Reginald quirked an eyebrow, "In the middle of nowhere with no cars going up or down? Is that why I saw skid marks over a mile away?"

Bianca crossed her arms over her chest and didn't respond. She could feel the man's burning gaze on her but refused to meet it. There was more to this story and Reginald knew it.

Finally, he let it go with a soft sigh, "You have a lot of enemies, Miss Prescott."

Bianca scoffed but it was humorless, "Guess I get that from daddy."

Reginald offered her a tight-lipped smile, stepping back to open the door of the car for her, "Are you hurt? Do you need me to drive you to the hospital?"

"No, I-uh," Bianca shook her head. "I just need a ride to John B's place. The Chateau."

"Now?" Reginald's eyebrows furrowed "Is that really wise, Miss Prescott? I think you should—"

"No, Reggie," She cut him off, harsher than intended. "I just need to see my friends. I just- I need- I need to see-"

The man took notice of the way her chest rose and fell with mismatched breaths as if everything she'd been carrying on her shoulders was threatening to crash down on her. Immediately, he stepped away from the door and outstretched his arm, "I know," He breathed out when she fell into his embrace without hesitation. "It's alright. I know, kid."

They remained like that for a moment, Bianca's face buried into the man's suit jacket. She sniffled when Reginald patted the top of her head, the sort of comfort she hadn't felt in a long, long while.

"Come on, Bianca," He finally whispered, leading her over to the open car door. "Get inside. What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You called me Bianca," The girl cooed, her eyes widened with awe. "And I didn't even have to correct you."

Reginald rolled his eyes, "Christ, maybe you really did hit your head," He muttered as he got into the front seat.

"No, I'm fine, I promise," Bianca insisted. "But please don't tell my mom, she can't know about this."

"Bianca..."

"Please, Reggie, you can't. She can't know about this, she'll never let me go out again. There are too many things on the line right now, I need you on my side. Please."

Reginald sighed, "She's going to ask about the car and why it's missing," He pointed out.

"I know, just- just tell her I dropped the car at the garage because it needed an oil change or I had to get the battery replaced or something," Bianca pleaded. "That's believable, right?"

Reginald sighed again but nodded. She had been gone for over a month. Having a flat battery after not driving the car would make sense, "Just get inside"

Bianca exhaled, "Thanks Reggie," She finally stepped into the back only to find a large, black box and a smaller, hot-pink one beside it. "Wait, what is all this?"

"There's a blanket and some clothes in there," Reginald explained as he started the car and took off toward the Chateau. "I brought your makeup bag too. I wasn't sure what 'SOS' meant, whether it was a life or death emergency or your father emergency, a fashion emergency—"

"Holy shit!" Bianca exclaimed, sifting through the box of her clothes. "You brought my entire closet!"

"As I said," Reginald's eyes flickered to the rearview mirror. "I wasn't sure what kind of emergency this was."

"Reg," Bianca paused, glancing up from all her belongings, and turned to him. "If I ever have a fashion faux pas, you'll be the first one I call," She reassured.

Reginald tried to stifle a smile but it was no use. He chuckled lightly, "Glad to be of service."

Bianca eventually settled on a pair of low-rise, flared denim jeans and an oversized t-shirt. It wasn't her usual style, but it would hide any cuts and scrapes along her body from the crash.

Bianca slid the privacy screen closed and changed out of her dirtied and ripped dress. She sucked in a breath at the ache in her ribs when she tried to lift the material over her head. She glanced down at the welted skin where it was already beginning to bruise.

"Are you okay? Do you need me to pull over?" Reginald called from the front seat.

"No! No- I'm fine," Bianca winced as she scanned her torso, marred with red and purple blotches. "Just some, light... bruising."

The contusions formed a thick mark from her shoulder to her waist where the seatbelt had constricted her. Others were scattered across her arms and legs. Bianca's heart dropped. This was going to be a pain to hide from the others.

"Are you sure you don't want me to drive you to the hospital, Miss Prescott, you might—"

"I'm really okay, Reggie," Bianca peered through a hand-held mirror and swiped underneath her eyes where her makeup had smudged. She applied a thin layer of concealer and mascara to appear more presentable for her friends, "I promise. Nothing looks or feels broken."

"Okay, but the moment something hurts, you tell someone," Reginald's hand tightened over the wheel. He wanted to say more but knew he couldn't without blurring the lines of his job, "Alright, kid?"

Bianca lowered the lipgloss in her hands and frowned, "Yes, Reggie."

Warmth filled her at the concern bleeding from his voice. She almost felt guilty for making him worry about her. Despite his nonchalant demeanor, she hadn't even realized he cared so much.

"We're here," Reginald announced a moment later and slowed to a stop outside the Chateau.

"Thanks, Reg," Bianca hummed as she got out of the car and shut the door behind her.

"Do you need me to wait?" He offered, rolling down his side window.

"Yes, please. This shouldn't take long," Bianca reassured with a half-smile. "I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Yes, of course," He nodded when she began to turn away but called her back, forcing her to turn around again. "Wait, kid..." He trailed off, jaw clenched.

"Yes?" Bianca's eyebrows drew together, watching the internal battle behind his eyes.

Finally, he spoke softly, "At the end of the day, we can endure much more than we think we can."

Bianca smiled, "Frida Kahlo said that."

"Indeed," Reginald nodded. "A very special lady... like yourself."

author's note. hihi ! what did you guys think of this chapter? sorry for the late update i've been super busy but hopefully this made up for it hehe <3 this sag strike needs to be over soon im already writing ep 9 for this book what am i gonna do when it ends and obx4 still hasnt come out yet lol

in other news the vmas! maddy cline slayed as usual, also chase & kelsea's red moment (side-eye lol) they're a cute couple and i love them but their pr team rlly do be working overtime. also GUTS im obsessed !!