TRIP*

★

There are lots of half-eaten apples around her...her handiwork, then a mess of popcorn on the ground from her popcorn bowl.

She was already preparing herself to cry at the end of the movie again when a familiar form settled beside her.

She turned her neck to the side and blinked when she saw him.

Uncle Richard, her father's junior brother.

He has the handsome smile on his mischievous face as usual, and his eyes went to her small breasts again.

"Mind giving me some popcorn?" He dipped his hand into the bowl on her laps, but his second hand went to her bare thighs, rubbing them slowly.

Pearl pushed his hands away, and the popcorn fell from her as she stood and rushed all the way into the kitchen.

When she got to the door, she hugged the frame and looked back at him.

"You belong to me, beautiful" he mouthed, and she smirked.

BACK TO NOW*

Pearl let out her tears in the freezer, regretting all-over again.

She should have told her mother about it when uncle Richard started his strange habits, she shouldn't have kept it.

Maybe if she didn't, she wouldn't have gotten terribly hurt.

And now, she's about to die in this stupid freezer.

Maybe it's all for the best after all. Thank you very much.

She wiped her tears and was about to start another round when she noticed the coldness is gone.

It's not freezing in there anymore. She looked up and was shocked to see the yellow light is off.

Did her captor change his mind?

The freezer lid suddenly hissed open, and she was more shocked to see the face that appeared.

Jeremy!

"Here" he gave her an hand, and she took it quickly without thinking of the consequences.

He pulled her out of the freezer, and she almost fell, but he held her by the shoulders, stilling her.

"You ok?" He asked softly, and she looked up to his face.

He looks genuinely concerned, and another thing...

Why is she not getting triggered?

Why is she not feeling like vomiting right now when his hands are on her?

"You ok?" He asked again, bringing her out of her reverie.

"I'm fine" she replied, releasing herself from him, and that was when she noticed the freezer is already unplugged, and the lock is broken.

Even the room door is broken, and the slaughtered padlock is by the frame.

"Who locked you in here?" He asked.

"How did you find me?" She counter-asked.

"When I arrived at the park, I saw a black figure dragging something towards this building. The person was wearing a trenchcoat, and I was about to brush it off that it's probably one of the cleaners, then I saw your open car trunk and the fallen bag. I figured out it was you and traced it here." he explained.

"How did you break the door, the lock?" She asked again.

"I got the lock breaker from the storeroom of this bloc" he smiled, and she sighed.

"Who was that? If you have an enemy who locks you in a freezer, then you should be careful" he said.

"It might be one of you Titans, who knows? I mean... y'all once kidnapped my friend" she shrugged.

"That was...

He dragged his words as he rubbed his nape awkwardly with the sheepish smile.

"Why do you always let Rue bully you? Isn't she your junior?" She asked, walking out of the room.

"Oh...I.. it's not...

"Forget it" she cut him off.

"Ok" he replied, and she faced him.

"Exactly what I'm talking about. Don't you ever disagree?" She rolled eyes.

"You like tough guys?" He blinked.

"What are you talking about?" She smirked, and he laughed.

"Thanks for saving me, a lot" she said, and he nodded.

"It's my pleasure"

They left the bloc together and went back to the park to get their bags before leaving for the department.

After they left, Roonie came out from somewhere in the park like Lucifer, taking off his helmet fast.

He actually arrived same time as Jeremy, and he followed Jeremy to the freezer room.

When Jeremy went to find the lock breaker, he already broke the padlock with a stone.

Basically, he's the one who broke it

He's also the one who unplugged the freezer.

He just had to leave and let Jeremy take the glory.

He took calculated steps to Pearl's car.

The shoe prints left by the Vans of the abductor is still there, so he snapped it with his phone before heading for the department.

*