12. Trouble

As much as I enjoyed watching Lara apologize, I was left more confused than ever.

She was on drugs—strong painkillers, benzos, probably half the hospital pharmacy at this point. Maybe she was hallucinating Victor being there. Maybe it was all just a paranoid breakdown.

But I fucking believe her.

Victor's a psycho, and just like Lara had been thinking when I left the hospital, no one would believe her if she told them what really happened. Just like no one would believe me if I told them Victor's been stalking me. Watching me. Dreaming up fantasies about me.

And now I can't even ask Lara about it. Because whether or not it happened, she's lost her goddamn mind.

As Katy and I got back to school, just before the end of the period, she asked, "So do you think she tried to kill herself?"

"There's no fucking way," I said.

"So you don't think I'm stupid for thinking someone did this to her? Her CCTV was tampered with too—like, fried from the inside. My dad said it can't even be recovered."

"I don't think you're stupid. There's definitely something weird going on here," I huffed. "But honestly? I can't say I care that Lara got hurt."

'I can't blame her,' Katy thought. 'Lara is a bitch. I don't even know why I'm looking into this for that bitch who calls me dumb every chance she gets... I'm not even dumb.'

"Why'd you bring me there?" I asked.

'To prove I'm not dumb,' her thoughts said. But aloud, she said, "To talk to her, because I couldn't. And... I had something to prove."

At least she was honest.

"Okay."

"C-Can we talk more?" Katy asked. "I don't wanna hang out with Jackie and Lara anymore."

She sounded desperate. Which was weird. She was too pretty to sound like that. But whatever. It wasn't like I had friends lining up at my door.

"Sure."

'What's my sweet Anne doing with her?'

Victor's voice in my head made me go rigid.

"Hey," Victor said, cutting in. "What are you guys doing out here?"

"We just took a walk," I replied.

'Well, I couldn't check the tracker during class... but it looks like they haven't left the school grounds.'

Tracker? What was he checking?

"We had a nice long chat about Lara and what happened to her," Katy added, shooting Victor a polite look. 'I always thought this guy gave serial killer vibes... I wonder if it was him.'

"What happened to Lara?" Victor asked.

I braced for it—but nothing came. His thoughts didn't even brush the subject. He was actually confused. Blank. No memory of what happened.

Was it possible he'd just... thought violently? But never actually acted?

I mean, I've never seen him get physical—except for that one time he defended himself... when I attacked him.

'Why is Anne focused on Lara? Who cares about that bitch?'

I glanced at him again. The guy who obsessed over Power Rangers. Who made life decisions based on color-coded spandex role models. They wouldn't kill a bully. Right?

"Nothing at all," I said casually. "Katy and I think she's ugly and sick in the head."

"Tell me about it," Katy chuckled, completely forgetting her own suspicions of Victor.

Maybe I was thinking too much... or not enough.

Time would tell.

***

"Yoo-hoo!" Yesenia's voice called from the parking lot. We were at the bus stop when she pulled up, flashing a bright smile from the driver's seat. "Anne, Victor! Over here!"

I stepped over to the car, already on edge. "Yeah?"

"You two hop in, I want to take you somewhere," she grinned.

'Hopefully Anne can enjoy this time before her dad and I tell her the big news.'

Shit. More surprises.

Victor and I slid into the car without question.

***

We arrived at some kind of filming office. Everything looked clean, branded, oddly colorful. It wasn't p**n, but if it was, it was the most wholesome-looking p**n studio I'd ever seen.

'Why does all this look familiar?' Victor thought. 'There's no way—'

"Miss," he asked, voice almost shaky. "Do you know an actress... she works under the name stage Hunter Dino?"

"I see," Yesenia smirked. "You are a total fan as I suspected. You know my work?"

Victor's eyes bulged. "You're the first female Red Ranger!!"

"Yes!" she said, striking a pose. "Let's crack some cosmic skulls!"

"Amelia Jones!" he cried, practically short-circuiting.

"This galaxy is under my protection!

"Oh my god! I have all the merch! You look so different though!"

"That's TV magic," she grinned.

"Can I get an autograph, please?!"

"Of course! Your boyfriend is so cute, Anne," Yesenia teased.

'Oh no. I can't fawn over her and make my sweet Anne jealous! I got carried away.'

"I think an autograph is just what he needs," I said. Maybe letting him live out his fantasy would mellow him out. Maybe.

Watching Victor fangirl over a Power Ranger was the weirdest relief I'd had all day.

And I guess it's the small victories that count when your life's slowly being overrun by someone else's delusions.

***

Between third and fourth period, just as Katy and I made our way down the East hallway, the stares started. The whispering. The tilted heads.

It'd been two days since the hospital visit to Lara, and true to her word, Katy had distanced herself from her old group. From Jackie. I wouldn't call us best friends, not yet anyway, but having her around was surprisingly nice. We talked about dumb things—TV, celebrities, makeup filters. It felt normal. I felt like a normal girl for once.

"Yeah, if you go blond, it'll totally bring out your eyes," Katy said, holding up her phone and grinning as she showed me the filter.

Then Craig stepped into our path.

He glanced between me and Katy before locking eyes with me. "Well, if it isn't the one-eyed witch."

His voice boomed down the hall.

Katy froze beside me, visibly nervous.

'Do I say something? Should I laugh? I'm not on their side anymore so what do I do?'

Craig took her silence as a green light. "You're pretty brave, showing up to school like this. I'd be wearing a bag over my face if I looked as bad as you."

Some chuckles rippled behind him—not even from his regular cronies. Just bystanders too weak to intervene. No one said a thing, though their thoughts were irritated. But they wouldn't stop him. No one ever did.

Everyone knew Craig was juicing. The guy was at least fifty pounds heavier than anyone else, all thick, veiny muscle. No one wanted to be the reason he snapped.

Katy's panic practically vibrated in the air.

'Say something! I should help her—I should—but I don't have protection like she does!'

Craig leaned in, smirking. "Is that face why your dad disappeared?"

The second hung like a blade.

I wasn't going to take the high road. When have I ever?

I stepped in front of Katy, nudging her back so her storm of guilt wouldn't cloud me. I straightened up and stared Craig dead in the eye.

"Are you really that bored right now?" I asked flatly. "Your mom's been in and out of rehab since sophomore year. She'd tell you drugs are bad, but she's too busy sucking on a meth pipe."

"You—"

"No wonder you do drugs," I spat. "A crack baby does what a crack baby does."

That one landed. The hallway exploded into laughter. More than he ever got. Real laughter. Loud and cutting.

Craig's face twisted, first in shock, then rage. His fists clenched, his chest heaving. His thoughts weren't even words anymore—just red.

'Fucking bitch! I'm going to fuck her up!'

Shit.

He started forward, hand raised—and then someone stepped between us.

"Hello," Victor said, calm and smooth, like this was any other hallway conversation.

"Vic?" Craig's rage stuttered. He blinked, startled. His posture slumped just enough to show fear.

Victor didn't look threatening. He had that usual soft smile—but his thoughts were a war zone.

'My sweet Anne doesn't need help in a fight, but I won't let another man touch her. He was going to hit her. I'll break every one of his fucking fingers. Cut the hands off this pathetic piece of shit.'

Victor cocked his head. "So, what's going on here?"

Craig's face turned a new shade of red. "Oh, I fucking get it! Playing hero now? Standing up for this freak?"

"You're the one foaming at the mouth," Victor said, expression calm. "Not me."

Craig shoved him. Victor shoved back, harder.

"Besides," Victor added, "who wouldn't defend their girlfriend?"

My heart dropped like a stone into my stomach.

"Katy?" Craig asked.

Victor shook his head. "No. Anne."

The hallway turned into a sea of gasps and murmurs. All around us, voices whispered versions of "Did you hear that?" and "Victor and Anne?"

I couldn't breathe.

"That bitch actually let you touch her?" Craig sneered.

Victor shoved him—this time, slamming him against the lockers. "Say that stupid shit again."

"What? You gonna hit me for asking a question?"

"I'm gonna hit you for trying to bully my girlfriend," Victor snapped. "Why not try fighting someone with a chance against you?"

Girlfriend.

He said it again.

I wanted to vomit.

Craig stiffened—then froze completely. He didn't swing. He didn't reply. He just backed off.

His thoughts flashed a memory of getting beaten once—by Victor. He knew what would happen again.

And just like that, he left. No words. No pride. Just walked off like none of it ever happened.

Victor turned to us, the sharpness in his gaze softening. He smiled that gentle, eerie smile. Like nothing had happened.

"You guys okay?"

I couldn't answer.

"We are now that Craig's gone," Katy exhaled, her body visibly relaxing.

But I couldn't relax. I couldn't move.

All I could think about was the way the air vanished from my lungs when he said girlfriend. The way my heart sank like it didn't belong in my chest anymore. The way everyone believed it instantly. Like it was true.

Like I believed it now too.

And the worst part? I didn't know how to make everyone forget it.