#Hater (Hashtag #2)

by Cambria Hebert

  “Look, Dad, I have to go.”

  “You’ll tell Rimmel?”

  “Yeah, I’ll go over there now.”

  “Maybe bring her by. Your mother is worried about her. It might make her feel better if she sees her.”

  “Yeah, okay.” I agreed, then hung up.

  My mother had taken a real liking to my girlfriend. She held back so as not to overwhelm her (per my request), but I knew it was only a matter of time before my mom would go full maternal on her and I wouldn’t be able to rein her in.

  Really, I thought it would be good for Rim. She didn’t have a mother, and my mother always wanted more than one child. But I wasn’t going to push that. Rimmel had to make her own choices about her relationship with Mom.

  If she decided she couldn’t be close to her, then that would be it. Either way, I was going to support her.

  I glanced at the clock and knew Rimmel was still at the shelter, so I decided to take a quick shower and change before driving over to the dorm. On the way, I’d swing by the shelter and pick her up.

  Only she wasn’t at the shelter.

  Michelle seemed confused when I walked in to pick her up.

  “Rim in the back?” I asked.

  “She left for the day. I thought you knew…” she said awkwardly.

  “No. I’m here to pick her up.”

  “Well, she told me she texted you and then left a few minutes later.” Michelle frowned.

  I didn’t want to make her feel bad. Clearly, she already felt somewhat guilty. “No worries.” I smiled at her and she relaxed. “She probably walked back to campus.” The thought gave me a rash. “She likes to walk.” But I never let her. Because it was dangerous.

  Irritation slammed into me. The distance between us was over. I was going to find her and fix this because I couldn’t take it anymore.

  “I’ll just run by the dorm and see her. Thanks,” I called and then left without waiting for a reply. I hurried to my car and drove to campus, looking for her as I drove.

  She was nowhere to be seen, and I was partially glad. It was already dark out, and I hoped if she had walked, she’d done so before the sun went down.

  One of the girls going into the dorm let me in, and I bounded up the steps and knocked on her door. I could hear music playing inside, and I pictured her sitting on her bed, singing off-key.

  Ivy opened the door and her eyes widened. “Romeo.”

  “Hey,” I said without my usual smile. I couldn’t help it. I was still sort of pissed she’d let Zach in her pants.

  “What are you doing here?” She seemed confused.

  What the hell else would I be here for? “Uh, to see my girlfriend.”

  “But she went out with you.” Then her mouth dropped open. “Well, at least that’s what she said.”

  “Explain,” I growled.

  Ivy opened up the door all the way and waved me inside. She went across the room and pointed to a bouquet of red roses on the table beside Rimmel’s bed.

  “You sent her these…” she said like it was obvious. “You asked her to meet you.” Ivy held up a small white envelope that had been propped up against the vase.

  I was an asshole for two reasons:

  1.) I did not send these flowers.

  and

  2.) I probably should have.

  I slid the small white card out of the envelope to read the message that was “from me.”

  Meet me on the field at 8:00 -R

  I glanced up at Ivy. “I didn’t send this.”

  Her eyes got big. “Then who did?”

  I let out a curse. “She went here?” I said, motioning to the card.

  Ivy nodded. “She was surprised but happy. She thought she was meeting you.”

  Panic, sharp and pungent, filled me. I crumpled the card in my hand and rushed from the room.

  Someone sent Rimmel a note, pretending to be me.

  Someone who obviously wanted to get her alone.

  And now she was.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Rimmel

  All the work was done. I’d spent so much time here the past few days that there was nothing left to scrub, organize, or feed.

  The shelter never looked better, but me… I was a mess.

  I missed Romeo, the closeness we usually shared. Even when we’d gone through stretches of time between us, I still felt close to him. But lately it’d been muffled. It’d been hard to grasp.

  And I knew it was my fault.

  I needed to stop hiding and stop pushing everyone away.

  “Since everything is done, I thought I would leave early,” I told Michelle.

  “Of course!” she said. “This place is spotless.”

  “Great. Thanks!”

  “Do you need a ride to campus?”

  “Oh no, I texted Romeo.” I lied.

  The truth was I wanted to walk. I wanted to clear my head and organize my thoughts. I needed to compartmentalize some of my feelings and put them away so I could be there for Romeo. I barely knew what was going on in his life because I’d been so focused on the crash and burn of mine.

  Michelle smiled and called out a good-bye before she went back to her office. I was relieved I didn’t have to stand around and pretend to wait, so I hurried out into the cold and started in the direction of campus.

  There was snow on the sidewalk and on the ground, so I walked carefully and tucked my head down against the wind.

  The walk was good for me and I enjoyed being out in the fresh air. Even if it was freezing. When I got back to the dorm, I ignored the stares of some of the girls and went about my business. I took a shower and then spent more time than I liked blowing my hair completely dry.

  I hadn’t been trying at all with my appearance lately, and since I planned to call Romeo later, I decided to make an effort to look nice.

  Once my hair was brushed out and falling around my shoulders, I dressed in a pair of light-colored skinny jeans, brown boots, and a white sweater with sparkly gold elbow patches.

  Ivy walked in from class and gave me a onceover. “Wow, what’s the occasion?”

  I shrugged. “I’m just tired of being depressed.”

  She nodded with a frown. “I still feel terrible—” She started, but I held up my hand.

  “Stop apologizing. You couldn’t have known what Zach was after the night you brought him here.”

  She flopped down on her bed. “Is there any word at all from the computer guy? From Romeo’s dad?”

  “No,” I said glumly. With a week already passed and no new proof in my favor, I was beginning to think there wasn’t going to be any.

  “Ugh!” Ivy shouted. “I can’t believe he would do this to you!”

  “Well, technically, we don’t know it was him,” I allowed.

  Ivy made a rude noise. “Yes, we do.”

  There was a firm knock at the door. Ivy and I shared a look. “You expecting anyone?” I asked.

  She shook her head. “You?”

  I shrank back, suddenly worried it was more bad news. “No.”

  She jumped up from the bed and flicked her long hair over her shoulder. She pulled open the door only enough to poke out her head.

  “Rimmel Hudson,” a man said from the other side of the door, and I stiffened.

  I heard her exclaim with excitement. “Thank you!” she called, then came back in the room, slamming it shut with her foot.

  “Look!” she squealed.

  I glanced over and gasped. She was carrying a huge bouquet of red roses. It was so large I couldn’t even see her head behind the blossoms.

  “It’s gorgeous,” I breathed, taking in the silky petals, the bright red, and the way they gracefully arched out of the large glass vase.

  No one had ever sent me flowers before.

  “Read the card!” Ivy exclaimed as she set them on the table near my bed. “Even though we already know who they’re from.”

  I smiled and snatched the card off the little cardholder thingy
in the middle of the bouquet. I giggled and pressed it to my chest. “He wants to meet me. Tonight.”

  Ivy pretended to swoon while I stood there with a goofy smile on my face. I guessed Romeo had enough of the distance between us too.

  “What do you think he has planned?” Ivy asked.

  “I don’t know,” I replied, gently setting the card with the vase. I leaned in to smell the blossoms. “I don’t really even care,” I mused.

  Ivy sighed. “He’s like the perfect guy.”

  I glanced at the clock. I had an hour before I was to meet him. I thought about texting him and saying how much I loved the flowers, but I decided to wait. I wanted to tell him in person.

  Ivy started fussing with my hair and ended up flat-ironing it so it was sleek against my shoulders. She went on and on about romance, but I barely listened. I was too busy thinking about Romeo.

  When it was close to eight, I pulled on my coat and tucked my phone in my pocket. “Don’t wait up,” I told Ivy.

  She laughed and made me promise to give her all the details later.

  I wasn’t entirely sure what field to go to, but I decided the indoor field would probably be where he meant. He knew how much the cold bothered me, so it made sense he would have us meet inside.

  It wasn’t a short walk, but by the time I got there, my toes and fingers were numb. I didn’t see his car anywhere outside, and I hoped that didn’t mean I was at the wrong field. But I decided to go inside anyway. He might have parked on the other side where I couldn’t see his car.

  I walked inside, sort of at the underneath level (even though it was on the ground) because the stadium seats rose up above it, creating this hollowed-out space below where fans could buy their tickets to scrimmage games. There were also bathrooms down here and a concession stand, which was obviously closed.

  As I walked, my footsteps echoed over the concrete, and the slightest inkling of fear slithered up my spine. I pushed away the shiver and continued on, wondering what kind of surprise Romeo had planned.

  I walked up the stairs leading to the field and bleachers. “Romeo?” I called, thinking it seemed kind of still and dark in here for someone who had planned something.

  He didn’t answer, but I did hear a sound. The sound of scuffling feet above.

  I paused but then continued the rest of the way up, thinking it must be Romeo.

  “I got the flowers,” I called. “They’re so beautiful.”

  When I reached the top of the stairs, I walked across the floor toward the railing to overlook the field.

  It was way too dark in here. There was only enough light for me to make out where I was going.

  Clearly, I was at the wrong field.

  Dreading the walk to the other field, I pulled out my cellphone to call Romeo. I would just ask him to come get me. I was too cold to walk.

  A light kicked on and I jumped back and held up my arm to shield my eyes. It was so bright and intense that my eyes watered even as I shielded them.

  “Hello?” I called out. “Romeo?”

  Someone behind me laughed. Someone up higher in the stands.

  Romeo didn’t laugh like that.

  The spotlight that had been blinding me swung around the large space, making me dizzy before it settled on its target.

  “You’re late,” the voice said.

  I gasped and looked up.

  I knew that voice.

  He was illuminated by the light, standing up on one of the bench seats, and staring down at me with cocky smile.

  “Zach,” I said, confused. “What are you doing here?”

  “Waiting for you,” he answered like it was obvious.

  Fear slammed into me and I rushed forward to the steps. Two figures materialized out of the darkened stairwell and rushed me. The cellphone in my hand was ripped away, and I heard it break apart when it was thrown against the concrete wall.

  I screamed.

  A set of unrelenting arms wrapped around my waist, and even though I kicked and screamed, he held me captive.

  “Bring her,” Zach ordered.

  I was dragged forward on the orders of a man who had truly lost his mind.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Romeo

  Thirty minutes.

  That’s how long ago Rimmel was supposed to meet the person pretending to be me.

  I was certain who that person was by now.

  I called her phone for the millionth time as I tore across campus to the indoor football field and prayed to God I had the right place.

  She isn’t answering.

  She’s been alone with him for thirty minutes.

  She isn’t answering.

  Fuck my future.

  I was going to kill him.

  I should have taken him out a long time ago. This was all my fault. If I had, then she wouldn’t be in danger and I wouldn’t be on the verge of panic.

  The parking lot was empty, but I knew that didn’t mean anything. I sped all the way to the entrance and slammed the brakes. I left the Hellcat sitting right there, pocketed the keys, and rushed in the door.

  “Rimmel!” I roared and ran inside and up the stairs. “Rimmel!”

  There was a bright light shining down on the field. It was pointed at the end, at one of the field goal poles. My eyes followed the light as the sound of muffled yells echoed through the stadium.

  Holy.

  Shit.

  My entire body froze. It was as if for a heartbeat, everything in me stopped working. The horror of what I was looking at completely shut me down.

  Rimmel was in the center of the spotlight. Her arms and legs were tied together and there was something binding her mouth so she couldn’t speak.

  But that wasn’t the worst part.

  The worst part was her location.

  She was hanging from the goal post.

  Thick rope wrapped around her middle and she was strung up like some kind of human piñata.

  I’d never know this kind of rage before. I’d never known this kind of fear.

  It was the kind that rendered me instantly numb, almost like my brain just couldn’t comprehend the kind of shit it was seeing. Adrenaline surged through my system, making me feel jittery, and my stomach clenched so hard that I had to swallow back the gagging reflex forcing its way up my throat.

  She was looking in my direction. I wasn’t sure if she could see me, but she must have heard me call her name. Even from the distance between us, I could see her tearstained cheeks and the fear in her eyes.

  Her glasses were gone.

  She was yelling and screaming, but whatever was against her mouth made it so I couldn’t hear anything.

  “I’m here, baby,” I screamed. “I’m gonna get you down.”

  I readied to leap over the railing to get down to the field, but movement below her stopped me.

  “‘Bout time you showed up,” Zach said, stepping up close to where she hung. He was dragging something along behind him, and my eyes narrowed.

  “Quit being such a fucking moron, Zach. If you got a problem with me, then be a man and come at me. Don’t pick on a defenseless woman,” I yelled.

  “But watching you rush around to her defense is just so rewarding,” he crooned.

  What the fuck? This guy was seriously off his rocker. He needed a padded cell and meds. Like now.

  “I wonder,” Zach yelled as I leapt over the railing and landed on the field. “How long does it take hypothermia to set in?”

  What the fuck? I started toward them.

  “Or is it possible for someone to drown without being submerged in water?”

  Rimmel started screaming, her muffled cries panicked, and her body began swinging back and forth.

  Zach lifted what was in his hands.

  Rimmel screamed more.

  I was down at the other end of the field and I started to run. “Don’t do it,” I growled.

  Zach laughed.

  Then he held up the hose the maintenance team used and aime
d it at Rimmel.

  “No!” I roared and pushed my body as hard as it would go. I covered the field quickly, but I wasn’t fast enough.

  Water shot out of the nozzle and hit Rimmel. Her body jerked like it was shot as water drenched her entire body.

  Zach laughed and laughed. He sounded like a maniac as he waved the hose all around, making sure to spray every last inch of her.

  As I drew closer, I heard her struggling. I saw the water rushing into her face.

  Pissed off didn’t even begin to cover how I felt.

  I crouched low and rammed into Zach from behind. He’d been so involved in torturing Rimmel that he hadn’t even known I was coming.

  I tackled him into the ground and he dropped the hose. I sat up, pinned him to the ground with my weight, and started punching him as hard as I could. I was so angry that I didn’t even aim. I just punched and hit him anywhere. His moans and the sound of crunching bones were the most satisfying sounds I’d ever heard.

  “Keep… hitt… ing.” Zach laughed between hits. His teeth were outlined in blood. “She’s… gonna… freeze.

  I hit him again and his head rocked to the side, and he didn’t move. I shoved away from him and looked up at Rimmel hanging from the pole, bound in rope, and dripping wet. She was already shivering.

  “I’m gonna get you down, baby. Hang on,” I said.

  From the sidelines, two guys watched the unfolding scene like they were shocked. “What the fuck did you think was going to happen when you helped that pecker kidnap a woman?” I yelled. “Find something to cut her down!”

  They snapped into action, and I gauged the distance that she was hanging above me. I wasn’t going to be able to jump to reach her. How the hell had he even gotten her up there?

  I felt Rimmel’s stare as I moved around down below, looking around for anything I could use to get her down. Her eyes were glued to me like she was clinging to my image.

  I stopped and looked up at her. “I’m not going anywhere. Everything’s okay now.”

  More tears fell from her eyes, and for the first time, I noticed the bruise on the side of her face.

  He hit her.

  He. Fucking. Hit. Her.