Virginia Gone

by Vickie Saine

  Virginia’s victorious expression took a sudden dive towards a frown. “Isn’t it obvious? Mom’s not waking up, because HE”S drugging her with “Phenobarbital”. Make him leave our home and everything will go back to how it was before he ever came here. I promise.”

  The kitchen was silent, until she heard Riley’s weight shift as he leaned forward and lit a cigarette. She tried her best to ignore him. He puffed and exhaled. Inside, her anger smoldered. She didn’t have to turn her head to know his gaze was on her. Her father shook his head, “I’m sorry. Things can never go back to how they were Gin. Some things are just irreversible.”

  Eight

  I can be your home," he said quietly. "Belong to me.” –Sarah Addison Allen, The Girl Who Chased the Moon

  1:30 am.

  The room was dark, blinds drawn so no stray moonlight could find its way in.

  Blankets were kicked to the foot of the bed.

  Riley tossed under a thin sheet, his flesh damp with perspiration.

  Reds and gold’s flashed behind his eyelids.

  Screams coming from the people on the rides echoed in his mind.

  Brandon was there in that stupid ball cap of his, grinning. In his right hand was a baseball, which he lightly tossed in front of Riley’s face. “Bet I can knock more jugs down than you.”

  “Virginia’s hungry. I thought I’d take her to get something to eat on the way home.”

  “Man, just buy her a corndog or something.” Brandon swung. Jugs scattered sending a group of nearby girls in to giggling fits.

  Riley shrugged. “You know how picky she is…. says she doesn’t like any of the junk here.”

  “Alright, let me go find mom and dad to tell them we’re riding back with you.”

  Riley found Virginia waiting right where he left her, by the entrance gate. She stood with her feet crossed, her pocket book held close to her right side as she eyed a couple of young guys a few feet away. Virginia squirmed under their snickers and heavy gazes. She looked terrified and helpless as a baby fawn lost from its mother. Until she saw Riley heading towards her, then she lit with a smile all tension in her body dissipating.

  She trusted him, he found that trust to be endearing—and sexy.

  “Well, what did they say? Can I ride home with you?”

  “Yeah, it’s cool.” He took her hand and led her toward the exit.

  She stumbled to keep up. “Isn’t Brandon coming?”

  “Nah, he says he’s just going to catch a ride home with your parents.”

  She put on the brakes, the rubber soles of her sneakers scratching over dirt. “And my parents said that’s okay, if I go alone with you? I mean it’s always been the three of us. You know it’s the rule.”

  He sighed, “Yeah Virginia, I guess they figure I’ve been around you for so long if I was going to get in your pants, I’d already tried it by now….but if it makes you feel better we’ll go back so you can hear it directly from your parents.” He spun around headed back inside the gate.

  She caught up with him tugging on his arm until he stopped. “Okay, I believe you…lets go before they change their mind.” She sighed as they fell in to step beside one another. “I can’t believe we’re doing this.”

  He knew exactly where to take her. He’d parked there before, but he wasn’t about to divulged that information since it had been with a different girl. Virginia already knew enough bad stuff about him. In fact, she was the only one, not Brandon, he’d ever told certain secrets. Sometimes he regretted telling her about his lousy parents and what had taken place during their neglect. Especially, when he realized his feelings for her were changing, morphing in to something he had never expected. All he knew was he wanted to be with her, really be with her, and to a seventeen year old that was all that mattered.

  Tires crushed gravel as they took a long, back road. Train tracks ran parallel to the road on one side, and on the other side were miles of dense, pitch black woods. No houses, no people, only quiet. Riley killed the engine and glanced over at Virginia. He adjusted the driver’s seat sliding it back. “Is this place okay?”

  “How did you ever find it?” Her hands were settled in her lap. She looked unsure staring out the windshield. Hell, he knew this was too good to be true.

  “You want to go…I’ll take you home.” He went to move the seat back up only to be stopped by her touch.

  “Noo! I…I want to stay?” Virginia responded.

  They both sat quietly in the dark car; the only sound their breathing. Riley messed with the keys gangling from the ignition while contemplating how to make “the move” without scaring her. He had never been so nervous in his entire life. His stomach was tied in knots. Being the first guy to ever kiss her was monumental, he was confident in his skills, but not confident the kiss would live up to her exceptions. He hated to disappoint her.

  Then Virginia did something completely out of character for her….she leaned in and kissed him accidently bumping her teeth against his. She was horrified, that much was clear on her face as she pulled back and placed a finger against her mouth. She thought she’d done something wrong, he could see the wheels of doubt grinding in her head. His hands went to her cheeks. “It’s okay. Relax. Try not to think so much.”

  Her lip-gloss tasted like cherry cola, and she was a fast learner. Fifteen minutes in and their tongues were in sync. Riley’s fingers worked at unbuttoning her blouse. The windows in the car fogged up the clear sign of two teenagers necking inside.

  “Shouldn’t we get in the back seat?” Virginia whispered against his lips.

  “Do you want to…I mean…is that okay with you? You’re parents are probably going to wonder where we are.”

  “We’ll tell them we got lost.”

  He grinned. “I don’t think they’ll buy it.”

  She helped him with the buttons. “Probably not, but I don’t want to stop.”

  Stop.

  There it was the all-important word flashing red in his mind. Stop Riley! Don’t take what’s not yours to have. She’s innocent, too innocent to know she should have boundaries. Brandon will hate you. Her parents will hate you. You will hate yourself. Riley knew he should take her home untouched, hell she’d never even kissed a guy before, but his appetite for sex was something he’d never known how to control and finesse wasn’t a word he associated with the act of sex.

  Virginia cried afterwards.

  Riley sat straight up in the bed, dragging both hands down his face. He blinked in the dark room, his vision adjusting.

  Shit.

  He was a bastard.

  A cold, heartless bastard!

  Nine

  “What are you doing?” Brandon asked.

  Empty hangers swung on the rod stretched the length of her closet. Virginia jerked more of her clothes free tossing them in to the open suitcase balanced on top of her bed. Her bare feet squeaked over hardwood floors as she moved quickly around the room gathering her belongings in a fit of madness.

  “I’m getting the hell out of here!”

  “What? No! You just came home.”

  “Yeah…and I shouldn’t have. This place makes me insane!” She held her unsteady hands out in front of her “Look at how bad I’m shaking. I don’t like feeling this way.”

  Brandon collapsed down on the corner of her bed. “I take it he didn’t believe you?”

  She flashed her gaze toward the heavens. “Of course not! It’s as if he’s under some damn spell! I think he’s been drinking Riley’s cool aid for so long they’ve become one. I don’t get it! Nothing makes sense anymore. I was better off with Lizzie. At least I know I can trust her.”

  “So you’re just going to abandon me…and mom?”

  “I’m sorry. Maybe if you tell dad how you feel he’ll finally be enlightened. God knows…I’ve tried!”

  He cast his eyes to the floor and frowned. “I doubt it. I don’t even think he remembers he has an actual son. I’m with you on this one…dad’s definitely been brain
washed. Maybe I’ll go with you. Nobody will miss me around here, that’s for sure. ”

  Her stomach dropped. “Oh Brandon, I’m sorry, but you can’t.”

  “I get it…you don’t want me around either.” He stood up his hands disappearing in the pockets of his khaki shorts.

  “It’s not that I don’t want you around. I just have a new life, free of all the drama. If you come to stay with me…well, I’ll have a constant reminder and never truly be free, besides mom needs you here.”

  “Yeah, I don’t know how long I’ll be able to stick around. I have a feeling I’m slowly being pushed out of the nest.”

  She felt like crap watching him go. He was her brother. She hated hurting him. But it would never work—it was all about self-preservation.

  Virginia could already feel the tension easing her body as she zipped the suitcase and gave her bedroom a final parting glance. She backed her way out of the room dragging the suitcase. She killed the light only to feel her backside bump in to something solid.

  “Going somewhere?” He was like a brick wall trapping her inside. He stretched, his fingers hooking on to the molding over the doorway. Turning her head she saw the brief flicker of a smile.

  “Could you move?”

  “Nope. Not until we talk.”

  “I mean it Riley! Move out of the way.” She put emphasis on her requested by shoving against him with her bottom. It was a dumb move, since it meant her butt ground against his crotch, but she was desperate, and already packed to go.

  “Keep doing that and you’ll be stuck in this room for hours and we won’t be talking.” He warned.

  Her suitcase smacked the floor as she released the handle with a frustrated sigh. It was pointless. It was like bargaining with a small child. She went over to the bed, sat, and crossed her legs. “I’m listening.” He kind of hung from the molding, the strong muscles in his arms demanding her attention. He used to do that silly move as a young boy always stretching and swinging from things occasionally showing-off by attempting chin-ups. But he was practically a man ... “Would you please stop?” She tried her best not to notice how his crisp, white button down hiked up revealing a strip of his lower stomach sprinkled with dark hair. Or the way his jeans rode low on his hip bone.

  “Sorry.” He let go, thrummed his fingers on the molding and walked in to the room. “Your wall cleaned up nice, it took some serious muscle power to get that shit off.” He made a point of flashing one of his biceps.

  Always the funny boy.

  She no longer laughed at his humor.

  To her it was a clear sign of how truly screwed up he was.

  She swallowed hard. “Is that what you want, a thank you?”

  “Nah, it’s not necessary.”

  “Good, since you’re the one that painted all those words on there in the first place…you’re not going to get one.”

  “Virginia…” he shook his head. “Never mind. What’s with the suitcase?”

  “I’m moving back to my apartment.” As far away from you as I can get.

  “I can’t let you do that.”

  She laughed, stood up and sauntered right past him to retrieve her suitcase. “You don’t have total control over everything in this house.”

  She was five steps away from freedom when he slammed the door and locked it. “I’m serious Gin. You’re not going back there…ever.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “What are you going to do....kill me? My father and brother are close enough to hear me scream. That would be a tough one to explain to daddy….if he found you standing over my body with blood on your hands?”

  Riley blinked, maintaining eye contact. She did the same refusing to back down.

  “You really believe you hate me, don’t you? Tell me about Lizzie?”

  “What about her!” She studied him as he dropped down on the edge of her bed. He picked up one of her stuffed bears and mashed on its cushiony belly with his thumbs. She grabbed the bear. “Don’t fondle my things with your nasty hands,” she paused finally seeing where this conversation was going. “Ohh I get it…you’ve realized my father suspects Lizzie’s. How convenient for you, I guess you plan to use his suspicion to the fullest.”

  “Well, now that you mentioned it. I think there’s some logic to it. I mean, come on, Lizzie has an unpredictable personality.”

  “Why….because she has a habit of telling the truth?”

  “The truth, is that what you call it?”

  “Don’t pretend you know her Riley. She’s a descent, good person, exactly why I’ve never exposed her to you.”

  He shook his head, “Little mouse, you have this all wrong.”

  “Well, the wonderful part is the law says I’m old enough to make my own decision. I don’t have to live here.” She opened the door and heaved her suitcase off the floor.

  Riley was there to stop her, his face inches from hers, his hand on her upper arm. “I said… you’re not going anywhere.”

  Her gaze narrowed. “How dare you!”

  “We have unfinished business.”

  Laughter filled the room, her laughter as she tilted her head up at him. “Is that what you think? That I came here because of you? You think way too highly of yourself. I came here, because my mom needed me, it had nothing to do with you. In fact, I despise being in the same room with you.”

  Virginia shoved past him. The backdoor slammed.

  She was gone.

  Possibly gone for good this time.

  Riley felt his temper flare transforming in to rage, blinding, mad rage, and his entire body shook with it. He always did have a possessive nature. Especially for the only family he’d ever known.

  Despised being in the same room with him, she had said… she didn’t know shit about hate! He hated! He hated his parents! And he hated Virginia for making him feel like dirt! His fingers made a tight fist; he swung, his fist busting straight through the sheet rock. Blood gathered in the gashes inflamed across his knuckles.

  Fuck her!

  She was absolutely clueless.

  Ten

  “If anyone had been paying attention to the signs, they would have realized that air turns white when things are about to change, that paper cuts mean there's more to what's written on the page than meets the eye...” –Sarah Addison Allen, The Peach Keeper.

  “So, are you going to ever tell me what happened?” Lizzie asked pushing the wobbly grocery cart down the can goods aisle.

  Virginia led the way selecting soups from the shelf tossing them in the cart. “It’s nothing. I don’t want to talk about it.”

  The cart came to a sudden stop. Lizzie glared over the basket at her friend. “Seriously, you’re not going to tell me. Am I not your best friend? Am I not a part of it?”

  Yeah, a major part of it—Lizzie was catching all the blame and had no idea she was even being blamed. It wasn’t fair keeping her in the dark, so Virginia filled her in on all the sordid details while they shopped.

  Packing the open trunk with their groceries, Lizzie was quiet as she processed what she’d heard. Her mouth fell as all the details settled in to place, “Oh my God! What are you going to do? If he orchestrated your mother’s accident....Virginia this is crazy! Do you think he would ever come here, to our apartment? Are we in danger?”

  “So you believe me?”

  “Of course! You’re my best friend and probably the most level headed person I know. If you say this guy is whacked in the head…then he is. I think you need to notify the police.”

  “If my own father won’t believe me…I don’t think the police will.”

  “You never know…maybe your fathers just bias to the whole situation. One thing is for certain, you don’t need to go back there until Riley’s been dealt with. As soon as we get home we’re checking all the locks on the windows….we’ll get a huge ass dog! Let that sucker come around then and he’ll get an ass full of canine teeth.”

  Virginia laughed. She didn’t care what anybody said, Lizzie was the only
person she could count on.

  Five hours later, 11:35 pm.

  The entire studio apartment was on lockdown. It was quiet, the only sound was the occasional clacking of ice being dumped from the automatic ice maker. As nighttime approached, Lizzie had gone overboard setting booby-traps in every room: empty milk jugs towered in a pyramid blocking the pathway behind their cream colored couch, fishing wire stretched across doorways, tin cans tied to the front and back door. “No way is he getting past these without us knowing,”

  Virginia thought she’d gone mad, but she appreciated the concern, especially later as she lay submerged to the chin in a steaming tub of water. Horrible, ugly images of death flashed through her mind. Bubbles tickled her nose as she relieved an itch from its tip. Her toes caught hot drips from the sweating faucet. She felt anxious, an uneasy feeling settling in the pit of her gut. She drew a breath and disappeared under the water, her hair floated out around her head. Her face came up, her mouth and eyes just above the surface. She blinked, allowing her entire body to relax. Even with her ears submerged, there was no mistaking the muffled sound as the milk jugs collapsed and scattered across the hardwood floor. She surged to her feet water pouring from her naked body. She batted disbelieving eyes, grabbed the towel from the hook on the back of the door. She slid on a pair of cut off shorts and a tank top. The door creaked as she slowly opened it. Her voice was nothing more than a whisper, “Lizzie? Was that you?”