CHAPTER ELEVEN

TREVOR SAT THERE AND WAITED for Lily but she never came. He tapped the console in his car, his hands nervously wrapping then, unwrapping his steering wheel as he watched the many students leave the high school. His eyes bounced from car to car to see if her father's bright red car was parked in the same spot but it was absent, making the knot in his stomach grow.

    "Where are you?" he murmured as he leaned back into his seat examining each person trying to catch the evident black hair, the rosy cheeks, and her permanent frown.

But to his dismay, there was no one that left the building matching that description. His gaze fell to his lap, finding himself more entranced with the lines on the palms of his hand than the exit of the high school  — hell  — he hated to go to every day. Perhaps that's why he refused to go there but found himself having to for the sake of his mother. What is left in that school besides a distant memory of his dreams that touched the skies? What is left there but the rumors; hidden in each crevice of the school, the rumors that painted him as the villain in his own story? Where in reality, he was nothing but the victim. 

A small sigh floated out between his two lips, as he watches his breath become air, visible due to the dropping temperature outside. Yet, he does not make any attempts to turn on the heating. Nothing would warm the cold heart he had grown used to, nothing will comfort the dark thoughts that were starting to make its way back into his mind as talk of Venus' funeral was dying down in the halls of Centennial Secondary School. It was as if his nightmares started with Venus Wilson, and ended with Venus Wilson. An endless cycle, where he would never be the cat in the chase, even after her death, he would always remain the mouse, who begs for mercy.

Trevor let out a loud groan, his hands rose to rub sides of his head before his gaze settled in on the one person he was waiting what felt like centuries for. Except she was not alone. He stiffened as he watched Tyler walk in front of her as she followed behind him innocently. His eyes traveled down to the crimson red liquid sliding down Tyler's knuckles that was latched around her wrist. Even from here, he could tell that the grip he had on her was far too tight. An unknown feeling settled in him, and he found himself unbuckling his seatbelt and stepping out into the cold unbothered by the fact that all he was wearing was a sweater and jeans.

"Tyler, tell me what happened right now." Her voice held no confidence as she was dragged down the parking lot where his car is. Her feeble attempts at pulling him back were useless as he failed to even flinch back, "Tyler!" Lily let out, trying to get his attention but his back remained facing her, not the slightest interest in what she had to say.

Instead, he yanked open the passenger door of his car and ushered her in, as she desperately watched him walk around the car from the inside and finally to the other side of the car. A hiss escaped her lips as he pulled open the door allowing the bitter air into the new car. The goosebumps on her skin doubled, due to the cold leather pressed against her skin, separated by only a mere layer.

    "Tyler," she said, as he put the car in reverse, the recklessness made her clutch onto the handle of the door.

Lily looked around wildly, hoping to find someone she knew, someone that could help her. It's funny how the past few weeks all she had yearned for was to have Tyler to herself, to be able to sit with him, to be able to touch him, and now that it was her reality she wanted anything but that. She did not want his rough grip on her, she did not want to hold his gaze when all he had in his eyes was hatred and sadness. She wanted her Tyler back  — she wanted Venus' Tyler back.

    "Where are we going?" Lily asked, her voice gaining some composure as he pulled out of the school parking lot, "Tyler." She looked over at him and then to his hand that was wrapped around the steering wheel in a vice-like grip.

Lily let out a small sigh, her frown deepened as she watched the droplets of blood fall onto his jeans. She reached down and unzipped her bag, her eyes remaining on his arm, before she latched onto a soft packet and pulled it out. She lifted the flap of the packet and pulled out a tissue paper, hesitantly reaching over to pat his hand with several cuts. Her eyebrows furrowed as she pressed down on his hand, only to let out a yelp when he unexpectantly pulled his arm away.

    "Jesus." She grasped onto the fabric over her chest, as he put the car in park.

Lily looked around trying to take in the surroundings only for it to dawn on her moments later that this was not some unfamiliar place he had brought her. This was not someplace he brought her only to leave her on the side, finally able to be away from her. This was the place where she had first seen him laugh until he cried, this was the place they had innocently shared their first of many kisses. The place where she had first fallen for him.

    A haunting smile had found its way to her face as he unbuckled his seatbelt and then turned towards her. But he did not smile at her, he didn't do anything. Instead, he left the car. And she was left alone in the cold, with only past memories to warm her.

"You know I can't leave Venus, Lily  — I just can't, you won't understand and I don't expect you to, just know I love you."

Even the slightest thought of  Venus was enough to put her in panic. She fidgeted in her seat as she tried to erase Venus Wilson from her memory. All she wanted to do was to be able to focus on Tyler and only him. Silly Lily, ever since that night Venus had latched onto her, becoming one with her. Not a day would go by without being reminded of her actions.

"She was alive! Why didn't you do anything?!"

"—Stop!" Lily's voice rang in the empty car as she brought her hands to her ears, "please, just stop, stop it," she whimpered out trying to shake the voices of that day out of her mind that replayed in her mind like a terrible montage of when she died.

"Tran?" His voice was cautious, but it is muffled by the time it reaches her ears due to her hands covering them afraid more thoughts would enter her mind and push her over the edge of insanity. She was already down the rabbit hole, there was no need to accelerate it, "Lily," his hand wrapped around her wrists struggling to pull down her hands from her ears as she wailed into the abyss of her dark and lonely thoughts, "Lily, look at me," oh how the tables turn, when one is moments away from breaking into a million and one pieces.

"Is that the only time you love me? When I'm your damsel in distress?"

"Lily, you've absolutely lost it, I love you all the time."

"The only time you come around is when I call you crying,"

"Lily..."

"Is that why you love her as well?"

His grip was warm around her cold skin, she almost melted into his touch but the absence of oxygen entering her was much more important than to be able to be held in his arms. Her eyes widened as she heaved but struggled to inhale any form of air. Her eyes began to water over as she wrestled with her thoughts, in a battle to silence them. But those thoughts weren't just mere creations of her subconscious but the reality that drowned her the second she opened her eyes, and the moment she shut them.

Pulse? No pulse? Pulse?

    "I can't breathe," she choked out, doubling over the seat she sat on.

    "Lily," despite being beside her his voice was so distant.

"I came in here to talk to her... and now she's dead."

"Breathe for me Lily, I'm going to take you home and I want you not to tell anyone about what you saw tonight. Can you do that for me, Lily?"

    "No." She gasped while gripping onto his shoulder, her wild eyes catching his gaze. "I'm trying so hard but I can't forget, make me forget it, please, make me forget it." Her pleas are drowned out by the sobs that racked through her body.

What began with her wondering what happened to Tyler warped into him wondering what happened to the innocent girl he had found himself attracted to. Wondering why her smile turned into a neverending frown. And then he found himself wondering if what happened to him is exactly what happened to her. He looked at her with concern clear in his eyes as she latched onto him,

"Make you forget what Lily? Tell me." His voice was as gentle as a father coaxing his child, and she couldn't help but find herself drawn to the concern and warmth he lets off.

"T-That night," she whimpered out, as her grip on his jacket tightened.

"Breathe for me Lily, I'm going to take you home and I want you not to tell anyone about what you saw tonight. Can you do that for me, Lily?"

"What night?" He pushed, all while rubbing her thighs in an attempt to warm her up.

"I want you not to tell anyone about what you saw tonight. Can you do that for me, Lily?"

" — Lily?" An all too familiar voice graced the scene, causing Tyler's to look away from Lily.

Tyler turned around to see the unwanted visitor only to be faced with an all too familiar face from the past. He found himself stepping back instinctively as the memories rushed back at a rate that was too fast for him to process. As if it were a movie being forwarded at an insane speed, trying to get back to the original position. Once he had regained composure he glanced back at Lily who had managed to stop crying and instead stared ahead into the abyss of the forest.

"Lily?" Trevor reached out only to be blocked by Tyler who caught his hand.

"What are you doing here?" Tyler snipped, shoving his hand away, "are you fucking stalking us?"

"I'm just here for Lily, Tyler." His voice was softer compared to Tyler's sharp and cold tone, and Lily found herself drawn to it.

Trevor caught her gaze and took in her physical state, the frown on his face deepened as well as the wrinkles on his forehead. He found himself cursing at himself for arriving too late, but who could keep up with Tyler as he sped down the highway? Trevor's view of Lily was once again blocked by Tyler, who stared up at him. Despite being taller than Tyler, he felt as if he was the one that should retrieve back. After all, he was the reason Trevor couldn't sleep at night anymore.

Venus Wilson and Tyler Meyers, made for each other, not by God but by the devil.

"Why did you bring her here?" Trevor asked as he looked deep into Tyler's eyes trying to figure out his motive.

"That's none of your fucking business, Brown."

"It is my business, Lily is my business." He found himself saying, not thinking twice about the words that rolled off his tongue.

"Excuse me?" Tyler gaped, looking at Trevor and then back at a still Lily who seemed more interested in the trees ahead than the conversation at hand. "Are you two a thing?" his voice was dry but the confusion in his voice wasn't hard to miss. Tyler found himself turning to Lily. "Lily, what is he doing here?" His voice gentler and softer, surprising Trevor at how he acted around Lily. "Lily, he's not a good —"

"That's enough, Tyler," Trevor's voice was cautious so as to not frighten Lily even more.

"Oh, does Lily not know about it?" Tyler asked mocking an innocent tone, his back now towards Lily.

"Why were you upset I said I was your girlfriend?" Her voice was quiet, making it hard for it to not be drowned out by the two beings made of pure testosterone. "Is it because I can never be her?" Lily thought aloud.

"Why can't you leave her?"

Lily looked up to Tyler from her spot in the car, avoiding Trevor's gaze too embarrassed to even look at him.

"I just can't Lily, please."

"Lily," Tyler said, running his hands through his hair in a rough manner.

"You can't or you won't, is it because she's rich, because she's skinnier, or is it because what we share is lust?"

"Why did you bring me here Tyler?" Her voice cracked as she asked him, as her eyes began to sting once more. Not again, she thought, too tired to cry anymore. "Was it to yell at me more, for being an idiot? For being too clueless?"

"No, Lily, I love you."

"Lily, no," Tyler tried to explain to her, but found himself wondering the same thing.

"But you love her more."

"Venus Wilson is dead, Tyler," she whispered carefully examining the way he stiffened, how his eyes glossed over at the mere mention of her name, and she found herself laughing on the inside. "Even when she's dead you love her more." Lily finished, her voice trailing off to a whisper as if it were a thought and not something she meant to say.

"That's enough, Tran," he breathed out, his face changing from pale to red, at the thought of his lost lover.

"Lily?" Trevor chimed in once again, afraid of what Tyler would do next.

Trevor was acquainted with Tyler's bursts of anger and he didn't want to expose Lily to that.

"No," Tyler interjected. "Why don't we tell our innocent Lily Tran just what type of human you are, you scumbag."

"Shut up, Meyers, you know it's a bunch of bull."

"Is it?" A wicked smile found its way to his visage as he looked up to Trevor. "Is that why the police showed up at your door? Stop acting for her, and own up to what you did to my Venus!" Tyler roared, causing Lily to flinch back as she rose from the passenger seat only to stand between the two men.

Lily remained quiet, her curiosity getting the best of her. She was itching to know Trevor's connection to Venus and Tyler. It seemed that anyone that was related to Venus was also related to Tyler in some way.

"Tyler, you and I both know what happened, and what didn't happen, let's get that straight,"

"Wow you've started speaking a lot more now, probably starting to feel as if all is forgotten, but I don't forget things easily, Brown, no one on the hockey team has forgotten." Tyler spat, followed by a wicked laugh.

He watched how Lily's eyes widened, proud of the reaction he had enticed from her, but more because he knew that she saw him the way she should have. In an instant, his eyes were off her and looking up at the sky gasping for air, as Lily struggled to pull Trevor off him.

    Tears stung Trevor's eyes as he remembered the countless taunts he got, the hours of interrogation he went through, and the sounds of his mother's cries and prayers, all let out by one punch, two punch, three, four...

"What else can you expect from a black guy."

"Trevor, please!" Lily pulled at his arm with as much strength as she could muster.

"We oughta put away your kind and send you away, scumbags all of you."

"Show her your true face, Trevor," Tyler taunted.

"Rise above the hate, show them whose son you are."

Stop.

"—Get me out of here." Trevor whimpered out all while scurrying away from Tyler only to hide behind Lily.