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Please read A/N at the end. ________________________________

Chapter 16 Crushes and Curiosity

"A single candle can both defy and define the darkness."

• • •

She was sprawled on the old bed which creaked beneath her frame. Her hands were tied to the bedpost. The ropes burnt her wrist with every movement. She shivered violently as the cold seeped in through her wet clothes.

She had tried to escape, to run away from her miseries, but the lady luck wasn't by her side. And they captured her. And it was her punishment, something to teach her a lesson.

She was doomed to endure the biting cold without any refuge. No blanket. No heat. Nothing. They even splashed her with icy cold water.

'Oh, god. What I wouldn't give for some heat. A blanket.'

Never did she ever thought that she would pray for something as simple as a blanket. But desperate times called for desperate measures and she had taken a lot of things for granted. So, she prayed anyway. And like always, her wishes were not answered. Did god even exist? She started wondering when the door of the room, she was held captive in, opened.

The room was flooded with an eerie yellow light from the hallway. As her pupils constricted, adjusting them to the sudden burst of light, she took in her guest. He had his back towards her as if peeking in the corridor.

She saw his silhouette, and noticed that he was wearing a black hooded T-shirt, like all the other gang members. His hair were securely tied in a tiny ponytail, revealing a majestic tattoo of an eagle with wings spread apart, at the back of his neck.

Suddenly, he turned around and closed the door, putting the latch on.
Once again, the room was engulfed in absolute darkness. She struggled against her binds, desperately, as her eyes once again adjusted themselves.

Something wasn't right. And Mallory knew it.

In the pitch dark she could faintly make out his body moving towards her as the unpleasant smell of alcohol mixed with smoke, filled her nostrils.
He stumbled a lot followed by curses. Suddenly, she felt a heavy body drop beside her.

"Are ye alri...alright?" A voice slurred heavily, not too far away from her face. His putrid breath washing her face.

"S-stay a-way." She said, her teeth chattering from the cold.

"Y...you are co...cold?" He said putting a huge arm around her waist.

"N-no." She struggled feebly, with her hands tied behind. "P-please, don't."
She could feel hot tears running down her cold skin as his hands touched her face blindly.

"Shhh..." He said. "It w...won't hu...hurt."

His voice was almost reassuring. Only his intentions weren't.

"P-please..." She begged.

The hands disappeared momentarily as she was trapped in absolute silence. She strained her ears to listen to any movement. The fear of not knowing, the fear of unknown, seeped through her bones as she started squirming but to no avail.

Suddenly, the hands returned, cupping her cheeks. She felt something warm and furry.

A blanket.

Was it some kind of sick joke? Only moments ago she had prayed for it. But now, when she finally had it, she couldn't find the comfort it was supposed to provide. She would rather lose her life rather than her innocence.

"I...it's ok...kay." The voice said gently, pulling her closer to him.

She hissed as the ropes tore her skin with sudden jerk.

His hands found the buttons of her shirt and started undoing them. As she could do nothing but struggle. She wanted to shout at her captor. She wanted to smack him in his face. She wanted to do something, anything to hurt him. But she couldn't.

She was helpless.

As he tore off the remains of her top, she closed her eyes. This isn't happening. She told herself. Maybe if she pretended that it was just a dream it won't happen. She tried to imagine herself at some other place.

She imagined the times she would play with her friends, running freely in the open field. She remembered Emily and Ben, Eva and Jake. Were they be alright without her? Was her mom going to the hospital? Jake, did he go to school? How was Ben coping up? And Emily, she hadn't seen her ever since her failed attempt of escaping. Were they torturing her too?

Bang.

Her train of thoughts was interrupted by a loud noise as she looked at the door. Was she being saved? But the face she saw belonged to anything but her saviour.

Antonio.

• • •

Mallory woke up. She sat on her bed and almost reflexively looked at her hands which weren't tied anymore. The room wasn't chilly. There was no one trying to torture her or steal her innocence.

She sighed heavily as the memories rushed back into her mind.

That day she was saved, ironically, by Antonio. She could vividly remember him bursting in her room as she cried. He held the guy by his collar and showered him with punches. While he resisted feebly.

"Drew, what did I say about staying away from them..." He had said. "I gave you one simple rule." And he punched his face. "Keep. Them. Virgins." She could almost see him spitting in his face. "And if you cannot understand that...slaughterhouse is the place for you." And he had tossed him behind like a rag doll.

It was something that had always nagged her mind. Why did he save her that day? Why didn't he allow anyone to touch her? It wasn't like she complained, but it was still confusing.

Suddenly, her alarm clock started screeching, breaking her thoughts.
Almost reflexively, she groaned. She didn't feel like going to school. All she wanted to do was get inside her blanket and sleep for eternity.

But, if only wishes could come true.

Grudgingly, she got up from her bed and dragged her heavy feet towards the bathroom. As she splashed water on her face she noticed the bags under her bloodshot eyes. Her hair were in a state of complete disarray. And her skin looked gaunt and pale. She looked hideous.

Her nightmares had gotten worse ever since Jake left, three days before. Or maybe was it because of whole Marko episode? She didn't know. Neither did she care.

Maybe the whole revenge thing wasn't a good idea after all? Maybe she should think rationally. As Andrew had said, it was dangerous. Extremely dangerous. And she didn't need to be a genius to understand it.

She groaned yet again. Finally, she shook her head trying to organise the chaos in her head and continued with her daily chores.

An hour later she was sitting in Ben's car, who was telling her what she already knew.

"Mallory, you look like a freaking zombie."

"Ben, I know." She mocked his tone.

"I give up." He said dramatically raising his hands. "If you wanna destroy yourself, by all means, do it."

"I am not destroying myself." She scoffed.

"Yeah, sure. Whatever you say." He rolled his eyes as he took a sharp turn.

"Hey. Hey. Isn't our school that way?" Mallory looked at him puzzled.

"Um...yeah. I know." He said timidly. "We need to pick up Sarah from over there." He pointed towards the end of street.

"Say what?" Mallory said completely taken aback.

"Sarah...she um...called me this morning. She doesn't have a ride for school. So we will pick her up." He explained nervously, slamming the breaks. "She should be here any minute."

"She called you? When did that happen? Am I missing something here?" She asked completely perplexed.

"Yeah. We are sorta friends. Me and Sarah I mean." He said playing with his thumbs. It was almost comical, his nervousness.

"Wow, Ben. I leave you alone for one day and you get yourself a girlfriend? Unbelievable." She laughed.

"She is not my girlfriend!"

"But, you like her, don't you?" She smirked. "It's written all over your face."

Ben, who turned a deep shade of red, nodded.

"And what about her? Does she like you?" She winked.

"I don't know. I mean we have kissed, but that's all." He shrugged.

"You people kissed !?!" Her eyes widened to the size of platters.

"I mean...not like that...it's just that...uh..."

"Oh, my god. Benjamin Jones, the great womanizer is fumbling. What has the girl done to you?" She said patting his cheek.

"You remember the college party I went to? That's where I met her. I was drunk, she was drunk. One thing led to another and before we knew we were making out." He said tapping his fingers at the steering wheel, not meeting her eyes.

"Oh well." She winked. "You are so smitten."

"I am not!"

"Really? Look at yourself? You have turned a shade of beet root." She laughed and started saying in a sing song voice, "Ben loves Sarah. Ben loves Sarah..."

"Shh..." Ben said. "Here she comes, please don't do that in front of her?" He begged.

"Alright. Alright." Mallory covered her mouth with her palm, trying to control her laughter.

Sarah tapped on driver's side window. "What are we laughing about?"

"Laughing about? Nothing. Just some dumb movie she saw." Ben said narrowing her eyes at Mallory who seemed to be having a laughter fit.

"Oh. What movie?" Sarah looked at her.

"It's called...uh...'My best friend's crush'." She replied, still grinning like an idiot.

"Was it really that funny?" She gave Mallory a confused look which brought a fresh peal of laughter.

"Very." Mallory replied pressing her lips together in a thin line.

"Now, would you hop in? We are getting late." Ben said pointing at the backseat.

"Sure." She said and they drove off.

• • •

It was lunch time and Mallory was glaring at Ben and Sarah who seemed to be in their own world. Mallory scoffed biting her sandwich while the other two kept on talking paying no heed to her.

She sighed and got up.

"Hey, what happened? Where are you going?" Ben looked up.

"Somewhere else." She said pulling out her tongue.

"Whatever." He rolled his eyes as she made her way to the corner table.

"What are you doing?" Andrew said as he saw Mallory slipping in the seat in front of him.

"Sitting. It's called sitting." She replied rolling her eyes.

"No one sits here but me." He said.

"Mhm hmm. Now tell me what was it all about, yesterday? The dress thing?"

"Not here." He hissed.

"Oh, shut up!" She groaned. "It's not like people are interested in our talks."

Just then, as if on cue, the bell rang, signalling the end of lunch break and their conversation.

" 'The Cookie Jar' at 6." Andrew said, abruptly getting up and leaving her in the cafeteria, groaning alone.

• • •

"Boss, Marko's gone." Sean said barging into the master's room who turned around swiftly.

"What do you mean by gone?"

"Gone. Disappeared. We tried searching for him. But we couldn't find him." He said wiping away sweat from his forehead.

"It's Marko we are talking about. He disappears for days and then comes back." The master said coolly.

"Yeah, but..." Sean began.

"What was his last assignment?"

"That's the thing." Sean said nervously. "Mallory."

"Look at yourself, Sean." His boss laughed. "You talk like that little girl kidnapped him or something!"

"Well, I am just worried. That's all."

"You need something to worry about?" His boss reprimanded him. "Worry about that fucking girl. Get someone else to watch her."

"Yes, as you say." He bowed his head respectfully leaving the room.

After Sean was gone, the master paced around the room deep in thought. Finally, the figure moved towards the phone, dialled a very familiar number and said, "Officer I need to talk to Antonio..."

• • •

It was 6:17 PM, when she entered the familiar café to see Andrew who was sitting alone in a booth, tapping his fingers on the table, impatiently. A smirk found it's way to her lips as she realised that he had gotten a taste of his own medicine.

"You are late." These were the first words that left his mouth, as soon as she took her seat.

"I know." She replied curtly.

He sighed. "I need to tell you something."

"Speak up, pretty boy." She winked.

He glared at her then continued, "Things would be easier if you just tell me what did you do?" He said.

"What did I do?" She raised her eyebrow.

"All right let's put it this way." He said. "They are planning something against you. Why?"

"How would I know?"

"Mallory, they are planning revenge against you." He explained. "That is why Marko was watching you."

"Oh."

"What did you do?"

"Nothing."

He sighed.

"Alright." He raised his hands surrendering. "Anyway, you have a brother, right?"

She nodded, her smile fell as she became stiff at the mention of her family member. "What about him?"

"He is being watched." He said.

"What do you mean? What does he have to do with anything?" Her voice came out weak and squeaky and she didn't like it.

"My guess is that they are keeping a watch on your entire family. I don't know why, but they are. So, you people should be more careful."

It was as if the ground slipped from beneath her. She held her head in her hands. Plotting against her was alright, but why drag her family into all of it. She felt helpless.

"Why don't you talk to your mother?" Andrew suggested.

"No." She shook her head vigorously. "You know how mothers are. She would freak out and would make us move again."

"Maybe that's the best..."

"Oh, yeah? How would you feel like if I ask you to forget about your sister and move to some distant corner of the world."

His jaw clenched.

"Exactly." Mallory said, taking in his reaction.

"So, what would you do?"

"Let's see, anyway what's the plan for tomorrow?" She said swiftly changing the topic.

"We are going to a party." He replied shortly.

"P-party?"

He nodded.

"Is there a problem?" He said raising an eyebrow.

"Umm...no. It's just that, I don't like this whole revenge idea..." She muttered.

"Are you saying you are not joining me tomorrow?"

"I hate parties."

"Not my problem." He said shrugging his shoulders. "You should have thought about it earlier."

"I am sorry okay. I don't think I can do it..." She said shivering. She had a good reason to hate parties, and she wasn't going to try her luck.

"That's not happening."

"Excuse me." She was taken aback.

"You are coming with me."

"Says who?" She scoffed.

"Me."

"Really? A couple of days ago you didn't want me to come with you, and now you are all adamant. Bipolar, much?"

Andrew looked at her intently. Then, after a couple of minutes got up.

"Where do you think you are going?" Mallory said getting up with him.

"I guess I will go and set Marko free." He said without a hint of emotion.

"You wouldn't do that!" Mallory said smugly.

He ignored her and continued walking towards the door. Just when he was outside, there was a hand on his shoulder.

"Okay, fine." She said stopping him. "I will come!"

"Tomorrow at 7, my place." He said and with that he went away, without sparing a single glance in her direction.

Mallory groaned. What was up with that guy! She stomped towards her home, her mind tired from all the thoughts swirling around. As soon as she reached for the handle of her front door, she realised it was ajar.

Weird.

She opened it and immediately a gasp left her mouth. There was a trail of blood which was going towards the kitchen. Her mind screamed to get back but her legs betrayed her as they followed the blood trail. As soon as she reached the kitchen, her eyes met with a horrific sight as an involuntary scream left her mouth...

_________________________________

Vote. If you like it. :)

Hi,

So there were a few things I wanted to mention:

1) Please go to the first part of this book i.e. About the book. I made a book trailer and uploaded it in media section. Please have a look and let me know if you like it. :)

2) Recently my book reached to #24 on what's hot which is it's highest ranking till date and that is all because of you people. So, thank you. A LOT. ^_^

3) My story got shortlisted for this monthly competetion called 'Fame Campaign' hosted by WingXin. Please vote on the chapter called 'That Thing Between You And Me'. It would mean a lot. I will leave the link in comments.

4) Finally, thought's on chapter? Do you hate me for that cliffhanger? :P I kinda like it. What do you think is Mallory's secret? Take a wild guess. ;) And our beloved Ben has a crush. Anyone who would ship Ben and Sarah? What should we call them? Berah? Saren? (Yeah, I am terrible at it. I know. I know. )

God bless you. :) ^_^

-Ridhima☺

P.S. Thank you fuzzycuddles and sheennasharma for asking for updates. :P I hope you people like it. :)