I want to dedicate this chapter to my greatest inspiration.
Weed
XXXtentaction "let's pretend we're numb." Lovelytheband "broken."
No warning because this story is five chapters deep. You were warned many chapters ago. If you don't like it, why are you here?
Ps. I'm sorry it took so long, and also about the long chapter. Hopefully, you can forgive me. I have been reading ALOT of manga/manhwa, and my low submission scores on this site do not help either. I know it's tough to like what I like, but to my new followers, I hope you enjoy this chapter and the anonymous readers. I know it's very hard to please you all but enjoy, if not, whatever! Also, no sex In this chapter, sorry.
Shout out Kenji!
Selen floated in the water like an astronaut detached from the mother ship. She meticulously watched the moonlight reflection dance on the water through the darkness, as she continued to float along the ripples of the water. Selen squeezed her eyes shut and held her breath. Selen could spend hours in the lake, crossing her legs, holding her feet, and releasing the air from her lungs, as she slowly sank to the bottom. She felt the safest and most free, underwater. She knew she would have to leave her sanctuary and return to the cabin. Ever since that day, Selen replayed the tragic events in her head--when Selen and Ron found Leo in a puddle of blood. Ron wasted no time helping Leo; Selen was hesitant about helping, but thought of Ms. Gina and how sad she would be if the Beast were to die. She suggested they stop by a veterinary hospital she had seen on the ride earlier, to get medical supplies.
With Ron's help, Selen removed the bullet lodged in Leo's shoulder and thigh. She was happy to know one of the shots that hit his arm had traveled clear through. Selen suggested they return to the house with Leo, but Elvis had already called and told them the house was attacked, and everyone had to be moved. Elvis didn't tell them any details besides a safe house location. Ron was adamant about not taking Leo to the hospital, and felt Selen's patchwork was good for now. Ron knew he would have a doctor check him out at the safe house location. When they arrived at the house, there was already a welcoming party. Among the welcoming party was a doctor. He checked Leo out, and stated Leo needed rest, and that Selen did a clean job.
Selen wasn't sure what that meant, but she took it as a compliment. Within a few days, she found the lake, and most of the cameras were hidden. Selen was bored and had nothing else to do, so she decided to explore her surroundings. Selen felt trapped, not knowing what was going on, a week had passed, and there was no update from Elvis. Selen continued to swim, until she heard her name in the distance. She knew it was Ron the first night she came out to swim. He freaked out and thought she had run away. Selen laughed at the idea. 'Where would I run to? You trapped me out here,' Selen laughed, as she tried to swim toward the decks to hide under them, even when she heard Ron's screams getting closer.
"Selen! Come out, dinner is getting cold."
All Ron heard was the ripple of water talking to him. Ron knew Selen was out here. It was a few days later that Sheriff Little John had already called and told him Selen had disconnected the sensor, but the camera still captured everything. Ron let out a deep, frustrated sigh. Ron had told her to stop swimming naked, and that she was being recorded. Selen didn't react the way Ron thought she would. Instead, Selen joked that she was too dark for them to see her on camera. Ron shook his head and couldn't believe her. Ron had to laugh when he told the sheriff about it. The sheriff turned a bit red.
"She is not as dark as she thinks," Little John said to Ron, as he fluttered his eyes towards the blue sky, avoiding Ron's gaze.
Ron rolled his eyes and rubbed his forehead. Thinking about the Sheriff Little John's comment, Ron laughed, and called for Selen, again. "Selen, I know you're out here. The sheriff already called me," Ron huffed lightly. "Dinner is ready; let's go. I know things have been weird, but we can talk this out. Hiding from the problem will not solve the issue."
< splash >
Suddenly, Ron heard a splash and smiled. "I'm not sure if you're a fish or a human."
< splash >
"Are we doing this?"
< splash >
"All right, I guess we're doing this," Ron huffed, as he rubbed his forehead. "Splash once if you're Selen, splash twice if you're not." Ron chuckled lightly, but he heard no splashes. "Ugh, I'm not doing this; you have fifteen minutes to come and have dinner with me. I'm locking the doors!" Ron shouted. He waited a moment longer, hoping she would come out. Ron didn't want to eat alone. Since Leo woke, his mood had been discouraged but not bitter, and he didn't even come out.
Ron glared at the ground and saw Selen's clothes on the dock, as he raked at his forehead. "All right, Selen, two can play this game. I'm leaving only your underwear, and I'm taking everything else. Unless you don't want to catch a cold, I suggest you get inside," Ron huffed, as he shifted through the clothes and left the dock. Selen emerged from the bottom of the pier.
"Couldn't leave a towel?" Selen mumbled. "Whatever, a little cold won't hurt me." She shrugged her shoulders; she enjoyed her alone time, but it was time to return to reality. As she walked back, she thought of her father and mother, and how they would have loved this place. Selen smiled; she wanted her Siri headphones to add this memory to the device, but she knew it was impossible. Selen's heart felt shattered as she thought of her life.
As she walked closer to the house, she saw two people standing in the doorway. It was the sheriff and Ron; Selen had a twisted smile. As she approached them, they stopped their conversation and turned to face Selen.
"Good evenin', sheriff."
"Umm, hello, ma'am," Little John spoke. He cleared his throat, his face becoming uncomfortable. "Do you want my jacket? It's a little cold out here."
Selen was confused by his comment. She knew it was cold, but why offer his jacket? Selen stared at Little John and Ron, and smiled.
"No, thank you, if some pervert didn't steal my clothes, I wouldn't be in my underwear."
"Pervert?" Ron shouted, as he sounded a bit shocked. "If anything, you're the pervert, skinny-dipping in the middle of the night. Kids go swimming in that water."
"That still doesn't explain why you stole my clothes," Selen spoke, as she crossed her arms under her breasts. Selen's eyes darted to the handsome olive-brown man that stood next to Ron. Little John's brown eyes flashed a guilty gaze, as he stared at her. Ron felt uncomfortable and uneasy having Selen in front of them.
"Here, take this towel and get inside," Ron said, as he tossed Selen the towel he took from the dock. Instead of Selen catching the towel, it landed on the floor. "Selen! You're supposed to catch that."
"How was I supposed to? You wanted me to catch that? Ordinary people would hand it to someone."
"Ugh, Selen, if someone says, 'here,' that means, 'Here catch.'"
"I'm not going back and forth on this, Ron."
As the two continued to argue, Little John slipped his jacket on Selen. She looked at Little John. He met her gaze, then turned away. "Ron, I'll have Michael pick you up around noon."
"Noon? Where are you going, Ron?"
"Thanks, Little John," Ron spoke, through his clenched jaw. "We will talk once after you shower. It's been a long night."
"Ron, what the fuck? Quit treating me as if I'm weak."
"I just don't want to fight anymore. Please, just take a shower, and we will talk."
"Fine. You better talk to me. Night, sheriff."
"Umm, you can call me Little John or John. Whatever you prefer." Little John's smile was warm and deep.
"Okay, Little John." Selen smiled as she opened the door and disappeared in shadow of the night.
"Oh, before I go, Patty Murray, down at the diner, had a few boxes of her daughter's clothes lying around, and you two look to be about the same size."
"Oh my god!" Selen smiled, pulled Little John in for a hug, and then said, "That's so sweet, but seriously, next time, start with that, or I would have walked past you guys and gone inside."
Little John was blushing, as he embraced her and squeezed her warm body into his. Little John was glad he had given her his jacket. Selen could see a pink tinge rise in his cheeks; Ron felt awkward standing there, and cleared his throat. He had only seen Little John react this way once, and he knew it would be the end of him, if he liked her.
