Page 24 of Priest and his Anarchist

I step back and examine the mess. A simple heart with jagged edges through the middle. I should have told him that I couldn’t draw. It’s missing something—probably a far better artist.

I continue anyway.I thought you loved me.

“Priest,” her desperation rings out behind me. “I need you. Please. I want you.”

I’d laugh if I didn’t find it so sad. The recklessness of her desperation landed her at the Devil’s feet when I’m sure she wanted his lap.

Frost forms down my spine when I catch him staring, and the chalk slips from my fingers as panic floods through me. Why ishe watching me and not her? I can’t break away from him to pick it up, afraid that if I do, he’ll use that time to kill me.

Or worse. He won’t, and the past year has merely been an introduction to the hell I am about to endure.

He shifts forward to rest his forearms on his thighs, forcing the muscles in his shoulders to flex. “How long have we been dating, Cassie?”

Cassie’s eyes sparkle, but her hips continue to thrust in circles to chase the rhythm of her fingers. “Four months.”

He focuses on me. “And how did we meet, Cassie?”

“At a bar. What are you doing? I thought you said this was going to be fun in here!”

Confusion rattles me backward, but it’s short-lived when he angles himself forward, his knuckles browsing over her cheek. “You wanna come?”

“Yes—” Her lips part as she continues to work herself up. Her knees widen as her breath quickens, sweat drowning her chest as it rises and falls.

He brushes his lips against hers, and my heart skips a beat. I shouldn’t be watching. I should turn around and pretend to finish my drawing.

“Let go.”

In a slew of moans, her body becomes taut, once again desperate to chase the release.

Seconds of silence pass. Damn. Maybe I should do it myself if she’s struggling so hard. I’m going to come before her at this point.

Bending down to grab the fallen chalk, I roll my eyes on my way back up. “Next time?—”

The body I not so long ago admired for its curves separates like a puzzle in three ways. Her head hits the carpet with a thud as the rest of her body follows.

Dark shadows form around me as Priest’s heavy footsteps carry him closer. “What, Madness? What are you thinking?”

Fear prickles through me for the first time. “I’m thinking she shouldn’t have followed the white rabbit.”

Is what’s standing in front of me real?

“You’re not saying anything…” River’s shoulders fall when she sighs, her foot tapping against the carpet.

“Well, because I don’t know if I should?”

“Agh! You hate it!” She falls onto the chair at the end of my bed, opening her phone.

I stare back at myself in the mirror. “It’s not that I hate it, because I appreciate what you did—” I play with the fried ends of my hair, biting my inner cheek to stop myself from laughing. “It’s that I’m yellow!” I can’t hold back any longer, swiping the tears falling down my cheeks. It’s not until I catch her in the mirror trying not to join, that I realize she’s the only person I know to do something like this. I never had a lot of friends growing up.

“Honey blonde! It’s practically almost there, and anyway!” She places her hands on my shoulders from behind. “We have plans tonight.” I tense when she rushes around the room, disappearing into the closet.

“Um, not to be that person, but he has kept me locked in this room for a year, with the exception of whatever last night was. I don’t think he’s going to let me out of the hous—” My mouth closes when the door opens, and he’s standing there. “Never mind.”

Priest follows my line of sight, landing on River as she’s leaving the closet holding a dress in each hand.

Her arms fall to her sides. “It’s my fault. I dyed her hair…”

I thought you loved me.

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