Page 90 of Cruise Control

He made her bleed. How dare he even touch her.

But Parker recognized those thoughts. He’d had some like them before, but last time he hadn’t stopped himself. He was beginning to suspect that he might be just a little bit in love with Paige, but he wasn’t going to that dark place ever again. He didn’t even want to be in the place his mind was now. He took a couple steps backwards. Paige walked past him and stood directly over Trent.

“Oh my god,” she breathed.

As he watched, her mouth twisted into a grimace and she lifted her leg, kicking Trent directly in the face with the flat of her foot. Trent screamed, and she stomped on him again. And again.And again. Parker finally pulled her off. She had started screaming as well, and she struggled against his hold.

“Paige, it’s over, it’s me, it’s me,” he breathed in her ear. She continued to struggle and, fearing that she might hurt herself more, he dropped her to her feet.

“I can’t fucking believe this,” she stammered, struggling to button her shorts up.

Parker stared at her. Her stomach was covered in blood – it had scared him at first, but he realized it must have been Trent’s blood, from his forehead. She rolled her shirt down, covering the bloody mess up, and then shoved her hands into her hair, which was falling out of it’s ponytail. She looked around, her eyes wild.

“Paige, we gotta call the cops,” Parker whispered, still breathing hard. Her eyes were flashing all over the place, and she dropped her shaking hands from her head. Her hair was now streaked and matted with blood.

“No. No cops. Dad said never cops. I have to get out of here,” she babbled. Parker stepped forward.

“No, wehaveto call the cops. He’s really hurt and you need stitches,” he said. She suddenly screamed.

“He’shurt!? I hope he fucking rots in hell!”

And then she turned and ran out the door. Shocked, it took Parker a second to chase after her. By the time he caught up, she was jumping into the driver’s seat of his car. She was already starting to back out the driveway when he managed to slide into the passenger’s seat. She took off down the street at a breakneck pace.

“Paige, stop!” he ordered, sliding around on his seat as she took corners way too fast.

“I just can’t fucking believe that happened. I’ve known him for two years!” she hissed, covering many blocks in just a couple minutes.

There was turn off to a highway and she yanked the wheel, fishtailing as they headed into the turn. Parker flew across the bench seat, slamming into her. As he managed to right himself, he thought seatbelts might be a good idea. He managed to reach across her and slide hers into place before going back to his own seat, putting his seatbelt on. Soon they were barreling down a two-lane highway that, thanks to the early hour, was mostly empty.

“Paige! Slow the fuck down!” Parker yelled. She shook her head, gripping the wheel with both hands. Blood was falling into her right eye from the cut on her forehead.

“I can’t go back, I can’t go back, I can’t go back...” she whispered over and over again. Parker stared at her in shock. She sounded crazy, like she wasn't even in the car. Her mind was a million miles away.

Or a couple years away ...

“You’re going to get us killed! Stop and let me clean your forehead!” he demanded. It felt like they flew around a curve and he braced himself against the dash.

“Why would he do that? How could he do that?” she mumbled, pressing bloody fingertips to her lips.

“Goddammit, stop!” he roared, reaching for the keys to shut off the ignition. She dropped her speed a little, but grabbed his wrist before he could touch the keys.

“You left me there!” she screamed, and he froze. “You knew and you fucking left me there!You fucking left me there!”

He stared at her face, horrified, frozen in place. Her eyes were wide, finally staring at him. She held onto his wrist in a vice like grip. The feeling of being sick came back, along with a feeling of failure, of being completely unworthy. Parker swallowed thickly and freed his wrist.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered in a hoarse voice, before turning away from her accusing glare. He looked out the windshield and sucked in a gasp of air.

“PAIGE!”

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