Behind the display

Chapter 9

“Dad?” I say through a gaspy breath seeing my dad’s figure standing in front of me.

“Oh no honey, he’s not your dad.” Elizabeth says, holding tightly onto my arm. I widen my eyes to try and see better and I swear that it’s my dad. It looks exactly like him. I screw my eyes to see his greying black hair, his vibrant blue eyes, he’s short and muscular built. That is my dad.

“Listen, Rick we are six girls here you better watch your step.” Tess speaks with a stern voice.

“Riley and Sarah are up to no good.” Which is true. I feel like shaking jelly surrounded with pain with each small move I make.

“Well we’re still four.”

“I have a gun.” A gun. Oh no! I hear them all gasping and giving defeated sighs. I sigh through cold sweated shivers.

“Dad?” I say, not being able to place him,k********g all these beautiful women and having a gun.

“Hello dear.” It is my dad. I frown at him. Questions pop in my mind like blood oozing from a small cut. It just doesn't want to stop and the more I think the more pain erupts in my brain. I gasp but my voice makes a sound. I clutch my head.

“We need the pills.”

“I’ll give it if you come back.”

I start to cry, hating that I must be seen like this.

“Okay we’ll go back.” Elizabeth announces and even though I didn’t want to feel happy that she made that decision, I did. I needed the pain to go away.

We start to walk the same direction we came from. We made it so far just to be going back. The woman all probably hates me.

“Here.” Elizabeth pops to pills in my mouth and feeds me water from the bottle I took. I gulp it down, feeling like I’m drinking lava.

I take long and hard breathing, with all for women putting their hands on mine until the pain slowly fades away. This time when I breathe it’s clean and doesn’t hurt.

“You okay?” Elizabeth combs through my hair with her fingers and she reminds me of my mother.

I nod feeling thankful that she and the other woman are helping me.

“Okay come, back into your cages.” my dad says and looks at him, this time being able to see better.

“What are you doing, dad?” I ask tears escaping my eyes. Is he really the mastermind behind all of this? I want to ask him so many questions but I feel too scared.

“Just what’s best for you.”

“It’s best for us to be locked up?” Kidnapped. Being lied to.

“Pretty much, yeah.”

My head wants to explode with anger.

“Where were you? Why did you just disappear?” I take a small step towards him letting the tears fall. I can see him becoming vulnerable.

“Why did you leave me? I quickly look back at the woman and raise my eyebrows before turning back to him.

“What is going on?”

“Listen, Riley I’m not your real father.”

“You aren’t?”

He shakes his head and fumbles with his fingers.

“Then who are you?”

He gulps and I’m practically one foot away from him. All his attention is on me.

He shakes his head again and this time I know it’s because he doesn’t want to answer. He doesn’t want to answer.

“What did I do to deserve this?” I gesture around, implying everything that has happened in the past few days. Given actually the past few years.

“Hands up!” I smile when I hear Tess' voice. They caught my signal. I turn to see her holding a gun and all the other women standing, ready for action.

Dad’s face expression is priceless as he feels around his pockets for something to protect himself with.

“Yous snarky little bitches,”

“You taught us well.” Tess sneered and we all started to walk backwards towards the car.

“Give us the keys.”

“Now!” And he hands them, eyeing the gun with caution. He wipes the sweat from his brows, looking at each of us until he’s it stops on me. He’s stare is intense and I almost don’t notice the women climbing in the car. I give my dad, or whoever he might be one last look before I turn and climb in the back on the left side.

Tess starts the car and drives off and I can see glances of victory the women give each other. I don’t know their connections with each other but they seem to be the only ones who are actually helping me, so I’ll put my trust in them. We all ride in silence and I lay my head against the car window. I notice Olive glancing at me and when I turn my head to look at her she quickly looks away. I sigh, feeling slightly uncomfortable.

“Riley?” Olive calls and I look back at her.

“Do you know Stephen?” The questions make everyone turn towards me. Even Sarah sitting on Elizabeth’s lap.

“Kind off.” My stomach churdles. “Why?”

“You just know him, kind off?” Olive asks with raised eyebrows and Tess sneers.

“Yeah.”

“Stop it you guys.” Elisabeth commands as if they all were planning something. “You all know what it’s like, so don’t make it worse.”

“Make what worse?”

I get answered with silence so I purse my lips and stare out the window.

“God, we need some music.” Tess says and press buttons on the radio to fill the car with music that I’ve never heard but found it somewhat appealing. The ride becomes exciting and we open our windows, letting the wind blow on my face, feeling free.

---

Tess stops the car at a gas station with a shop and many people. I feel relieved. We all climb out with disparity.

“Wow I need to pee.” Lilly comments and I smile . She doesn’t speak much but her voice is small and squeaky.

“Yeah me too.” Tess says and we all follow her stride. I take the opportunity to study the clothes they are wearing. Elizabeth is wearing palazzo pants with different colored stripes on it and a white tank top with thick necklaces dangling from her neck. For me she’s the most beautiful out of them all. Lilith is wearing a green summer dress, showing muscular legs. I heard a lot of tims of how green suits a redhead and she did look very pretty with it. Olive is wearing skinny jeans, and a blue T-shirt. Her white sneakers and black hair is standing out the most. Tess is wearing a khaki cargo pants and white tank top justb like Elizabeth’s. I look at Sarah wearing a small dress with hearts and still wonder what she's doing with them all of these womenm How did she end up with them. We enter the bathroom each one of us making turns in the single stall. My mind is so busy, I don’t even listen to their words.

“Hey can we flash for you for a few dollars.” Tess asks a man in the small aysle in between the men’s and women's bathroom. I swallow. What the hell.

“Sure.”

“Give me the money first.”

“Show me your boobs first.”

“Okay, show me the money.”

He fumbles in the pockets of his oversized jean and takes out a few dollars.

“That’s not enough.”

He digs deeper and it seems as if he has nothing left in his pockets.

Tess looks back at us and asks if we are ready. Everyone nods except me and Tess rolls her eyes at me.

“One two three.” They lift their shirts and I feel nervous. They lift their bras too but don’t, feeling that it isn’t needed as the guys eyes are stuck on Elizabeth's. Tess grabs the money out of his hand and starts to run and we all run behind her. They giggle and I frown. I don’t want to show my boobs to random people.

“You okay, Riley?” Olive asks as if she is looking for something to point out that’s about me.

“She has an overprotective boyfriend. Why would she be.” Tess comments.

“Shut up, Tess.” Elizabeth snarls.

“I don’t have a boyfriend.” I say and Tess makes a sarcastic ‘O’ with her mouth.

Not feeling hatred or anger I just sigh and keep quiet. I had enough of today. I actually had enough everyday and everyone.

“Are you hungry?” Elizabeth asks, putting her hand on my back.

“No thanks.” I answer.

“Yay, more food for us.” Tess yells. I thought that it’s going to get better with them but Tess reminds me of Rebecca so much.

“But I’ll probably be in a few minutes.”

They take chips and sweets and everything that’s unhealthy and pay with the money we got from the man.

“Lighten up.” Tess says and I mentally roll my eyes. She’s really looking for something to start with so I give her a fake grin. I play with my fingers as we walk back to the car, they all talk about how they felt about flashing for the man.

Elizabeth felt disgusted but she still laughed. The others felt careless as if they have done it enough in their life. Who are these women?

“How did you feel, Riley.” Olives asks as we all buckle in ourselves in the car. I lift my shoulder, knowing if I’m going to say something wrong, there’ll be remarks and I didn’t feel like talking. They started snacking on the stuff we bought offering for me every now and then but I really didn’t feel hungry.

“Where are we going?” I ask, not able to keep it in anymore.

“Somewhere safe.” and once again I’m being answered without an answer.hout an answer.