Toni avoided her group for a few days. She wasn’t in the mood and was back to thinking about the ways of ending her life. She could feel it was going to happen soon, the exact trigger still hadn’t been identified to her, but she felt it was coming.
She sat alone in an empty classroom reading.
“She’s in here” came a male voice
Toni eyes lifted to see Josh, Seth and Lauren enter, then closing the door. The sat the chairs around Toni
“hey.... where were you last night.” Josh spoke
“Mind your own fucking business, you’re not my mother” spat back a surly Toni
Lauren spoke quietly “Richie wants us over early tonight, he’s got a job.”
“Ritchie this Ritchie that” spat Toni “I don’t fucking care, I’m not available tonight so you can go and shove your job up your arse.”
“wow look who’s little miss attitude today” laughs Josh
“piss off”
Lauren wasn’t getting anywhere with Toni and knew she had to get her back in the game “Josh, Seth.... leave us”
Seth grinned “why, you girls gonna kiss again”
Toni was out her seat grabbed Seth and was about to punch, but Lauren got in-between “ok ok, calm down, Seth, Josh piss off now. You sit down” pushes Toni back to her seat “jesuz christ”
Toni picked up her book, sat back down and read. Lauren took a breath and sat opposite, her arms crossed
“Look I’m sorry I told Ritchie, but can we move on from this please”
Toni didn’t look up or respond.
“How long are you going to sulk for, it’s getting kinda old?” she had hoped she get some bite from Toni but it was ignored.
She decided to try a different tact. “If you come out with us tonight, I’ll.... I’ll let you kiss me again”
Toni stiffens and sneered “I would never kiss you, even if you needed to be revived so you can shove that in your cunt as well” she spat.
Lauren shook her head “fine.... lets do it the hard way, shall we.”
Lauren stood up and pushed Toni’s desk aside, then shoved Toni back off her seat. Toni sprang up only to have Lauren shove her hard again causing Toni to stumble over chairs and desks and fall to the floor again.
Lauren stood in front of Toni “If this is how you want it Toni, then come on.... nows your chance, I’m facing you.... no cheap shots”
Toni launched at Lauren, they fall over tables and chairs rolling around. Toni drags Lauren up, but Lauren just slips her leg behind Toni and flips her down. Toni grabs her shirt and tosses her over. She jumps on Lauren who stuck her foot up and kicked Toni off.
They go at it for a few moments longer, neither punching, just tossing each other until Toni started laughing. She eventually was too weak to fend off Lauren and was eventually pinned to the floor. Lauren sat over her, forcing her weight onto Toni.
Lauren was also laughing “so are we feeling a little better now”
Toni rolled her eyes “maybe....ouch... my back hurts.”
Lauren stands up and holds out her hand, Toni takes it and is helped up. “I knew a little gentle persuasion would help. So tonight.... you’re in.”
Toni thought about it “yeh.... whatever” Toni was taken back when Lauren kissed her cheek
“and I won’t tell Ritchie about this little kiss, promise.”
Toni and Lauren were just leaving the room when the teacher came in and growled. “What did you do to my class room”
Chairs and tables were strewn around the room “nothing, it was like that” spoke Lauren. Both girls left quickly
---
Ritchie, Toni and Lauren hid behind some bushes outside a suburban home. In the drive way was an Audi turbo waiting to be nabbed.
“I don’t think I’m going to get that started in a short time.” Said Toni
“That’s why we will roll it down the road, away from neighbours”
Ritchie jimmied the window down then opened the door. He took the handbrake off and they rolled it down the driveway. They then pushed it down the road and off into a side street.
“Right, try it again” said Ritchie under the hood.
Toni put the wires together but was not getting any life “fuck.... I hate European machines.”
“Keep trying” ordered Ritchie
“I’m telling you..... it’s not going to happen”
Ritchie flew around grabbed Toni from the car and pushed her against the car “and I’m telling you, keep trying”
“Ritchie calm down” Lauren trying to pacify the situation
“Shut the fuck up” spat Ritchie
Toni squatted down and looked at the wires again. She tried to reach further into the steering column; it had to be another set. She couldn’t get her hand in.
“Lauren, see if you can reach. You should be able to feel a bunch of wires.”
Lauren reaches in and grasps something. She pulls it out and Toni puts the torch on it. “That could be it”
Lauren excited about boosting her first car “so what do I do now”
Toni pulls out her knife and hands it to Lauren “slice back the cover on the wires, don’t cut the wires tho.”
She waited for Lauren to finish. “good, now twist both together. Ok, turn the dud key in the column and see if it starts up.”
The car roared to life “yeh.... well done” praised Toni
They both stood up “ok, well lets go” Lauren was about to get behind the wheel
“Not tonight hun, she’s mine”
“c’mon Ritchie, let me have a go” whines Lauren
Ritchie unceremoniously pushes Lauren aside “get in the passenger side now”
They climbed in, Toni sat in the back and Ritchie took off. They drove around, Toni noticing Ritchie getting up to speeds of 180 km/hr.
“Love the sound of that turbo eh honey” says Ritchie
Lauren looks over to Toni and notices her a little nervous. Lauren grabs her seat belt and puts it on, making sure Toni got the message.
Toni also does the same, she glances at the speedo as he hits 200. “hey... umm Ritchie, shouldn’t we get back, or at least slow down.”
“Why, you ‘fraid Toni.... don’t be such a pussy.” He looks at her “you said you weren’t afraid to die”
Toni looked out the window “on my terms tho Ritchie”
Ritchie turned the corner sharply, both girls having to grip the car for support. “ok Ritchie, enough” said Lauren “just slow it down”
“Shut up... fuck you are always whinging at me bitch” he looks at her
“Watch out” screams Toni
Lauren also screams “get over, get over”
Ritchie had swayed on to the wrong side of the road into oncoming traffic. He over corrects too much and mounts the kerbside. As he tries to regain control they hit a bus shelter and the car flips and rolls 3 times, finally landing on its roof.
No sounds or movement came from the car
Toni opens her eyes slowly. The picture registering to her brain was blurry and upside down. She moans as her focus gets clearer. The next sense to come on line was smell, and diesel fumes were filling her nostrils.
She unclicks her belt and fell to the roof. She kicked out her window and crawled out slowly. Everything was sore, her head still groggy. She then heard a moan and saw Ritchie trying to get free.
“Toni..... “ he called out
Toni staggered to her feet and collapsed next to the car. She grabbed Ritchie by the jacket and with all her strength pulled him clear of the wreckage.
Toni wipes her eyes, blood was coming from a gash somewhere on her head. As she became more alert “Lauren”
Ritchie got up seeing the diesel all over the ground “shit shit, c’mon Toni... lets get out of here” he tries to drag her away from the vehicle
“nooo Ritchie we have to get Lauren....” pushing him off
“no.....there’s no time.... she’s probably dead anyway, come on” he tries to grab her again.
Toni pushes him away and runs around to the passenger side, she peers in. There was no movement from Lauren
“jeezus, Lauren..... Lauren can you hear me.....Lauren” yelled Toni in a panic
“I told you she’s dead, the cops will be here, and it’s going to blow.”
A voice came to them “please..... please help me Ritchie....”
Ritchie grabbed Toni “leave her, there is no time.....” she dragged Toni away
Toni struggled “NO....” she punched him in the face and he let go.
Toni dropped to the ground and slide inside to the passenger window “Don’t leave me Toni” pleaded Lauren in tears
“I’m not going anywhere. But we need to get you out now.”
Neither could reach Lauren’s seatbelt clip so Toni grabbed out her knife and cut the belt.
“ouch.... ouch.... “ Lauren cries out as Toni dragged her from the car. Toni dragged her when the car exploded up in a huge fireball.
Lauren screamed, Toni fell down ontop of Lauren covering her from falling, hot debris. Lauren shaking and crying underneath Toni
“shhhhh you’re safe.”
Toni was looking around for Ritchie, but he had already taken off.
---
Toni had her arm around Lauren to support her as they walked to the hospital. Lauren was bleeding and couldn’t put a sentence together. She eventually collapsed into Toni’s arms and was carried the rest of the way to the hospital
She put Lauren on a bed, the doctors and nurses gathered around the bleeding young girl. Toni stepped back, hand over her face. Shock had now set in at the sight of Lauren in a bloody mess. Shock that if Ritchie had his way she would have been left in the car to die. Her eyes filled with tears of anger, fear, confusion, she didn’t know what to do.
After 3 hours Toni was allowed to see Lauren. She had been cleaned up, bandages on her hands, around her head. Her face had scratches and was bruised. Toni just stared at the sight.
“She has a mild concussion. I would like to keep her over night, just need to contact your parents.”
“No... I don’t want to stay.”
“My dear, you need to be monitored” pushed the doctor
Lauren sat on the edge of bed and grabbed her ribs “ouuuch no..... I’m leaving”
The doctor looked at Toni for some help “I’ll take care of her” she says quietly
Toni helps Lauren dress and they walked to the door. Lauren looked at Toni “you forgot your jacket”
“It’s no good, it kinda got melted when the car blew up.... “
“It’s cold outside” showing concern towards Toni for the first time
“At this point, I don’t feel anything.... except numb” admitted Toni
Lauren agreed and they left the hospital. Lauren stumbled a bit and Toni caught her and supports her.
“You rest against here and I’ll boost us a ride.”
Toni squatted and went from car to car, trying to avoid security cameras and guards. She opens a car door quietly. She goes back to Lauren who is sitting on the ground sobbing.
Toni squat next to her “hey hey hey..... it’s ok”
Lauren leaned into Toni. Toni put her arms around, holding Lauren to her chest
“He was going to leave me to die. I thought he loved me..... why did he do that?”
Toni just held her “I don’t know.... cmon we should go”
It was after 2am, they dumped the car not far from Toni’s home. Toni opened the window to her room and climbed in quietly. Toni shuts the door to her bedroom and went back to the window. She helped Lauren in and sat her on the bed.
Lauren groaned from every movement, her body felt like it had been pounded. Toni grabbed some headache tablets from her bedside table and gave them to Lauren. She gently took Lauren’s shoes and socks off, then carefully removed Laurens pants. She pulled back the covers on her bed.
“Lay down.... cmon”
Lauren did as she was told and Toni pulled the covers up. Lauren watched Toni as she went to her wardrobe and grabbed her sleeping bag and pillow. She threw it on the ground next to her bed and stripped down. She climbed in and looked over at Lauren. Her eyes were already closed.
Toni lay on her back hand over her face still going over the nights events and still couldn’t believe how lucky they both were. She also felt like killing Ritchie.
“Toni” came a small voice
Toni looked over at Lauren “yeh”
Lauren smiled “thank you for saving me.”
Toni smiled, “ok.... get some rest”