Ch. 2 (Run With Me)

Chapter Two
: Let sleeping dogs lie

I cranked the engine, feeling the Chevelle rumble its hood. Sky stood hesitantly before her door, harmonized with impulsive compassion. Sealing it shut with a note, she proceeded to place the keys under the mat--flushed with apprehension. I gave a glance in the rearview giving my aviators a slight adjustment, hearing the passenger side door slam. Slinging her bookbag into the backseat, Sky startled me with her sudden shift in attitude. Do I dare ask the obvious question just to pour salt in the wound? I placed my hand on her thigh giving a reassuring squeeze and a fond smirk played on her lips.
“Where to from here?” I asked.
“Back home to Wisco. There’s supposedly a tractor pull going on tonight that I’m dying to attend. It’s almost a five-hour drive, so we will make good timing.”
I flashed a smile, snatching the gear shifter to break away from the curb. “Not to seem uneducated, but do you mind explaining what the hell a “tractor pull” is?”
Sky projected a laugh. “A tractor pull is a worldwide competition which requires modified tractors to pull heavy sleds on a track measured by meters. Typically, anywhere from a hundred to three hundred meters in length and the objective only completed by whoever pulls the sled the farthest. Kind of country, but hey, it’s a thing we do in my hometown.”
“No judgment, it seems quite entertaining.”

The duration of our trip consisted of pot smoking amongst fighting off the urge to pull over and fuck Sky on the hood of my car. Keeping my hands on the wheel and my head from the clouds was severely impossible. Midway through our travel, I had to make just one stop off the beaten path, and looking at Sky with that mischievous smile that always turns me on, she giggled my name. She knew exactly why we stopped--sprinting around the car just to leap into my arms. The fiery rush from Sky's exhale flooded through my veins as her back slammed atop the hood. Sky kissed me so hard--for so long, perhaps desperately on the verge of falling. "Don't you ever stop making me feel this way," She released a sigh. "Do you hear me?" Pressing my fingers into her thighs, I groaned into her mouth, tangling waterfall curls in a rigor fist.

We made it to Wisconsin before nightfall; the pull was just getting riled up. Drunken heathens were spread about the perimeter, along with obnoxiously loud females cheering on jacked up tractors. It wasn’t exactly my scene, but Sky seemed overwhelmingly hyped over the madness. Wandering around trying to find a way to smuggle some booze, Sky simpered at the person behind me. I turned around to see a girl running in our direction at full speed. She crashed into Sky with a deafening shrill like they haven’t seen one another in quite some time.
“Oh my God, Erika, how have you been? This is my boyfriend, Malice.”
I shook her hand, returning her overbearing greeting. They stood conversing about past times while I continued scanning the crowd for an alcoholic advantage.
“Hey, what are the chances of scoring something to 'drink' around this place?” I directed at Erika.

Her expression turned rather mischievous, curling her index finger for us to follow. I arched an inquisitive brow, looking at Sky, but she just shrugged. Nearing a blacked-out Dodge Challenger, Erika popped the trunk, pulling out a bottle of moonshine. My cheeks pulled up into a smile while my excitement indulged on the thought of intoxication. She tossed me the glass bottle allowing me to help myself. The first shot burned my throat, tearing up my stomach, but I refused to let that stop me. I took another shot, followed by another until the light poles around me started to lean and my vision became a blur.
“You all right, Malice?” Sky asked grabbing my arm.
I nodded, trying to maintain my composure. Fading off into my own little world, I kept quiet while following the girls as they moseyed off through the clamorous crowd. Erika found an open spot on a bottom bleacher having Sky sitting down beside her. I, instead, chose to lean up against the fence to assist my disoriented weight. We caught the middle of a race by the time we made it back, and the overbearing sound of roaring engines perforated my eardrums. I looked over my shoulder seeing Sky talking with Erika--eventually meeting my gaze with a lascivious grin in response. My lust for her burned like a wildfire and no matter how hard I tried to keep things kosher, it never really turned out that way.
I refocused my attention on another race when Sky’s jeer broke my attempt. I immediately turned back around, seeing Erika and my girlfriend outraged, hopping up from the bleachers in a hurry! As my eyes followed, I witnessed a male of Spanish descent approaching Sky in a dominant manner. Great--who the fuck is this? Right away, I became territorial while ignoring my insobriety.

“What the fuck are you doing here, Dom?” Sky shoved him in his chest.
He appeared amused, rubbing the area she had just assaulted. “I do believe this is “public domain”, Sky.”
“Well, you have a lot of nerve even showing your stupid face.” Erika scoffed.
At this point, I began to realize this ‘Dom’ guy must have been some past relation of Sky’s.
“Oh, so your bitch here speaks for you now?”
“Go fuck yourself.” Sky scorned.
I, myself, didn’t want to meddle in something I obviously had no business in. But considering the fact this asshole ruined my buzz, I figured that was enough motive to intervene.
“Hey man, what the fuck is your problem?”
His sable eyes flickered towards mine as his brows furrowed in agitation. “And you are? Oh wait, let me guess. You’re Sky’s little fuck toy, is that right?” His eyes switched back towards Sky’s--leering aggressive tendencies.
“Ha, you would throw out middle school insults wouldn’t you, Dom?”
He again threw his head back in juvenile laughter, making the muscles in my jaw tighten. All I could think about was Charlie fucking Bradford.

“Sky, he is just adorable." Dom's face fell somber. "I’m certain there’s still a soft spot in that cold heart of yours. Maybe moments of weakness you carry when I cross that mind of yours.” He gave an askew glance in my direction and my nostrils twitched.
“Correction, the only thing I “miss” is you being gone! And secondly, Malice is my fucking boyfriend, not my “fuck toy”. You have no business stalking me--how did you know I was in town to begin with?"
“There are eyes everywhere.”
Sky looked uncomfortable. “Please, leave me the fuck alone."
“You can’t be serious?” He slid his fingers through his shiny black hair, baring the vein that pulsed against his temple. “After all this time--you're still unforgiving? What good is he to you, anyway?”
Sky lurched forward with a bony knuckle blow to his jaw that left even me, speechless. “He isn’t you, asshole!”

For a moment, the stinging silence weighed heavily in the calamity. Dom stood abashed with blood filled cheeks; rubbing his wound. His drilling eyes never left mine as he pivoted in my direction, standing inches away from my face--set in battle mode. Sky stepped in between us, pressing her hand against Dom’s massive chest--repugnant and seething. “If you touch him, you’ll regret it.”
Dom yanked her hand from his chest, aggressively gripping her arm to challenge me. That was the last straw for me. I grabbed his hand, crushing his wrist while taking my other to his throat with a vice squeeze that brought him to his knees.
“If you place your hands on her again--it'll be your very last.” I reared back, punching him in the nose as blood dripped.

Dom rose to his feet, charging at my waist until I was lifted up and slammed down into the dirt. I was left winded from the impact, seeing a hazy view of Erika and Sky screaming overhead through teary eyes. Dropping down on top of me, I tightened my abdomen as Dom wailed away relentlessly. I clawed at his neck to shove him off and he only hit me harder and harder until Sky leaped over me with a knee to his face. Giving me the advantage, I crawled on top of him, ground pounding his ass as hard as I could. One good swing busted my lip and Sky and Erika begged for us to stop, pulling at our clothing while dodging strikes.
I pulled Dom up by the shirt collar with gritted teeth.
“It’s guys like you that make my life such a living hell.” I watched blood from my lip spat onto Dom’s face.
“You will never be me…” His voice cracked, digging his nails into my wrists.
“You’re right.” I cracked a smile, thrashing my forehead against his, releasing him to the dirt.

Feeling warm liquid flow into my right eye cradled a severe burning sensation. Blood streaked across my hand as I wiped away sweat, reaching to pull Sky into my side as she stepped over Dom's limp body. “Stay the fuck away from us!”

I didn’t say a word while Sky told Erika goodnight. Dusting my back, she held a sympathetic smirk. "It was a pleasure meeting you and I'm so sorry it was with rough circumstances."

I was too worried about the ache settling in my skull from the massive blow that was well bestowed. floaters appeared in my sight with every blink and a hammering banged in the back of my head. I fell into the driver's seat, cranked the engine and adjusted my mind before driving unsafely. Sky sighed so loudly it echoed--her posture portrayed a flustered soul reminded of a horrible past and I just wanted to hold her.
Feeling my gaze, she looked my way--pressing her lips together. "Are you good to drive?" A grimace rearranged her face as she reached over to lightly touch my busted lip. The twinkle of worry in her eyes had my throat closing in with a nod. “I am so sorry for what just happened. Dom is like my worst nightmare when it comes to my past.”
“Is he the ex you once told me about?”
“That’d be the one.” She huffed and my fists clenched around the steering wheel.
“Look, you’re safe with me. Maybe not here where he has access to your whereabouts, but I’ll do whatever I can to protect you. I promise.” I was dying inside to pull her fretful little body into mine seeing her expression soften. She was angry and regretful, but it wasn't like either one of us knew Dom would possibly show up out of the blue like that.
“Malice, I do love you. Please, never question that.”

I switched on the head lights and began driving down the dirt road, kicking up dust. Ever since Nicki, I’ve been cautious of whom I let into my heart; my guard ascends miles high at that. Yet for some unknown reason, Sky had smashed through it with an amiable disposition. She wanted the deepest part of me for it seemed we both shared a similar past full of misfortune. Longing for survival and success--you'd better hold on tight, baby.