Wronged

? 41 B ?

I glance at the knife in my free hand and then go at the rope, slicing and slicing. She stares at me terrifically. "Your throat looks awful, Anna. What did he do?"

I clench my jaw just as the rope on one of her legs snaps free. "He hit me. I'm fine," I promise.

I glance at the clothes rack again and stop cutting for a moment, going over to the selection. "One sec," I say.

I choose a pair of soft shorts that stretch and slip them on before grabbing a shirt that says "life sucks ace" with a volleyball going over a net. I put it on and spin around, gesturing to myself.

"How do I look?"

She shrugs. "I'd give you a thumbs up but..." she glances down at the ropes.

I wince. "Right. Sorry." I go over to her and get onto my knees again, going at the rope. I cut the other ties to her left leg. "What happened to Nico?"

Sadness fills her eyes. "Noah beat him in front of me. I couldn't do anything."

Pity fills me myself and I sigh. "I'm sor-"

"Anna! Watch out!" Hayley suddenly squeals.

I jump and spin around, accidentally cutting her arm a little. She hisses just as I see Noah coming at me with a blade of his own. I shove his arm away and leap out of the way before scrambling onto my feet, holding the knife out towards him nervously.

His sneer is directed at me hastily, my heart wildly thrumming in my chest. He hovers in his area, holding his arms down by his sides, sticking out a little bit. It's just a piece of glass, but it's thick and frightening. I can see my own fearful reflection in it from here.

And then I remember the broken mirror in the bathroom. That had to of been him.

"Noah," I say carefully. "Think this through."

He scoffs. "Don't you think I've already 'thought it through?'" He glares at me like I'm stupid. "This took a lot of planning."

I kick my lips. "Then rethink this. You can see your daughter the right way."

He tilts his head to the side before shaking it with a shrug. "Yeah, I'm gonna say no." Then he turns dark again, stepping closer. "Because if I do do this the legal way, then my visitation rights would be cut short. There's no way I'd get to be around her the way I want to. And you and your little boyfriend are not going to stop me from having my daughter."

"Noah, it's-"

"No!" He screams, lunging at me. I try to dodge him but he shoves me against a wall, holding the glass to the area directly above my heart. I still, not wanting to breath in case I somehow press it into my chest. "She's my little girl, you hear me?! Mine!"

Suddenly I can relate to Lily. Her father is a lunatic who wants to keep her to himself. He may not be as mentally deranged as my father, but it's close enough. I realize I don't want her to go through the same suffering as I did. I don't want her to be broken just as I was. No child deserves that.

"You are a pathetic excuse of a man," I say in the lowest tone I can muster. His eyes burn in fire. "People like you and my father deserve to rot in hell, and your presence deserves to be completely forgotten. And newsflash, dickhead, no girl would ever want to marry you, kiss you, or be your daughter. Lily will be happier without you. And she will grow up without you there to witness her flourish in this world that-"

And, just like that, my rant is ended with a piece of glass stuck into my chest. My mouth drops open a little and I look down at the weaponry stuck into my skin. I hiss and close my eyes, tightening my teeth together as Hayley screams at the top of her lungs.

Noah takes the knife out of my hand and drives it into my gut too, making me hurl over slightly with a gasp. He slowly continues to press it into my stomach with a sickening grin on his face.

"ANNA! Oh my God, someone help!" Hayley screeches, her voice proving that she's crying like crazy. "Anna!"

Suddenly the door busts open and footsteps are heard running downstairs. Noah instantly takes the glass and the knife out of my body, causing me to drop to the ground. I land on my side, spluttering up blood as my vision blurs.

But I can look up in time to see Dakota busting through with Aiden in front of him, Lily in my boyfriend's arms. She stares at me in fear for me before Aiden hands her to Dakota. He pulls a gun out of his waistband and Dakota covers Lily's eyes and ears before I can faintly hear a muffled shot go off.

Noah's body lands with a thunk a little ways away from me. My eyelids are gradually fluttering closed as Aiden runs over to me and Dakota sets Lily down to untie a frantic Hayley and a passed-out Nico.

"Anna!" I hear Aiden. "Anna, please!" His voice is the one to falter now. And it's that voice breaking that hits you right in the heart. Or actually for me it was a piece of glass that hit my heart. But his voice cracking sure didn't help it heal any faster either.

He rolls me over on my stomach more as I cough up more blood, and his hand comfort me.

This is what I wanted in the beginning. I don't really want death now, but before I sure did. I loved the idea. Now it's different. Now I'd be leaving behind people I care about.

I glance at Lily, smiling just a little bit. She's terrified, of course, and has no idea what's going on. But I see that little bracelet on her wrist, and it's enough for me to feel at peace.

I close my eyes and fumble my hand around until I can feel Aiden's hand. I weakly hang onto it, listening to him call my name and demand someone call an ambulance - not that there'd be any service to do so anyway.

"Aiden," I manage to get out.

"Listen...dude," I say, trying to make him laugh or something. I recall the first time I called him that.

"Don't do this now, Dimples," He says, sounding like he's crying. I can hear Hayley crying in the background too. Maybe even Dakota. "Please don't leave me. You can't leave me."

I bring his hand up to my cheek and make him cup it gently like he does whenever he kisses me. The warmth soothes me. "I am so in love with you, Aiden Foster. I really am."

"Anna, come on," he cries, voice strained. "Just wait until we get help. Ple — Please don't go."

I'm really tired all of a sudden. Like really tired. I let my smile drop. I won't leave yet. I know I won't.

I just need to sleep for awhile.

•••
A/N:
Okay well I tried to make you cry or at least feel emotional so sue me if I didn't.

I figured I might as well end the cliffhanger with another since it's Sunday and I didn't update for like four days.

The next chapter will be out soon!