Chapter 32

Amanda Pov.
I didn't like the way Karla talked about Ron at all. I don't think it's her business to get involved in my life. I thought she'd be happy to see me with Ron. In the end, more than once she advised me to try to have a love relationship with him. But...people change. They become mean.
-How are you feeling? She asks me and I wish I could answer her meanly but it's not my type to do that.
-I try not to let myself be driven by despair. I answer honestly, and she just nods.
Ok...Before I was kidnapped the two of us could talk for hours and still not exhaust all the topics, but now...I have the impression that we are just asking questions to pass the time and not sit in silence.
-But you? Is it just me or is something bad going on between you and Max? I ask, paying attention to the pan so as not to fry the bacon too hard.
As always, I chose to cook because it calms me down. Having to focus on what I'm doing takes my mind off other things.
- I don't know either... Lately we've been arguing a lot because of what happened with Joe.
-What happened to Joe?
I was missing for a week, but I didn't think so many things would happen.
Karla bites the inside of her cheek watching Ron talking to Max and I wonder what's really going on with them. Where's the rest of the gang? They were a tight-knit group of friends. What could have happened that they are all on the edge?
-Your boyfriend Ron beat Joe so badly that he needed cosmetic surgery. She says quickly and I blink a lot trying to catch what she said.
-Ron isn't... Why did he beat him? I ask, taking the pan off the stove and pouring the bacon into a bowl.
-It doesn't matter why he beat him. He's a beast, Amanda, and I'm afraid he's going to hurt you, too.
-I do not believe.
-What if he can't control his starts and hurts you?
Is Karla suggesting that Ron might beat me?
Wow...Me too who thought I was going crazy.
-First of all, Ron only picks a fight when someone talks nonsense about me, and secondly, I would never hurt him enough to want to "beat" me as you imply.
I changed my mind…I wanted Karla to talk to me and not sit in an awkward silence, but now I want her to be quiet.
She's talking nonsense, and if Ron hears how she's denigrating him… It could destroy their friendship, and that's shaky as it is.
-You don't understand, Amanda...
-What did Joe say about me before Ron beat him? And I want to be honest. I say, stirring the omelette.
- He said he wanted to take you for a ride. But he was only joking. Karla says trying to apologize to her brother.
Hearing what Karla said I am hit again by a memory that seems to have been erased from my mind.
*I'm in that filthy room, on the same mattress. A black man walks into the room and glances at me briefly before grinning evilly. I am completely defenseless and have nowhere to run. Knowing this, he unbuckles his belt and begins to undress.
-Just one turn, sweetie. No one will know.
I try to put distance between our bodies but because of the drug I can't move.
Terror. This is what I feel.*
-Hey…Shhh…Are you ok? Ron says grabbing my shoulders and turning me to face him.
-I...I...
-Shh...I'm here with you. No one will touch you again. He said pulling me to his chest.
I take a deep breath inhaling his scent and try to calm myself.
You're fine now, Amanda.
That man was unable to carry out his plan because Ghost intervened in time.
At least that's what he did well.
I pull back from the hug and give Ron a brief smile before moving my gaze back to Karla.
- God, Amanda. I am so sorry. I didn't even think about what you went through and I started complaining about my life. She said with tears in her eyes.
- It's ok... Let's eat.
Max calls Karla to his side and Ron stays with me in the kitchen to help. Although I think he stays longer just so he can keep an eye on me.
-You are pale and trembling. Are you sure you're okay? He said in a whisper so that the others wouldn't hear him.
- I'm fine, just... I'm fine.
-What happened? You didn't hear me when I called you.
-I remembered something since I was kidnapped. I say quickly and he opens his mouth to speak again but I cut him off. I do not want to talk about this.
He sighs but finally simply nods and helps me carry the food to the table.
After I sit next to Ron, I see Max, who is sitting across from me at the table, smiling encouragingly at me.
I don't know Max well enough, but I almost feel like a brother to him.
I don't see anything wrong with him and he's the only friend Ron can really count on. Well, I thought Joe was good too, until a few minutes ago when Karla told me what his intentions were with me. But Max hasn't done anything wrong to me yet, so for now I consider him a decent person.
We all start eating and I decide to stay quiet to see if I remember anything else. But besides that, I love hearing Ron talk to Max about their plans for the future.
Karla also sits quietly next to Max and only occasionally decides to glance at me.
I hate that I remembered the hell I was in with her in front of me. I can already hear her negative thoughts about me.I can't understand how some people can be so...naughty.