[right][sub][b]TIMESTAMP[/b] — After [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5401189]Part 4: Dare[/url][/sub][/right]
[center][url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/users/metanoia][img]https://i.imgur.com/pj2kBZJ.png[/img][/url]  [img]https://i.imgur.com/VMvX6cT.png[/img]  [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/users/brutalbx][img]https://i.imgur.com/xPZ64Sh.png[/img][/url]
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[img]https://i.imgur.com/fUm0giX.png[/img]


[img]https://i.imgur.com/AQnzpEl.png[/img]

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[color=silver][indent][indent]When the door closed behind them, Stacy registered another sound like something being pressed against the doors. This wasn’t her first time playing 7MIH, so it was probably something like a chair or an object of some kind that was sturdy enough to hold the doors shut (in case those inside wanted to leave early).

Stacy had to admit, she wasn’t in the best headspace. She wasn’t typically the type to be eager for this specific game, but especially after the near national disaster, her heart hadn’t stopped beating itself out of her chest. Simultaneously, it was also going crazy because of a small moment between her and Sal. When he grabbed her hand, guiding her away from the group and into the storage room, she smiled.

Salvatore was the main reason her night wasn’t plagued by the anxiety and panic that often tagged each other out whenever Dylan became temper incarnate.

Hugging one arm against the other, her right hand gripping her left elbow (and the inner part of her arm), Stacy had looked at the latino boy. For a few moments, which probably felt eternal for both of them, she had been trying to find the courage to say something - anything - so it wasn’t just painful silence between them. [color=palegreen]“Sal..”[/color] She breathed in a way that came off hoarse. She coughed and tried again. [color=palegreen]“Thank you. I mean, for what you did out there..with my phone.”[/color] A timid smile crept on her face.

Placing both of his hands behind his back, Salvador began to ring his fingers in nervousness. It was things like this that made much of his family question his worth as a Montero. Rey, Cass, Rico, Ley…hell even Max; all of them were known to have been the embodiment of the Latin lover stereotype. His father and his grandfather exuded confidence, they commanded a room and they both held power in the plan of their hands like a normal person would hold an apple. Sal was none of those things. He was a lanky nerd who loved Mass Effect and Dungeons and Dragons. In this type of moment, any other member of his family would have Stacy up against the wall and they would be making out right there.

Sal couldn’t bring himself to do that.

It was obvious even before the truth or dare fake that Stacy was a little uncomfortable. He noticed it when they were talking prior. Then seeing those messages from this Dylan guy only reaffirmed the boy’s suspicion, she and an abusive boyfriend. Of course, he could say something but coming up in a business like the one his family ran, he understood the value of secrets, the good and the bad ones. [color=face75]“It’s ok. It was kind of satisfying telling Bronagh no. I get the feeling she doesn’t hear that very often.”[/color] He returned her smile. [color=face75]“You ok?”[/color]

She half-giggled. It made her smile less timid, increasing only slightly. She kept a soft gaze on him. She didn’t hide the fact that she wasn’t okay. Stacy was almost certain that everyone in the room, especially her sister who seemed to want to do something, saw, even if it was at face value, that she was petrified. And she was. Dylan wasn’t a monster, but he could be nasty. Stacy always thought she could manage him. Do what he wanted and maybe the storm that lived inside him wouldn’t rage on as long as it did some days.

[color=palegreen]“I guess I’m not very good at hiding it, huh?”[/color] The brunette laughed, looking down at her feet, licking the empty air in front of her. It took her a few moments to bring her head up. When she did, she just sighed. [color=palegreen]“I guess…well, I mean you probably saw the notifs. My boyfriend, Dylan…he’s…he’s not..”[/color] Just speaking his name made her incredibly tense, but Anastasia just kept persistent. [color=palegreen]“He’s not a bad guy. You know…he just has anger management issues. You know…sometimes when I don’t answer his calls, he becomes…difficult.”[/color] She knew what she should say: that he yells at her. Throws fits and blame her for what he’s feeling and how he’s feeling, but she just couldn’t. Or maybe she wouldn’t?

Sal didn’t really know what to say. He was absolutely disgusted by the fact that this Dylan creep seemed to be massively controlling. Flying off the handle when she forgets to return a text? That was awful. What he also didn’t find pleasant to hear was the dreaded B word; Boyfriend. Stacy had a boyfriend. Even though he had already figured it out. Although he had already seen the photos and the messages, that didn’t make it sting any less. For Sal, despite the adventure that he had had since arriving in town only that morning, the best part about it was talking and hanging out with Stacy. 

He clicked his tongue as he brought one of his hands to mess with his already a state black hair. [color=face75]“You know Stacy, erm, well, shit.”[/color] He let out a little sign as he tried to think of what the best thing to say was. [color=face75]“So I grew up with a lot of bad guys, you know? The type of guys who seem nice and will thank your mother for a home cooked meal and then they’d leave the house and rob an old lady on the street, you know? What we see when we meet people, when we like them and love them, it’s not always right. It’s…my point is if a guy is making you sad or hurts you in any way, then you really need to look inside and decide how much you value yourself. Because in the end, if you don’t value yourself, they won’t value you and they will treat you like dirt”[/color]

Sal brought his other hand up and placed them both behind his head. [color=face75]“Does that make any sense? I don’t know, your relationship is your business and I just want you to know that I value you and your privacy and that’s why I didn’t show them the messages”[/color]

The brunette gave a slow nod, a frown on her face as it was clear she took his words to heart. They hit hard but she knew what he was trying to say. She always thought that maybe if she was different and more like Katie, or even Mika, then maybe he wouldn’t be so terrible to her. Stacy always and probably still kind of does blame herself. Blamed herself because of what Dylan did and how he treated her. Thought maybe if she did that he’d get better over time. 

But he hasn’t. Any time she took time for herself, he’d want that for him. Any time she would voice any opposition to the things he did or what he said to her (or at least what she tried to say), he’d fire back at her. Or talk sweetly to her. It was never enough for him, but deep down, she loved Dylan Doyle. But maybe Sal was right. Dylan, if he loved her like she did him, why would he be like this?

She felt so conflicted, but one thing she knew for certain was how, for the first time in [i]months[/i] (not counting when she got to spend time with Mika last month), tonight she felt genuinely happy. Perhaps part of her didn’t want Dylan to ruin that. 

Slowly, as she felt her chest beat even faster, she pulled her phone out and unlocked it. Silence filled the storage room, but it was with a purpose. Stacy went to her messages. [color=palegreen]“Message one, 7:55:.Stacy, why didn’t you answer? It’s late. I just want to know you’re okay.”[/color] She spoke almost robotically. [color=palegreen]“Message two, 8:22: Come on, Stacy. I’ve called three times. Answer me.”[/color] She read it off and the tightness in her stomach, the way it turned, twisted, and left her feeling gutted only increased. [color=palegreen]“Three more like that, but it wasn’t until five minutes before we played truth or dare until he left another: Stacy, call me back now! It--”[/color] She struggled to read it out loud. She read it, of course, but only in her head. The language he used, the tone she knew he was intending - it was all like before. Her hands were holding her phone and they were shaking as she remembered. She had to…no, she [i]wanted[/i] to. She wanted Sal to know. [color=palegreen]“It’s getting ridiculous now. It’s like you don’t love me and after all the things I’ve bought you..”[/color] When it was all done, even though she hadn’t realized it herself, Stacy was in tears. A hot stream poured down her face. The man she loved…he did this so regularly that it had become her normal and maybe she was just reaching a breaking point.

[color=palegreen]“He can be so good to me, but when he’s like this…”[/color] Stacy dropped to the floor on her knees. [color=palegreen]“I don’t know what to do, Sal…”[/color]

This was utterly heartbreaking; Salvador hadn’t even fathomed when he first laid eyes on the beautiful brunette that she had such pain weighing her down. Then again, he himself was carrying a lot of weight as well but his pain was of a different kind. He had only met Stacy that afternoon but he felt connected to her, like he had known her all his life and he hated seeing her like this. Sal kneeled down in front of the young girl and pulled her into his chest. [color=face75]“It’s ok..”[/color] He spoke in an almost whisper even though at this point he had forgotten completely about the outside world. [color=face75]“We’ll get you through this. I’m not sure how yet but we’ll figure it out, I promise.”[/color]

Initially, she wanted to resist Sal. Initially, she felt guilty, but she was nearing her wit’s end. With Dylan. With keeping it all bottled up. She spilled more about her relationship than she had with anyone. She kept this pain bottled up for so long, yet she felt almost obligated - like she needed to tell Sal. She had only known pain from boys. Either through her sister getting all of the attention or crushing on Adam Callahan who lived down the street. But with Sal, maybe for the first time, it’s like he actually saw [i]her[/i] and not just as Katya’s twin sister, but the genuine her. Maybe that’s why she told him.

She leaned into his embrace, wrapped arms under his, allowing herself to be even more vulnerable with Sal than she had been. For once, she could just be herself with a boy that didn’t feel like she had to apologize. His voice relaxed her, making her smile through her hot tears that poured down her face. Hugging him allowed her to feel safe. All the weight she had been carrying around seemed to have disappeared the moment she allowed herself to forget about it, even if it was just for this moment. [color=palegreen]“Sal…thank you. Thank you for everything..”[/color] She managed to say, her voice was frail and hoarse. There was so much going through her head right now, but she didn’t want to think about it. She just wanted to live in this moment for as long as she could.

[color=face75]“I haven’t done anything, you’re taking these steps on your own.”[/color] Salvador held her closely and tightly. He didn’t know everything but he did know he wanted to keep her safe. He softly kissed the top of her head reassuringly, his eyes drifting towards the door. Through that thin piece of wood were kids playing games, kids having fun. However on their side, Stacy was opening her heart and letting it all out. It was funny, this whole thing was designed to bring them closer together through an act of physical expression, yet Sal and Stacy had found themselves growing closer through an opening of the emotional floodgates. This was supposed to be Seven Minutes in Heaven but had definitely turned into something more. [color=face75]“I got you Stacy.”[/color][/indent][/indent][/color]