Muddied Waters

When El returned home from college, she noticed a visitor waiting for her near the gate. It was Pip. He looked lost, it was hard to guess what he was thinking, but El could see the worry etched across his handsome face. His normally composed demeanour was replaced with an air of desperation and anxiety.

As she approached him, El called out, "Pip, what are you doing..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Pip closed the distance between them and pulled her into a tight embrace, cutting her off mid-sentence. El felt the intensity of his emotions through the firmness of his hug and embraced him back, sensing the turmoil he must have been going through.

"Are you okay?" El asked, her voice filled with concern as she gently pulled away to look at him.

"I should be the one asking you that. What the hell happened? Was it all true? Did they really kidnap you? Did they hurt you?" Pip's words came out in a rush as he held her hands, his eyes frantically scanning her arms and body for any signs of injury. "I swear, I will kill them all if there is a single scratch on you." His voice was furious, his protective instincts taking over.

El gently pulled her hands out of his grip, hoping to calm him down. Her bruises were almost healed, and her long sleeves helped to conceal them. "Hey, Pip, look at me," she said, cupping his face in her hands to direct his gaze toward hers.

"I am okay, nothing happened. They just held me in the mansion, that's all," El downplayed, trying to reassure him.

Pip's eyes searched hers, still filled with concern. "But you were not there when I arrived. I didn't know what happened to you. I was... I was in a mess," he sighed heavily, the weight of the past few days evident in his voice.

"I left before you arrived. It's all good. Are you sure you're okay?" El asked, her concern for him growing.

"Since I bear that family's name, nothing is okay. But I am glad to see you," Pip admitted, a hint of sadness in his eyes. "I am really sorry for what you have been through. It's all because of me. I am not going to let anyone hurt you anymore. I'm sorry." His voice broke with emotion as he apologized.

El could see the guilt and anguish in his eyes, and she felt a deep empathy for him. "Pip, it's not your fault. None of this is your fault." she said softly, squeezing his hand reassuringly.

Pip looked at her, his expression a mixture of relief and determination. "I'll protect you, El. No matter what," he vowed, his grip on her hand tightening as if to seal his promise.

***

The next morning, Pip sent El a message "Hey El, I can pick you up today so we can go to college together. Would be nice to spend some time with you before classes start."

El smiled at the thoughtful gesture, but she knew it would be out of his way. She quickly replied "That's really sweet of you, Pip, but it's a detour for you to pick me up. It doesn't take me long to walk, and besides, my class starts later than yours. I don't want you to have to come in early just for me. We can meet after class though!"

Pip responded with a reluctant acceptance "If you're sure… Just wanted to make sure you were okay. But yeah, let's definitely meet after classes. I'll see you later."

El felt a warmth in her heart at how much Pip cared for her. She was eager to see him later and catch up after a long day of classes.

As the day went on, El and Pip's schedules kept them apart. They tried to meet up in between classes, but the timing never worked out. A quick text exchange later in the day solidified their plans to meet after school. Both of them were looking forward to it, hoping that a relaxed evening together would make up for the chaotic day.

The final bell rang, and students began to pour out of classrooms, eager to head home. Pip had finished his classes early and was already waiting at the café they planned to meet at. He was looking forward to seeing El and unwinding after the busy day.

Meanwhile, El and Nia, another student who had become a close friend, walked out of the campus together, chatting about their day. They were heading towards the café where Pip was waiting. Ash, was following them a short distance behind. He was trying to catch up to them to join them for a coffee, but something felt off. He quickened his pace, trying to reach them before they got too far.

As they approached the café, El noticed a dark green Honda Accord speeding towards them. Her heart froze. It was the same car she had seen in the Carter's garage, the same one that could have been responsible for her mother's death.

Panic surged through her, and her instincts screamed for her to run. But her feet felt glued to the ground, paralysed by fear as the car raced towards them, showing no signs of slowing down.

Suddenly, she realized Nia was walking right beside her, directly in the car's path. With no time to think, El shoved Nia out of the way just as the car swerved dangerously close to them. Nia stumbled and fell, scraping her hand on the pavement.

El was still frozen in fear as the car closed in on her, mere feet away. Just as she thought it was the end, Ash, who had been watching the scene unfold, sprinted forward. He grabbed El by the arm and pulled her out of the car's path just in time. The car screeched and swerved into the bushes, missing El by inches.

The sound of the car crashing into the bushes echoed around them, but before anyone could react, the car quickly reversed, sped out of the bushes, and vanished down the road.

The group was left standing in shock, trying to process what had just happened. Nia, who had fallen during the push, winced as she noticed her hand was hurt, but the pain was overshadowed by confusion and fear.

Ash, still holding onto El, looked at her with concern. "Are you okay? That was too close," he said, his voice laced with urgency.

El was shaking, the adrenaline still pumping through her veins. "That car... It's the same one that… it almost..." Her words stumbled out, barely coherent as her mind tried to grasp the situation.

Nia, still on the ground, looked up at them, trying to make sense of everything. "Why did that car come at us like that?" She asked, clutching her injured hand.

Ash nodded, his face stern. "It didn't even try to stop. We need to call the police."

El, still trembling, "It's the same car… from the garage. The same one that could have..."

Ash's expression hardened. "We need to report this immediately."

Meanwhile, Pip, who had been waiting in the café, grew worried when El didn't show up on time. He stepped outside just in time to see Ash and Nia helping El towards a nearby bench. His heart sank when he noticed the panic on El's face.

Rushing over, Pip's voice was filled with concern and panic. "El, what happened? Are you alright?"

El looked up at Pip, still shaken. "Pip, it's that car... it looked like the one from your father's garage... it tried to run us down."

Pip's face darkened as he heard El's words.

Ash quickly pulled out his phone and dialled the police, explaining the hit-and-run incident. Nia, though shaken and hurt, managed to keep herself composed as she helped El.

As they waited for the police to arrive, the reality of what had just happened began to sink in. They were all in danger, and the sinister forces at play were growing more desperate. El felt a cold dread settle over her, knowing that the car wasn't just a coincidence. It was a message, a threat that her life and the lives of those she cared about were hanging by a thread.

As the police arrived, the flashing lights and blaring sirens filled the area. Officers quickly approached, assessing the situation and asking questions. El's mind was racing, but her focus shifted when she saw Nia cradling her bruised hand, wincing in pain.

Guilt washed over El—she realized the full weight of the danger she was in, and worse, how easily it could spill over to those around her. Nia was hurt because of her. If this was a deliberate attack, then anyone close to her was at risk.

An officer approached El, notebook in hand. "Miss, can you tell us what happened here? Did you see the car's driver? Did they do anything unusual before the incident?"

El hesitated. The memory of the dark green Honda Accord from the Carter's garage flashed in her mind, but then she glanced at Nia's injured hand. She couldn't let this escalate. She couldn't drag Pip, Nia, or Ash into this dangerous game.

Taking a deep breath, El shook her head and replied, "No, it all happened so fast. I didn't get a good look at the driver."

The officer frowned slightly but nodded. "Alright, we'll classify it as a hit-and-run for now. Since no one was seriously injured, it's not a high-priority case, but we'll keep an eye out for the vehicle and review any security camera footage from the area. If you recall any more details, please inform us."

El felt a pang of anxiety at the officer's words, but she maintained her calm facade. She knew she couldn't trust anyone with the full story—not until she had more information. She needed to find out the truth without drawing more attention to herself or putting anyone else in danger. The thought of someone else getting hurt because of her was unbearable.

As the police finished taking statements and marked the case as a simple hit-and-run, the tension began to ease. Ash and Nia were still shaken but grateful that everyone was mostly unharmed.

After the officers left, a shocked Pip approached El. "Why didn't you tell them? You said you saw that car at that house," he demanded, his face tense with anger.

El watched as Pip's expression darkened, fear and anger mixing in his eyes. She could see that he was torn, struggling between wanting to protect her and facing the reality of the situation they were in.

"I might be wrong. I didn't see much, and I didn't want to blow something out of proportion if it was just an accident," she explained, her voice steady despite the pounding in her heart.

But Pip wasn't convinced. He knew too well the danger they were facing. He knew what his family was capable of, and the thought that they might be behind this attack made his blood run cold.

His fists clenched, and he looked away, unable to meet El's eyes. "I have to go," he said abruptly, his voice strained. Turning to Ash, who had been quietly observing the exchange, he added, "Ash, please take care of them."

Before anyone could respond, Pip turned and started walking away, his pace quickening as he put distance between himself and the group. El watched him go, a knot forming in her stomach. She could tell that something had shifted in Pip, something that scared him, and by extension, scared her too.

As Pip disappeared into the distance, Ash stepped closer to Nia. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice gentle but concerned.

Nia, nursing her bruised hand, nodded. "Yeah... I'm fine," she replied softly. She glanced between El and the direction Pip had gone, worry etched across her face. "What's really going on, El? This isn't just a simple hit-and-run, is it?"

El forced a smile, trying to reassure her friends. "I don't know, Nia. Maybe it's just a coincidence. Let's not jump to conclusions."

But even as she said it, she didn't believe her own words. She knew something more was at play, and she knew Pip was headed straight into the heart of it.

*****