Take Me Away novel Chapter 14

It was a sunny Saturday morning when Fiona and Spencer were seen by public eye getting into a car together.

"Fiona, you should come next time!" Eric smiled with a wave of his hand.

"Yes, please. You must come again next time!" Daniel echoed. "I wasn't able to hear you play the piano!"

Fiona smiled politely and said her goodbyes. "Take care, everyone. I'll come back when I get the chance."

"Can we leave now, Fiona?" Spencer snorted. He was tapping his foot impatiently.

"Sure. Let's go," Fiona said, settling in her seat.

"Let's go," Spencer ordered the driver.

Fiona wondered why Spencer sat in the back seat. She was about to ask but Johnson beat her to it. "Spencer, why did you sit in the back seat?" he asked.

Spencer reached out to pat his head. "It's none of your business," he replied patronizingly. "This is my car. I can sit where I like"

"Yes, sir!" Johnson told himself to remain quiet for the rest of the trip.

'It's a good thing I wasn't the one who asked. He'd probably lash out at me as well,' Fiona thought.

After that, Spencer rested comfortably in his seat and cleared his throat. "The front seat is too small for me," he explained. "Maybe I should buy a new car."

'At this rate, he might as well buy a truck,' Fiona thought.

As the car drove in the thick forest, an idea struck Fiona. She rummaged through her bag to find her sketchpad and continued to design the necklace.

Spencer rubbed his temple as he stared at Fiona. He watched her draw when he found himself yawning.

Fiona felt Spencer's judgmental eyes looking at her. She looked up to stare at him and then continued working on her drawing.

"Don't look at me like that!" Spencer patted the sketchpad with his hand. "What's that look in your eyes?"

Fiona ignored him and turned her back to him to face the window.

"Fiona!" he snarled. "Don't play dumb with me. Turn around!" Fiona turned to look at Spencer.

"I can just sit in the passenger seat. That way you get enough space to sit comfortably," she said.

"How dare you?!" He grabbed Fiona's sketchpad. "You're wasting so much time painting the entire day! What's taking you so long? Is this your first piece of work?"

Fiona frowned. "Give it back to me!" she demanded. She tried to reach out to take it back.

"No way!" Spencer opened the car window and stretched out his hand so the sketchpad dangled outside the window. "Answer my question first," he said cheekily.

"What?" Fiona's eyes narrowed.

"Is this your first piece of work?"

"Yes." Fiona nodded.

He turned to look at what Fiona painted. It was a necklace. "Why did you design this?"

"It's none of your business!" Fiona raised her voice. "Give it back to me!"

He waved the sketchpad outside the window, threatening her. "Do as I say or else I throw it away. If you dare—"

Spencer wasn't able to finish his words. Fiona suddenly screamed and her eyes widened with horror. "My paintings!" she gasped.

"Hmm?" He turned around only to find the paintings gone. In his hand was the sketchpad alone. He craned his neck outside the window and saw Fiona's paintings scattered underneath a towering branch.

"Stop the car!" Fiona pushed the door open and prepared to jump out.

"Are you fucking crazy? What were you thinking?" Spencer looked stressed out. He pulled Fiona back to her seat and then shouted at Johnson, "Stop the car!"

"Yes, sir!" Johnson abruptly stepped on the brakes, his heart pushing fast out of shock.

Fiona glared at Spencer, pushed him away, and stepped out of the car.

"Damn it!" He pushed the door open and ran after her.

The paintings were enmeshed in twigs scattered on the ground. Fiona walked over and picked them up one by one. She felt terribly upset for all her hard work was destroyed.

Some of the paintings fell into puddles and got wet, while the others were stained with soil or hanging up on the tree.

"Let me help you," Spencer said as he reached out to take a painting off one branch. He was about to hand it to Fiona when the drawing caught his attention. It was the drawing of the necklace.

"Give it to me." Fiona grabbed the paper and was shocked to see it poked with a hole.

"I didn't do it on purpose. It was an accident!" Spencer explained, feeling guilty.

Fiona did not say anything as she walked away. The painting was clenched in her fist as her hand trembled slightly.

"Spencer, don't come closer!" Fiona struggled desperately. She closed her eyes, trying to hold back her tears. She didn't like crying in front of anyone. She hadn't done it in a long while. Spencer was an exception

Fiona felt his warm breath against her skin as Spencer swooped in closer. "Spencer, please let me go!" she begged.

"Too late!" In one swift motion, he grabbed the collar button of her shirt.

With her hand released, Fiona suddenly slapped Spencer across the face.

Pak!

A crisp sound echoed in the car. Spencer froze. His face was burning as he looked at Fiona in disbelief.

Even Fiona was surprised at what she did. She gasped. Her eyes were red as she held back tears.

Spencer's phone rang. He shivered and rushed out of the car, ready to answer it.

It was his grandpa's exclusive ring tone.

"Hello? Grandpa, what's wrong?" Spencer tried to speak as normal as possible, even if the left side of his face burned.

After he got out of the car, Fiona sat up in a corner and clenched her clothes.

"Spencer, didn't you say you'd be back today? What time is it now? Why haven't you arrived yet?" Wayne's voice came through the other end of the line. He sounded more energetic than last week.

"I'm on the way. I'll be back soon," said Spencer in a low voice.

"Okay. Is Fiona with you? Did she say anything?"

Spencer thought of his reply. He looked back in the car and frowned. "She's asleep," he answered.

"She must be tired!" Grandpa sighed. "Alright, then I won't bother him. Go home now, please. Be nice to Fiona!"

"I know, Grandpa. I'll hang up now."

"Alright, be careful."

After hanging up the phone, Spencer looked at Fiona's empty expression. He went back to the car and sat in the driver's seat.

"Fiona, don't even dare jump out of the car to kill yourself. I won't let you succeed." The more he thought about it, the more frightened he became. 'What if she does something stupid? How will I explain that to Grandpa?' he thought.

Fiona stared at the window quietly. Why would she kill herself? She had survived the past ten years with courage and strength. She'd do anything to live well for her parents' sake.