RAYMOND
—I wanna grab something at the cafeteria before they close. —Mary Kate pleaded.
—So go. I don't want to go there. — Raymond snapped.
They were in Port Angeles taking a walk. More out of obligation on Raymond's part than anything else. Kate had been hassling him nonstop for the last half hour, interrogating him about where he'd been all day. And it was getting on his last nerve. He couldn't stand seeing her there, whining about being hungry and clinging to him like some parasite, exhausting him with her pathetic sighs and pouty faces...
—I don't want to go alone.—she whined again.
—Didn't you hear me?—he barked—.I wonder if you ever listen when I talk. I said I don't want to go there.
—I'm not saying you have to eat...—Mary Kate stammered, intimidated by his attitude. Lately, his outbursts of rage were more frequent, though they rarely seemed to have a real cause—Are you okay? What's going on?—she asked, trying to calm him down.
Raymond sighed, running his hands over his face.
—Just had a shitty day at work, that's all.
Raymond turned his back on her, wishing he could drink his beer in peace, crank up the music, and just be alone with his thoughts for a good while. Without all those people swarming around him.
—Hey, I know: why don't you stay for lunch? I know you like my mom's cooking. Plus, Lana won't be home, so there won't be any drama.
He looked at her. Kate had known from the start that Raymond liked Lana, but that she hated his guts, so she always invited him over when Lana wasn't around. It was the perfect solution to keep her at a distance... which meant Raymond also never got the chance to see her again.
When he'd tried to get close to her last time, she reacted like he reeked, like she'd rather die than be near him. But Raymond wasn't the type to throw in the towel that easily, and he figured sooner or later Lana would realize he was her only ticket out of this shithole town.
So that's why he'd agreed to have lunch at his girlfriend's house-because he was sure he'd run into her, even if Mary Kate said otherwise. Their paths always crossed whether she wanted it or not.
His intention was to dial down the offensive tone and listen to her attentively.
As much as Mary Kate was a beauty, she was just another obstacle in the way of getting to Lana. He was sick of her in general. If she weren't such a freak in the sheets, if she didn't know all those things that drove him wild, he'd have dumped her ages ago for one of the other three, four, or five girls he was sleeping with. But right now he wasn't thinking about them either. Only Lana. No one had ever rejected him before, and she wasn't going to be the first.
The rich girl was gonna fall. Just like her other sister.
He couldn't stand rich people, couldn't stand their flaunting, and definitely couldn't stand them thinking they were better than everyone else just because they had money. One day, before graduation, he heard some rich kid at school bragging about the new boat his parents had bought him for his birthday. Wouldn't shut up about how he was gonna sail every day of summer and dock at the yacht club.
Three days later, Raymond set the boat on fire and watched it burn.
He'd always liked fires. He liked the chaos they caused. He liked their relentless power of destruction; the way they ravaged and consumed everything in their path.
He hadn't told anyone it was him, obviously. Telling anyone was the same as confessing to the cops. But he had associates who did his dirty work for him if necessary.
When he entered the house and noticed Lana's presence in the dining room, he couldn't help but smile a little because, as expected, he knew their paths crossed for a reason.
He watched her from afar, while she typed on her phone. He wished she'd turn around and look at him; after a moment, she did. Not for long, just a quick glance. But it was enough for him to wonder how she'd behave in bed.
●●●
LANA
Her sister Kate and her mother had been out of town for the last few weeks. After the weather cleared up, they finally managed to fly to New York for a photo shoot; apparently for some big magazine.
Having the house to herself and Gracie -because Lizzie was like a ghost- was way less suffocating than other times. They even watched movies together and went for walks around the suburbs. The park was still closed; and walking through the woods wasn't an option. Especially not with the oppressive winter weather.
Lana glanced down the hallway when she heard voices coming from the dining room. Accidentally, her gaze collided with Raymond Sawyer's.
She froze.
—Oh, you're here—Kate remarked, surprised, coming into the kitchen—. I thought you'd gone shopping with Morgan.
—She canceled on me last minute. Family stuff. —she explained, trying to avoid the tension Raymond always triggered.
He was just a few meters away, near the stairs. It didn't take more than a couple seconds for him to look away and go back to his phone; even if he had nothing to do. She didn't want anything to do with him, but her mom's voice calling her to lunch gave her no choice but to cross through the room.
Raymond greeted her but she only gave him a side-eye and walked past him.
All she wanted during that entire lunch was to get up and get the hell out of there. She felt his eyes glued to her the whole time and it made her skin crawl, even if she didn't show it. Why wouldn't he leave her alone? Didn't he get that she didn't like him?
After an eternity; she got up and offered to wash the dishes while everyone else stayed at the table. Just because she didn't wanna be near him. Though she didn't fully succeed.
—Everything good?
When she turned around, she saw Raymond standing there, behind her. He was holding a beer.
—None of your business—she answered, rinsing a plate. She figured he'd catch the hint that she didn't want to talk to him; but the opposite happened.
—Want me to bring you a beer?
The way he asked it, he seemed to know exactly what she was gonna say.
—I don't drink.
—Why not?
Tired, she turned to look at him.
—Because I don't, that's why.
—Just because you don't?—he provoked.
—Exactly. Because I don't.
He flashed a slight smile, but his eyes gleamed like two dark pits. He glanced briefly over his shoulder. Everyone was chatting animatedly telling anecdotes; too busy to pay attention to what was happening in the kitchen.
Without warning, Raymond took a step toward her and grabbed her by the shoulders, pulling her against his body with one arm.
—How 'bout we step outside for some fresh air?
—No, I don't feel like it. And I already told you to get your hands off me. —she answered in an exasperated tone, teeth clenched.
He wasn't intimidated. Lana knew Raymond was enjoying her reaction.
—Is it because of Kate?
—No, it's not because of Kate. But if she's your girlfriend, you shouldn't be flirting with her sister.
She took a step back, increasing the distance between them.
—I'm not flirting with you. — he defended himself.
Lana laughed disbelievingly.
—Oh, really? Then what?
—Just trying to be friendly.
—Well, your 'friendly' advances bother me.
He kept staring at her fixedly.
—Fine, okay—Then, after a moment of silence, he raised his voice so the others could hear—. Listen, I'm flattered you said you like me, but I'm dating your sister. Sorry, I can't go out with you.
Lana was too stunned to form a response. Instead, she looked toward the dining room, aware that everyone was staring at her, especially Kate. Her face was a picture.
—Kate... I didn't...—she stammered, but her sister stormed out of the dining room as if she didn't want to hear a word from her. All eyes were on her and, somehow, she felt like she was being judged for committing a crime; one she didn't commit.
—This just got good...—Elizabeth commented, taking a sip of her wine.
With an unpleasant tightness in her chest, she just bolted from there, searching for Kate. She needed to explain what happened. Of course, the problem was gonna be doing it without making Raymond look like the lying piece of shit he was.
She found her in the garden, staring at the path that led to the woods. As awful as it sounded, Lana hoped the beer had made her drunk enough to not remember anything. Or even better, sober enough to understand that she wasn't interested in Raymond, at all.
—I could have expected it from Lizzie, but from you?—Kate let out a bitter laugh before wiping away a tear—I'm really surprised.—Kate turned to face her; her face twisted with fury—Why didn't you tell me you liked him? All this time I thought you hated him. How stupid I was...
—And I do hate him.—Lana insisted, taking a step toward her—Kate, I don't know why he said what he said, but I would never do something like that.
Kate's expression was ice cold.
—You mean asking Raymond out?
—That's not what happened—Lana defended herself—He tried to approach me and flirt with me. I don't know what he's planning...
—What he's planning? Him?—She took a step toward her—I saw the expression in your eyes, Lana! I saw how embarrassed you were by what he was saying! Like a puppy caught when it knows it did something wrong!
—But I didn't do anything! I'd never approach him, least of all like that, and you know it.
—No, I don't know that. That's what I thought before, but now... —Her gaze conveyed disappointment and anguish—I hate you, Lana. Don't ever speak to me again. Never again.
Kate bumped her shoulder before walking away, but Lana didn't want to leave things like that.
—Raymond's lying!—she spat, trying to get her to face her. Kate just stopped walking, without turning around—There's really something ugly in that guy.
—No... no... don't you dare criticize him...
—He lied to you. I'd be crazy to go out with him. I don't like him, at all. The only reason I tolerated him is because he's your boyfriend. And I made it clear to you many times that I didn't like him.
Kate didn't say anything, and Lana wondered if she finally saw the truth.
—Whatever.—she spat, heading back toward the house. Lana followed her with her gaze, completely overwhelmed.
Not knowing what to do, she just headed into the woods, wishing the earth would open up and swallow her whole.