Don't Stand By Me (COMPLETE) - Chapter 23: Chapter 23

Elvis
August 4th: 08:10
Violet's shrieks were the first thing to wake me the next morning, loud and piercing as if she was yelling right in my ear, despite being on the other side of the RV. I bolted upright, head whipping around the darkened room only to find that I'm all alone.
"Wha?" I muttered, clambering to my feet and shuffling out to the main area of the RV.
Violet had Dixon cornered, standing over and screaming in his face as he cowered away in fear. Pearl and Brent watched from the couch, shoulder to shoulder, eyes wide.
"What the fuck are you doing?" I snapped, moving forward and grabbing Violet's arm, dragging her away, "You're scaring him!"
"He let Kiara and Cassie wander the streets for gas by themselves in the middle of the fucking night!"
"You what?" I exclaimed, whirling around to face him, "Tell me she's exaggerating."
"She's exaggerating!" He held up his hands defensively, "It was completely bright out when they left, they knew exactly where they were going and they texted to say they got there safe and were staying the night. They'll probably be back in an hour or two."
I turned back to Violet, giving her a light smack at the back of her head, "What is your problem? That scared me!"
She glared at me, rubbing her head, "They could have gotten hurt! Or captured by the police!"
I shook my head, turning to Dixon who was still slightly cowering away. I wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him tightly to my side. He shot me a grateful look.
"I'm not a delicate flower, you know."
"I know. I'm just cold."
"Mhm." He smiled gently, snuggling into my side.
"If anything they'd be less likely to be captured considering they're nowhere near the damn corpse." Brent interjected.
"Shush you." Violet hissed, running a hand through her hair.
"Hey, don't tell me to shush!" He snapped, standing up and pointing a finger at her, "I have been nothing but considerate since this trip started and all of you have been treating me like shit!"
"You cheated on me!"
"You cheated on me. We're even."
Well, that was new information.
Dixon and I's heads darted back and forth like we were witnessing an intense match of tennis, with no clue who was winning.
"You're so fucking infuriating!" Violet snapped.
"And you're a child." Brent stepped forward, poking a finger into her chest, "This entire situation is your fault. We went skinny dipping because of you. You filmed Charles, Kiara attacked him to save you. I only stepped in because she's your best friend. You are fucking around with an FBI agent, yet I'm the asshole? This entire fucking trip has been everyone cleaning up your mistakes and tiptoeing around your fucking feelings. I'm sick of it. I could go to prison because of it! Because you make stupid decisions and we have to suffer the consequences!"
Silence fell over the RV save for Brent's heavy breathing and Violet's light sniffles.
"I guess...I never thought of it like that." She said softly, "I'm sorry. I really am."
"That's all well and good." Brent snorted, "I'll keep your apology with me in prison."
"Brent." I snapped, "Enough."
He glared at me but I didn't back down, holding his gaze until he shrugged, flopping back down on the couch beside Pearl, who was watching him carefully, gnawing on the pad of her thumb.
"I..." Violet sniffed, "I'm going to make this right. I promise."
"I don't think that's possible, V." I patted her shoulder gently, "It's okay. We'll make it through this."
"But if we don't." She bit her lip, "I won't let you take the fall, Brent. I owe you that much."
He nodded stiffly, not saying a word. Judging by the look on his face, he didn't believe a word she was saying.
"We need to do something about this." Dixon gestured between everyone, "This tension, this anger...it's going to get us caught. If we can't work together then there's no point to this."
"He's got a point." Brent chimed in, scoffing at the shocked glances from everyone else, "I'm not an idiot. I don't like any of you very much right now, but my desire to not get caught outweighs that."
"So what do we do?" Dixon leaned against the wall, fiddling with his hands absentmindedly, "How do we put this tension aside?"
"I think you need to all sit down and just let everything out." Pearl chimed in, twirling a strand of hair around her finger, "No censoring. Like therapy! It always worked for my dad and his wives."
"Not a bad idea actually," Violet said, "I'd be up for it."
"Fine." Brent shrugged.
"El?" Dixon turned to me, eyes shining.
I glanced around, knowing this had the potential to end horrifically, but nodded.
"Should we wait for Kiara and Cassie?"
"I honestly don't have anything to say about either of them." Violet said.
"I might talk to Kiara by myself." Brent rubbed a hand down his face, "Seems like a private conversation."
"Then let's just start." I grabbed the key to Pearl's cuffs, unlocking her wrist. She held her arm out to me and I shook my head, "I don't see much reason in keeping you cuffed during the day anymore. Maybe just at night when we can't keep an eye on you."
Her eyes widened and she nodded, giving me a bright smile. I really hoped we weren't Stockholm-syndroming this girl, that would just be an extra thing to be arrested for surely.
We moved to sit around the table, all of us facing each other in silence. After almost five full minutes of silence, I sighed, knowing no one would bite the bullet and say what they were thinking.
"I don't think Brent is that bad." I held my hands up as I got several incredulous stares, "I'm serious."
"Really?" Brent gave me some form of a strained smile to which I nodded.
"I've been saying it since day one. I had a much less difficult time tolerating you than Kiara has."
"Thanks, man." He looked genuinely touched.
"I can't believe you're taking his side!" Violet snarked, "You're such a bad friend!"
"I'm a bad friend?" I laughed, "You have spoken to me about five times this entire trip. If anyone's the bad friend here, it's you."
"That's because you've been clung to Dixon the entire time! You don't care about anyone else!"
"That's far from the truth and you know it. I've spent plenty of time with Kiara and hell, even Brent. But all you've done is argue and drink and look at your phone."
Violet's face grew red as she sputtered, attempting to put a sentence together.
"Yes, I'll admit that I've been...distracted." I conceded, "But I'm still here. I've been a good friend, Kiara can vouch for that. I miss you, V. I don't know what's been up with you the last few days because you won't tell me. I get that we have our own separate friendships with Kiara but I really thought over the last year we had become a trio. At the end of the day, you don't value our friendship as much as you value yours with Kiara, which is fine. I know where we stand."
"El..." She breathed, eyes shining with tears, "I didn't...I don't..."
"So who's next!" I shrug, gesturing around the table.
"I for one don't think it's fair that I was trying genuinely to be your guys' friend and you fucked me over for no reason." Brent said, watching my reaction carefully.
"That was a genuine mistake." I told him, "We didn't know Violet was in the bed with us, we were just discussing what we wanted to do. I really am sorry, we didn't want to hurt you."
Brent nodded, eyebrows furrowed, "Thanks, I guess."
"B-Brent..." Violet's voice shook, "I don't think it's fair that you blame the entire collapse of our relationship on me. You've been pushing me away for days."
Brent nodded, "That's fair. But you were checked out too. I can't remember the last time you told me you loved me."
"If we're being honest here, I don't think I do."
"Yikes." Dixon muttered, watching enrapt as if it was reality tv. I resisted the urge to swat the back of his head jokingly.
"Thanks." Brent said dryly, "How could our relationship not have worked?"
"I'm sorry but do you not get the feeling? If we really loved each other wouldn't we fight for it?"
"Maybe." He sighed, tipping his head back, "I really don't feel like ripping our emotions apart right now, does anyone else have any grievances they'd like to air? The newbies perhaps?"
"Not to jump on the bandwagon but I do think Violet's been a bit checked out." Pearl said, "You're the only person who hasn't taken any time to get to know me. Even Kiara spent about two hours with me at the wheel last night. The only things I know about you I've learned from her and Elvis."
I noticed Violet's lower lip trembling and she nodded slowly.
"I-I'm sorry guys." She sniffed, "I didn't realise how much of a shitty person I am!" She snapped, leaning back in her chair.
"Violet..." Brent said warningly, "Don't do this. Don't victimise yourself. We're trying to tell you how we feel."
"All I see is an attack! All of you at once! So you hate me? We're dragging around a fucking corpse because of me and I'm also a bitch? Just what I wanted to hear!"
I cringed as I watched Violet dig herself into a deeper hole. I would have liked to say this was unlike her but...as loyal and loving as she was, when she felt attacked she retreated into the bitchy form I had first met her in - and I had hated her back then.
"Vi-" I began.
"Forget it. I'm going to go lie down. I've had enough of this." She stood, throwing her chair back and storming off towards the queen bed, throwing herself onto it as the springs squeaked.
"Well that went well." Brent said dryly, a small smirk on his face, "I don't know about anyone else but I actually feel better."
"I do a bit too." I noted, "Though now I just feel guilty."
"She always does this. She'll get over it by the next stop."
"I don't know." I sighed, "Something's bad this time."
"No point dwelling on it right now." Dixon stood, "Who wants pancakes?"
"God, yes." Pearl groaned, before standing up, "I'm gonna go talk to her. I'll be back in a while unless she tells me to fuck off instantly."
"Careful." I warned jokingly, "She bites!"
Pearl smirked at me, ruffling my hair lightly as she stood, taking a deep breath before going back to where Violet was.
"Into the belly of the beast." I muttered.
"Hey," Dixon said softly, hand on my arm, "Don't."
"I'm just kidding."
"Are you? Or are you masking your annoyance with humour?"
"Shut up."
"Mhm." He smiled, kissing the top of my head and moving towards the oven, rifling through cupboards.
"Hey, man." Brent was watching me, arms folded, "You're kind of okay."
"Thanks?"
"I'm still...unhappy with everyone. And I still kind of hate you all. But I appreciate you sticking up for me. You're not so bad."
"Thank you." I gave him a genuine smile, "Neither are you."
"I'm not saying I want to be friends, but we can be...allies? I guess? Until this is all over?"
"Allies works for me." I shook his outstretched hand.
I had barely been awake for an hour but I felt as though I had lived an entire day.
August 3rd, 09:03 - Witch: Judging by Violet's insane texts, u know where we are
Heading back now, should be back before 11
How are things?
August 3rd, 09:08 - Elvis: absolute hell
Shits hit the fan, Violet hates us all it's a whole thing
August 3rd, 09:10 - Witch: seems like a recurring theme. Getting kind of sick of it. Enough to deal with as it is
August 3rd, 09:11 - Elvis: welcome to my world. Told her she's been a bad friend and she flipped her shit
August 3rd, 09:14 - Witch: she kinda has...to you at least. Never see u guys talk
August 3rd, 09:15 - Elvis: EXACTLY
August 3rd, 09:17 - Witch: I'll talk to her when I'm back
See u soon sexy xoxo
I released a breath I didn't even know I was holding, feeling the tension leave my body. If anyone was able to bring me back to myself, it was Kiara.