hellbound; cory | ACKLEY BRIDGE

I LOVE YOU

┍━━━━ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ━━━━┑
if i'm losing a piece of me,
maybe i don't want heaven
┕━━━━ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ━━━━┙

rain pelted from the sky and ricocheted from the floor like bullets, rounds and rounds of never running out ammo. as i buttered my toast that morning, and stared at the raging weather, i felt half glad the sun had the decency to stay the hell away.

and so the sky roared with thunder and turned itself an angry grey, and the chaos above in the sky represented my mind. ironic, really, isn't it? jordan's life's being threatened on my dead brothers birthday. and what the fuck was i supposed to do? the money that sat pretty in my bank account was patiently waiting to get withdrawn. i'd happily give it to jordon, don't get me wrong. and i would — but i wanted to give khadim the money myself. finally stand up to him after years of torment. tell him that this ends. it was just going to take some time.

i walked to school alone, lost in my thoughts as the rain soaked me through. not quite crying — but the sky was doing that for me.

*

"please, cece, it's like...the only thing i'll ever ask of ya!"

"i'm not in the mood, okay?"

"right, so channel that energy!" missy said in a pretentious voice. "please, cece, please!"

"i said no!" i snapped, before instantly regretting the tone in my voice. "alright, i'm sorry for being a moody cow —"

"so you'll make it up to me by auditioning?"

"there is nothing i want to do less."

missy clasped her hands together as if she was proper about to beg, get on her knees and everything. "you're one of my best mates, and i really need this right now. just do it, for me? i won't ever ask ya again,"

"how many times have i heard that?" i rolled my eyes.

"if you don't then i won't!"

"now that, is emotional blackmail."

"and is it working?"

i sighed deeply, my mind preoccupied on so many things that weren't a stupid school play. trying to muster up some energy inside of me, i took in a deep breath and turned to my friend. "i don't know how you do it, missy booth," i answered, finally worn down.

"is that a yes?! i'm taking that as a yes!" missy squealed in delight. "i'll see you there!" she demanded, before rushing off — i guess before i could change my mind. great.

*

"you came!"

my shoes practically dragged across the corridor as i walked, so reluctant. i weren't even any good at drama, like. can hardly string a sentence together, me, let alone remember some lines off of a script.

"well yeah, ya practically forced me," i reminded her, pulling my arms tight around my body defensively. "how does a bloody yorkshire accent even work with soddin shakespeare?"

"oh, gobby's arrived!" naveed remarked, to which i turned my head to where he was sitting, next to cory of all people, on the floor. "you know, you don't have to be here?"