Lie To Me

22. Gunfire

AVA STONE

Screams erupted from the dozens of people that had come to watch the game. The players stopped running, letting the oval ball fall to the ground as they all looked around them with alarm in their eyes. With the second gunshot, which came around two seconds after the first one, it was as if an alarm had set off inside the people's nervous system and everyone started running for their lives, not caring who they pushed, not caring if they left their belongings behind, only caring for themselves.

Leah, Cole and I stood up the moment we heard the first gunshot. I looked around, trying to find the source of the attack, but finding none. It was as if the bullets came out of nowhere.

My eyes connected with Noah's ones for a millisecond as he ran out of the field with the rest of the players, but before I could repair on him, a group of people blocked my view and, when they ran away, I couldn't spot Noah again.

"My popcorn!" Cole shrieked, looking at the splattered snack on the ground beneath him.

"Your popcorn isn't the biggest of our worries right now, dumbass," Leah scolded him as she took both of our hands in hers and started pulling us down the stands.

We had no other choice but to push some people that were on our way until we reached the ground. There, it was even more crowded and chaotic. Everyone was in a daze of panic, consumed by their own fear, which was understandable. We tried to keep walking, never letting go of each other's hands, but seeing we were now unable to move, we decided to hide from the bullets behind the bleachers.

My heart rate started picking up, but if you looked at my face, you would see nothing but calmness and seriousness. It would be of no help if we grew anxious right now, no matter how much we wanted to. We needed to stay calm.

"Do you have your guns with you?" They both nodded at my question. "Ok then, let's split. Leah, get out of here and call my father, inform him on what's happening and ask for backup; Cole, get in contact with our security and try to get some information about the attackers. Meanwhile, I'll try to put some order around here," I ordered.

Again, they nodded, even though I could sense hesitation in their eyes. This was a dangerous situation, but we were doomed by birth to this kind of life. They just had to trust me. It was not my first time dealing with a gunfire, and it definitely wouldn't be the last with the last name I carried.

"Stay safe, girls," Cole wished us before him and Leah left. 

My hand went to my lower back, feeling satisfied when the pad of my fingers brushed the cold metal of the gun I always carried with me. I got out of the hiding spot and walked towards the mass of people trying to get out of the school grounds. My eyes were constantly roaming around in attempt of spotting the shooters, only seeing a few men dressed in all black who I suppose were our attackers. I could also see some of the school's security guards leading the people towards a safe space while a few men I recognized to be part of my father's mafia shooting back at the previous men in black.

Ensured of having my back covered, I moved through the crowd, making sure nobody was harmed and trying to spot any familiar faces as I entered the building. At the end of the hallway stood Kenzie and Sophie, both of them still on their cheerleading uniforms with terrified expressions and trying to either make their way out of here or hide. I had never seen such emotions in those girls and, as much as I would've loved to enjoy witnessing Sophie's distress, the severity of the situation didn't allow me to. I didn't want to be self-centered and I knew there was a possibility that this didn't have anything to do with me, but the chances of this attack being planned by one of my father's enemies were bigger than I would like to admit. That, or any of these students had a criminal record I was not aware of, because this was not a usual gunfire.