Dead by Tomorrow

Chapter 7 | I Need a Favor

After a tormenting night, I woke up in a living room that wasn't mine.

Last night, after the two pricks have left, I managed to convince Damien that I was fine, even though I was far from it. I couldn't really go to the hospital considering the fact that I was beaten up by those that knew what I was doing in the first place, so if they were about to go down, I'm pretty sure that they would drag me with them.

Don't get me wrong, I like being first in everything, but racing to the bottom isn't really my cup of tea. So after Damien dropped me off in front of my house, and reminded me about a million times to call him if I needed anything, I started panicking.

My sister was at home.

I was all bruised up.

No matter what I would have told her, she would tell mom and dad.

I started pacing around and freaking out, and every movement was killing me. My ribs were sore and my face was not really touchable either. Every time that I would try to move strands of my hair that fell onto my cheeks and nose, I would internally scream from how much it actually hurt. Just a simple touch was making me want to die, and I was standing in front of my house- not being sure of what to do next. So I did the only thing I could have thought of. 

I called James.

"Dammit, Mia! Do you have any idea how pissed I am?! You told me you had a ride home! You told me you would be fine! Mia, I feel like the dumbest person alive right now! You have no idea what went through my head when you called!" The ride to James's place lasted for about an hour. 

He was constantly yelling at me, then giving me the silent treatment, then yelling again.

After he came to pick me up, the look of realization hit his face, and I began to scream internally. I haven't been yelled at like this since mom and dad stopped being my parental figures. I don't like being yelled at like this, but I can't yell back considering the fact that this one is totally on me. 

I was the one that insisted on not being escorted home.

 I didn't call for help. 

I acted like a jerk even when the help arrived.

Damn Mia, you keep doing inexplicable things and then you wonder how it all got ruined.

 Okay, back to reality.

I know that he is yelling because he seriously has no clue at how to act, and I don't feel like arguing, partially because he deserves to let it all out, and partially because I can't speak due to my upper lip having a giant cut across it.

"Look, Mia, I'm sorry. Okay? I'm just... This all is too much. I was told that you will be safe, and seeing you like this, it hurts. I swear to God, I'm going to kill them all." Being around James and visiting the pits regularly, I often heard rumors of how he had an explosive nature, but I never witnessed it, until now.

"Yeah, that was taken care of. Damien and his friends helped me out, even though I didn't want their help. But long story short, they beat the crap out of almost everyone that was there."

By the time we reached his house, I was in the deepest dream ever, and James actually carried me out of his car and into the living room of the house that he lived in. Waking up, I was aware of everything that played out the previous night, but I really didn't want to think about it all. Getting out of bed was pretty hard, and once I was standing on my feet, I was afraid to sit down, because if I did- I don't think that I would get up ever again.

After I took the longest and most painful shower ever, that didn't feel comfortable at all, I tried to invent a new style of brushing teeth that involved one index finger and a bunch of minty and fresh toothpaste, and it somehow worked. James was probably still sleeping so I went back to the living room and scrolled my socials. I had three messages from Brie; one about her wondering where I was, another about her thinking that potatoes are the MVP of the food world, and the last one about her remembering that I told her where I actually was. Meet my sister everybody. Did I mention that she really wasn't an observer? Yep, I was lucky in this field of sisterhood.

The living room doors opened and in came James all sweaty and kind of naked. He wore shorts and the marvelous shape of his abs was poking my eyes out. I had no idea how much of a morning person James actually was, but it was only 8 am, and he already finished his morning jog. I saw him half naked all the time, and I never found him as attractive as I did this morning, but I think that is just because I saw him in the privacy of his own home. Shut up Mia, I internally screamed at myself, because he was like a brother to me. A brother that was 25 years old, which means that when he was eight years old when I just got born.
Okay, I managed to make this whole situation creepy for myself, and it actually worked. I'm back to feeling normal things and not looking at James in any inappropriate way.

"You're up." He nonchalantly said while drinking the water from his bottle.

"Yep," I said, popping the P.

"Did you eat anything?" I lied and said that I did, but in reality food really wasn't on my mind.

What was constantly lingering in my thoughts was the fact that I still couldn't go home, or to school, or anywhere for that matter. James told me to stay as long as I needed to, but I knew that I needed to continue my everyday life. So we thought of a plan.

A simple lie for a simple person.

I went home about three hours later and Brie wasn't there. It gave me a head start to figure everything out.

After pacing nervously around my room I decided that it was time for me to accept the situation I was in and to do everything I can in order to avoid Brie finding out the truth.

Marching across the street, I entered the yard of Asher Murray, or if you prefer his non-creative, lame, awfully overused and very easy to remember and not ever grow fond of nickname Ace. 
Ringing the bell felt like I was digging up my own grave with a very tough to carry and easy to drop shovel that somehow rested not in my hands but on my chest. Yep, I was freaking out already.

 I mean, considering me acting the way I did yesterday, I was surprised that he even opened the door.

"What do you want?" He asked me coldly while holding the door half open.

"I need a favor." I played it simple, but I was terrified of what he would say.

"You need a favor from me?" Ace laughed like I was a little kid asking him if he had games on his phone. " Yeah, how about no." He tried to close the door but I put my hand in front of him.

"Look, I know that we went off to a bad start, but I really wouldn't be standing here if I had any other choice." He looked at me and nodded, but didn't let me inside his house. Instead, Ace came out and shut the door.

"Speak."

"Well, my sister doesn't know about the pits, and my face is... Well, you see how it is." He laughed and added a typical male comment, one that I don't even want to repeat. " So I need to make her think I had an accident, and I need you to help me with it."

Ace looked at me like I was a lost puppy, and I swear that he almost seemed okay with talking to me today, but then his attitude changed again. I swear the guy is changing faster than the weather in California.

"And why do you think that I would help you?" And the answer I was waiting for! I came prepared, okay?

"Because if my sister finds out about the pits, my parents will too. And so will the police. In other words, I'm dragging you with me and there is nothing that neither you or I can do about it."

Ace was silent for a few moments, and I got what I came here for. He agreed to help me.

"Okay." Just as I started celebrating and doing my victory dance inside of my head, Ace continued; "Just in case we're not on the same page, I am not doing this for free. You owe me a big one for this, and the payment day will come sooner than you think." 

Ace smirked at me and I figured that his ideas were probably terrible, but I had no time for bargaining so I accepted his counteroffer in a heartbeat.

"Okay, whatever you want," I said and his smirk grew larger, showing his pearl-white teeth that looked like he hadn't smoked even one cigarette in his entire life.

"So how do you plan on doing it?"