A Hater's Gamble (BxB)

FOURTEEN

             "He likes the way we kiss in the dark."

M I L E S

On Tuesday, the halls were as boisterous as ever. I felt this sickening feeling every time I looked over my shoulder; like I was being watched. I blamed it on my the paranoia, but maybe I needed to be paranoid. Carl was very real and very dangerous.

As I opened my locker, I felt someone yank my hood back. Immediately I envisioned Carl's smug face, coming to collect his escapee. When I whipped around, I loosed a relieved breath. It was Diego. Ironic, how he wasn't my biggest problem anymore.

"Excited to see me, Medley?," Diego snickered. Sam and Frank stared at me threateningly.

Where was Liam? He wouldn't miss a chance to torment me.

I locked eyes with Diego. He resembled Grace so much. "I'm not in the mood to argue, Diego. I'm tired."

He shoved me. "Tired? I thought traitors had high-stamina."

Traitor.

Traitor.

For a while, I did feel like a traitor. Now, I knew that I wasn't one. I didn't owe them anything. Deep down, I knew that they knew that too. It was just a matter of them versus me now. Someone to hate. Someone to blame.

I hoped Liam didn't tell them that I hung out with Jake, an Elkwood Eagle. They'd certainly hate me for something if they found out. I wouldn't just be a 'traitor' for what they claimed I did when we were kids, I would be a traitor for mingling with the enemy now.

I rummaged through my locker, "Go away," I stated.

Diego approached me aggressively, but before he could land a punch on me, Grace was in view. "Diego," she warned.

She stood in between us with her arms crossed.

"Get out of the way, hermana," Diego growled.

"You said this would stop," Grace pleaded.

"No, I didn't. He's a traitor," he responded. "He deserves none of my mercy."

"Diego, leave," Grace sighed. "We'll discuss this at home."

Diego looked reluctant to leave but gave me a hateful glare before walking away.

"You didn't need to do that," I said, shutting my locker.

"Yes, Miles, I did," she said. "He'll get over it soon, I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Grace."

She adjusted her backpack straps and looked sadly at me. "I guess you're right."

After a moment of walking down the halls, she asked, "Miles?"

"Yeah?"

He tone became quieter. "Are these...gang people after you now?"

I scrunched my nose. "Probably."

She nudged me harshly. "I'm serious."

"I am too," I retorted. "There's just not much I can do about it." I tried not to show my true demeanor, which screamed in panic.

"What does Liam say about it?," she questioned.

I laughed. "We're not exactly best buddies. He doesn't care about me, I have no idea what he thinks about this whole thing."

All I knew was that I swore not to go back to Carl's club in fear he'd track us down from there. Liam would murder me. 

"How's tutoring with him?," she asked, a small smile on her lips.