The Seven Deadly Simpson Brothers [PUBLISHED]

15

"Oh," Hayley rubbed my arm. "It will get easier, trust me."

"I guess," I shrugged and then forced a laugh. "It's almost like we've broken up or something, but we were only friends, he said it himself."

She smiled sadly and handed me a smoothie, "Apple and passion fruit, thought you might like it."

I smiled back and took a sip, "Pretty good. Anyway, how are you?"

"Oh I'm fine," Hayley said, lying back in the small sofa. "Studying and stuff as usual. The girls want to go to Oxford Street on Saturday actually, maybe you could come with us? It will be fun, you could also get your mind off things with Walter and his brothers."

"I don't have any money to spend," I said, drinking my smoothie.

"I can buy you stuff," Hayley said. "I'm going to use some of my birthday money that I've been saving."

"No way," I argued. "That's yours."

"I don't mind otherwise I wouldn't be offering," she gave me a challenging look.

I sent her back a half-smile, "I have work anyway."

"Oh shit," she remembered. "Yeah. But wait, what about Sunday? I'm sure they wouldn't mind if we moved it to Sunday."

"No Hayley its cool," I said to her. "I'll be too tired to have fun and I don't want to dampen the mood. You guys enjoy yourselves."

She sighed and gave me a defeated look, "Fine Coral, but next time, no excuses."

"Sure," I smiled sweetly.

We sat and talked about random things and I found myself laughing which I hadn't properly done in a while, since I ended my friendship with Walter. Hayley stayed until dinner time and she asked me if I wanted to go and eat out in the mall but I said no. I needed to try and get some sleep and I was worrying again about Wednesday tomorrow. I wanted to tell her, but I didn't want her to freak out and insist we tell the police. The last thing we needed were the Santiagos against us, they weren't all a friendly bunch, as we already had personal experience of.

"See you soon," Hayley gave me a tight hug before she left. "If you want my advice, sleep in as late as you can tomorrow. I'll let them know you're still not well."

"Okay," I nodded. "I think I need it anyway."

"Yeah," Hayley smiled. "Get better soon hun."

"Thanks," I said, holding the door open for her. "For everything."

Hayley grinned and gave me another hug before she left and I closed the door behind her.

***

I woke up in the morning with a somersaulting stomach and the first thing I did was rush to the toilet to vomit. It was finally Wednesday and I was so nervous. I couldn't go to work, I didn't feel much better and I was a little scared. I felt so bad and guilty knowing that whatever was going to happen, could have maybe been prevented if I had acted.

I spent the day watching the news, napping in the sofa and drinking cups of tea in between. I called work and told them I was sick and couldn't come in, which almost made me throw up again, and when it got to the evening I was actually shaking. I stared at the small TV screen, waiting to hear anything about the pub, but nothing was announced. Maybe they would announce it in tomorrow's news, I thought.

On the Thursday, again nothing was said about anything like an attack or robbery at the Dartfish and I was just confused. I was well enough to go to work by Saturday and during my shift Ario turned up and took a seat. He wasn't alone. This time he had Carlos and Diego with him and my face crumpled. Diego was one of the worst, he had tried to touch me and I could never forget how horrible it had been. I knew they wouldn't leave here without speaking to me, at least Ario wouldn't, that much was obvious.