Nerve

twelve

- emma -
{ unedited }

I ran faster than I ever have across the arena. My tears blended in with the rain as they fell down into the damp ground. Lukas was running too, until we met in the middle. My thoughts didn't stop me as I ran into his arms for the second time tonight. I was so relieved he was okay.

The audience cheered while some booed, but I didn't care.

"What did you say to Jayden?" I ask him quickly.

"Nothing," he replied, "I couldn't find him." We broke from our embrace as I felt my expression turn from hopeless to stern. "Emma, no matter what happens I want you to know that I care about you," he put his hands on the sides of my arms like he usually did to express his compassion. The gesture was familiar, and calmed my senses.

"I care about you too, Lukas." I found myself saying, and meaning it. Our voices weren't heard by anyone except ourselves. I wanted to kiss him then and there, and for the both of us to be back in the skatepark where we had met. What I wanted was for this all to be over, but I knew that it was just getting stared.

Suddenly, the crowds cheers irrupted once again as another person entered the building. A spotlight was turned on and placed on the last player to arrive. Luke and I turn to the right to find Jayden walking in, raising his arms to get the crowd to cheer. They go wild as he laughed to himself, walking towards the center. Lukas and I create some space between us as he approaches.

"How adorable," Jayden laughs again, "My ex-teammate and my ex-best friend. I have to say that I am quite surprised."

I remain silent and glance to Lukas subtly, who was staring down Jayden with an angered expression.

"PLAYERS, SHOW US YOUR WEAPONS."

The computerized voice spoke through the large speakers, and all three of us hesitated for a second. I reached inside my pocket with a shaky hand and pull out the gun, raising it up to show the crowd. I look up to Jayden and Lukas, who are both also holding their guns in the air. My eyes retreat to Lukas in fear. I know what's coming, and I don't know if I'm ready.

"FIRST SHOOT ONE OF YOUR OPPONENTS WINS."

The clock started to countdown from 20 seconds.

Jayden, almost instantly, raises his gun towards Lukas.

"Whoa, whoa! Jayden!" I scream, jumping between Lukas and Jayden. The audience gasps, voices overlapping each other from a distance. Jayden lowered his gun and looked to me with a devious look in his eyes. "Do you really want to do this?!" I yell, making sure the whole crowd can hear.

"I do," He shouted back. "It's what we all want! Isn't that right?!" Jayden yelled as he looked to the crowd, and they all replied with excited cheers. I narrowed my eyes at him in anger, before readjusting my hair and charging closer to the crowds.

"That's what you really want huh?" I question towards the crowd. "You want one of us to die tonight?" The audience screamed in response. "You want us to die while you stand there watching?! Don't you realize that we are people too, and not toys you can just make do whatever you want!?" I yell, walking towards a side of the crowd.

"Hey you! Yeah, what's your name? How's your family?" I pointed to a girl wearing a hoodie over her head. She looked around, as if she was ashamed for what she was doing. "And what about the rest of you?!"

"You're gonna listen to her?" Jayden laughed, "We PLAY to WIN!" He shouted, raising his hands again — along with the gun he's holding. The crowd bursts in mostly cheers, but I also seem to hear a few boos in there as well. "Now who is it gonna be!? Lukas, or Emma?!" Jayden shouts again over the rain.

The screen on the interior of the building suddenly switches it's text. It now read something different.

'SHOOT LUKAS OR EMMA?'

The audience of watchers all glanced to their phones, tapping on an option- for Jayden to shoot me or Lukas.

And I wasn't ready for the answer.

~

- holly -

"Marcus, how is it coming?" I rush over to his side as he types on his computer.

"I-I don't know, they're onto us. The game keeps blocking us out. Laney!" Marcus stuttered.

"Me too, but I think I can create a breach in the system. But once I do, we only have a few minutes to get in." Laney, Marcus' friend replied as she ran back to her laptop.

"We have to hurry, Jayden is about to shoot somebody!" I tell them, in complete and utter panic. We have to be able to do this or Lukas and Emma are as good as dead.

"Don't pressure me!" Marcus scolded, continuously typing on his computer. I nervously watched the finals live on the television, to see Lukas and Emma looking to each other. Oh god, oh god.

I feel my phone ringing in my pocket, and without checking the caller ID, I answer.

"Hello?" I ask.

"Holly? It's me, Brenda?" Oh shit, it's Emma's mom.

"Oh, um, Hello Mrs. Flowers." I greet nervously, fumbling with my words.

"I'm worried sick about Emma, she's still not home and I recall she was hanging out with you." She explains, her voice laced with panic. the

"Uh, yes I remember. Look Mrs. Flowers, if I give you an address could you please come so that I can explain everything?" I question, pleading.

"Explain everything? What's going on, Holly?" She asks, worried.

"I'll explain it all to you, just please hurry. I'll text you the address. Goodbye." I dismiss and end the call, immediately texting her the address. I hope she'll just understand, I thought. Unlikely.

"There!" Laney shouts, "Its breached, the system! We have 60 seconds to get in and damage any kind of data we can get our hands on." She explains.

"I'm in, I'm in," Marcus updated, "Okay, got it. Make sure you damage enough data that the system can at least be crippled. There won't be enough data left for it to depend on itself so the game would just crash."

"Got it," Laney replies.

I walk over to Marcus again, "Are you sure this will work?"

Marcus continues to type on the keyboard before looking to me, "No, but we have a chance." He says, looking back to the screen.

-

i don't know anything about computer  hacking lmao

damn, only two more chapters left. :0

thanks for reading :-)
xx blue