And I Thought the Year Would be Boring!

(8) Jeez. What have I done?!

Shit. Shit. Shit.

SHITSHITSHITSHITSHIT.

How did I get myself into this mess?! Liam wants me dead. D-EA-D.

I told Mr. Carter, Nate and Taylor about the notes as well. Their first reaction was panic, but even after that, they were still tense.

"Nikki. Relax. It's going to be fine." Taylor tried calming me. I suspected she was calming herself down too. My laptop was open infront of me, the screen blank. I couldn't stop thinking about it. No, not the laptop, the fact that Liam was plotting something against my country, working for his parents, as spies. Throw in the fact that he now wants me dead, too.

"So, are you still going to go with him to prom?" asked Nate looking directly at me.

That was a good question. I honestly hadn't thought about it yet, and frankly, I was too scared to.

"I don't know. He already suspects that something's up with me, ever since I ditched him hallway through the date."

"Oh yeah, did you guys talk after that?"asked Taylor.

"Well, I passed him in the corridor, as he looked at me like I was some kind of six-eyed insect."

"Well, I think you've got no choice." said Nate.

Taylor looked at him, then back at me and nodded. "He's got a point. You keep acting this weirdly, he'll DEFINITELY know you're up to something.

"Tay, he's already gotten orders to kill me! What about that?!" I asked, nearly in tears now.

"Look, you just need to be really, really careful around him. Make sure either me or Nate are around you guys, even if from a distance. That way, we could keep an eye on you."

That seemed reasonable.

I felt a wave of exhaustion pass over me. "Okay, I'm just going to call it an early night in, guys."

Nate looked over at me in sympathy and smiled, nodding his head. Taylor got up and gave me a hug.

"Take care. Just get some rest okay?" called out Nate as I was leaving.

I felt a prickle of tears sting my eyes. Here, Nate and Taylor were doing their best to make me feel safe and I was probably getting them into more danger than ever.

What is something happened to them? This would be all my fault. I would never forgive myself.

I entered the dorm room. It was full of shopping bags and open cases of make up. A hairbrush lay strewn in one corner, while someone's curling iron was plugged into the socket. A single high-heeled stiletto peeked out from underneath my bed. Dresses were strewn all over the place, and several tubes of lipstick lay knocked over a table. It looked like Barbie was in the middle of a hurricane. An array of colorful perfume bottles lay, carefully set down on Taylor's bed. I stepped on something small and sharp. I growled and checked what I had stepped on. A random jade earring, part of a pair, I presumed lay there on the floor looking as innocent as possible. I picked it up and tossed it onto Lauren's bed.  I grabbed a pink fuchsia dress off my bed and then threw it onto Tanya's. I layed down grabbing my phone off my dresser, accidentally knocking over a compact powder case. I winced as I heard the crash. and recognized it as Devonne's. Hopefully she would forgive me. I quickly shoved the broken compact case and the shards of glass underneath my bed. After doing that, and removing all evidence that I had broken Devonne's compact, I checked my phone, having two missed calls from my mom. I sighed and mentally promised myself to call her later. As I put it back on the dresser, something white fluttered to the ground. I groaned and bent to pick it up. It seemed blank. I flipped it over and and read what it said:

'Careful, darling. One wrong step, and your pretty little girlfriend Taylor dies.' And don't get me started on Mr. O'Riley.'

That did it. I burst into silent tears. I didn't know what else to do. This guy was dangerous. Some kind of deranged psycho. I was panicked when he was after me. It was nothing compared to how I felt now. My sheets got tangled in between my legs. Hot tears kept streaming endlessly along my face. Every time I thought I was all cried out, a fresh wave would start.

*****

"Nikki? Nikki? Are you up yet?" I felt someone shaking me gently. I turned over slowly, groaning. My joints felt creaky, like they needed oiling. Taylor was standing there looking scared, but relieved.

"Tay? What time is it?" I asked, my voice hoarse.

""It's 7, in the morning. We've got special class at 7:45, Mrs.Vega wants to get a head start on botany. But, by taking one look at you, I forbid you from going. I've already informed the school nurse that you're not well at all, and are feeling really, really sick, and said that she'd bring you up your breakfast in a bit. At around 12:30, I'll bring you up your lunch. Until then, here-" she set down a steaming cup of cocoa on my bedside table. "You might want to drink that while it's hot. Nate wanted to visit you, but he said he felt really weird being in the girl's dorm." she said chuckling.

I gave a weak laugh in return and attempted to get up.

"Well, I'll just leave you to it then," she said smiling, shutting the door softly on her way out. I felt another wave of burning guilt course through me. I carefully lifted the mug of cocoa off my bedside table and slowly took a sip and set it down. Just the the door opened and the nurse entered holding a large tray. She set it down on my table and began fussing over me.

"Dear me, you don't look at all well, Ms. Dodson wasn't exaggerating in the least. Anyway, I've brought you up some toast and butter, along with some oatmeal cookies. You can have it along with your cocoa, Dear me, you look ever so sickly. Finish up your breakfast and then you can go back to sleep."

She exited, shutting the door quietly on her way out. I jumped up from bed. I quite frankly didn't feel that sick. Yes, I had a bit of a headache from crying myself into sleep, but that sleep was a good, solid sleep. I couldn't attend classes. Nope. Not today. I went to the mirror and looked at myself in shock. I did look sick. My eyes were red and puffy. My makeup had smeared and mascara was smudged all around my red eyes, giving me an ugly sinister look. I proceeded to go to the bathroom, show, do my business and then carefully washed off any residual makeup from my face. I emerged out fifteen minutes later feeling refreshed. I quietly opened the dorm door and closed it behind me. The bell rang, signalling the start of first period.

Good. So that meant that everyone would be in classes. I quietly snuck my way into th boys dorm and let myself in. I intended to find out all I could about Liam Hemsworth.

WHATEVER be the risks.