Stay

Chapter twenty-eight.

I hate liars. The scheming minds that create such things to protect themselves, throwing others under the bus. Never once did I believe lying could be over looked if it were for the greater good.

I hate myself for lying but what I hate more is how easily the words spilled out of my mouth.

Zienna, oblivious to Jessie and I's plan, handed over her set of keys. She didn't think twice when I told her – no, lied to her about who I was to Layla.

Maddie Henderson, a close friend of Layla's who left her purse inside their apartment.

Lie's. All of it.

If Zienna had known truth she wouldn't have handed the keys over. Or, she might have.

Because Layla has been the cause of my suffering since school began. Not once have I caused her trouble or pain like she claims. Falling down the stairs did not harm her, it harmed me. Yet I acquired the name 'tripper'. Maybe if Zienna had known the truth she would have joined in with our quest for revenge on this horrible person.

Luckily it wasn't hard to locate her apartment. Almost everyone in our year knows of it from the abnormal amount of parties she holds.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Jessie asks, wrapped up in his long, navy winter coat. The wind rustling his hair.

I nod in reply. "I need to show her that I won't just roll over and play dead." We are stood back from her apartment building. I watch as people walk in and out. Some laughing with Christmas joy as the early days of December roll in. Some exhausted, the walking dead if you'd like, as they stumble into the building after a long day's work.

"We could get into a lot of trouble for this you know." Although Jessie is stood right next to me, his voice sounds like a whisper in the wind as my thoughts get louder and louder.

Should I be doing this?

"This will scare her enough to leave me alone. We won't need to do anything like this again." I mumble, more for self-reassurance the for Jessie as I rub my hands together for warmth.

Jessie looks at me, his eyes connected with mine as he tries to read how I feel. But all I feel when he looks at me is the warmth of his presence in this time of need.

"She hurt you." His eyes darken. "And she won't get away with it."

And with that Jessie storms in front of me, the key dangling from his coat pocket.

I rush after him, not thinking twice of the consequences.

The warmth of the apartment building feels like a spring morning as the heat dances on my skin, warming me up.

"Layla is at a party for the next two hours. That's more than enough time to do what needs to be done." Jessie whispers as we climb up a flight of stairs.

He takes the key from out of his pocket and unlocks the front door quietly.

We walk in and my gut clenches. I know this is wrong.

Jessie doesn't hold back as he rushes into the apartment, "this is her room." He mumbles.

I hesitate for a second before closing the door behind me.