Benefits

Ch. 68: Loyalty

"He probably will, but I have a backup plan."

"How lovely." Terry leans against the backside of his chair with a deep sigh.

"Martinez is going to help me."

"That scumbag." He scoffs.

"I know you hate him, and he hates you as well."

"Shocker."

"He's going to help me weather you like it or not, Terry. And I'd really appreciate if you'd train with us. You don't know what's to come. If there'll be a fight after the duel. If I win, surely he will still have followers, and they will start something."

"Jake-"

"We were always suppose to have each others back, Terry. You promised when they passed." My voice slightly cracking at the mention of our parents. "You wouldn't turn your back on me."

"My phone lights up with Ronny's message on the screen. "Be at Braydon's Underground at 9."

Terry's doesn't raise his eyes from the ground. "I'm meeting with JC later in the evening at Braydon's Underground to set the date. I really want you to come." There's still no response. "Just think about it." I doubt he'll come, but at least I can say I tried.

-

Dawn P.O.V.

"Dawn what the fuck is going on?" Lauren immediately asks me when I enter the room.

"Lauren you may want to sit down."

Sorry old best friend, I may had a friends with benefits type of deal with the guy I use to hate, but now I severely love him, and we're in a relationship- and oh- there's a man who wants to rape me.

Definitely can't say it like that.

"Dawn?" Her eyes wrinkle in confusion but obliges to sit.

"Jake and I... have been... seeing each other."

Her arms cross. "Since when?"

"Since last week."

"Ohhhhh." She lets out a sigh. "I thought you've guys been screwing around for months now," she laugh airily. I gulp loudly, and my guilty face is prevalent. She takes in my stature. "How long have you been screwing around?" Her face back to a frown.

"Basically like the the second week of this school year." I smile shakily.

"Dawn Montgomery Rivers!" She stands from her bed. "You're such a raging hypocrite!"

"A lot of shit was going on, Lauren."

"You claim that I should tell you everything with Chad, and yet you've been fucking the asshole of the school."

"He isn't an asshole." Yeah he is, but he's my asshole- and I can only name him that.

"Please, Dawn." She rolls her eyes. "You don't know boys like him."

"You don't even know him, Lauren. And don't act all innocent. I know about you and Alice." Her pale skin turns even paler. "You don't think I know?"

She stand abruptly from her bed. "She told you?" She hisses.

"No, she didn't have to." I stand up as well. "I saw you guys that night on Halloween." I growl back. "And don't act like you guys haven't been fooling around less a time then me and Jake."

She sighs deeply, looking down at the floorboards of her room. Her eyes stingy of tears, but she holds them back.

"Why are you about to cry?"

"I don't know." She sits back down, wiping her stray tears away with the back of her jumper sleeves. "I just... I've been confused lately."

"About what?" I sit right next to her. My right hand trying to soothe her shaking arm.

"About what I feel. I feel something for her." She's referring to Alice I assume, and I'm left feeling more awkward then ever. Everything's turned for the worse at this point.

"What do you feel?"

"I don't know." She laughs sadly. "But she's so amazing, and I thought- I thought maybe because we're just good friends, but then it grew into something more."

I never talked to Alice about this. It was mostly what she did wrong. I never asked her if she even had feelings for Lauren. I mean I guess she has sexual feelings, but I assumed it was the same for Lauren. Little did I know, Lauren has deep feelings for her.

"I'm fine." She clears her throat. "I just have to figure things out for a bit. Alice won't talk to me, and that's that."

I feel bad for her. Mainly because it's obvious she feels something for Alice, but I doubt Alice is really thinking about any type of relationship with Lauren- or with anyone. Ledger preys on all of us, and she has no time for a love triangle- that is if she even has romantic feelings for Lauren, and if Casper will give her the time of day.

"So what's up with you and Jake? How'd it begin?" She quickly changes the subject. Ridding her tears away once more with the back of her hands.

I told her the jist of it. We started as benefits first, and we both grew feelings. I left out the Ledger part because well... that's an even longer story. Maybe one day I'll tell her, but today isn't the day.

"Well I have a right to be a little mad. I mean it's your first official boyfriend, and you didn't even mention him ever."

"I know, and I'm sorry for not telling you sooner. I just was so caught up with him. If he felt anything for me, or if I did in the first place."

"You could of asked for advice." She sighs annoyingly, while leaning back with her hands on the bed.

"I know L, but he didn't want us to tell anyone about us."

"Asshole." She frowns.

"That he is." I laugh airily. "But I love him."

She looks gravelly on the floor, her frown increases around her forehead which will make her possibly get permanent wrinkles in the future.

"What's that face?"

She blinks heavily, shaking her head from the stance. "Nothing... Nothing. My stomach hurts... that's all." She hovers over her stomach with the palm of her hand.

"Okay." I say awkwardly.

She turns her back to me, clearing her throat to me. "Dawn..."

"Yes."

"I have something to t-"

My phone rings abruptly causing both of us to jump from where we sit at. It's my phone. We eyes each other steadily, and her eyes stare down at her hands that play with the patterned sheets on the bed.

I pick up the phone, answering it without recognizing the number. "Hello." My voice shaking. It could be Ledger himself or his people.

"Dawn Rivers?" The low pitched man voice speaks clear in the receiver.

"This is she."

"This is detective Montey from the police station of San Bernardino, California. We need you to come in for your father's crimes. We need you to come in and testify the case as soon as possible."

Oh. "Okay."

"Can you come in today?"

I cover the receiver, looking to Lauren. "Do you think you can come downtown, so I can talk to the police about my father."

"Of course." She answers.

"Okay." I say to the detective. "I'll be able to come in twenty minutes."

"Thank you. I'll see you then." Afterwards he hangs up quickly without even a goodbye. I glare at the phone.

I look back to Lauren. "Ready."

"Let's go."