|Aaron's POV|
"TERRY DOESN'T KNOW shit." Reuben sighed tossing the keys on his bed. He looked at me frustrated. "Did you check with Maddie?"
"I sent Owen to." I sighed into my hands. It was just a bottle of molly but it already fucking caused a mayhem. Nothing was simple with the Vipers. "Gideon catch on anything?"
"Nothing. He got cut off from his dealer a few days ago. Coincidence?"
"Definitely. This is planned now. And the girls... shit." I was beyond worried for Bryce. Because out of every girl over here she was the one who was most magnetized to there dangers.
Plus she'd sent me the text she received from the blackmailer today. Guess the two were interconnected after all.
I opened my phone and checked it again.
Now that your back the game can finally begin. One of your bitches might end up getting stitches if you don't sum up our total. I don't we I need to repeat the consequences of what will happen when you don't. Stay awake - Anonymous.
It was sick and disgusting. What kind of asshole does this?
"She'll be okay." Reuben assured me sitting down on the bed. "Bryce saved herself from a kidnap incident. She'll get through this too."
"She shouldn't have to." I mutter. "It's my fault."
"It's our fault." Reuben sighs rubbing his eyes. "I should have warned them sooner."
I looked up at him. "Yeah why didn't you?" His eyes shifted away and his body tensed. "What is it?"
"Nothing." He discarded darkly shaking his head.
"I'm someone you can easily slide by. Tell me what's wrong?"
Reuben looked at me with some sort of emotion in his eyes. It scared me a little to be honest. "I didn't want you to tell Bryce."
"Why?" I pressed. "She should've known it then and be able to protect herself from-"
"I didn't want you to not tell her because of her safety." Reuben interrupted. I furrowed my eyebrows confused. "I didn't want you to tell her. I wanted to tell her." My body froze as he continued. "I fell in love with her, man. She was just like me in ways and that- that caught me off guard. She was so lively and yet so broken thinking there was no help in this world. And then when her grandma hid from her she had breast cancer I- I wanted to run after her and hold her but it was your job. She chose you."
I looked at him as he looked at the floor. All this time he had been in love with her. But then... "But you love Sersha?"
He let out a shaky laugh. "I do. I love her. It's messed up I know. But every time I kiss Sersha I think I'm not the right guy for her. I don't want her to doubt me because I had fallen in love with her friend. It would break her fucking heart. And- and I don't want to hurt her. I never want to hurt her." My chest started breathing again after he used the word fallen. It was past tense which meant he was no longer in love with Bryce. "Look I'm sorry, okay? It just happened and I try to avoid it. She loves you and you love her. It's infinitely better then anything I could have given her. You deserve her after everything you've been through."
"I get it." I murmured. "It's just my automatics that make me so defensive and possessive of her."
"It's okay. I messed up with Sersha. Every time I take a step towards her I fall behind two more steps. It's stupid. We're halfway done with our school year and I can't admit that I'm madly in love with her." He gripped his hair.
Fuck that was pretty steep.
"Tell her. Tonight you tell her." I ordered him. "Go up to her and tell her everything you told me. She'll take you wholeheartedly. She's just as in love with you as you her. You guys are perfect for each other." I smile sincerely at him. I want Reuben to be happy. The same way Bryce makes me happy.
Loving Bryce was a whole rollercoaster that I never wanted to jump off of. I was permanently strapped in and ready to be with her all the time. I love how she makes me smile when I'm feeling shitty, gives me butterflies every time she speaks and nears me, makes me laugh as if the sky is littered with stars... she gives soo much.
And most importantly she doesn't hate me for my past. For killing and selling and doing shit. She loves me just the way I am. Sharp and imperfect.
"Back to the topic in hand. Should we talk to Liam?" Reuben asked. I bit my lip in thought.
"He would lie at any cost to get Bryce back. Getting him involved isn't that reliable."
"I agree plus he's in the gang which means he's plotter. Asking him would mean he'd alert the boys at bay." Reuben checked his watch and sighed. "Owen should be back by now."
He should. He had been gone for almost an hour and Madison was not that far away. I was about to speak when my phone rang.
"Bryce." I answered Reuben's unasked question. I quickly accepted the call to hear shouting coming through.
"Aaron?"
My chest fluttered every time she called my name. The only reason I listened to her when we hated each other was because my name sounded so good coming from her.
"Yeah? What's up-"
"It's Owen." She breathed. Her voice sounded strained like she was trying to hold herself from crying. "He- he got stabbed Aaron. Really badly. I can't- I don't know what to do-"
"I'm on my way right now." I declined the immediately. My feet felt unsteady as I shot up my head spinning.
"What's wrong?" Reuben asked alerted.
I looked at him with sorrow. "Owen's been stabbed. Come on." We both ran all the way down the hall and onto the school platform. Our feet's crushed against the land as we sprinted to the girls building and up the stairs towards Maddie's room.
Madison was standing outside with tears in her eyes as she whimpered at our sight. "He came to me talking about drugs and then a masked guy came and stabbed Owen. He tried to protect me but the guy got him- oh god. He's bleeding badly." She cried. I ran into the room to see Sersha looking pale. My eyes searched to where Bryce was straddling Owen lightly and pressing her pulled off sweater onto his abdomen.
I crouched next to her and gaped at the wound line on Owen's stomach. "Holy fuck. Holy fuck. Reuben get the nurse now!" I shouted over my shoulder. I looked at Bryce who had tears running down her face.
"He lost too much blood. He lost his consciousness and he collapsed by the time he got here. The wounds bad Aaron. I'm not trying to exaggerate but-"
"I know." I whisper looking at Owen. "Did you see the guy Madison?"
"No." She sniffed. "He wore some sort of black mask that hid his face."
I looked at Bryce both of our eyes shining one answer. Liam?
We did not know for sure thought. It would be up to the CCTV cameras to decide. "Where is the goddamn nurse?" She breathed applying more pressure to his stab.
I looked around and stared at Sersha who looked about ready to tip over. "He's coming." I said trying to convince myself.
"This is all my fucking fault. I should have never bought molly from that stupid boy." Madison sobbed. "Owen got stabbed because of me." I did not have the words to sort out her issues right now. I could only look at West's hands which were soaked in Owen's blood.
Reuben burst through the door with three nurses. All of them looked shocked before immediately pulling out the stretcher.
"I called the ambulance." Reuben breathed glancing at Owen and then looking away as if he could not imagine this to be real. "He'll be okay?"
Bryce moved off Owen's body as one of the nurse took the cloth from her and pressed it down thinning her lips. "We need to get him to the hospital before he starts hemorrhaging. Get the stretcher now. I'll notify the hospital to get a room ready." The two nurses came and placed his body on the white stretcher before quickly going out. I ran out with Bryce down the stairs and to the ambulance lighting up downstairs at the school grounds.
Everyone was standing there with scared and gaping expressions as Owen was pulled across the asphalt.
"Owen." I turned to see Olivia run from behind me to him. "Oh my god." She slapped a hand to her mouth and moved forward.
"Please step aside. This patient is in critical condition." One nurse snapped at her.
"He's my boyfriend. I'm going with you." Before they could stop her she got in and watched Owen get pulled inside. The doors closed and the vehicle zoomed out swiftly leaving us all uneasy.
"Everybody back inside!" Principle Simone shouted. "Get inside your dormitories now!" Everybody walked past still peeking over their shoulders and whispering to each other. I looked up to see dorm windows open and people watching out.
West was still standing there frozen as people pushed past her. I strode to her and grabbed her hand tucking her close. "Come on." I guide us both up to our building and then to our room.
She closes the door behind me silently and sits on the couch placing her fists at her mouth. I move next to her and sit quietly trying to process everything that just happened.
It all happened so fast. So rushed. No warning no label. Owen just got stabbed.
"I need to end this." She whispered firmly as if she had finalized an important decision.
"What?" I ask.
"The only way to stop this is by me going in person. They want me so I'll have to-"
"No. Fucking. Way. It's not happening." I grow all at her. She shakes her head not acknowledging what I just said. "I'm serious. You aren't fucking turning yourself in to a bunch of sociopaths. Not on my fucking watch especially."
Bryce looked at me with determined brown eyes. "I have to. I'm nearly done with the money debt Aaron. The only way to finish this is to bring myself into the picture. It's clear they want me."
"And they want everyone else. It's fucking cracked. But you aren't going anywhere. I'll chain you to this room if I have to." I muttered to her hotly. I was not going to lose her in any circumstance.
"Then what? Watch more people die? Is that your brilliant idea?" She seethes at me. "I will not watch any of my friends nearly die. God knows what Owen and Olivia are going through-"
"How do you think I will feel when you turn yourself in?" I snap at her. "You aren't doing that. End of discussion." She huffs and grits her jaw. I don't mean to hurt her but she would be vividly dead if she goes to them. Those guys aren't some friendly neighborhood criminals. They're murderers, addicts, psychos , rapists and all the other sins of the world. I would not let them touch her. "Owen will be fine." I swallowed. "He will."
"We don't know." She lowly spoke. "But what we do know is that one of us is next. And the person next may suffer worse." I sighed through my nose and leaned against the couch in silence.
West followed my actions and placed her head on my shoulder. I responded swiftly by wrapping an arm around her frame. "What's going to happen." She whispers.
I don't know how to respond to that. I just rub her shoulder and think. As much as I would like punch the information out of Liam I can't. He would sell us out for sure.
I needed to find another way to get past this obstacle. I needed to make sure my friends are protected.
...
I get ready for bed. Not that I would be getting much sleep after today.
West is on her phone with a little smile playing on her lips as she turns to me. "Owen's out the critical part. He's going to be alright. Olivia just texted me."
A large grin stretched on my face. "I fucking knew it. Even death doesn't want to tolerate with the idiot right now." She laughs the sound loud and melodious and just warming. I take my shirt off and watch her text back before closing her phone.
"Feeling relieved?" She asks me. "You were so tense today."
I rolled my eyes and lay in bed. "So were you. I guess both of us got air now." She nodded her eyes distant as she looked out the window. I wanted to know what was going on in that pretty head of hers. What was she thinking about.
But I didn't pursue it. If she wanted to tell me then she would.
Laying on bed I watched her get up and head for the door. "Where are you going?"
"To my bed." She yawned rubbing her eyes. "You're already tired and need sleep from being sick so-"
"Fuck that. You sleep with me and that's that." I moved in my bed and watched her walk over and crawl into bed. Her delicate frame touched mine as fluttered her eyes shut. She was so insanely tired. Having to hold the blood of your best friend is hard. I know that.
I got on my knees and sat between her legs gazing down at her. Her eyes opened and she spoke. "What are you-"
"Close your eyes." I softly said watching her close them. "Keep them that way." She didn't say anything as I leaned down and pressed kisses on her eyelids, then on her forehead, her nose, the corner of her mouth, her jaw and the place under her neck. I kiss her jugular and then her throat.
Slowly moving my way down to her collarbone I lift her tank top lightly at the bottom and kiss her abdomen feeling her skin relax.
"Flip over for me, love." She slowly did and I pushed her hair to the side and kissed her shoulder blades lightly and then the small of her back. Every part of her always seemed to surprise. She was so perfect to me that it shocked me. All her imperfections made her perfect for me.
I place my hand on her waist and turn her around. She slowly opened her eyes smiling up at me. I feel her hand shift on my waist and rest there. Pressing my lips to her temple I ask, "Feel better?"
"Yeah." She whispered content. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight." I lay my cheek on her head and take in a deep breath. I knew she had anxiety and stress. I knew she probably was freaking out on what to do and was overthinking about every little detail.
I wish I could take that away from her. I wish I could be present in her mind too and hold her hand through all the critics and harshness.
But for now all I could do was hold her and protect her. And that was exactly what I would always be doing.
...
Madison's eyes were puffy and red as she dabbed them with a tissue. "Olivia called. He's better now. The school's on lockdown though until further investigation."
I glanced at Reuben who was clutching Sersha's hand. He seemed to think the same thing as me.
Lockdown would not help anyone in or out. For all we knew the killer could be inside the buildings.
"Who would do such a horrible thing?" Sersha said looking disgusted. "Who is mad enough to stab a boy. Who the fuck does that?"
"Bad people." Reuben answered rubbing his thumb on her palm. "And people who would do anything for power."
"Fuck those assholes." Madison growled. "Power won't get them anywhere." I nodded and let out a sigh. "Where's Bryce?"
"She went to talk with the principal or something." I told them kicking my lips. She woke up early this morning saying she needed to talk to Simone about what was happening.
"We can't go anywhere alone." Sersha sighed. "The goddamn killer could kill anyone this time." I knew that. That's why my body was tinged with worry.
"I'm going to throw up." Madison slapped a hand on her mouth and ran to the bathroom. A moment later we all heard lurching vividly through the paper thin walls.
Reuben took out his phone and scrolled through it while I stared at the floor trying to think of something. If only we knew who was the new leader of the Vipers. Maybe that way we could get a lead. Get an idea on their incentive.
I was being apprehensive. I was just submerged in all the possible threats we could face. That would explain the reason why I had two pocket knives close with me.
The door opened and Bryce stormed in looking ready to rage down the walls. I watched her stride to the window and whirl back at us. "You know how fucking messed up it is that every single fucking student thinks I fucking stabbed Owen. Like what the fuck?"
Wow that's a lot of fucks. She was angry.
"Who the hell would think that?" Reuben spat.
"The whole fucking school. Apparently Harry said that Owen was coming to meet up with me. So everybody is going to ignore the fact that the cameras revealed that the stabber is a fucking male. Do I look like a male? No. I have fucking boobs." Her face was red as she shouted those words. "And nobody fucking bring up man tits or I will actually relish on the idea of murder." I bit back my smile as she glared at practically everything in this room. I was curious on who the asshole was that labeled her a murder. I may have to have a nice chat with them...
"Ugh." Madison limped forward clutching her stomach while her face was levelled with sweat. "I think I may be pregnant."
"What? Did you have sex with a tree?" Bryce bitterly shoots. Madison's eyes widened.
"I was joking. What's got your panties in a twist?"
"Everything." She said and fell on the bed next to Sersha. "I need... I need to close every light in my room and watch a marathon of Netflix and then visualize comebacks. But right now I have to FaceTime Olivia." Bryce came over to me and sat down on my lap. I wrapped my arms around her and placed my chin on her shoulder as she leaned back. "Sorry. For being bitchy."
"Understandable." Madison smiled.
I nuzzled my nose against her ear and traced up her forearm. "You looked hot though." I whisper so only she could hear me. I watch as her lips turn up instantly as she tries to make everything look casual.
Reuben's eyes shifted from us to his shoes as he cleared his throat. "Maybe we should call Olivia now? Ask how Owen is?"
Bryce nodded getting her phone out and pressing Olivia's contacts. After a few buzzes the call was accepted and Olivia's face came into view. "Hey." She fully blew out.
"Hi. How is he?" West immediately asked. Olivia only tilted the camera to show Owen's frozen body on a ventilator. The rest of us crowded next to West and looked at the camera.
The mood completely became grey again.
"He's been unconscious for a while and his vitals are low but he's getting there. They said he lost a lost of blood and got a concussion. Whatever shit eater did this clearly wanted him not to wake up." Olivia muttered reaching for his hand.
Madison tucked a curl behind her ear and bent down to get in the camera view. "Wait so he's going to wake up right?" Sersha gave Madison a pointed look to which the other shrugged.
"Yeah. Yeah he will." Olivia nodded. "He's Owen."
"God I wish I could come. The academy is being shit and locking us in here until further notice. Even the patch behind where we used to sneak out is sealed. I'll have to find some other way." Bryce sighed straightening the neckline of her shirt. "You should get some rest Liv. You look tired as hell. Take a nap."
"I can't." She muttered. "Not until I know he is okay and well. Right now I feel shit watching him look like that."
I pursed my lips. "Owen would want you to sleep. He's the type that wants everybody to be happy while he's down. Have a break Olivia."
"Yeah." Reuben added. "Big man there is probably having some wet dream about you. Get some shut eye." We all chuckled as she smiled.
"Thanks you guys. I'll update you guys if anything happens. Bye."
We all chorused a bye as West closed her phone and exhaled. "It feels so weird. Not hearing him laugh or do something stupid."
"I know." I mumble as she gets off of me. "Right now we should keep an eye out for who's in. If Owen wakes up soon he'll be able to tell us who stabbed him. We'll find that son of a bitch then."
Madison's phone rang and she smiled at us sheepishly. "Mom. I guess the parents have started hearing about the news too. Can't wait to hear this call." She sarcastically popped her lips and went to another room.
Sersha tapped her phone and nodded. "Yeah my parents have been texting like crazy too. I best reply to them." She walked off until it was just West, Reuben and I.
"Has the blackmailer sent anything else after the previous message?" Reuben looking up at her.
Bryce shook her head. "Nothing. They just send a sparking text and back off like nothing happened. And then they do things like this. What we do know for sure now is that the blackmailer and the Vipers are tangled. They must have some inside man doing this stuff."
"Yeah but we have to find who he or she is." I add. "As far as we know it could be one of the teachers told. Lennon sounds real smooth in that character."
Reuben snorted. "It could be. We need evidence though. We need to get access to the camera footage somehow."
"We can sneak in." Bryce proposed glancing between us. "Alastair has keys to every room here. I'll pull a few strings and get us out entrance."
"Can Alastair be trusted?"
"Definitely. He'll do anything to be in the action. I mean he's fifty with a job to look out for mishap teenagers with mood swings. Getting a little swing in his hips will sell this for him." Bryce laughed with a shrug. "The three of us can do it tomorrow night. Everybody game?"
"I'm in." I confidently responded. Finding this lead would help us find the leader of the Vipers. That way we could maneuver our way and get a round out on who is exactly where. We would get all the fucking information then and figure out who's next.
"Don't we have any sources for getting into the Vipers?" Reuben helplessly asked.
Bryce shifted forward at the edge of the bed her mouth opening as she braced her hands on her knees. "We do. Liam."
"You are not going to fucking Liam." I interjected before this could escalate. "I told you he's-"
"He could be useful Aaron." Reuben interrupted me. "I know we hate him but he could surely give Bryce the information. He's completely smitten on her. It won't hurt to use that advantage. Plus if it means we could swerve a death then that's... a good thing."
I gritted my jaw not on board with the idea. "Or this could go terribly wrong."
"It could." Bryce gently put out. "But we have no other option. We've got the cards. We might as well play them."
"I'm not agreeing to this." I grumble. She placed her hand on mine and played with my rings. Her own finger held my star engraved ring.
"I know. But you need to trust me. If we can do something good then we should." She looked at Reuben who rolled his lips into his mouth and nodded. I watched his eyes flash. He may have loved her at one point but he was no longer looking at her.
Instead he was staring at the redhead who was talking animated on the phone.
"Let's do it."