Chapter Thirteen // Tempting
It was Tuesday after school as I walked to the football field to watch the Wheeler's perfect for next year.
As I was walking some guys walked up to me and smelt smoke.
I coughed softly because I've always hated the smell.
"Hey newbie." One of the guys said.
"Hi." I said softly still trying to get through.
"Where do you think your going?" A dark voice asked.
"Away from here." I still tried to push through but they didn't budge.
"Now why would you do that?" He asked.
"Because I'm not into this. I don't feel comfortable around you guys. So please let me through."
He looked up at his friends and they moved and I walked faster past them but something changed because next thing I knew I was being picked up and held tightly.
I screamed and kicked to make them let me go.
"What's wrong? Uncomfortable?" His voice was raging and his grip was tightening.
I was panicking and I closed my eyes.
"Will!" Jayden's voice was dark.
"Oh is your boyfriend coming to save you princess?" He chuckled.
"He's not my boyfriend." I opened my eyes then and stared at his dark eyes.
"Put her down!" Jayden demanded and the other three came running over.
"Sorry princess but I don't believe you." He then dropped me onto the concrete ground.
Next thing I knew Will was against the wall and Jayden's fist was facing Will's face.
Kayden lifted me off the ground while Will's friends tried to pull Jayden off.
"You ok?" Kayden asked me.
I dusted off my pants. "Yeah." I said then.
Hayden and Kayden then threw off his friends and they ran leaving Will facing Jayden's face.
"What the hell were you doing?" Jayden asked.
"She's just so sweet I didn't want her innocences to affect her when she gets older." Will smiled.
"Innocences my ass." Hayden then said causing Will to be interested.
"Wanna elaborate?" Will asked.
Jayden then punched him in the stomach and I winced and turned away.
Kayden obviously noticed that he stopped Jayden before he did anymore damage.
"Let's go Jayden before we get caught." Kayden said.
"I swear to god if you mess with her or anyone else again you'll be the one on the ground dead." I heard the hatred in his voice as he spoke.
"Tempting." Will smiled.
Kayden pushed Jayden off before Jayden's anger got in the way and he did more damage.
"Jayden take E to the car with Wyatt. Hayden and I will clear things up." Kayden said dropped Will onto the ground.
Jayden gripped my arm and pulled me with him.
"Ow!" I hissed out glaring at him now.
Wyatt looked up and shook his head. "I forgot my book in the school. I'll be right back." He said quickly walking away.
"What the hell did you say to him?" He asked.
"Nothing!" I snapped. "I just apparently came at the wrong time!" I shook my head in defeat.
"Well Will doesn't just do that randomly Erika. He has his reasons. Your lucky I was there to save your ass." He said.
"I didn't need help." I shook my head.
"Yeah you did." He said looking at me completely confused.
"I could take care of myself." I pulled my arm out of his grip and luckily he let go.
He let out a frustrated sigh and punched his truck. "After finding out what happened to you I panicked. I had to make sure you wouldn't get hurt by Will. Rumor has it he rapes girls and doesn't get caught. I wasn't going to allow that to happen to you. I promised myself I wouldn't allow that to happen. He mistreats women and I hate that he does that." Jayden eyes were on the ground.
"Has he hurt Erin?" I asked.
"How the fuck am I supposed to know?" He looked at me know.
"Doesn't she tell you?" I asked.
"I guess she would've. Besides apparently Will goes for the weak and he doesn't stop until he get's what he wants."
As Jayden said that my hairs on my arms stood up and I felt sick.
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"Erika." Kayden whispered to me as he sat at the empty table.
It was Thursday after school and we were almost done with the school year which I was pleased about. I hadn't thought much about what Jayden said to me because I felt protected with them around me.
"What Kayden?" I asked.
"You know how we made that deal after playing that video game?" He asked.
I slowly nodded knowing where this was coming from.
"Go pour ice cold water on Jayden while he's showering. He's about to shower so I'd hurry." Kayden seemed pleased with himself.
I sighed and did as I was told.
I slowly opened the bathroom door and stood on the toilet closing my eyes before almost dropping the water in the shower.
"What are you doing?" Jayden asked me.
"I uhhh-" I then through the water on him and noticed how stupid I was because he was blocking the doorway.
He grabbed my wrist and pulled me into him. "What was that for Erika?" He asked.
" You looked like you needed a shower Jay." I smiled sheepishly.
He smirked and I knew I was in trouble.
He lifted me up and said. "I hope you don't have your phone on you." He said.
"I don't but-" I screamed. "JAYDEN!"
"He dropped me in the shower and I was drenched with water.
"Ow! Jay I think I did something to my leg." I was a good actress I had to say.
"Where?" He asked then looking down in concern.
I pulled him in and he slipped right on top of me but I couldn't help but laugh.
"You're dead to me Erika." He said angered.
I ruffled his hair. "You needed a shower." I smile.
He then started laughing.
+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+
I'm sitting in my room when the triplets barge in and Wyatt is behind them being silent and looked a little annoyed.
"Yes?" I ask.
"We're going out and so are you. Let's go. Oh also change into something black." Kayden said.
"Where?" I asked then staring at all of them.
"That's a surprise." Hayden butted in.
"What do you mean?" I asked. "I hate surprises you should know that."
Jayden smirked and I knew this was only revenge on what happened earlier. He was going to make me go. He had things on me and the other boys knew about his issues.
"Ok. Can I have some privacy then?" I asked. "I mean. I prefer to be alone when I change unless you guys are perverts."
Hayden made a idiotic sound with his mouth and the boys left.
I changed into black sweats and a black tank top and I grabbed my vans on the floor and placed them on my feet. I pulled my hair up in a bun and opened the door where I then faced the Wheeler boys plus extra guys.
"I didn't know there was more of you guys." I said sarcastically.
"Ouch." One guy hit his heart.
"Erika." Logan looked at me worried.
"Let's get this over with." I said ignoring him. I've been trying to ignore him since our incident.
Wyatt looked upset about not studying for his exams and I walked by him.
"I know you're bringing your books Wyatt." I whispered as we hung in the back.
"I did not!" He tried to deny it and I smiled.
"Ok whatever you say." I laughed.
"I really thought you were going to fight with Jayden about you and I staying home." He said with question in his voice.
"I didn't think it was that important." I lied and Jayden looked back when he noticed why I really agreed to this.
We get in the truck as the other guys go in the bed of the truck.
I sat there in silence as we took off and then it clicked. Something I forgot to ask.
"Jayden!" I was shocked at myself for agreeing to go somewhere with the Wheeler boys when I should've know it would've been dangerous.
"Damnit!" He said quickly swerving down the empty road. "What is it that's so important to you?" He asked angry at me.
"Where are we going?" I asked giving him the same temper.
"Somewhere abandon." He said calm now.
"Abandon?" I muttered.
"And illegal to trespass." Hayden butted in.
Kayden slapped Hayden in the head and glared at his brother.
"She wasn't supposed to know that dipshit." Kayden said.
"She was going to find out sooner or later." Hayden tried to defend himself.
"Jayden stop the car." I hissed.
"No." He said ever so simply.
"JAYDEN!" I shook with anger.
He was hardheaded and continued.
"I'm not going! I'm walking home now stop the damn car!" I glared at him.
"Erika don't start with me. I got shit on you." He said.
"So do I." I said.
"Tell my mom then. I'm waiting to get in trouble." He said carelessly.
"Stop the car Jayden or I will jump." I hissed.
"Sounds a little suicidal don't you think?" Hayden said.
Both Jayden and I yelled. "Shut up!"
"Erika calm the fuck down. We are almost there so can you just chill. We'll deal with this when we arrive."
I sat there with my arms folded and glared out the window hoping my heart would stop beating so fast.
We arrived shortly after and Jayden and I walked further away from the guys in the parking lot of the store across the street.
"Why are you acting like this?" He asked.
"I don't want to be here Jayden!" I hissed crossing my arms because it's gotten cold.
"Why the hell not?" He then asked.
"I don't want to get caught dumbass." I glared at him. "Unlike you I'm planning on going to college and not jail."
"You won't get caught. Come on E." He stared at me waiting for me to say yes.
"Why do you want me to go so badly?" I asked.
"Because you're the life of this group. You keep us in check and your fun when you want to be." I knew he was trying to butter me up and it was working.
"Fine but Wyatt stays outside in the car so he can study and keep watch for any suspicious stuff." I knew Wyatt didn't want to be here so I was going to let him be safe out here and study for his exams.
"But what if he wants to go inside." Even when Jayden said that it sounded crazy.
We both laughed.
"Ok you can tell him." Jayden said walking away from me.
I went over to Wyatt who looked out of place here and I took him aside and gave him the truck keys.
"Keep watch if anything out of the ordinary happens and text me or anyone else here if you see anything and also you can study while in the process. Ok?" I asked searching for some relief on his face.
"Thank you Erika. Are you really going in there?" He looked at the closed mall behind us and I sighed.
"I'm going in to make sure they don't become more stupid which is a job enough." I sighed and Wyatt patted my back.
"Good luck." He gave me a smile to help me through it and I appreciated everything Wyatt has done. He's the silent one out of the Wheeler's but sometimes his silence could be appreciated.
"Let's go before anymore cars pass!" Hayden said already running across the street.
"Hey wait!" I called out before anyone else crossed.
They turned back and looked at me.
"Security camera's do they still work?" I asked.
"No.They shut them down awhile ago." Kayden said but the stores got them.
"So walk to the other side of the mall." I said and the guys groaned as if I was asking them to do another sheet of homework.
"Let's go." I smiled and went off into another direction.
We found out that we had to climb the fence and they wanted me to go first.
I climbed it perfectly fine and once I was over they guys joked about leaving me so I started to go on my own.
"Erika wait up!" Logan said climbing over in a hurry and the guys started laughing.
I started walking faster and Logan caught up without a problem.
"We need to talk." He said.
"About what?" I asked then staring at his eyes which looked hurt.
"About us. What happened I don't know what I did wrong." He waited for me to reply.
"You didn't give me space. You pushed me Logan. You kept telling me that space isn't what I needed and I need that. I live on space." I said. "And you were getting too close too fast. I don't do fast. I go slow." I said.
"Fine we'll go slow." He protested.
"I don't think I need a relationship right now. What we had was fun but I need to breath on my own for now." I said.
"You make me go crazy you know that right?" He said looking down.
"I'm sorry Logan. Thank you for my date though. It was really amazing. I promise." I said trying to cheer him up.
"Let's go you two lovebirds." Hayden said.
"Let's split up!" Kayden said as if it was the brightest idea yet.
"What!" I glared at them and the rest of the boy's eyes brightened as if that was the best idea yet.
"Ok let's split up right now." Kayden suggested.
My phone vibrated and I looked down and saw Wyatt text me.
"Security car is driving into the mall parking lot. Hurry!" I looked up and they must of noticed the terror in my eyes.
"We're about to get caught!" Some of the guys ran out of there in a hurry but Jayden pulled me into the mall through an opened window and the other two Wheeler's followed along with two more of their friends with Logan.
There was sixteen of us all together but now there's only eight of us now so the other seven chickened out and went to the truck where Wyatt was.
"Jayden we're going to get caught." I tried to point out to him but he shook his head.
"No we won't. I'm Jayden Wheeler I don't get caught." He said proudly.
"No Jayden we are going to get caught." I said again.
"Why do you not trust me?" He asked.
"Because you're Jayden Wheeler." I smiled back at him.
"You don't have any trust in me Erika." He said sounding hurt.
"Nope not even a little bit." I teased.
"Who's in there!" Someone screamed from the other side of the window.
I ran one way and the others went another way.
Someone pulled me back and into a vacant room.
"Logan!" I hissed assuming.
"In your dreams." Jayden smiled at me. "Sorry Erika. You're stuck with me."
"Where'd the others go?" I ask.
"They got out and are right now waiting in the car. I thought you were following us and then I see you continuing to dart another way now shut up and listen close. They're going to distract the security guard and we are going to get the hell out of here before getting caught." Jayden had confidence in his voice as he spoke.
"We're going to get caught Jay." I said less confident.
"Who am I?" He asked.
"Jayden Wheeler." I sighed.
"Who am I?" He repeated.
"Jayden Wheeler." I said a little louder.
"Damn straight. We aren't getting caught. I'm the king of not getting caught. I'm too fast for them." He had a huge grin on his face as he spoke so highly of himself.
He seemed happy. Really happy. Happier than he has been. I liked him happy. It looked good on him. Really good.
He then took my hand as I was admiring his happiness.
It then clicked in my brain. I can not be thinking about him in this way. It's got to stop!
He pulled me closer to him and then looked down the empty mall trying to make sure no one was there when I saw the satisfaction on his face we ran to the broken window.
He climbed out and lifted his arms up to catch me when I fall out.
I scraped my leg on the glass and sliced my leg open.
"Jayden." I said looking concerned at my leg.
"What happened Erika?" He asked.
We both heard voices coming our way and Jayden then had demanding eyes at me.
"Come on."
I saw the question in his eyes if he should leave me or not.
"I cut my leg Jayden." I said.
"Just jump." He said in a hurried voice.
I jumped down and Jayden caught me and pulled me to leave. He helped me through a broken part of the fence and he then slipped through just in time because a security guard was coming this way.
The truck turned fast down the road stopped and Jayden got in the truck looked back to me wobbling over there. He sighed and the guys already started to drive away.
I panicked so I jumped on the back of the truck and Kayden pulled me in.
"What took you so fucking long Erika! We almost got caught!" Hayden yelled.
"Well maybe you should of left me then ass!" I snapped.
Jayden looked through the back window and climbed out with his shirt off and in his hand.
"What the hell?" One of the guys said.
My eyes widened as I saw Jayden wrapping it around my leg.
"What the hell happened to you?" Logan asked now suddenly concerned.
The guys all groaned at his sudden need to make sure I was alright.
"I just hit broken glass that's all Logan." I said.
"Jayden you made her run to the car on that!" Logan sounded angry.
"We were about to get caught and I don't get caught." Jayden said looking at Logan now as he tightened it around my leg.
"What if she didn't get in the car?" He then asked.
"I'm not that much of a dick and leave someone behind. We didn't get caught so piss off!" Jayden had really tightened it and I winced in pain.
"Jayden it's a little too tight." I whispered.
"It's fine now get in the truck. Wyatt wants to talk to you."
I climbed in the truck and Wyatt looked up from his books and his eyes widened.
"What happened!" He asked shocked at my wrapped leg with Jayden's white shirt.
"I cut my leg on glass but I'm fine. What did you want to talk to me about?" I asked trying my best to change the subject.
"Oh yes I remember. Mom called. She said that when you get the chance to call her. She said it's something to do with your dad." He said and then he shook his head. "But she also sounded very drunk."
"I'll call her." I said dialing her number.
"Erika! Sweetie." She whimpered as she spoke.
"Katie? Are you ok?" I asked
"It's your mother." She cried then. "She's dead."
"Katie-" I remembered the call when I found out weeks after her death. I used to think she left me and my father because I never seen her die but when we went to the funeral I remember seeing Katie use the same tone.
"She died Erika. She's gone." I felt the pain in her voice and then I heard Alex.
"Katie! Shit! I told you not to drink too much." He muttered and then took the phone from her. "Hello? Erika?" He said but the reminder of her killed me. I remember seeing her in that coffin looking lifeless as if someone sucked it out of her.
"Her anniversary's coming up. Isn't it?" I said softly.
"Erika." Alex knew exactly what I was talking about.
"She died in June 1st. Days after you and Katie's anniversary. You take Katie out of the house to keep her away from her children so they don't see her misery. How hurt it makes her. Am I right. You haven't celebrated your guy's life together except you mourn for her. She ruined it for you two." I felt like this was my fault.
"Erika." Alex said again still sounded distant.
"I'm sorry Alex. For what's happened. It's unfair for your family." I said.
"Erika." He sounded as if he wanted to make it not my fault and I knew it wasn't but the Wheeler didn't deserve this. No one does.
"Go comfort her. I got to go anyways. Bye Alex." I hung up.
+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+
Erin walked down the empty Wheeler hallway and glared at me.
I was tired of her already and I didn't understand what she wanted from me.
"I heard about your little incident at the party. Yeah you got a big mouth hun." Erin smiled maliciously. "We both know you're just a liar and a slut."
"What do you want from me?" I asked just wanting this to stop. I didn't want to be treated this way anymore.
"Back off the Wheelers. Ignore them at all cost, stop going to school with them. Stop hanging around them. Leave them be. You look desperate just being around them. So stop lying to yourself and believing that you guys are friends." She waited for me to agree with this.
"Ok." It's not that what she said feared me but I didn't want to deal with this anymore. I wanted to just once not worry about going to school and being glared at. I understood that I needed to distance myself from them. They already knew too much.
"Oh and Erika you're telling them that you lied. About what you said while you were drunk. Ok?" She grinned happy with herself.
"Right of course." I wasn't doing that. I wasn't going to listen to her rules. She couldn't do any harm.
"Oh and if you don't listen to my rules the whole school will know." She stared at me.
"Ok." Ok maybe I was going to do everything she said. I don't want people knowing and how much power she has in high school could affect me. Majorly.
A/N- School just started for me and it's been a struggle this week but I will continue to try to make time writing for LWTWB and my other unpublished work. Thank you guys for supporting me and I hope you guys have an amazing week! I love you!