Chapter 6

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I MUSTER OUT  a laugh nearly dying in the process. "Aaron heyyy... Funny seeing you here. What a coincidence am I right? Two people meeting at the same night..." Any signs of amusement were vacuumed away from everyone else's face to Aaron's.

A dangerous glint formed threatening his eyes and my life. "I could certainly put it that way. Then again those spray paint bottles suggest something else."

My eyes turned to saucers as I note the bag it's zipper now rummaged down. Sersha stayed rooted to her spot while Madison swiftly shoved it behind her.

I analyzed my surroundings despite my fast-paced heart.

Aaron was here along with three guys.

All of them wore masks meaning they were hiding just as much as us. But for what...?

I swallowed turning my attention back to him. He'd discarded his mask, so it hung from his neck. "I could say the same as you guys. You all seem to be in the same trouble as us."

An awkward cough that resembled that of an ostrich echoed down. Aaron glared behind his shoulder and looked at me. "You have no proof."

The cough echoed again.

"Are you sure? I'd think the masks after hours does prove my point." I managed.

"It doesn't prove anything. After hours won't get into as much trouble as you three." Aaron smirked.

"Hey," Madison grumbled. "I'm your friend remember?"

"Of course, Madison and Sersha you don't need to worry but Bryce had been nothing but a bitch to me." He drawled at me.

I pursed my lips squaring my shoulders as I walked down the table aisles and towards the boys. I stopped short in front of patched jeans and crossed my arms. "First of all you broke out of your dorms after hours, second you stole from the vending machine, and third you mingled with us."

"That doesn't prove anything." Aaron sighed bored of this conversation. He placed his mask on ready to leave but I quickly turned to the boy behind me.

"Owen." I recognized. He gave me an awkward wave of fingers. "Isn't it a pleasure to make your acquaintance? My, is that spray paint as well?" I pulled the bag from him with a smirk. I hung it from my fingers and turned towards Aaron. "Lying much?"

Owen let out another cough. "We're busted."

Aaron stalked to us his black mask turning to a shadow under the night sky. "We're not."

I rolled my eyes at him as Madison marched to Aaron her short figure didn't tower him, but the scowl did. "Bryce is my best friend, Aaron. You tell on her, and you'll be sorry that you were even born. And you know exactly what I'm capable of." She threatened.

A boy in a crème jacket walked forward cautiously. "I don't think tattling is even necessary. We all are doing the exact same act so blaming each other would lead us all into dispute and blow out."

Another one stood up in front. "Bryce is my friend Aaron. You sell her and I'll sell you."

I whirled at that voice and nearly groaned. "Jordan? What the hell are you doing here?" He scratches the back of his head with a shrug. A small smile graced his lips.

"Same as you." I give him a tight-lipped smile and turn to Aaron who had his eyes narrowed at me. I was in thin ice but so was he. It would be a fool's play to sell me out especially since I was capable of doing the same.

"I agree with them." Owen rested his hand on my shoulder. "Bryce is awesome dude. You can't let this stuff go to waste." I gave him a small smile and turned to Aaron.

"Think wisely Mercer. Not deeply it might damage your brain." He gave me a glare to which I smirked. Two could play this game.

"Fine." He huffed. "But only because I was never going to sell you out from the beginning." He concluded.

I raised my eyebrows in skepticism. I think he'd exactly sell me out, but I'd let him have his words. No harm to me.

The flashlight scarred through the brittle night alerting us all. Aaron cursed as all of us crowded towards the exit. We would all get caught. I turned the door handle repeatedly, but the door was closed shut. Aaron clapped his large hand on top of mine making me jump.

He repeatedly pushed it but no luck nearly spraining my arm. "Fuck. It's locked." I rubbed my sore shoulder glaring at him.

"Stand back," Owen announced jiggling out a set of keys. "I knew we'd come to this." He lodged in different variations of keys making my heart quicken in anxiety. I peeked back to see Sersha practically turning to snow.

"Where the fuck did you get those keys? And why didn't you use them before?" Reuben snapped.

"Patience is a virgin pretty boy."

"It's fucking virtue smartass." Jordan huffed.

"Come on," Aaron growled his shoulder pushed into mine. I tried not to think about it but my cheeks were singing.

"Aha!" The door opened with a swing, and I pushed through with the rest. Aaron nudged me forward as we ran down the hall all of us stampeded in the quiet. "We won't make it to the boys' dormitories. It's too far." Owen whispered.

I watched as Jordan pursed his lips looking around. His eyes met mine and he kept near me to ensure no security would catch me. I didn't know what to think. Maybe he was trying to be a better friend.

My thoughts were cut short as all of us raced to the elevator. Aaron was practically fingering the button trying to catch us a ding. We waited patiently my heart racing.

"It's going to be fine," Reuben assured everyone though I didn't miss the way he grazed his arm against Sersha's. She was too high on adrenaline and anxiety to see it. Madison huffed angrily playing with her hair while Jordan and Aaron tried to get to the elevator.

Owen stood beside me listening to every sound that echoed. He swallowed visibly and I furrowed my eyebrows at him. "Are you okay?" I softly asked.

He shook his head worriedly. "No." He mumbled. "Look at my shoes."

I did so and nearly fainted. They were goddamn neon with flashing soles with light and the exterior glow in the dark. If we didn't get caught, then Owen certainly would make us. He stood there like a flashing sign saying find me.

Fuck.

"Turn them off!" I hissed panicking.

Owen slapped his feet repeatedly on the ground causing a loud echo to vibrate through the halls. All three of the boys slapped him hard while Madison pinched him. "Sorry. Looks like they aren't turning off. Don't worry I'll sue eBay." He whispers back.

I use my right hand to slowly twist the fingers on my left hand one by one. A habit I'd developed when I was sent to the orphanage. I still remember the number of times the caretaker would swat my wrists and tell me to stop but I never did. It was like a permanent scar that I took with me from my old home.

The long-awaited ding to the elevator finally arrived and we all crammed in breathlessly and sweaty. I closed my eyes shut as I sunk back with the mass of the rest of them. Fuck, fuck, fuck. We did it. And we nearly all died.

I could only imagine what could've happened if we'd been caught.

"We're alive. Hallelujah!" Owen rejoiced, wrapping everybody around him. Sersha was still shaking but she didn't budge as Jordan did.

"You fucking stink man," Jordan complained edging away from Owen who frowned and sniffed under his hoody.

"This deodorant was a gift from my great-grandpa. It was his last wish to send me this." Owen snapped.

I burst out giggling and the others followed.

"I can see why Hayes." Aaron mused his head pressed against the elevator wall like me. I watched him swallow his adam's apple bopping as he ran a hand through his dark hair. His cold eyes met mine and I looked away towards the front. "We need rooms. You ladies best sacrifice some stuff."

Madison snorted loudly. "Don't we always." She muttered. "I'll take Jordan." Her brown eyes met mine as she grinned cheekily. I narrowed my mine in turn.

"I dibs Bryce!" Owen announced jumping towards me and wrapping an arm around my shoulders. I gave him a small smile as we reached the third floor.

Reuben adjusted the lapels on his crème coat and looked around. "I'll go with- "

"Sersha!" Madison and I both shouted in unison. Everybody looked at us wide-eyed and I swear Sersha jerked so hard I thought she might snap her neck."

"Sure, I suppose." Reuben shrugged smiling at Sersha who was looking too interested at the dead cockroach.

Aaron looked around scowling indeed a little bitter nobody chose him. In my defense, Owen chose me without having any right to. But Owen is Owen.

Madison grinned at me and nudged her head subtly towards Aaron. I shook my head and frowned.

"Yes," She mouthed at me.

"Never." I mouthed back.

She gave me a stern look and nodded encouragingly.

"Are you guys doing some kind of peacock mating calls?" Owen whispered in my ear. I rolled my eyes at him.

"No." The doors opened and Reuben and Sersha walked out in silence. I pressed the fifth floor and we expanded out in the little space we had free. "So, I guess it's settled where we all will be staying," I concluded hooking my thumbs in my jeans tapping my thighs.

"Would you like me to flash myself to you to get your attention, Weston?" Aaron drawled. I gave him a flat look as the floor to my room dinged. The elevator doors opened.

"Believe me when I say you're as noticeable as pollution on clean roads." I mused walking out. Owen was skipping right behind me as I waved to Madison and ignored Jordan. I pocketed my keys out and inserted them. I jingled them around before it clicked, and I twisted the knob open.

Owen pushed past me as if he were a fucking six-year-old in a candy shop. "Woah. You guys have it so much better here."

"I guess." I chuckled as he flipped onto the sofa. I was about to close the door when a hand creased through causing me to scream. I clenched my heart as Aaron walked in with a smirk.

"Looks like I'm staying here."

Owen plopped to thumbs up at us.

"No fucking way." I gritted pushing him towards the door. I was not going to let Aaron in and mess with my stuff. I didn't want him snooping around as he'd do. He'll find a way to out one me always. And that was not part of the plan.

"Tell that to Madison. She seems pretty keen on sending me here." He fixed the cuffs of his black jacket walking in like the fucking snob he was. "Nice place you've got here..."

I crossed my arm with a sneer. "Get out. I'm sure Madison would love to have you there instead. I don't have space for two." I told him. Aaron went to the kitchen taking my mug out. I stormed to him and swatted him away from it snatching it back. No way in hell was his mouth infecting my belongings.

"She said she'd skin me if I tried," Aaron said bored. "Sharing is caring."

I held my mug closer to me. "Like fucking hell, it is. Newsflash Mercer but I don't give two shits about you." He only snorted walking around.

"Guys I'm really sleepy," Owen murmured rubbing his eyes. I walked over to him to the sofa and placed my hands on my hips in a thinking process.

I had only one room.

I could always send Aaron to Emery's but that would be more horrendous to me and Owen having to suffer through their congested mating calls.

I bit my lip eyeing the sofa. I could get this place comfy. "I'll sleep over here, and you guys can share the bed. Or whatever arrangements you want in the room." I amended.

Owen shot up with lightning speed. "I am not letting a lady sleep on the couch. That would make me look bad and my mother taught me better." He tells. I let out a chuckle shaking my head.

"No, really I'm fine on the couch. I don't think I'll be able to catch some sleep anyway." I gently put it out. "Take the room, Owen."

He huffed getting up. "But only because you asked for it otherwise, I would drag your ass there and sleep here."

Aaron was already in the room like the fucking gentleman he was. He was snooping around the place as suspected going through my drawers. I nearly choked as he picked out my lacy purple underwear. I lunged for it and slammed the drawer shut defending the closet like it was my precious life.

"Stay away from my personal belongings Mercer." I seethed.

Aaron smirked staring at me. "You've got taste, Weston. I'm impressed." He chided to the bed where Owen lay asleep snoring. The whole place was taken up by him leaving little space for Aaron.

"I didn't ask." I retorted about to walk out of the room when he grabbed my arm and hauled me back in. Spinning around I snatched my arm back with a scowl. "What?"

"I don't have a place to sleep." He whispered back trying not to wake Owen. He ran a hand through his hair looking around. "Is the sofa- "

"Don't even think about it." I shut him down walking to the little basket near my bed. I threw blankets and pillows at him giving him plenty to strew together a dog bed of sorts. He glared at me throwing them together in a pile on the carpeted floor. I only shrugged out of amusement and hysterics. It was quite fitting really.

I took my phone out of the charger and saluted him walking out the room. My feet ached so bad as I kicked my shoes out and fell on the sofa with a thud. Turning on my phone I went through my text messages and Instagram posts. There really was nothing interesting other than my grandmother's posts about hip transplants and hot doctors doing it.

I chuckled at her sense of humor.

I loved my grandma. She was wild and loud, but she was everything I could ever want. She never once complained about me and always, always told me how much a granddaughter like me meant to her.

My mother couldn't have children. It had crushed my late father, but my grandmother suffered the most feeling nothing but depressed. The news had been broken out after my grandfather had just passed. My mother was devastated that her mother was in such a condition. She went to different medical treatments to try to conceive and looked at various surrogacy programs but in the end, my father had suggested adopting children in need.

So here I was. A wasted child was given away.

I remember every little detail that happened the day my real parents had strapped my crying self to the back seat and left me in foster care. I had cried so much that I had passed out.

Yet they never once visited. My sister who had been one year younger than me- being ten- she had never once called. Never once had any word came from my past.

I bite my lips and close my eyes making the memory redundant to me. It was no use. I didn't care at all. The past was the past. I had a home, a mother, a wonderful grandmother, and everything that was necessary. I moved on.

A blue banner appeared on the top of my screen, and I clicked the message. It led me to an unknown ID and I frowned not knowing who it was.

But the message they sent made my heart fall.

I know where you were tonight Bryce Weston. Next time I'd be careful graffitiing.

-Anonymous

I shakily looked at the message again before sitting up.

What the fuck was this? I blinked swallowing closing my phone and shutting down its internet before getting up and locking the door twice. I closed the window at the shared bathroom and went back into the living room opening the kitchen lights and turning the TV on to a soft volume.

It helps hearing things making me feel not utterly alone.

I glanced at the screen watching Chandler and Joey. I walked to the kitchen hugging myself. It felt so fucking cold. It was freezing. My hands clasped and unclasped while my mind buzzed blankly. Who would send me this at 3 am? I had a stalker behind me.

And if they really did have evidence of me graffitiing-

I'd be roasted dead.

But who was it? I had no fucking clue. It could be my friends for all I know. We're they my friends though? I mean Sersha and Madison were close but Reuben, Owen, and Aaron had nothing on me. Jordan could be pissed at me too. Emery was equally suspicious.

I couldn't even trust anybody knowing all of them had equal lengths of blades pointed at my back.

I gripped my hair tightly letting out a stranded breath before getting up.

My mind was haywire as I quietly slipped into my room the fuzzy sounds of Owen snoring pouring through as I stepped over Aaron's body towards my closet and yanked my black hoody off the hangers. I slowly shut it walking back over him and towards the door. I slipped the hoody on and pulled the cuffs over my fists to warm them up. The warm fluffy material enveloped me to my knees like a warm hug. My whole body felt feverish.

I couldn't sleep alone. The thought scared me. What if the stalker came? I just couldn't. I shook my head and contemplated sneaking into my own room. But I wouldn't have a place to sleep there. I don't think Emery would be too pleased to find me in her room either.

I couldn't panic Sersha and Madison either about this. Walking to their rooms was an indication that something was wrong.

So instead, I decided to busy myself by making a cup of coffee. Coffee fixes everything in life. I put the kettle on and spooned some powder into my red mug. I waited for the water to boil by gripping the counter my back to the living room. I felt so sick like I could throw up entirely.

My knees were shaking, and I braced myself harder. I closed my eyes solely focusing on the bubbling water and the steam heating my face. But it still felt so cold.

A hand grasped my shoulder and I moved in fright. I whimpered in relief to find Aaron only there and not some serial killer. The difference was little but stark.

He looked at me wide-eyed as if I was a pregnant elephant trying to kill him. "Damn. You fucking ninja out every night?" He joked. I closed my eyes shaking my eyes.

I let a small smile mask my features. "No just the nights you show up here it seems." The kettle stopped steaming, so I picked it up and poured into my mug the aroma of rich coffee pouring the room and soothing me. I splashed a bit of milk from the fridge and took out the sugar jar.

"You seem... very pale Weston," Aaron notes leaning against the counter next to me. I tuck my hair away from my face and glance at his figure.

"It's night probably that's why." I covered up mixing the brown liquid. "Why are you up anyway?"

He let out an exhale. "Couldn't sleep. The floor was so goddamn cold to live." I hummed at him maneuvering to the couch with my mug. I pressed the remote and added the volume up by two, so it was a little bit more audible to my ears.

The sofa dipped next to me as I sipped my coffee. It hissed against my mouth, but the hot liquid soothed my cold chest. "Are you sure you're alright?" Aaron asked wearily. I arched my eyebrow at him and shrugged.

"Why is there something abnormal about me? If so, save it for your cretin timings tomorrow. Insulting times go from 8 am to 4 pm." I explained to him with a lazy look. He snorted next to me and sank deeper on the sofa.

"I'm more of a twenty-four-seven kind of man." He prompted.

I rolled my eyes at him.

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