I stared down at my trembling hands as the car swerved multiple times. My pale, bruised fingers were clutching my phone as if my life depended on it. Well, it kind of did.

''Any luck yet?'' He snickered from the driver's seat.

I shook my head, a tear slipping down my cheek. As much as I hated to admit it, my phone was as useless as this whole fucking plan I came up with. I mean, look at me! I was in Jared's car, probably on my way to my fucking death.

''Oh, darling! Don't dare cry over them. They're all a bunch of useless idiots anyway, trust me. Now you...you have potential. I'm telling you, I know a star when I see one!'' He winked, a wild look in his eyes as he spoke to me.

I stared into his eyes through the rearview mirror, my mouth turned to a scowl. ''I'm...not a star'' I gathered enough courage to speak to him for the first time since he shoved me into this car.

''Oh, that's where you're wrong!'' He shook his head, grinning.

He repulsed me.

''You are a star, alright. And so...so much more. You'll do great in my nightclub, I promise. I can already see it'' He nodded, squinting his eyes as if he started picturing my future already.

I refrained from throwing up as I watched him blabber on and on about the potential I had in his sick, filthy, criminal world. It made me sick. But I had no choice.

If my plan worked, everything would be settled.

''So, what made you call me?'' He asked, taking a sharp turn around the corner. I flew to the opposite side of the car, cursing under my breath. He chuckled at the sight of me scooting back to my spot. Was this why there were no seatbelts in the backseat? To see people kill themselves from hitting their head of a window or something?

''I have a deal for you'' I began, cursing the tremble in my tone.

''Oh, is that right?'' He glanced at me, interested. ''And what would that be?''

I knew he loved deals.

''You let all of them off the hook, and I will be your new guinea pig. You can make me do anything. I'll do it if it means they'll all be free to go'' I swallowed hard.

He appeared to be surprised.

''But no double-deals or anything. This is the only deal that will stay, all of theirs will vanish'' I gulped, getting out the last thing I wanted him to know.

''Why are you doing this, girlie?'' He asked, interested.

''Because I want my friends to be happy'' I clenched my jaw as tears filled my eyes.

''Aw! How cute!'' He cooed, before taking another sharp turn. ''What good are you to me, though. I doubt you can do half of the things I get my people to do'' He smirked.

''Try me'' I raised an eyebrow, forcing a brave face.

He smirked again, staying silent for a little while.

''I won't disappoint. But you have to promise me'' I spoke again, impatient.

''Hmm...I'll think about it. In the meantime, I need you to do a little favor for me'' He clicked his tongue and I realized we were entering my street. Soon enough, my house came into view and I gulped in fear.

''What are we doing here?'' I asked, my hands trembling more than they did before.

''On a job'' He smiled, turning to look at me once the car was parked in front of my house.

''Now? Here?'' I asked, confused and terrified of what could be going on in his psychotic mind. My hands clutched my phone as he stared into my eyes silently.

''I've been running short on staff, as you might know. And you might just get the job if you're lucky. But before that...I need to be sure you can be trusted, got it?'' His eyes had an evil glint to them, which was far too intense.

I looked away, ''What do you need me to do?''.

''Kill the little girl'' He smirked.

My head shot up, meeting his tare again. ''What?!'' I shrieked.

''Kill the stepsister, Tina'' He cocked his head to the side as he examined my reaction. ''Or do you want your friends to die?''

''That's...that's fucking crazy! You can't seriously want me to go in there and kill...k-kill Gina!'' I stuttered, my heart beating louder than I ever imagined it could.

''Gina, is it? Huh, rhymes with yours'' He chuckled, looking down at his hands before he leaned back and punched me right in the gut. ''A shame you never really liked her, right?'' He frowned as I doubled over. He placed a hand on my back as I coughed profusely. The pain slowly spread and I winced as he made me sit up straight.

''Why...why her?'' I asked, coughing with pain.

He cocked his head to the side, ''Why not?''.

''She's just a kid'' I tried again.

''So are you...and your friends'' He made a point, smirking.

''Is this how you killed-'' I stopped myself, realizing I was making a big mistake.

His eyes darkened as realization flooded his mind. ''Killed who, Tina?'' He asked in a threatening tone. ''Tell me, c'mon'' He tilted his head.

I backed away, wishing I could disappear into the leather seats.

''Tina...'' He threatened.

I took this as my opportunity.

Without a second left to spare, I kicked him in the face with all the strength I could muster. Not giving myself any time for doubt, I ran out of the car and sped up to Tara's house. I banged on the door, anxiously turning to look back at Jared's car.

The door opened, revealing Tara's father.

Before I had the chance to open my mouth, Jared came out of the car with a bloody nose. ''Now, darling. What did I say about disrespecting elders?'' He chuckled with bloody teeth.

Tara's father reached into his back pocket at the speed of light.

I spun to look at Jared, who suddenly stopped in his tracks. His eyes darted to Tara's father's hand. He then also reached into his back pocket. I watched in horror as they both pointed their guns at each other.

''Ah! Aaron's father, what an honor!'' Jared chuckled, aiming his gun.

''Who are you? How do you know my son?'' Tara's father spoke carefully.

I stood back, watching the whole thing unravel.

''Oh, well...I guess he forgot to tell you all about his business partner'' Jared shrugged, a cynical smile on his face. ''We've done so much together, I'm really proud of him'' He nodded, chuckling.

Tara's father glanced at me, silently telling me to go inside.

I shook my head, gulping.

''Let me help you out!'' Jared grinned at him, pointing the gun at me now. I stopped in my tracks, eyeing the gun. ''Much better, eh?'' He asked Tara's father with a smirk.

''Do it'' I said.

''Oh, you sure?'' Jared asked, tilting his head.

''Unless you can only kill little innocent kids, like your own'' I sneered, my veins pumping with hate for this man.

His eyes darkened and I smirked.

''Oh...you little bitch'' He shook his head.

''Do it!'' I shouted.

And he did.

But nothing happened.

I stared at the gun, my heart beating in my ears. I couldn't hear anything but my heartbeat and it was making my head spin.

''Oh, just our luck! A game of Russian roulette, anyone?'' Jared joked as he examined the cylinder of his gun with interest. There was only one fucking bullet in one fucking chamber. ''Such a shame I only have one bullet for the two of you fine folks!'' He frowned in mock sadness. ''I really hate injustice'' He shook his head sadly.

''Get inside''Tara's father commanded, giving me a look that said I had no say in this.

''Oh, come on! That's my new partner, dude! You can't just steal like that...that's illegal. You should know, officer'' Jared joked as I ran into the house.

Their talking rang in my ears as I dialed Austin's number in a frenzy of fear and cluelessness. My mind was racing and I was afraid I would pass out any minute.

He picked up after one ring and I let out a sigh of relief as my hand shook from holding the phone up to my ear. ''Where the hell are you?! I've been trying to get a hold of you all day'' He shouted through the phone.

''Listen to me'' My voice shook.

''What...what did you do?'' He asked, losing his anger straight away.

''I tried...I tried to deal with him, I really did. But he...'' I lost it, sliding down the wall as tears escaped my eyes.

''He what? Tina, he what?!'' He asked, sounding scared.

I shook my head despite him not seeing me. I could hear everyone shouting in panic on the other side of the phone, probably coming up with the worst scenario. At that moment, I was glad they figured out their differences and were all together again. If it meant that I would die solely for that purpose, call me stupid, but I was okay with it.

I wasn't okay with Tara's dad dying, though.

''I couldn't do it'' I sobbed. ''He wanted me to kill Gina. He wanted me to kill my step sister...I couldn't'' I shook my head, letting the sobs leave my system. ''I nearly had him. I made a deal and he was going to say yes, but he wanted to see if...if he could trust me, y'know?''

''Tina, listen to me, what is happening right now?'' He tried to be calm.

''Tara's father has his gun pointed at him, and Jared has his pointed at Tara's father'' I sobbed uncontrollably. ''I don't know what to do, dammit! I'm so fucking scared'' I cried out.

''Listen, listen! Tina, you need to calm down, okay? You need to call the cops. Tell them you were kidnapped, do you understand?'' He explained, tripping over his words as he tried to give me the best solution he could come up with from so far away.

I nodded, sobbing.

God, I'm so fucking stupid.

''C'mon, we're on our way. Don't be scared, okay? Just do it. Do it, White'' He begged as his voice struggled to stay calm. ''I love you, you got that? I love you and you're going to be okay, you got that?'' He choked out.

''Yes, yes...I got that'' I sobered up, gulping hard. ''I love you too. I really do'' I bit my lip as hard as I could to stop the tears from coming again.

''You're going to be alright'' He assured me and I could hear that he was running and there were many footsteps following his. ''Say it, White'' He said just as, what sounded like a car door, slammed shut.

''I'm going to be alright'' I sighed, looking up at the ceiling in hopes of some miraculous wave of relief to come at me from above.

''That's my girl'' He choked out and I could hear an engine revving.

''I'm going to call 911 now'' I whispered.

''Okay, you'll be alright'' He whispered back.

''Yeah, I will be'' I frowned, not entirely believing it, sobs begging to escape my throat.

''You will be'' He assured me.

''I don't want to hang up'' I admitted, tears spilling out of my eyes again.

''But you have to'' He gulped.

''Yeah, I do'' I said, and before I said another word to delay myself, I hung up on him.

Getting up off the floor in a shaky manner, I glanced out the front door to see that they were still talking. It looked like Jared was making a deal of some sort. But that didn't matter.

I dialed the number and waited for someone to answer.

***

With a shaky arm, I did just what the police officer told me to do. I walked out the back door, as quietly as I could. The sound of Jared's obnoxious voice was booming through the backyard as he spoke to Tara's father, despite him being in the front. He was trying to convince him to speak to me. But Tara's father was no idiot.

From what I gathered, Jared had already pressed the trigger three times. There were only six chambers altogether, so I had to act fast.

Despite what the cops told me to do, I quickly ran to my own backyard, praying that Jared wouldn't see me. My hands shook as I searched my pockets for a key to my backdoor. The cops wanted me to sneak into the backyard so that I would be safe. But I had to warn my family. One of those remaining chambers could have a bullet in them and if someone comes out of this house at the wrong time...

Finally, I pulled the key out and stuck it into the lock.

The least I could do is warn them that there's a crazy gunman in the front...right?

I walked into my room, feeling strange all of a sudden. The atmosphere was off and I couldn't tell what it was that made me feel uneasy in there. But I kept walking, making my way to the rest of the house.

''Mom?'' I called, my voice still trembling from before. There were shuffling noises coming from the living room and I froze. ''Gina, is that you? Are you home alone?'' I tried again. I stood at the huge doors leading to the living room, my heart beating uncontrollably.

What the hell is going on?

Desperate to find out, with one swift motion, I opened the doors.

''Well, hello there, Scrawnie''