Seventeen

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Skylar's POV

There was an entire ninety-eight per cent chance that I might just die right now.

It was the two per cent left that had me going, the sheer probability of getting some answers without dying. And I was really, really rooting for that two per cent. Especially since, I think, my life was at stake too.

"Where the hell are you even?" Alex asked me over the phone as I slid into an empty booth of the cafe I was in. "I thought you said you'd be here ten minutes ago."

"Well, I will be." I whisper-hissed into the phone.

"You can't be." He corrected. "It's been an hour past your ten minutes, Sky."

"Not really."

"Yes, really." He sounded annoyed. "Where are you? The movie's starting in--well, it's already started."

I grimaced and had to hide my face behind the tall menu card in my hand as the person on the counter a few feet ahead of me looked around.

Who also happened to be my creepy hooded stalker. The dark-eyed girl from Blake's gang.

"I can't just leave this, Alex," I whispered. "You have to understand."

I heard a faint voice talking behind him over the phone, and I think that was Hanna. So much for wanting to be a third wheel.

"Say a hello to Hanna from me, will you?" I asked.

"Why are you whispering?" He whispered back, sounding a bit concerned.

I closed my eyes and hung my head low, rubbing my forehead. "I'm not." I so was.

Alex huffed loudly. "Where are you even?"

Stalking my stalker, I could've said. But I didn't. I peeked over the menu card and saw her still standing by the counter, waiting for her order. It was strange because whenever I'd seen her in the past, she'd always been dressed in black. All black and badass.

Now, though, she looked normal. Jeans and a loose blue tee didn't make her look any more dangerous than an average person. Only I knew what she was capable of.

"I've got some stuff to do," I told Alex.

"Yeah, you've been saying exactly that for the last three minutes."

"Look, I'm sorry but I can't come over to watch that movie with you two because I've seen someone that I really need to talk to." I kept my voice low, fidgeting with the menu card.

"Someone?" He sounded bewildered now.

"Someone who's been making my life a visible hell."

I perked up when I saw her grabbing a cup of coffee, and paying in cash, before heading for the exit. Oh no, she didn't.

"Gotta go, gotta go, I'll talk later. Love you. Bye." I hurried and ended the call, stuffing my phone in my coat pocket before running (not so discreet, I know. But desperate times call for desperate actions) after her.

It had started drizzling a little by the time I got out of the cafe, and the dark clouds gathering around the evening sky were pretty clearly hinting at a storm.

I pulled the ends of my trench coat closer against myself and walked along the street, carefully keeping the dark-haired girl's back in view.

I didn't know her name. I didn't know what her problem was even. All I knew was her face and her involvement with Blake. Always with Blake, one way or another. She'd been a part of Blake's gang. Maybe she still was.

Just because Blake had been behind the bars didn't mean his gang members had scattered as well. That's what Kyle had said to me. Not like I could've asked Kyle anything more about this.

He'd been avoiding me ever since that confrontation with Caden. Or maybe I'd been avoiding him ever since that night. Whichever it was, I hadn't seen him around my apartment lately, which I guess was a bit awkward but something I sure as heck wasn't complaining about.

All in all, Blake's gang was looking for him. I just needed a bit of confirmation. And I also needed to confront the one person who'd not hesitated before busting my head and leaving me stranded in the middle of a fucking forest.

I had some questions, all right.

I nearly flinched when I stepped into a puddle, ruining half of my leggings with the muddy water. That was also when I lost sight of her.

"Fuck." I murmured and turned into the narrow alley two steps ahead. It was empty, though. No sight of anyone apart from me.

Fuck, indeed.

I was about to cuss out loud at the mere frustration of it all, also because I think I had some water in my shoes, when something touched me on the back.

"Looking for me, sweet Skylar?"

My eyes widened and I turned around abruptly, only to take a few steps back when I saw her.

There she was. Right in front of me. Holding her cup of coffee in one hand and a switchblade in the other, with its sharp pointy edge aimed at me.

She looked just the same, I couldn't help but realise. Just the same as I'd seen her on the night of my senior year homecoming. When she'd been with Blake. When Caden had been about to kill her.

"Why in the world would I be looking for you?" I replied with the obvious distaste I felt at that moment. She'd tried to kidnap my cat, for fuck's sake!

Her eyes, a shade as dark and obsidian as her straight hair, seemed to glint at that.

"Why not?" She asked, still holding out the knife, and took a sip of her coffee.

I took another tiny step back and hated, absolutely hated the way my hair stuck to my back under the humid atmosphere.

"You've got some nerve--"

"The name's Alexis, by the way." She seemed to add as an afterthought. "Here." She flipped the knife and held it out to me, the worn hilt of it being pointed towards me this time. "Have this."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "I don't need your knife, you creep."

"Alexis." She corrected.

"You almost killed my cat!" I shouted, pointing a finger at her. "You left me stranded in the middle of a goddamn forest!"

"Yes, but I also helped you find out the truth."

"Truth, my fucking ass." I reached out, snatching the knife and aiming it at her, pressing the tip of it just above the hem of her T-shirt. "Have you really got nothing else to do other than make my life a miserable hell?"

Her eyes were assessing me in a way that made me want to stab her. For a moment, I was a bit horrified at that thought. Perhaps Caden's influence really was rubbing off on me.

"I like the colour of your coat," Alexis said.

"The colour of my what?"

She raised her brows and it pissed me off that she was inches taller than me. "Your coat. It's a nice orange."

I stared at her in surprise and pulled back. "You made me almost break up with my boyfriend."

She had the nerve to wince. "That bad, huh?"

"You fucking--"

"I wanted Blake back." She cut me off, eyes still on me. A gaze so unnerving. "I wouldn't have done all that otherwise."

Wanted Blake back. I narrowed my eyes even further. I'd kind of assumed back at the night of homecoming that she was Blake's girlfriend. Was she?

Alexis looked away, finally, and I watched her swallow. "I mean, we needed Blake back. The rest of the gang."

"Right." I echoed. "Why?"

She finished the rest of her coffee, back to being nonchalant, and stepped a little to the side to place it down near the concrete wall.

"The gang's fallen apart ever since he left." The pointed look was directed at me. A pointed, foul look. "Ever since he got thrown into prison, thanks to you."

"Well, he had it coming his way." I snapped back. "And why in the world would you think threatening me could've freed Blake?"

Alexis started walking, or pacing more like, her eyes snapping to the end of the alleyway as if looking for something. Someone. Was she waiting for some sort of backup? I realised in horror.

"Your boyfriend has him." She said. "You just have to ask him and he'll let Blake go."

I scoffed in disbelief before flipping the switchblade close. "Fortunately so, I hate Blake, and I would never ask for any such thing."

She stopped and glared at me. "You will."

"And that brings us back to square one." I pocketed her knife because I sure as heck wasn't giving it back to her. "Threatening me. Do you not get tired of doing that? Does your life have no meaning?"

"Meaning." All of a sudden she seemed livid as she advanced towards me. I stiffened. "No, it fucking doesn't because I don't have anything. My life is that gang. And you and your boyfriend are ruining that."

"You mean Blake."

"I want him back." She hissed.

Back with the I again. She was plenty scary when she wanted to be. I stuffed my hands in my pockets and shrugged. "I don't think Caden will listen to me. He really hates Blake, you do know that, right?"

"Well, I can do much more than asking nicely." She grabbed my arm in a death grip and yanked me close. A squeaky yelp left my lips. "I can hurt you."

"Fucking hell--"

"That'll make him do what I want." She added. "He finds you precious, doesn't he?"

I swore under my breath and tried to shove her away. Key word being tried. Maybe I should've told Alex where I was. At least he'd find my dead body that way.

"Fine!" I blurted out, then grimaced when her fingertips seemed to press further into my arm. "I'll talk to him."

Her grip loosened on my arm, a dark lock of her hair falling past her shoulder. "Doesn't much convince me."

"Why does it matter where Blake is?" I glared. "I know it's not just about your stupid gang."

She hesitated, which was an answer enough.

"What is this really about? Why the fuck do you want Blake?"

She went over towards her discarded coffee cup and walked back, throwing it towards the dumpsters. I stared.

"Rena." Alexis finally broke the silence. "She's alive."

Rena's alive. "How do you know that?" I asked in surprise.

"Why does that even matter?"

"How?" I demanded.

She bristled at that, glaring back at me. "We got a video emailed to us."

My eyes widened a little.

"A video of Rena."

•••••

"You hung up on me, Sky. And I know this is you being vaguely suspicious." I heard Alex say on the voicemail he'd left me. "Are you doing something stupid that you sure as fuck shouldn't be doing? Are you in trouble?"

It nearly warmed my heart to hear the genuine concern in his voice. But since I didn't really want him to not enjoy his little movie date with Hanna, I called him. Which he didn't answer. So I left him a voicemail too.

"I'm not in trouble, Alex," I said. "I'm just hanging out with...uh, someone. I'm so sorry for ditching our plans. I'll make it up to you. And that wasn't me being vaguely suspicious. I promise. Have fu--"

There was a beep and there went my recorded voicemail. Well, fuck.

I sighed and pulled my phone away from my ear.

"Okay then." Alexis straightened up from the library chair she was currently draped over, furiously typing on the computer.

I hadn't really believed her when she said she had a video of Rena. I mean, obviously. She had to be bullshitting with me.

"I can show you." She'd said then, a bit too eagerly, which raised all kinds of alarm bells in my head. To make matters even more alarming, she'd added, "We can go to the headquarters."

"What headquarters?" I'd asked.

"Where the rest of my gang equipment is." She'd answered, then frowned. "Don't fucking give me that look. I can kidnap you without having to lure you to my secret hideout."

She'd surprisingly been understanding though, and suggested the local town library as our second option, dragging me there when I'd hesitantly agreed. I suppose she really wanted Caden to let go of Blake. My life is that gang, I recalled her words. And you and your boyfriend are ruining that.

The library was empty, save for the quiet librarian who'd left for a lunch break the moment we'd entered. The sky had gone dark outside and it was raining. Really badly, may I add.

I was slowly starting to rethink my recent life choices.

"Won't anyone else see it on this computer, though?" I asked her, peeking carefully over her shoulder.

She waved the wireless mouse around. "No."

"What do you mean no?"

"I'll erase all hints of it, sweet Sky. Now shut up and let me find the email."

Okay then, I pulled back, bouncing a little on my heels. That's also when Alex called me again.

"You sure as fuck are not convincing me with that stupid voicemail." He said the moment I answered. "Who're you with? Are you with Caden?"

"Um...I..." I faltered, looking around for excuses. Alexis glanced over at me and raised her brows. "Yeah. Yeah. I'm with him. Just had something come up."

He made a disapproving noise on the other end.

"Can you stop worrying about me though, and pay attention to your fucking date?" I asked.

"Well, Hanna was worried about you too." He seemed wounded.

I went over and picked up my orange trench coat that I'd taken off earlier. "I'm fine."

"Yes, you are."

Alexis pulled away from the computer and widened her eyes impatiently at me. As if I'd been wasting her time. What the fuck was her problem anyway?

"I gotta go. Really, I'm fine." I said. "Love you, Alex. Don't worry."

I made sure he hung up this time and then only did I walk towards Alexis and the computer.

"Since you didn't believe me," she said and pointed at the screen. "Here it is. The video." I could've basically felt the agitation coming off of her in waves.

It was an email from an unknown sender with only a single file attached. She clicked it open and I saw the file loading and loading, before finally opening up.

I didn't exactly know what I was expecting. Gripping the sides of the chair I was sitting on, both Alexis and I stared at the screen as the video started playing.

One second. Two. Then all of a sudden, the screen went blank.

And so did all the lights around us too.


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