MARCH 18TH

As my eyes opened, an amazing smell filled my nose. Aero, who had been beside me, was now replaced by a body dent. I got my ass out of bed and walked into the kitchen.

Aero was taking cooked bacon out of the pan and placing it on a plate that also had eggs on it. He noticed me and a smile instantly formed on his face as he held it out for me to take the plate.

"Where's yours?" I asked, noticing there was only one plate.

He continued to hold it out until I took it. As I did he responded, "I have a meeting this morning at a restaurant."

"What's the meeting for?"

He sighed, as if thinking about it annoyed him. I sat at the table and he sat with me even though he wasn't eating. He said, "I did a hit for a family a few months ago and I want to discuss it."

I lowered my eyebrows, "Discuss what?"

"They never paid me."

I nodded while biting into my food. Aero should totally become a chef if he does decide to be done after this month. I'm hanging out with Reid for a little after class since Aero and I are going to be away for the next 3 days.

I ate my food and he picked up my plate to wash it before I could even move. After swallowing my final bite I told him, "Hey! I can do it."

He placed it in the sink and walked over to me, pulling me into a hug. He placed a kiss against the top of my head before saying, "I'm gonna miss you."

For an ice-cold guy, he sure became a teddy bear once we started dating. I don't think he can go 10 minutes without hugging or kissing me. 

I smiled up at him, "Reid will drop me back off in time for dinner."

He sighed slightly, "I know. But I'll still miss you."

If the school year wasn't so close to ending, I would skip and spend the day annoying Aero. But exams are in 2 months, so I can't miss classes. I quickly placed a kiss against his lips before cheerfully saying, "It's okay! I have a surprise for you later that will cheer you up."

"I don't like surprises. Tell me now."

I laughed slightly at how bluntly he talks while turning around and running to his bedroom to go change, "Nope!"

I changed quickly and brushed my hair. I decided to let Aero drive me, because I'm just that nice. I went to open my door once he parked but he placed his hands on my face and kissed me first. He pulled away and said, "You better fucking be home for dinner."

Like I said, he can't go longer than 10 minutes.

I smiled at him, "I will be."

I got out and walked to my class, feeling like I'm on cloud 9.

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A E R O

The Edmonson family is the worst fucking kind.

Rich, entitled, egotistical. The 3 of them sat at a table in the middle of the restaurant that they clearly rented out. The dad, Jeff, stood up once he saw me enter. He gave me a smile, "Black!"

"Wheres my fucking money."

Hailey tells me I talk bluntly. I just like getting to the point. 

He let out a laugh, taking a seat back down. There was nothing for him to laugh about. He gestured for me to go and sit on the empty chair, which I did. I was sitting beside his wife and across from his young adult son who looked terrified by my presence. 

Jeff shrugged, "Y'know, sometimes friends just do things for friends without wanting anything in return."

I spoke coldly, "We aren't friends and you're going to fucking pay me today."

Jeff and his wife laughed, but the son remained silent. He didn't dare look me in the eyes, making me smirk. I reached across the table and took a piece of his food and popped it into my mouth. He gave me a scared look and I asked him, "What's your name?"

"Chad."

Go fucking figure.

I looked at Jeff, "How much does your son mean to you?"

His eyebrows lowered. He sat forward in his chair while shrugging, "A lot? Why?"

I nodded my head. Looking at their outfits and jewelry I could tell that they spend all of their money on flashy things and that their bank accounts probably didn't even contain half of what they owed me. 

I quickly jumped up from my chair, standing behind his wife with my gun pressed against her jaw. I asked him, "And how much does your wife mean to you?"

His eyes were now wide and alarmed, which they should be. He spoke shakily, "Please..okay, I don't have the fucking money! But I will, I promise, just give me a few weeks-"

"But I don't have a few weeks, Jeff. That's the problem....."

He stuttered while saying, "I-I-I I'll get it! I swear I'll get it just give me a few days-"

His plea was cut off by me firing the gun, his wife's lifeless body falling onto the ground, out of her chair. His jaw dropped and I fired the gun for a second time, this time directly into his son's heart.

This time, Jeff screamed, tears coating his eyes. I aimed the gun at him and fired, the bullet going into his forehead. He fell backward and I was now alone in the restaurant with 3 corpses. 

I turned around to leave, but I stopped after a few steps. A gross taste formed in my mouth and a weird feeling happened in my stomach.

For the first time, I felt guilt.

Not because I killed them. I don't give a fuck. But if Hailey saw that, or saw this side of me, I don't think she would ever look at me the same. That feeling feels like a knife to the chest. 

I want to be better. For her. And the strangest part is, she isn't even forcing me into feeling this way. She's told me that she wants me to be done, and that's it. But I want to change for her, be somebody who deserves her. What I just did, I can never do again. 

After this month, after I know who has the hit on her and kill them, I will be done. 

For her.

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H A I L E Y

I walked to Reids house, fully expecting him to be taking a midday nap since he hasn't answered any of my texts since I finished class. I felt surprised seeing Bruno standing outside of his house, smoking a joint. 

He noticed me and held it out for me to take, "Want a hit?"

I shook my head, "No. I only trust my own dealer."

I don't have a dealer. And I don't smoke weed.

He smiled, "Yea? Who's your dealer?"

I clicked my tongue, not being able to think of a single person. Reid and Aero are the only people I know and to my knowledge, they don't sell drugs. I said, "I'll tell you if you tell me yours first."

He laughed slightly, "My dealers pretty off the grid, so no can do."

"Then you'll never know mine," I shrugged. "Is Reid sleeping?"

"Yea. I'm just waiting for my friend to come pick me up," he answers.

I groaned. He always gets so cranky when I wake him up. I took a deep breath before smiling at Bruno, "Well, it was nice to see you again."

I walked inside and went up to Reids room, and he was dead asleep in his bed. I won't pour water on him this time. 

I walked over to him and plugged his nose.

I kept my fingers plugging his nose until his body forced him to wake up since he couldn't breathe. I removed my fingers and smiled at him, "Hello!"

"Were you just going to attempt to murder me?" he asks, his eyes squinting and his voice tired.

I pursed my lips and quoted what he said yesterday, "I plead the fifth."

I sat my butt down beside him on his bed, grateful to be sitting after my walk. He got out of his bed and walked over to his TV, turning it on. I thought he was just going to put a movie on, but when he turned on one of his shooting games I groaned.

He threw a controller to me and grabbed another one for himself. He sat back down on the bed and said, "I'm going to kick your ass."

I've seen Reid play this game multiple times before, however, I've never played it myself. I'd usually just eat popcorn and watch him get angry and claim that everybody who kills him is cheating.

He quickly showed me what controls do what, but I'm a fast learner. He was growing visibly annoyed at the fact that I kept killing him. But once I killed him for the 10th time, he stood up and turned the TV off. He crossed his arms at me and asked, "Have you been practicing? I bet you've been practicing. I bet you've been dreaming of this moment, huh?"

I threw my head back and started laughing. A smile slowly formed on his face and he said, "Screw you. How are you better than me already?"

"I do live with an assassin," I said while shrugging.

He switched the TV to be on a cheesy reality dating show that even though it was garbage, totally not good at all, totally not entertaining, we still couldn't take our eyes off the screen. Episode after episode went by and I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of Reids door opening. 

Aero had a little bit of a concerned look on his face, but once he saw Reid and me the look disappeared. Reid quickly stood up and gave him a bro hug before Aero walked over to me. I smiled at him while he sat down, "Hi!"

"You didn't answer my calls," he said while putting some hair behind my ear.

I suddenly felt stupid realizing that I had forgotten to take my phone out of my bag. I apologized, "Sorry, Reid distracted me with this shitty TV show."

I stood up and Aero stood up with me. I gave Reid a hug goodbye since it would be a few days before I'd see him again. Once we were in Aeros car he asked me, "How was class?"

"Boring. How was your meeting?"

He hesitated for a second before saying, "Fine."

The look on his face made me feel like it might've not gone the best. Trying to cheer him up I smiled and him and poked his cheek, "Well, there's still my surprise!" 

The look slowly evaporated off of his face and was now replaced with a smile. He grabbed my hand with one of his and ran his thumb against my skin.

He pulled into his driveway and I dragged him by his arm from his driveway to his bedroom. I ordered him, "Stay here."

I shut the bedroom door and ran into the kitchen, mixing all of the stuff together that google told me to. Once I had everything mixed, I put it into the oven and set a timer for 30 minutes. I walked back into the bedroom and shut the door again, "Okay. It'll be done in 30 minutes."

"So I have to wait 30 fucking minutes?" he complained.

"Yup!" I said cheerfully, walking over to him and sitting down beside him on the bed. 

He rolled his eyes and I placed a kiss against his cheek. I said to him, "This would be a great time to pack for Philadelphia."

He agreed and grabbed two suitcases out of his closet and we started packing. His suitcase wasn't even half full, but mine was overflowing. I sat on it, trying to push my clothes down to make more room. I sighed and asked, "Can I put some stuff in your suitcase?"

"We're only going for 3 days, Hailey."

"I know."

"So you don't need 100 outfits."

"Yes, I do."

He rolled his eyes while smiling slightly, "Fine."

I put some of my stuff in his suitcase as the timer went off. My face lit up and I quickly ran out of the room, taking it out of the oven. Once it was decorated to my liking I placed it on the counter and yelled, "Okay! You can come!"

He entered the kitchen and his eyes immediately went to the chocolate cake that I made. I put a big pink heart on it and added some sprinkles. I asked him, "Do you like it?"

He never ate the cake that I got him on his birthday, so I thought that this cake could be a do-over. 

A E R O

I instantly walked over to her and kissed her. I knew exactly why she made this cake, I could never forget February 28th. 

The day that everything started.

"I love it," I told her.

Her smile widened and she walked over to grab two plates. She cut two slices and put them on the plates before grabbing two forks.

She picked up both plates and walked with them to the living room, making me follow her. She put that garbage TV show that she was watching with Reid on, but I saw how excited she was to watch it so I didn't say anything. 

She started eating her piece and I took the first bite of mine. My eyes widened in surprise. It actually tasted really fucking good. She smiled at me, "You cook and I bake!"

I smiled at her and rubbed my hand up and down her back while asking her, "Do you want something to drink?"

She nodded her head yes, and I put my plate on the table in front of me. I walked into the kitchen and grabbed two water bottles from the fridge when my phone rang in my pocket. I placed the bottles on the counter and picked up, "Hello?"

"Black," The don spoke. "I have the identity of the man you were looking for."

"And? Who is it?" I asked eagerly. 

The don replied, "His name is Vincent Romano."

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