H A I L E Y

A knock came from the front door, making me roll my eyes. I'm trying to watch my garbage TV show in peace. My class got let out early today, so I went back to Aeros and have been watching TV in his living room ever since. I almost screamed in excitement seeing that he got me my favourite ice cream.

Or at least I hope it was for me because I've eaten it all now.

I threw the spoon into the empty ice cream container and placed it on the table in front of me. The person at the door knocked again making me mumble under my breath, "Jesus, have some patience."

I looked through the peephole, confused seeing 3 men standing there all in black. Yea....I'm not gonna open it and get kidnapped.

"Hailey Romano?" one of the men called out as if he could sense that I was there.

My eyebrows lowered. How does this guy know my name?

He said ordered, "I'll give you 5 seconds to open the door, sweetheart."

Now I have even more questions. I shift back and forth uncomfortably. 

"And if I don't?" I asked.

A smirk slowly formed on his face, making me take a few steps back from the door. He spoke sinisterly, "Well, you didn't lock the door when you got home. So I guess we'll just walk in."

My eyes widened and I quickly ran forward to lock the door when it swung open, all 3 of the men walking in. I turned and ran to Aeros office, praying that he would hopefully have a gun in there somewhere. I wasn't sure if I could use it, even if I could find one. I don't know if I'm capable of shooting somebody. 

I shut the door behind me and locked the small lock on the door while frantically opening and closing drawers to try and find something that I could use. The door was jumping on its hinges,  the men on the other side throwing their bodies against the door in an attempt to get it open.

Tears started to form in my eyes out of frustration. I couldn't find anything and I felt so useless, which I hate feeling. 

Deciding that I couldn't just hide somewhere, I went over to the window and opened it to jump out. The door screamed on its hinges and I knew that after one more hit it would be on the ground, and I didn't have time to jump out and run away. I kept the window open and ran to Aeros desk, crouching behind it, hoping that they'd think I went outside.

A loud noise from the door made me jump as it fell onto the ground, but I remained crouched behind Aero's desk.

The mans voice called out, "We aren't going to kill you, Romano. Just hurt you."

Wow. Thank you for that, I feel so much better now.

I held my hand over my mouth so that I could be completely silent. I listened to their footsteps as they entered the room, my heart feeling like it was in my throat. One of them said, "Did she fucking jump out of the window?"

The other one sighed. I heard them walk out of the room, my chest feeling 100 times lighter now. I remained exactly where I was, not making a sound. 

I gasped as I was grabbed by my hair and forced up onto my feet. The man pressed a gun against my stomach and said, "Here shouldn't kill her, right?"

"It might...I don't remember," a different one answered him.

He shrugged, "Ah. Let's find out and hope for the best."

I shut my eyes, not wanting the man to be able to see me cry. I jumped as a gunshot went off, but jumped even more when it was followed by 2 more. I slowly opened my eyes and saw the three men now dead on the ground, Aero standing in the doorway.

He rushed over to me and placed his hands on my face while his eyes scanned my entire body, "Are you okay? Do you need anything, did they hurt you?"

"What the fuck was that?" I whispered, a lump in my throat. I had witnessed my entire life flash before my eyes, I felt the regret of everything I had wished I had done in my life, thinking that it was over.

He opened his mouth but then quickly closed it. I furrowed my eyebrows, "Why did these 3 guys just try and kill me, Aero?"

"I probably killed somebody they're close to," he responded, but the lack of confidence in his voice made me not believe him.

I asked him again in a meaner tone, frustrated at his lie, "Why did they just try and kill me,  Aero?"

He hesitated once again before speaking, "I don't know. I probably-"

"Maybe I'd believe you if you weren't so hesitant," I almost spat, removing his hands from my cheeks. I feel like he's hiding something from me.

He let out a soft sigh, "You just need to trust me....okay?"

"Then give me a reason to!" I shouted. I was staring at the boy I love, begging for him to be honest with me.

I felt the tears burn in my eyes. I can see it in his ice blue eyes that he's lying to me. 

I spoke in a calmer voice, "I am standing here, giving you a chance to just explain and be honest. And you aren't, you're giving me nothing and it breaks my heart. So I'll ask you one more time Aero, why did they try and kill me?"

He remained silent, his jaw clenching slightly. I let a few moments pass, giving him time to answer. But he didn't.

I nodded my head, "Okay. Let me know when you want to start being honest."

I started to walk towards the front door to leave when he ran a few steps and pulled me back to face him by my wrist. He asked me, "Where are you going?"

"You don't answer me, so I don't have to answer you."

I pulled my arm out of his grip and turned back around, leaving his house.

"Don't leave, Hailey," he begs, following me to his front door. "Please don't leave."

But I walk outside, ignoring him, and slam the door behind me. 

╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝

"Move over," I complained.

"No. I'm comfortable exactly where I am."

"Okay well I'm not, Reid. I'm literally suffocating."

He lifted his head off of his pillow and opened his eyes, looking at me. He decided, "You're fine."

I sighed, sitting up. I grabbed my pillow and blanket and laid them on the ground beside his bed. He looked down at me and asked in a serious voice, "Are you okay?"

I let out a sigh. I answered him, "I understand the shit that Aero is involved in, and I understand the lengths that people are willing to go to in something as deadly as the mafia. I'm not mad that I was collateral for something he has done, what I'm mad about is the fact that he won't tell me."

He nodded his head, "I get it. You gonna talk to him about it tomorrow?"

"Maybe, if he's willing to tell me the truth. I'm not going to speak to him first, he can speak to me when he'll tell me the truth," I decide. I won't cave just because I love him - he needs to be honest with me.

Reid got out of his bed and came over, laying down beside me on the ground. He laid on his back but turned his head to be looking at me, "Boys suck. But no matter what, we'll always have each other. This 6 year friendship isn't ending any time soon."

I smiled at him, thankful that he accidentally went to the wrong class all those years ago. 

"Oh, by the way, Hailey, at night I stay up and think about how fugly the shoes you were wearing on the day I met you were."

╚══ஓ๑♡๑ஓ══╝

A E R O

Fuck.

I have nobody to blame but myself. I have been lying to her, although it's only been out of fear. Fear of her hating me. But maybe it's time to tell her, maybe it's time to come clean.

But would she still love me if she knew the truth?

I winced as I opened my eyes again, the bright flashing lights feeling blinding for a second. 

A girls voice asked, "Another drink, Mr. Black?"

I nodded and she instantly came back with another glass of whiskey. I drank all of it in one gulp, slamming the glass against the table in front of me. I sat on a couch alone, ignoring the hundreds of people in the club. After dealing with 3 bodies and the girl I love being pissed at me, I needed to drink.

I rested my arms along the top of the couch as I sat. My legs were slightly spread apart and I rested my head back against the cushion. 

I miss Hailey already.

"Hey sexy," A woman spoke in a seductive voice, making me lift my head back up.

A girl with tanned skin and chocolate brown hair ran a hand along my arm, but I quickly moved so my arms were now at my sides. I asked her, "Do I know you?"

She sat down on the leather couch beside me and said, "Not yet. Do you wanna go find out?"

"No."

Blunt. How my responses always are. Hailey is the only one who can get more out of me than that.

She sighed, tugging at my tie, "Come on. Follow me."

She got up and started walking towards a door that was hidden behind a curtain. My eyebrows lowered and I followed her out of curiosity. The room was lit by red lights and black furniture filled the room. I asked her, "What the fuck is this?"

She wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled my face into hers to kiss her. Before our lips could connect I pushed her away, making her fall onto the couch behind her. I spat at her, "Don't fucking touch me."

She smirked and looked up at me with her green eyes, "Whats wrong? You have a girlfriend or something? Don't worry, I promise she won't find out."

"I have a fucking wife," I told her in a dark voice.

She shrugged, "Who cares? In this room, you are completely single."

She stood back up and took a few steps towards me. She reached to put her hand on my face but I swatted it away, not allowing for her to touch me. She laughed, "Playing hard to get?"

A muscle twitched in my jaw. I warned her, "Don't try that shit again. I think you should leave."

"Or else?" She spoke with a smile as if this were a game to her.

I grabbed her throat and pushed her against the wall, pulling my gun out and pressing it against her jawline. I told her, "Or else I will kill you."

She still kept the smile on her face, "I know exactly who you are. Deadly assassin Aero Black. You don't have to act all big and bad with me, you can be soft. Look."

She started to pull her dress up while whispering, "I promise I am better than whatever trash you're currently screwing." 

A flash of rage washed over me and I fired the gun, the bullet going through her skull and hitting the wall behind her. Her body fell to the ground and blood splattered against the wall. 

I didn't feel bad. Anybody who talks about Hailey like that deserves to die.

I left, feeling pissed off that I had to take a taxi since I was wasted. I stumbled inside my house and kicked my shoes off, walking over and dropping down onto my couch. My phone vibrated and I smiled, expecting it to be Hailey. But it was Alessandro.

I lay on the couch and ask, "Diaz. You have the phone call?"

I knew it couldn't be Lorenzo, since I got a call after I killed him. But maybe his last phonecall could still lead me somewhere. 

"Yes, I sent it to your email. Your words sound slurred, are you drunk?" he asked in an amused tone.

I never got drunk. Yes, I casually drink, but I never get drunk. I rolled my eyes as I replied in an unamused tone, "Eat shit, Alessandro." 

I ended the call and pushed myself up, walking into my office. I sat down on my chair and opened the email, clicking 'play' on the audio I was sent.

'Lorenzo, are you coming in or what?'

'Yea, I'm just running a little late. I'm sorry Mr. Romano, I'll get there as fast as I can.'

'If you aren't here in the next 30 minutes your ass is fired.'

'I'm not sure if I can get there that fast-'

'Well, you better find a fucking way.'

Vincent ended the call on Lorenzo, and I swore under my breath. I ran a frustrated hand through my hair. The voices didn't match, which I already knew. 

But it was now March 24th, and I was still no closer to getting answers than I was on March 1st.

Word Count: 2187