GHOST OF YOU | BWS

eighteen.

We ride in silence, only the sound of my sobs resonating in the car. My entire body is shaking now, and at this point I have lost all hopes of making it through the night. Brad was right, I don't know what I put myself into. I've been so obsessed with getting to Reggie, at all costs, that I didn't even see how much of a threat Joaquin is. I hope James is okay. But what are the chances? They were two against one, and two most likely armed.

"Why would you do that?", I ask as I turn toward Joaquin sitting next to me.

I can't help the anger rising inside of me knowing my actions put an innocent life in danger.

"Do what, darling?", Joaquin answers, his ironic tone telling me he lost all trust in me.

"James didn't do anything wrong!", I exclaim thinking of what his guys might be doing to him right now. "He's my friend, he was just walking me home", I add, defeated as my sobs finally start to calm down.

"You have a lot of friends, Joy", he states blunty as the car comes to a stop and I notice we're in a parking lot but pay no mind to it.

The way he said my name gives me chills, and I try to hide the goosebumps on my arms. I look at him, confused. What does he mean by that? Did he see me with Isaac's gang? My heart suddenly skips a beat. He had. He obviously had, and he was going to make me pay for it.

"How do you know Simpson", he said, and judging by the tone of his voice, I better answer his question.

"I don't-", I start to say but before I can finish my sentence his hand finds the back of my head and he crashes it against the window, a loud crack echoing in the car. I scream in agony, my hand immediately reaching for my broken and bleeding nose, tears running down my cheeks like waterfalls. I have never known such agonizing pain before. The throbbing in my nose is so intense I feel like I might pass out. I can't control the shaking in my body anymore as I realize he's going to kill me. I am going to die tonight.

"Don't play dumb with me", he says after removing his hand from the back of my head. "My guys saw you with him yesterday, and not even trying to hide", he continues with a shake of his head. "Now tell me, what did he want"

I take a second to think, and to try and calm my breathing, the pain in my face making it extremely hard to focus on his words.

Then his words suddenly hit. He doesn't know about my deal with Isaac. I would already be dead if it were the case.

"You mean Brad?", I ask, faking not knowing his last name.

"So you do know him"

I have to bite my lower lip to stop it from shaking so much, and bring my forearm to my nose to keep it from bleeding everywhere.

"He's just a guy from school", I add and Joaquin narrows his eyes at me.

"What. Did. He. Want", he answers through gritted teeth, marking a pause at each word.

My breathing starts to jerk again. What am I supposed to answer? I can't let him find out the reason I was with Brad. But what can I say? No answer will satisfy him. Whatever I'm going to say will enrage him even more.

"Don't make me hurt you again, pretty face", he says and I can't help but back away from him, only to be stopped by the door against my back.

"He told me to stay away from you", I finally say and Joaquin's lips curl into somewhat of a smile.

"There, it wasn't that hard now, was it?", he says, his eyes not moving from mine.

The pain in my nose is excruciating. My tears feel like stone against the broken area on my face and if I don't get a cloth soon to stop the bleeding, my blood is going to end up everywhere on Joaquin's car seats, my sleeves already soaked with it.

"What now?", I ask, trying to steady my shaky voice.

If he intends on killing me, there's nothing I can do or say that will make him change his mind. I would NEVER beg him for my life. EVER.

"Well your friend Brad will be taught a lesson for trying to steal my property of course", he answers casually and my blood turns to ice.

He thinks Brad is hitting on me? The thought almost makes me laugh until what he just said hits me. I'm his property.

"I'm not your pro-", I try to say but he cuts me off.

"I don't recall giving you a choice", he says as he extends his arm towards me and gently brushes my tears away with his hand, making me wince at the pain in my nose. "You should get that checked", he adds, nodding at my still bleeding nose. "We wouldn't want your pretty face to be damaged for life, would we? There's a clinic nearby I believe", he adds and I stay still, unsure of what to do. "Leave before I change my mind about teaching you a lesson for talking to that cunt"

His tone gives me chills again, and I don't wait any longer before leaving the car. As soon as I am out, the car starts again and leaves until I am alone in the middle of the deserted parking lot. It takes me a minute of standing there still, before I broke down, collapsing to my knees on the ground, tears and blood spilling down my face and onto my coat. What have I done? My thirst for revenge is getting people hurt. James and Brad are gonna get hurt because of me.

After several minutes crying about what my life has become, I pull myself together and grab my phone from my bag. I call James without waiting another second, but end up on voice mail. I try again and again until I finally give up, tears doubling at the thought of what Joaquin's guys might have done to him.

When the pain in my nose becomes too much, I decide to find the clinic he said was nearby, and get my nose fixed before I bleed to death.