Deck of Cards

Chapter Five | Like a Cop

"Alessia?" the voice from outside of the door questioned, causing the girl to shift underneath the covers that she had safely tucked herself in the previous night. Chase had left the apartment without any words and finally allowed the girl the night alone that she needed.

"Alessia, get the hell up, we have shit to do," a more powerful and harsh, yet still feminine voice bellowed from outside of the door. 'Good morning to you, too, Kiernan,' Alessia internally hissed, knowing that within moments, the two blondes would be barging through the door. Before they go do so, though, the petite brunette twisted the brass doorknob and stood before the two girls, whom were both dressed for the day ahead while Alessia had just rolled out of bed. Without even a greeting, Kiernan barged into the apartment, tugging the confused Brielle along with her.

"Sorry to inconvenience you, Queen," the taller of the two spat, the term rolling off of her tongue in the most sarcastic manner that Kiernan could muster. It had taken all of Alessia's willpower to not roll her eyes at the tattooed girl and simply remain silent. "Forget that we have plans today? You know, you're supposed to be the one in charge here," Kiernan continued to accuse, causing Brielle to react and step in between the already feuding girls.

"Shut up, both of you," her weak voice interjected, causing Kiernan beside her to stifle a laugh. "Get changed, we gotta get to the gym in ten minutes," Brielle continued to explain, brushing a baby curl away from her dull emerald irises. Before she could finish, though, Alessia abruptly stalked off, back into her bedroom and grabbed a t-shirt. Instead of changing into a completely identical, yet different, set of sweatpants, spandex and a sports bra, the girl grabbed an Under Armor tank top and greeted the two other Jacks in the living room of her apartment once again.

The walk to the gym was one filled with enough tension to coat the entire city around them. Brielle had strategically placed herself in between the feuding beauties, trying to keep the peace. As always. Alessia was calmer than expected, especially due to the fact that she would be face-to-face with Chase once again. She had to remain calm, though. The eights would be there.

"Remember last time we had fight training?" she heard a deep voice from behind her, and suddenly, an arm was draped around her shoulder. Alessia craned her neck to lock eyes with Micah, someone she could actually tolerate. The smile that painted across her lips was instinctual, responsive. His presence brightened even the darkest of her moods.

"Of course, I kicked Kiernan's ass," Alessia nonchalantly took a verbal strike at the girl, who physically tensed.

"I want a rematch, Queen," her icy words were expected by all, but that didn't stop Alessia from simply laughing in her face as they entered the gym. There stood Chase and Tanner with the eights, all lined up.

For a moment, Alesisa caught Luca's eye and something inside of her switched. The longer her eyes lingered on the boy, who was nudged tightly between Elianna and another eight that the brunette beauty did not recognize, the faster her heart pounded in her chest. With each beat, it felt as though it was bound to leap up her throat and escape before her, revealing its charred and bruised self to the room. Her cheeks were heated a deep shade of scarlet and her gaze was anywhere besides on a human face. The embarrassment toward her body's reaction to Luca's presence flooded her system and she was doing everything in her power to suppress those emotions. She had barely known the boy, but there was no denying the physical attraction. It had been so long, so long, since she was freely able to be with a boy before Chase had gotten himself involved. The feelings were taboo, but little did she know that Luca was staring at her just as much, his own throat closing due to the words he wanted to blurt out clogging it. He was fighting for air, trying to just remain silent and not appear completely and totally infatuated with Alessia.