Guilty

Juliette

"I'm sorry you're feeling sick, do you want me to grab us some coffee?" I ask Summer, she nods putting on a dramatic frown. I laugh as she sits at the table outside the cafe.

Spring is finally in full bloom and now in March, we've been gifted with warm sunny days. I can finally start wearing dresses without freezing my ass off every day. I push open the glass doors and walk inside the coffee shop.

The barista smiles at me as I approach the counter, "Hi, two iced lattes please?" I ask, handing her the money.

I walk over to the other end of the counter as I wait for her to call my order. There's barely anyone in here so it should be finished pretty quickly.

I glance around and my eyes catch on the two men sitting in the corner a foot from where I'm standing. They stick out like sore thumbs, the both of them look to be in their thirties. I've only ever seen students in this coffee shop. That and the all-black outfits look a little strange.

"Doesn't matter, he took the bet," One of the men whispered behind me. I roll my eyes, if whatever he's saying is a whisper-worthy secret he might want to tone down the volume. This place has an echo and I'm barely two feet away.

"No way Zane took that bet, he's been on a streak the past months," The other one whispered back. I feel my blood freeze and all the hairs on my neck prick up at the mention of Zane.

I take one tiny step back so I can hear their conversation more clearly, "Yeah I know, that's why we have to do this. He's done in David's boys and Liam's men. The Hernandez boys are racking in so much money from him alone that it's a joke. But it's all sorted now. I called my boy and told him to tell his coach that if Zane loses this fight we'll pay twenty thousand up front."

Lose this fight? $20,000?? My heart races as I listen to the rest of their conversation.

"How's that meant to work?" The other one asks.

"Same as always, he'll let our guy hit him until he's knocked out. Except our guy won't stop hitting him until he's dead for sure."

I can't breathe. There's not enough air in this room. In the world. Kill him?

"We won't get caught?"

"Accidents happen all the time, that's the risk of the business."

I run straight out of the cafe, without collecting my drinks, "Summer my...fish died I have to go I'm so sorry," I yell as I race towards my car.

I hadn't spoken to Zane in almost three weeks, and I was still angry with him But I couldn't let him die. I couldn't let him die in a botched deal in some underground club no one knew about. What would they even do with his body?

No. I wouldn't let anything bad happen to him. Whether I was angry with him or not...I still...loved him.

The realisation crushes me and also makes me feel weightless at the same time. It was the truth, I loved Zane. And I couldn't let him get hurt.

I probably broke every single speed limit there ever was to get over to Chloe's bar. My tyres screech as I hit the brakes, climb out of my car and leg it towards the bar.

I feel my heart fall out of my chest and onto the floor when I see it's closed. I start pulling on the handles and banging on the doors, "Open up," I yell. "CHLOE," I screech as I kick at the door. Maybe I should smash the glass to get inside.

She runs to the door and opens it, "WHAT?"

I push past her into the bar as I look around. Trying to figure out how to even access the ring, "Has Zane got a fight tonight?" I ask her panting.