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Pitter patter, pitter patter, that's the only noise that sounded and reached my ears as I sat staring at the stark white walls around me. Luke could really add some colour into his life. I could focus in on the footsteps walking outside the door that hasn't been opened since I kicked Calum out two days ago.

That's how long I've been sat frozen on his bed, barely moving just to go eat some food whenever I was summoned downstairs by Luke or Kensie, Kensie begging me to put some food in my stomach where Luke just didn't want me to die in his room.

'I'm fine,' I would say every time a bite was offered and sent my way, only to have Kensie threatening me to eat, and those threats are awful.

Calum hasn't been around or in my presence since that day; the sheer thought of seeing him made me feel sick to my stomach. I just felt betrayed; I felt sick that he helped do what happened when he was so close to me. Pretending he didn't know me, pretending he didn't ruin my life.

Ashton was nowhere to be seen; I had been told on day one that Ashton, from the library, is also part of the gang. It's just my luck. Everyone I know in my life and this city recently is tied to them, tied to Michael...

Michael. The smartass dickhead who's in control of all of this. The person I have gotten to see since being threatened me with his gunshot to the poor wall next to me. The gunhole was still there, still as deep as it was when it was created. It was a reminder of the power he held over me as much as I hated the thought of it.

He was a step ahead of me officially since the first article. Since I pressed publish on the website article about a mysterious X carved into skin, the sign of Calum I created. I created.

"Fuck," I'm the master of this whole thing at the moment. I gave Calum a reason to come into the light, a reason the other boys pushed him into the light. I believe Kensie and Luke when they say Dad was killed by other people and there was something warming my heart as dark as it is when they said it was so I had answers and a reason as to why he was dead. Although it now left hundreds of unanswered questions in my mind. If unbroken wanted him dead, why?

How did he get involved with any kind of gang in New York? He was a simple businessman working a nine-to-five job and coming straight home to spend time with Mom before phoning me or Alex. Or so I thought he was.

I sighed, closing my eyes and letting my body flop back onto Luke's bed, my hands falling over my eyes.

"Fuck," I repeated as I tried to piece all the puzzle pieces together that I knew off, but there were so many empty spaces. Gaps. Gaps that didn't make any sense. Obviously, I knew we weren't told to keep us safe, protect us, but why didn't he spill if he knew he was being hunted?

"Mom?" Oh dear Mother, lost her husband due to a gang and believes deeply that I have something to do with it. That I'm the cause for that stupid article that sent me on this rollercoaster.

"Nope, just me," Kensie pushed open the door, holding a bag of popcorn and a coke sitting next to me on Luke's bed, silently passing me the two items.

"Sorry, Kens. I didn't even hear you knocking or-," I hadn't heard a single thing, lost deep within my own mind, pondering everything I've grown to know recently.

"It's fine. I understand. I was the same when I found out about Luke." She smiled sympathetically. "Itwas slightly harder for me though, as he was my boyfriend."

"That's understandable. However, you didn't have him kill anyone you love. Or have another person keep it a secret." I smiled slightly, making her let out a laugh; her body relaxing.

"I am sorry about that-,"

"It weren't your secret to tell. I understand that."

"The way we met is a secret too. Do you finally want to know how?"

"Oh my god, yes," I had never really been told in detail how the two met.

"Someone was killed, and he was there."

"Who was killed?" It's odd that Kensie and Luke were both around a killing, Kensie who wouldn't have even hurt a fly.

"Me."

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A single bullet // M.C ✔️ Where stories live. Discover now