Blood Money (1) | The Inheritance Games

XL. look what you made me do

"I got a list of names, and yours is in red, underlined. I check it once, then I check it twice, look what you made me do."

Noah.

Numbly my body floats down one of the many staircases of Hawthorne, the rest of my heart previously untouched now utterly shattered. I ended things with Spencer. It was to take a weight off my life, but it's only made things worse. I'm certain in the long run I'll feel better, but right now I'm in ruins.

"Noah!" Xander's voice jolts my minds from the simmering thoughts in my busy mind. My feet slow to a stop, being startled but lacking the energy to jump in fright.

"Shit.." His breath catches in his throat when he meets my eyes, concern emancipating from his body. Jameson jogs to his side, shooting him a glare.

"You doing okay, kid?" Jameson asks me instead. "Spence and I broke up." I state, not an ounce of emotion on my tongue. I feel it. I can feel the pain radiating from my heart. But to express it would be to use the energy I no longer have.

Jameson and Xander look to each other, genuine shock as my best friend pulls me in, wrapping his arms around me to provide comfort. It helps, but I don't allow myself to indulge in it. 

"Is she alright?" Nash's voice calls out from the top of the staircase. My eyes glide up to see Grayson and him together, waiting for their brothers.

"Mhm." I mumble. I know she likely isn't. And I know I should probably tell them that, or at least what happened. But instead, I just nod, and separate my body from Xander's, replacing the arms he had around me with my own. 

"How's.. how's Maj?" Jameson tries to hold back the question desperate to roll off his lips, but fails. "Fine." I answer. She isn't fine. I mean, she might be. She might be at her worst, or even at her best. But I don't know that, because I've lost the tact to ask. 

"Good.. are you guys.. still staying at your Grams? I know she mentioned it to Xan when she visited Spence." He asks hopefully.

"We're going back today.. Right when the trip ends so we don't raise suspicion." I say, an undertone of dread that they won't be able to hear because it's only apparent in my mind.

"Would you.. just make sure she knows that if anything happens she has to call me. I know we broke up, but—"

Nash begins to cascade down the staircase, joining us at the bottom. 

"You and Maja broke up? Why? What's happening with the twins?" He eyes me suspiciously, intrigue and worry evident.

"It's nothing." Jameson immediately shuts him down, turning back to me. "Seriously. If she's hurt.. or scared.. or he tries to lay one finger on her-" 

As he speaks, Grayson takes it upon himself to follow down the staircase now too. "And who exactly is the 'he' in question?" He asks his brother sternly. 

"Nothing." Jameson barks, beginning to grow agitated. "She still has me. And she knows that all it takes is one call." He swears to me. 

I nod, knowing he means it and feeling glad that he has her back. It's one less back I need to have. Of course I still need to have her back, but knowing someone else has it too takes a little pressure off.