devoid love • tate langdon

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: PAYBACK

  The word suck doesn't even begin to explain the day that I had at school. Not only did Leah gang up on me with her little friends. She took it upon herself to steal my underwear from my P.E locker and hang them on the billboard in the front of the school. I had been humiliated to the core. Having to take them down in front of all the kids there. I had to take my damn underwear down in front of people.

I sat in the living room, running over what happened. I told the teacher but they did shit. They always did nothing. I told Ally and she called the school but the front office said they could do nothing until tomorrow. Nothing was going to happen. I hated it. I hated the fact they could do nothing. No. They could they just chose not to. Two schools in two states and the only thing different is my locker combination.

I suddenly felt someone sit next to me and I already knew who it was without looking at them. I leaned my head on Tate's shoulder, sighing.

"Tough day?" He asks and I nod. "What happened?" I breath out. I told him everything and he listened the whole way through, some parts he tensed up in anger. A spark of something lighting up in his eye. I had never seen it before. "So yeah. That's why it was a tough day." I finish and he nods somewhat. He then faces me.

"We need to do something then." He said and I rose a brow.

"Like what? She isn't going to react to anything." I say. He gives a smile.

"I know what she will react to."

He told me a plan. We were going to scare her. That is the only thing bullies react to. I was supposed to bring her here. Tell her I had drugs that I hid in the basement. Then he said leave the rest to me. I didn't know what that meant but to get her off my back I would do anything. So, I went up to Leah in person and told her I had something she wanted in exchange for not bothering me anymore. Drugs.

I waited outside my house, waiting for her car. I made sure Ally wasn't going to be home for a while. I complained we didn't have that much food and I know how she likes to take her time shopping. So she was gone for the time being. I leaned on the wall of the house. Tate was already down in the basement. I didn't know what he was going to do but I could just imagine her reaction. A smirk tugged at my lips.

I suddenly saw a blue car come up in front of the house and I leaned off the wall, crossing my arms. I saw Leah walk out, examining the house. She spotted me and walked up. God I just wanted to smash her face into the bricks. Right here. RIght now. She gave a look at the house then looked back at me.

"You live here?" Leah asks. I rose a brow in offense.

"Is that a problem?" I ask and she scrunches up her nose.

"No." She spat and went inside. I followed behind her until I walked in front, leading her to the basement. "This isn't some sort of trick right?" I turned to her.

"No. I want you to stop harassing me. Alright? And I got the good shit. Trust me." I tell her. I open the doors of the basement and leader her down. "All the coke coming to the U.S. from Central America smuggled in on lobster boats in Gloucester. I used to show my boobs to the lobstermen in return for a key or two before they cut it." I recite the words Tate and I had made up.

"This place is a dump" She says.

"Oh shut up." I say. We come down and I lead her to the small room. We both saw Tate. In a white rocking chair, grinning.

"So this is the bitch you were talking about." He says and Leah backs away.

"Who the hell are you?" She says as I go over to the light switch.

"Get the lights." Tate says. I smirk and turn off the lights. Instead of it turning off all the way, it started to flicker and I back up. Suddenly Tate starts to laugh and even I start to become a bit freaked out.

"What's going on!" Leah screams. Suddenly I saw Tate stop laughing, moving in his chair. A flash. Something else. I saw a monster. A tiny grey man. Sharp teeth stained red. Beady black eyes. Bald with patches of white hair. Long fingers also red. I gasped in fright. It suddenly screeched and leaped out of the chair. Tate was suddenly back, on top of Leah. I back up, hitting the wall. The thing is back, scratching at Leah.

I suddenly feel someone behind me and see Tate standing behind me, smiling. I look back at the scene. I screamed out as I saw the monster in front of me. I fell to the floor. It was suddenly in front of Leah again. It looked like she said something before she cried out as it sliced it's claws onto her cheek. I scrambled up, looking for the light switch. I turned it on and the thing disappeared.

Leah looked around in horror, three large gashes across her cheek. Tate sat in the rocking chair, rocking back and forth with a twisted smile on his lips. Leah ran away in fear, crying and I followed her.

"Leah! Leah!" I called after her but she was already out of the basement. I looked back at the small room to see Tate leaning in the doorway.

"Guess she won't be bothering you anymore." He said and I stare at him. Terror obvious on my face. I backed away.

"What did you just do!" I yell and he gives a look of confusion.

"I did what we planned. I went for her but she kicked me in the balls. She must have run into something." He answered. Liar.

"No. I saw something. What was that!" I yell.

"What are you talking about? Callie, are you alright? You look upset." He said. He had actual innocence in his voice. I shook my head.

"Get away from me Tate." I say and he takes a step forward. "Stay away!" He suddenly comes forward and I push him. He stumbles back. I look at him for a moment before running up the steps.

"I THOUGHT YOU WEREN'T AFRAID OF ANYTHING!" He yells after me but I slam the door behind me. I run to my room, locking the door. I sit on my bed, tears coming down my face. I shake my head over and over. I knew what I saw. I knew what I saw. That...thing attacked Leah and Tate helped it. I hated her. I hated her to my very core but what just happened wasn't right. Those gashes on her face would surely make scars. For the rest of her life.

Tate was probably still down there. Ally was still at the store. I hoped. Should I call her? Tell her what happened? No. No no no no. I would be in so much trouble. This could involve the police. I couldn't handle that. But it wasn't my fault. But it partly was. I led her here. I got her scratched up. I couldn't tell anyone. And how was I supposed to explain that thing down there. That wasn't human. I made my decision. I couldn't tell anyone.