Bad Girls Have Bad Secrets

The Forty First Secret - A Rallying of The Gang(sters)

“Bad Girls Have Bad Secrets.”

The Forty First Secret —
A Rallying of the Gang(sters)

I ran.

I ran as fast as I could, further and further away from the corpse. I almost tripped over my feet, but even with my chest burning and my legs aching, I ran in the dark until I reached Mason's home.

Scurrying up to the door, mind a mess and hands trembling, I pulled out my key and entered the house. As quietly as I could, I locked up and ran up the stairs two at a time. My foot slipped on the top stair, causing me to land on my hands before I sprang back up and ran for the bathroom.

Leaning over the toilet, I dry wretched, abdomen heaving as it tried to throw up anything I had eaten— but I had only drank water for the day and threw up saliva. I spat and flushed the toilet before I leaned against the wall, breath ragged as I held a hand over my abdomen.

I had seen a dead body. I'd seen gunshot and knife wounds. I'd seen blood.  I had killed someone before, but nothing — nothing prepared me for the sight of a mutilated face and cracked skull. I couldn't close my eyes without seeing his face, his widened, lifeless eyes as the blood spewed from his split skull— even the sounds of his limbs cracking haunted me.

I kept a hand over my mouth and headed for the basin, gaze on the mirror hung over it. I clenched my teeth, almost gagging once more when I spotted spots of blood on my chin and hoodie. Turning the tap open, I washed my mouth and face until a knock came from the door. "Victoria?" It was Laurel. "Are you okay?"

I cleared my throat, "Yeah," I mumbled, staring at my face in the mirror. "Just a little nauseas."

"Did you have dinner already?"

"Yeah," I lied, because I didn't want to eat; I'd lost my appetite.

"Okay, come on down and I'll give you something for the nausea."

I threw my jacket into the laundry basket and opened the door to see her standing, waiting for me. Laurel smiled kindly, the same smile Shane had and held out a hand, "Come here, I'll help you. You're trembling— are you feeling weak?" 

I took her hand and felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude towards her. I swallowed hard, "Yeah. Thank you, Laurel."

She smiled, shrugging a shoulder.

•     •     •

"Hey, Vee!" Luella called, drawing me in for a hug when I returned to them with Logan. We were at the airport that morning, and I met Logan when he was at a shop inside, buying a chocolate. Luella and Nolan were the only ones who knew what had happened to him the previous day, and helped cover his bruises. When he saw me, he'd grabbed a second chocolate and handed it to me, blushing when I hugged him— it seemed I wasn't the only one thinking about yesterday.

Maegan didn't miss the shy glances and blushes and her eyes flickered between us suspiciously— I could basically see the wheels turning in her head.

"Hey," I mumbled, drawing back and smiling as I waved to Archie who smiled at me, an actual smile for the first time. It seemed he was more comfortable around me now, and that warmed my heart.

Logan's parents and siblings were occupying two rows of seats in the waiting area, and I had to smile at the sight; it must have been nice having such a big family. I sat aside him, handing my chocolate to Archie when I saw him staring.

Poppy began to laugh at him when he shyly took it from me, mumbling a thank you before he ran off to show Levi what he had. Maegan was sitting aside her and the two chatted as though they knew one another.