This Life Of Ours

Chapter 24

Chris stayed in a bathroom stall, deciding to wait there for the whole night until he got the new vest. He didn't want Clary to see him like this, as it would definitely get her even more pissed at him. Sitting on a toilet cover, inside a stall, he sighed.

"Can't believe I got myself into this mess." He chuckled, and said, "Literally and metaphorically."

He continued. "Come on mom, why'd you have to go out tonight? I could've gotten another vest if I had a car."

Suddenly, the bathroom door opened, and a man spoke.

"Come our wherever you are, Hollins! The boss wants to see you!" A raspy voice echoed through the bathroom.

"Shit." Chris thought, as his eyes widened. He raised his feet up to hide from them.

"You can't hide forever! We know you're here!" A second voice shouted.

There was no way out. This bathroom didn't have any windows (probably for those players who wanted to run away or any spectators that decided the game was not good). He rubbed his knuckles. He had to fight his way out.

He waited as the two goons moved towards the end of the bathroom. He could also make a run for it, but he expected the thugs to catch him afterwards.

Surprisingly, they didn't go to the end, and instead stayed right by his stall. By the looks of it, they were going to bust down the door.

"Not if I break it down first," Chris thought. He raised his foot and kicked down the stall door, breaking it off its hinges.

"Ah shit!" One of the goons screamed.

The door was now diagonal, blocking access to the bathroom door. Chris jumped over towards the door and swiftly got out of the bathroom. He let out a sigh of relief.

Just then, he felt a hand grab his shoulder. He spun around and swung his fist for a hook, but missing his target.

"Jesus Christ," Marina exclaimed, "you could've hit me!"

He looked at her on the ground crouching. She had dodged out of  the way before a serious injury, and Clary getting more pissed at him.

"Sorry, sorry." He said.

Marina grumbled, and proceeded to stand up. "What the hell happened?" She asked. "And how'd you get your vest dirty?" Marina questioned him.

"Long story short, Gene knows I'm here."

"Wha- Gene knows- I thought you didn't see her earlier?"

"Oh crap." It was almost like he meant to tell Marina he was working with Genevieve.

"Uhm... well, as a boyfriend, I believe her." Chris lied.

"What do you mean she knows you're here?"

"Uh, she knows my group and I personally."

"What-"

"No time to explain. Can you just tell Clary some goons tried to jump me?"

Marina sighed. "Why can't you tell her?"

"She's on the brink of ripping me to shreds. I feel like if I showed myself right now, I'd be sent to the pits of hell."

"Fine. I'll go tell her." Marina walked away.

Chris sighed. "Where is that vest?"

•••••

Hayley grips the wheel tighter as she drives through the Forest of Light, as they called the bright, orange forest in the morning. In the evening, ironically, it gets as dark as the night sky, lights only coming from the headlights of Hayley's car.