It All Started With A Text

Chapter 16 - Get out!

I recoiled from how bluntly he said that. A bad person? What does that even mean? My hand slipped away from his and I looked down at my lap. 

"What do you mean, Blake?" I asked, I couldn't look him in the eyes right now. 

"Birdie, I promise I won't hurt you. I used to run with some very bad people. Rich, bad people and they've come back to get me. So that I can help their 'business' grow. My family - how do you think we can afford that house?"

I sat there silently trying to process the information I  had just been told. He noticed that I wasn't planning on saying anything so he continued.

"I know it's a lot to take in, Birdie, but please know that I don't want to do it -"

"Wait, you said you'd help them?" I looked at him angrily, his eyes widened in surprise as I cut him off mid-sentence. He nodded at me, almost as if he was scared to speak. Fear fuelled my emotions as I stood up and opened the door.

"Get. Out." Two words whispered in anger to the criminal laying on my bed. 

He stood up and came over to me, his eyes were glazed with tears. "Please, Birdie, don't say anything to anyone about this." He placed his hand on my arm as if he was pleading with me. I pushed it off and moved away.

"Don't call me that ever again." I pushed through the door and closed it behind him. What a day. I sat on the bed as I was trying to stop my mind from spinning. Laying down, something pressed against my back. I pulled back the sheet and the culprit was a Biology book, Blake's biology book.

"Fuck." I whispered, I'm going to have to give it back but how? I don't want to see him. I can't ask the boys because they'll be all 'I told you so'. I'll have to mail it. 

I ran down the stairs, shouting to my mother that I was going to the post office.

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"That'll be £5 please." The clerk said with an obviously fake smile. I took the note out of my purse and handed it over. What a rip-off. "Thank you. Next."

I walked out of the post office and bumped into a tall stranger. "Sorry!" I squealed. 

The tall stranger turned around. Wow. He was tall and chiselled - a little older than me. He was all in black and had deep blue eyes. His face was like stone and he was clearly less than impressed.

"Watch where you're going." He barked, clearly thinking he had some authority. I huffed and turned around, starting to walk away. He shouted after me, "Hey, you wouldn't know a Blake Thompson would you?" I stopped in my tracks. Blake? He caught up to me and shook my hand.

"I'm Leon. You want to grab a drink?" He asked genuinely.

I nodded, intrigued why he wanted or even knew about Blake. For some reason I had this instinct to protect him as if he needed shielding. I shook his hand, "I'm Sasha." He smiled, what a glorious smile. We walked into a little town cafe and ordered, he ordered black coffee whereas I had some hot chocolate. Being a gentleman he paid for our drinks and we sat in a booth near the window. We made small talk for a while and when conversation died, he asked again..

"So, do you know Blake Thompson?" He never broke eye contact with me while talking.

"I'm guessing you already know the answer to that question." I said, why else would I have taken him up on coffee? 

He chuckled softly, "Smart." 

"So, why do you ask?" I questioned. He tensed slightly when I asked.

"We went to the same school together and I heard he moved here. I wanted to catch up with him and I guessed that he would have had the most gorgeous girl in town on his arm." He winked, but you could tell he was just trying to charm his way through my question. I rolled my eyes. 

"Don't be daft, I'm not on his arm. I know him but we're nothing more than friends."

"So, can you point me in the right direction?" He asked and I was confused, in the right direction to Blake's house? After what he had told me this morning? No way.

"I don't know if he would appreciate that."

"Maybe you can ask him to meet me?"

I nodded and he took my phone. He was pressing some buttons and then he slid it across the table back to me. I picked up the unlocked phone and saw that he had put his number in it saved under 'Skully'. That's a strange nickname. 

"Text me when you get him to meet me. I've got to dash, speak soon." As soon as he had got up, he had gone through the door. That was so strange. 

I picked up my phone and dialled Blake. After what felt like forever, he answered.

"Sash? I thought you didn't want anything to do with me anymore."

This wasn't the tome to get involved with our old argument again, "I met a friend of yours."

"Who?"

"He said his name was Leon." His breath hitched and he didn't answer for a while. "Blake?"

Through gritted teeth, "What did he want?" 

"At first, your address - which I didn't give, but he wants to meet with you."

He laughed dryly.

"I've got his number for you - he saved it under Skully, does that mean anything to you?"

"What?" He whispered.

"Skully." I answered irritated. 

"The nerve of some people." I could almost feel him shaking his head through the phone. 

"What's going on Blake?" I needed answers

"Sash, he's no friend of mine. He is one of the people I told you about this morning." He stopped and paused.

"And he's coming for me."