Unbearable (Unexpected Sequel)|✔️

69- Adios, Amigo

A r a b e l l a

The nightmares continued.

I thought I had them handled, but the stubborn images wouldn't leave my mind.

They varied all the time, but they always ended with Dean getting shot while looking directly at me. I swear my dreams weren't this intense when I was the one who got shot. I was waking up drenched in sweat and tears.

I was losing a lot of sleep.

"Bella, are you okay?" Jaz asked upon noticing how quiet I'd been during study hall.

"Obviously she's not. Her boyfriend got shot," Emma hissed before flashing a sympathetic smile my way. In fact, they were all looking at me with pity. I had vivid flashbacks to when Dean had broken up with me.

I hated this.

"I just remembered I need to speak to Reece. Promised him I'd stop by," I lied smoothly as I stuffed my things back into my backpack. They all slowly nodded before refocusing on their work that wasn't going to last. They'd be messing around by the end of the period.

Dylan followed me to the door and grabbed my arm when we were out of earshot. "You're not involved with any stupid gang plans are you?"

I cocked my head in confusion. "No?"

"Then why are you going to Reece? Last I remember, every time you did this you were scheming with them. Bella, if you are–"

"I'm going to talk to him about my nightmares," I blurted out. Hurt flashed across his features and I knew exactly why. He wanted me to talk to him. After all, he was one of my closest friends. It should've, and would've, been him if he could understand. "Look, Reece deals with this stuff all the time. He'll know exactly what to say to snap me out of it."

He softened, the hurt lessening. "You know I'm here for you, right?"

I nodded and gratefully smiled. "Of course. Why else do you think you're the only one who knows about all this stuff?"

He seemed satisfied with this. "Stay safe, okay?"

I snorted. "Safe? We're not having sex."

"I meant, don't do anything reckless," he said flatly. Oh. Right.

Once I was in the empty hallway, I had a sense of nostalgia running through me. It had been so long since I snuck out of 7th period to meet Reece and Skylar and talk about Mission Ben. It felt like it was just yesterday where I was handing out expensive cigars and going to places I shouldn't have been going to.

It was reckless and stupid, but also fun.

Oh, what I wouldn't do to see Ben again.

...You know, just to give him that coat back.

As I was walking to the locker room, it occurred to me that Reece didn't even know I'm coming. He could be busy for once... you know, teaching a class or whatever his job was. The timing would be real convenient considering he managed to stay free when it came to discussing the mission.

Once I reached the hallway that the locker rooms were in, I pulled out my phone to text Reece. The last thing I wanted was to be met with locked doors and be caught by a teacher. Detention was not something I wanted to have.

My phone beeped back with a reply seconds later.

Reece: sorry, I'm on the court with the class.

Reece: after school? me and you, coffee?

Reece: where we had our first date ;)