GHOST OF YOU | BWS

eight.

Monday. The idea of spending another day sitting on my ass listening to old professors makes me want to either drop out or shoot myself. Unfortunately, none of these options are available to me as I can't afford to let my parents drag my ass back to Southampton if I drop out, and dead me will not get to have revenge on the man who killed Charlie. So suck it up, buttercup as they say.

As I make my way out of class at lunch break, I notice that James isn't waiting for me at the door like he usually is. I quickly grab my phone to check if he had texted anything, but my screen is empty of notifications. Weird, I think as I send him a text asking if he's okay before starting to walk towards the cafeteria. I don't know why, but I can't help but worry about him. There's this part of me that cares about him, even if I know I shouldn't. Because what's the point? I'll be gone in a matter of weeks. Either dead or behind bars for murder. So why am I letting myself get attached to him? I push the thought away as I enter the crowded cafeteria, and stand in line for a good ten minutes before grabbing a plate of shepherd's pie and go sit at a table where I recognize people from one of my classes. I barely listen to their conversation, lost in my own thoughts. It's only when everyone around me goes quiet that I lift my head up and notice the five guys standing in front of me on the other side of the table. My heart skips a beat at the sight of the tattooed boys I've been waiting to hear from for a week now. Brad's glaring at me again, my pulse instantly pacing up as I remember what happened at the party this weekend. Do his friends know he took me home that night? I doubt it. Why did he even do that? I spent my whole Sunday thinking about it, trying to understand what the hell is going on in his brain, but I'm still clueless. One moment he's talking to me like I'm a child, threatening me, and even hurting me, and the next he's saving me from a sexual assault, and driving me home. What the hell is wrong with him? He seemed so mad that night, his hands gripping on the wheel, turning his knuckles white with the pressure. Why did he drive me home if he hates me that much? I just don't get it.

"Get the fuck out of here", Isaac says to my classmates. I can feel the entire cafeteria looking at our table, everyone holding their breath, some students already leaving quietly. My classmates look at me for a second, probably unsure whether or not to leave me alone with the gang, and I give them a reassuring smile.

"Go ahead, I'll meet you guys later", I say before the tattooed guys start losing their patience. My classmates stand up from their chair and leave without even thinking twice about it. As Isaac and his guys take a seat at the table and completely surround me, I notice the goosebumps on my arms and pull my sleeves down to hide them.

"So, Snow White, ready for your assignment?", Isaac asks me, looking straight into my eyes. Finally, back to business. If I do whatever they want me to do, I'll be able to meet Reggie. Well, that's if they keep their word, and I'm not really sure of that anymore, but what other option do I have? I don't answer and simply nod, Isaac's smirk quickly appearing on his lips. I listen in silence as Isaac starts telling me what the 'assignment' is, and how my only way to meet Reggie is to seduce the leader of their rival gang. "See, he took something from us, and we want it back", he says, and I notice Brad's stare turning into a frown.

"That's what you want her to do? Come on man, you can't possibly think she'd pull that off. Look at her, she can't fucking lie to save her life", he says, and I realize he didn't know Isaac's plans for me.

"She's gonna have to if she wants in", Isaac answers while staring at me.

"You're sending her to her death. There's no way Joaquin's gonna let her get to the stash", Brad says, making Isaac turn his head towards him.

"Why the fuck should I care if she dies?", Is answers, and my heart skips a beat. I can't die before I get to Reggie. I'll do whatever I have to, even if that means doing things that make me want to throw up just thinking about them.

"Yeah, why do you care what happens to her?", Thing One says to Brad, emphasizing the word 'you'. "Someone wants to fuck Snow Wh...", he starts to tease him but doesn't have time to finish that Brad's hand reaches for the back of his head and he slams it against the table, a loud bang echoing in the quiet cafeteria.

"Shut the fuck up, Elly", Brad says as the blond guy lifts his head up from the table, a hand reaching for his bleeding nose, and holding his head back to stop the blood from dripping everywhere.

"What the fuck, dude", he says but doesn't do anything about it, clearly scared of Brad.

"I'll do it", I say before the situation gets worse, bringing everyone's attention back to me. Isaac's smirk is back as he stares at me with a satisfied look on his face.

"Did you hear that?", he says to Brad whose jaw clenches at the sound of Isaac's words. "If the lady's willing to do it, who are we to deny her of the opportunity?", he adds before turning his face back to me. "You're not gona fuck this up, are you?", he asks, and I know I don't have a choice in the answer. Because the truth is, I can't fuck it up. If I do, that guy Joaquin will kill me, and if he doesn't then Isaac will. Again, I don't answer and simply shake my head negatively. "See, I knew Snow White wouldn't disappoint", he says, making Thing Two and Red Hair guy laugh while Thing One is too busy trying to stop the bleeding from his nose to pay attention to the conversation.

"If I get the info you're looking for, I'm in, right? I want your word", I say, pointlessly trying to convince myself I can trust a gang of drug dealers. Isaac stares at me for a few seconds, not saying a word, before he finally says: "Yeah, you'll be one of us", making Brad growl next to him. I can see him looking at me as if I made the worst decision of my life, but I ignore him. Whatever he thinks of me, he's wrong. He doesn't know me, and doesn't know I have nothing to lose anymore. I'll get them the address of where their precious stash is, and they'll get me to Reggie. It's that simple. Isaac doesn't wait any longer and gets up, quickly imitated by Thing One, Thing Two and Red Hair guy, and they start making their way out of the cafeteria. The few pairs of curious eyes that were looking at us quickly look down at the floor as they walk past them, not willing to take their chances with the tattooed guys. My eyes narrow as I look at Brad standing on the opposite side of the table, staring at me as if I'm the most stupid person on earth.

"You just signed your own death warrant", he says just as Isaac screamed his name from the other side of the cafeteria. Brad gives me a last look before turning towards the door and starts walking towards his friends. I refrain myself from throwing my plate at his head, and instead grab my bag and leave in the direction of my apartment. I can't be bothered with a full afternoon of classes today. I am so close to my goal, I can almost feel it. In only a question of days now, I will have my revenge on Reggie. But first, I need to seduce the hell out of that Joaquin dude, and I won't let anything stop me this time.