Lost in the Game {Brollins}

| Chapter 3 |

Rebecca slowly stepped out of the shadows with a small smirk on her face.

Although she typically didn't partake in violence in front of a crowd, she didn't mind creating some chaos on the outskirts, where she's out of sight from others. She lived for the adrenaline, it fuelled her and helped her control her aggression in places where she'd face repercussions if she acted the way she did in the shadows.

The typical saying is, "I'm a lover, not a fighter." But Rebecca was the complete opposite, she couldn't care for love, but she couldn't live without some anarchy. Although through it all, both she and her friends know she wouldn't hesitate to fight for who she considered family.

She made her way over to Thomas slowly, analyzing her best way to approach this. She wanted to get the money from him for Mercedes, but she also wanted to inflict the most pain in the shortest amount of time.

She walked up to him, looking up due to his height advantage and gave Mercedes one last look for approval. Mercedes nodded and leaned against the emergency exit doors, waiting for Rebecca to finish the job.

Rebecca stared straight into his eyes, without an ounce of fear, "Last chance, big boy." Rebecca let her smirk become more prominent, as the adrenaline began flowing and she prepared herself.

Thomas looked over at Mercedes and laughed, "Really? Raggedy Anne is your plan?"

"He's got jokes!" Rebecca let out a laugh and nodded, glancing over at Mercedes and then bringing her focus back to him. The grin that was plastered on her face slowly faded as she kept her eyes locked on Thomas, and he watched her face go completely blank. 

"You should not have said that." Mercedes shook her head with a slight smile, "If you didn't know what you were getting into before, you definitely will now."

Rebecca quickly swung her fist and it forcefully connected with his face. He immediately dropped his joint and shakily brought his hands up to his cheek and nose, clenching his jaw with a pure look of shock. Before he could say anything or react any further, Rebecca kneed him in the groin. She kept her knee pressed against him as he crumpled lower, knees buckling, and losing his balance. He let out a groan filled with agony, and Rebecca reached for her boot that was raised due to the position of her knee. She then grabbed the box cutter she kept in her army boot with her free hand. She dropped her knee and slammed his head against the back wall while shoving his shoulder and holding it there. With her other hand, she held the now open box cutter against his neck, hard enough to get the threat across.

"Hand the money over." Rebecca kept her voice scarily even and calm, trying to make sure the overwhelming adrenaline didn't get the best of her.

Thomas wiped some blood away from his nose in a clear state of shock and nodded. Rebecca let him go and watched him crash onto the ground. "Try anything and I'll let her kill you." Mercedes piped up from behind them, walking closer to the scene.

Thomas quickly scrambled around and reached in his pockets, grabbing a wad of cash and chucking it towards them. Rebecca picked it up off the ground and handed it to Mercedes, keeping her eyes on Thomas the entire time, still being cautious in case he tried anything.

"We're good." Mercedes stashed the cash in her purse and threw Thomas a pack of wet wipes. "You should really clean yourself up, blood isn't a good look on you."

With that, Mercedes flipped her hair and walked towards the other hallway, stopping at the doors and waiting for Rebecca to collect her abandoned bag. She watched Rebecca slip the box cutter back into her boot and sling her bag across her shoulder.

The two left the scene and made their way back over to the other girls. The others were still conversing in the same spot by Rebecca's locker and Pamela seemed to brighten up at the sight of them coming back.

Mercedes walked towards the two a little quicker than Rebecca, "Hey girls. Apologies, business is never without some setbacks." Mercedes let out a small smile towards the two, waved to Ashley, and hugged Pamela. Other than Pamela, the others weren't big fans of hugs, but for her, there was a small exception.

"It's fine, we get it." Rebecca was surprised at Ashley's statement, typically she gets bent out of shape when Mercedes and her business infiltrate their hangout time. So Rebecca assumed Pamela spoke to her about it while they were gone.

Pamela let out a smile but it quickly dimmed when she looked at Rebecca and down at her hand. "Becca," she spoke quietly, looking down at the floor, "Your hand."

Rebecca quickly looked down and realized some blood had dried on her knuckles. She couldn't tell if it was from Thomas or if she hit him so hard she cut her knuckles open and it was her own.

"It's fine, don't worry about it." She looked at Pamela and shoved her hand in her pocket, remembering how Pamela worried constantly, especially when it came to Rebecca doing dangerous things for Mercedes. She let out a small smile in hopes of reassuring Pamela, "I'm going to the bathroom. See you guys during lunch?"

The three girls nodded and started making their way to their classes as Rebecca made her way over to the first-floor bathroom.