LOGINNathan
The loud music booming from my speaker seemed to clear my thoughts for a bit. As I lay on my bed with my eyes closed, I allow myself to feel at ease with the hard rock gothic music.
This short moment of peace was interrupted by a knock on my door. Without waiting for a response, my old man let himself in. "How are you doing ol' champ?"
I say nothing. Father didn't seem to get the message as he continued with whatever message he had to relay. "I just wanted to let you know that Eliana and her daughter are already here incase you want to go down and say hi to them"
With that said, Father close my room door as my eyes springed opened instantly. Alighting from my bed, I move over to the window where I see 'Number four' and her daughter walking through the house front lawn.
"They aren't going to last long here anyways so why should I greet them?" I muttered.
But why did Dad had to pick up a woman with a kid this time?.
"That's none of my business" I conclude. Moving away from the window, I turned off the music as I pull out my phone to text my friends, Marcus, Aiden, Gray and Gejeel in our group chat asking if any of them was down for a smoke.
Aiden responded first; stating that he was already in the school's 'smoke area' to which I let him know that I would join him shortly.
Picking up my cigarette pack and pocketing it into my jeans pack pocket, I quickly make my way down the stairs to avoid bumping into 'Number four and co' but her daughter just had to bump into me first.
My anger and irritation heightened when she had the guts to ask me what I was doing here in my own home.
Grabbing her wrist, I turn the tables around. "I should be asking you that question; who are you and what are you doing in my home?"
Eliana, her mother quickly steps in- between us."Pardon Abigail, Nathan. She hasn't met you or your father yet before"
"It doesn't matter" I cut Eliana sharply while narrowing my eyes at 'Abigail'. "Don't ever speak to me that way again"
Letting go of her wrist, I continue towards the main door as Eliana yells out after me. "Would you be back for dinner?. I'll be cooking my signature dish"
I halt, squeezing my fist as hard as I could; trying to suppress my anger. Turning slightly to face Eliana, I say. "Eliana, was it?"
"Yes" She replies with a smile.
"Don't push your luck, Eliana and don't get too comfortable here. You won't be here that long anyways. Now, if you'll excuse me"
Stepping out of the house, I decide that I couldn't wait until I get to the school's 'smoke area' as I pull out a cigarette from it's pack, lit it up and take in heavy puff.
Exhaling, smoke oozes out of my mouth as I suddenly start to feel calm. When I'd reached the 'smoke area', Aiden yells at me. "Hey, I was waiting for you so that we could smoke together. No fair!"
I take in another heavy puff of cigar. "I couldn't help it. I was about to loose my mind in that damn house"
Aiden scowled in disgust. "You have the hots for old ladies now?"
Aiden throws his cigarette butt at me. "Don't be silly. I'm talking about the daughter not her mother"
"That's even worse. Her daughter is a down-to-earth nerd. If I was to pick one; I'd screw the mother"
"Don't let your father hear that" A third voice says, joining us as Gajeel makes his presence known. He strides in with a big bottle of booze."Remind me again why we smoke and drink on school grounds?"
"Because that's the fun in it" I stress out. "Where's the fun in breaking the rules if we're not getting caught?"
"We are 18" Another voice says, joining us. It was Gray and he was holding four shot glasses."We're literally doing nothing wrong"
"The story would have been different if we weren't in school grounds" Aiden clarifies. "Now pour us some shots"
Gray put down the glasses as Gejeel opens the wine bottle. "So, what did I miss so far?"
"Nothing much" Gajeel responds. "Just Nathan talking about how he'd screw his father's new woman"
I throw my cigarette butt at Gajeel. "I didn't say that technically. I was just citing an instance for comparison"
Gajeel chuckles. "Oops, my bad. Sorry". That fucker. I know he wasn't sorry though.
Gejeel hands us each a glass. "Then pray tell what this 'instance' is"
"All Nathan meant to say was that 'Number four's' daughter isn't attractive." Aiden says, coming to my rescue. "Let it go, Gajeel"
"Really?" Gajeel inquires. "Finally someone to take 'Abigail Holden's' place, I suppose?"
I froze. Despite the coincidence of whomsoever Gajeel has just mentioned, I didn't want to hear That name. But still, my curiosity got the best of me. "Abigail Holden?"
"Yeah. She's the school 'most unattractive nerd' "Aiden clarifies. "I'm not surprised you aren't aware of her existence. You only care about us and the girls your screw"
I stretch out my empty glass shot at Gray for a refill as I acknowledge Aiden. "And do you have a picture of this 'Abigail' ?"
Aiden chuckled as if I'd asked him one of the stupidest questions. "Of course I do. Just a sec"
Pulling out his phone, I watch as Aiden scrolls through his gallery. My attention returs to Gray as he hands over a filled glass back to me.
"Found it!" Aiden yells, bursting out with laughter like a maniac.
As I empty the drink in my glass, Aiden shoves his phone screen right into my face. "This is Abigail"
Looking at his screen with the side of my eyes, I stilled then spat out the drink in my mouth. "Holy Fuck
Please let it not be Ricky. Please let it not be Ricky.
I prayed, afra!" lits up his own cigarette butt. "I take it 'Number four' moved in today"
"With her daughter"
Aiden hollered with laughter. "Is she hot?"
POV: Abigail“Ah—!”The sound rips out of me as someone grabs me from behind and my voice shakes as I’m being pulled backward.My shoes scrape against the gravel and my heart jumps hard in my chest.I kick my legs, but the hand around my waist tightens while another hand covers my mouth.I try to scream again, but all that comes out is a muffled, and shaky sound.My back hits something solid and I feel crates behind me, blocking any chance of me escaping.I twist and try to yank myself free, but the grip is too strong.“Calm down,” a voice whispers in my ear and my whole body freezes.I know this voice.I know it even through my fear.The hands drop away from my mouth, and the person pulls me deeper into the dark space behind the crates.I stumble as he pushes me toward the shadows.“Luca?” I whisper.He steps into the small amount of light behind us, and his face appears.He looks shaken, angry, and tired all at once. His chest rises and falls fast, like he ran all the way here.“Wha
Abigail's POVI shuffle closer, squinting, trying to see, when a hand covers my mouth from behind.I inhale, somewhere between a gasp and getting the wind knocked out of me, as an arm wraps around my waist and yanks me backward.I kick up the gravel with my heels and I flail, hands grasping nothing. "You're not supposed to be here," a voice-which isn't my voice but sounds like my voice-whispers, and this time I imagine how its breath must smell.It's not Nathan - I'd recognize his voice anywhere.My eyes blur as I'm dragged back into the darkness, not knowing who is behind me or what he or she wants.I couldn't shout as whoever it was prevented me from doing so.I'm I in danger? "Shhhh!" The fellow cautioned and placed a finger on his or her lips.Although it was dark, but I could connect the shadows of this figure.This was definitely a girl before me, even though she was putting on a big shirt-a hood."Claire?" The name slipped out of my mouth-my voice barely above a whisper.I sai
Abigail's povI am hunched in Nathan's closet, breathing slow and shallow, the must of old clothes heavy in the air.My heart thumps so loud that I'm certain he can hear it as his footsteps creak closer.The door to his room creaks open, and I look through the narrow beam of light that runs between the closet door and the door frame.Nathan's silhouette blocks the doorway, his shoulders stiff, his strides quick.Him muttering to himself, words I can't quite make out, but his voice is so agitated, I shiver. Fix this. Gotta fix this.He walks to his desk and yanks open the drawer where I discovered the burner phone.My hand tightens on a coat, hoping he doesn't see anything wrong.He picks up the phone, turns it on, dials, his back to me. "Gajeel," he hisses, low and biting."You're going to want to control this.She's asking a lot of questions, and if she messes anything up, I swear - "My stomach lurches.Is he talking about me? Or Claire? Whoever it is, Gajeel and his buddy, says som
Abigails povMy heart is pounding as I wait outside the school, Nathan's words ringing in my ears.You don't know the half of it, Abigail. Let me explain. I should leave, I should keep running from him and the mess he's pulled me into, but my feet are firmly planted, the veil of my curiosity fluttering in the wind.Fine. I will listen to what he has to say but not here, not where his stupid friends might turn up and make everything worse."No," I say, a bit more grumpily than I mean to. There's a coffee shop down the street. We can talk there."Nathan raises an eyebrow, but he doesn't argue. "Lead the way, princess."I clench my teeth at the name and twist, striding towards the coffee shop.The air is cool in late afternoon, but my skin is too hot, my nerves buzzing with each step.I hate that he's back there, likely smirking, likely thinking he's got me right where he wants me.I am not doing this for him - I am doing it for answers, for Luca's sister, for the truth.The smell of roa
Abigails povMy heart thuds against my chest as I step backwards, my lips still stinging from Nathan's kiss.The air in the kitchen is too thick, too heavy, and his dark eyes are still connected with mine, their heat challenging me to respond.I push him with all my might, meeting his chest with my palms, and run for the steps before he can speak again.My feet thud on the hardwood, the speed of my pounding steps a lose hope to outpace the chaos swirling between my temples-guilt, and rage.It's horrible, it's wrong and I hate myself for it.I get to my room, slam the door, and fumble to lock it with shaking hands.My body aches against the wood, and I lower myself down to sit on the floor, hugged into a ball with my knees to my chest.I suck in quick, hasty breaths as I follow him out. How could I let this happen?Nathan, of all people - mean Nathan, manipulative Nathan, who cackled about destroying Luca's sister, who doesn't care about anyone but himself.And still, when his mouth to
Abigail's POVMy fingers tremble slightly as I hold my phone, staring at the missed calls from my mom.My stomach knots with dread.Had the principal told her?Had he called her and told her that her daughter-who she trusted to be responsible-was suspended from school?Swallowing hard, I tap on her contact and press the phone to my ear, holding my breath as it rings."Abigail, sweetheart!" Mom's voice is light, cheerful, and immediately, i feel my chest loosen.She doesn't know.I exhale slowly, forcing my voice to sound normal. "Hey, Mom.""I was starting to think you were ignoring me," she teases."Ricky and I just got to the hotel. The view here is gorgeous. I can't wait to show you pictures."I close my eyes, floods of relief washing over me. "That's... great, Mom. I'm glad you made it safely."She hums happily. "Are you doing okay? How's everything at home?" she asks.I hesitate.The memories of today flash through my mind-Nathan's disgusting words, the slap, Luca's rage, the vi







