"One thing I learnt in life early is: If you want something done well, do it yourself." -Storm and silence.

*

There was only one thing to do.

Tell my mom about Chase, hopefully, she'd understand, hopefully. I crossed my fingers and walked downstairs, my mother was drunk and on the couch sleeping heavily, I didn't want to wake her, since she looked comfortable and I'm pretty sure if I did she'd be annoyed. so I respected her privacy and walked to the kitchen to get a midnight snack. 

Oreo.

I smiled in delight, then my phone chimed and I prayed to God it wouldn't be who I thought it was. I closed my eyes hard and sweat prickled my skin. It was from Avery?

How'd she get my number, that's odd. I waste no time in reading it. 'Netball tournament tomorrow, if you're late we leave without you be warned, details of the match below...' 

I read the details and heave a sigh. I'm scared of this match it's my first and Avery and her friends have been playing for a while now, I don't think I'm ready as I'll ever be. I close the screen and head back to my bed.

What scares me most is losing the ones I love and cherish. That my friends is my fear. I can't even think of Chase hurting my family. I swear that I won't give in to that darkness again the fear of taunt and mutual hatred shredding me into tiny strips of paper.

I sleep the night and cover my quilt around me, sleeping in some kind of abyss, where everything drifts my mind from one place to another.

***

I head to my locker and get some books out. Then I hear a familiar, annoying voice call my name. "Hey!" Megan strikes me with a hug, her Scarlett hair cascades above her shoulders as she smiles at me. Tara and Sasha arrive, they all smile. If only they knew what danger was heading our way...

"Hey, guys, what's up?" I smile nervously, I close my locker after being satisfied with my books for today.

"don't give me that, where were you yesterday running off like that, you always spend time with Adrian are you two a 'thing' now?" Meg frowns, but the others nod along in anticipation. I feel my cheeks redden but hide my cheeks with my books.  I heave a sigh and shake my head. "he's racing and its illegal I don't know why though." I shrug. They all laugh, their eyes struck with amusement. I am baffled what now?

"Adrian, Tyler and Luke are bad boys, after all, they always do that." Tara clarifies. I seemed confused. "What do you mean?" 

Megan slithers her arm over my shoulder and chuckles. She points over at Adrian who is talking with Avery and they seem to be getting along now. I feel a tang of jealousy, it's normal as every girl would feel that. "Ask him yourself." She walks off with the girls they wink at me and leave. Friends, much?!

I shrug off any feelings, keeping a neutral face.  "Hey, Adrian." I smile politely. Adrian smiles and hugs me. "Oh hey, Aurella." He says my fake name. If only I heard him say my real name. Lizbeth.

"What's up?" he asks. Abery averts her eyes towards me, her face as sneery as ever as she talks to her friends, Rachel and Sara. But I still feel her sharp gaze on me.

"nothing much," I say, a few cheerleaders go by and talk loudly amongst each other. "Can you believe her, she's so annoying." Linda a cheerleader who's close with Avery. The two exchange hugs and smile pleasantly.

"Avery when's the tournament?" Linda asks. Rachel looks at her with anger. "Linda you stole my test when are you returning it!" She exclaims. Adrian and I exchange an amused look as Avery's rivals battle out.

Linda chuckles, her brown hair framing her being. "Soon, I promise." She then walks off blowing kisses to Rachel who looks disappointed running along with Sara.

It's just me, Adrian and the witch.

"so.." Avery attends to me. "are you coming to our first tournament?" Her question strikes not only me but Adrian, who she's fond of.

Rumors had it they used to be a thing, but Avery had a reputation of being Queen B she dated several other guys, Adrian felt betrayed so he kept her only as a friend. She regrets it and still tries to collect his attention but everyone knows she fails with bad boys like Adrian. We have a school blog, thanks to Sara, Avery's friend who Avery doesn't mind writing all these things on it. only our school knows it has a passcode foe students in our school only.

"Yes, as I'm unfortunately playing." I blunt. She keeps her eyes at Adrian. "And you?" She asks.

He shrugs and looks at me waiting for my response? "y-y each he's d-definitely going with me." I state smiling at her goofily.

She nods and Saunters away, but nobody could miss the look of anger in her eyes. Adrian looks at me. " Do you mind me coming?" He asks, his gaze meeting mine. I smile my eyes glistening with warmth, "of course."

His demeanour is calm as he rakes a hand through his crispy, silk-like hair. "cool."

we head to science class and for once I enjoyed it with the company of my friends. 

***

It's the tournament now and I'm in the changing rooms, changing into my kit. We're playing against SilverBridge Hugh, and they look tough. But our captain who goes by the name of Avery West will give it her all and is now giving us a lecture of what not to do and to do. "Were beavers and we are proud we will not let Eagles drag us down!" She chants, we all nod and starts warming up.

Then our coach comes and encourages us. "Come on guys show me the way of the beaver... you can do this." He says his face grimacing at me, who I'm very much scared for my life.

Everyone in both high schools sits on the bleachers and I notice my friends there, cheering my name. It's netball come on. This game is strict so they have umpires and referees with cards. The two teams, home, which is us, and away, which is the others start on the courts. 

We start the game and pass the ball around the centre. Avery pushes me off the side as she follows the movement of which the ball, is heading. I feel my knee graze against the rocks. "What kind of teammate would push her own like that?" The away team ask, two girls from Silverbridge high, smile kindly at me and walk off. If you knew who Avery was, then yeah, you'd know.

I notice a person who catches my eye, and suddenly my heartbeat increases rapidly. My hands become clammy, someone throws the ball at me without my being noticing, I fall with a thud and groan. "She's too good for nothing! Get up," Avery exclaims.

I shake my head and runoff, the ref blows the whistle for a quick break, but I just run, run and run. I hear my name being called but I ignore as the tears slip my eyes.

I head into the school, falling against my lockers.

"Audie!" Adrian seems alarmed as he embraces me with a hug. He wipes my tears away and orders for me to look at him. But I refuse, only causing his anger to blow, Adrian is horrified when he gets angry. I feel like he'll be consumed by darkness if he doesn't stop.

"Look at me!" He orders, his voice hoarse and sharp. I do so, my eyes looking at his, which shows darkness, it completely radiates off of him.

"Who did this to you?" He asks, looking carefully at my frame. Adrian can only know when I'm hurting, it's he who gives me light when I shed tears. I wonder who he really is? He sees,s understandable with this so I wonder if he went through pain and heartbreak before.

"No one," I answer, keeping an impassive face. He shows remorse and he looks perplexed. "Not good enough, someone obviously did this to you, so who the f*ck was it?" He says loudly.

"I'm sorry I can't tell you yet, only I know and I prefer for it to stay this way," I say, nonchalantly, wiping the last drop of tears and rising from the ground. The pain in my ribs still ache, but I'll take aspirin later, to soothe it.

"Aurella.." His voice is husky and calm now. "I promise not to tell, you trust me, don't you?"

I'm not sure how to respond, so I don't.

I walk off, but he prevents me from going, tugging on my arm. "I trust you'll tell me soon." Is all he says before I walk off.

***

The match was over and we won. Avery still despises the fact I fled like a "coward" by her choice of words, but I had no choice Chase was there.

Did he go to Silverbridge Hugh, now?

Even if he did, I still have to be alarmed by my surroundings.

I couldn't even tell Adrian the truth. 'Do you trust me?'

Oh, Adrian. I do, I really do, but I don't want you involved in protecting you from my worst nightmares. I have inner demons fighting me, and I can't let you face them. This turmoil of hate and dread still confuses me. But I have to stay strong.

I eat my cold dinner in silence; my mother away elsewhere, not even aware our nightmares have once again come to haunt us.

But this time I have to be the brave one, I have to fight them off.

'Lizbeth, one day there will be light and darkness colliding in an empty battle full of nothing but hate. But you will be the love and passion for one who pretended their caressity for the lifelong dream.' My mother told me when I was 15, I always kept it in mind but what does it mean?

*

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WHta do you think of Adrian and Avery's past and bhaviour, do you think they'll get together?

I like the course of this story :D