Unedited

***TRIGGER WARNING***

This chapter contains certain views that may be upsetting. If at any point it makes you uncomfortable, please skip ahead to the next part, which will summarize what happened in this chapter.

I laid down on my bed, repeatedly tossing a tennis ball up in the air and catching it. Another jewel had been stolen-alexandrite this time. Three jewels have already been stolen. Two more jewels to finish the key, and who knows what other things are going to be snatched. I've gotta get this guy.

A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts. "Allie, it's me. Open up." My eyes automatically rolled as I heard the nickname.

I opened the door and leaned against the doorframe. "What's up?"

Brandon looked me over, before seemingly refocusing. "Allie, why don't you let Rachel in on your case? The girl hasn't been doing well in her classes lately, and tagging along on a case like this would give her some much needed extra credit."

I straightened and scowled at him. "Oh, you talked with Rafe and Rachel. So, did Carrot Top cry like a baby after I pulled her out of her delusions for a minute?"

"Wait, you were the one who made her so upset? How could you do that to her?"

"Excuse me? How could I do that to her? More like how could she do that to Bee. The girl had an affair with my best friend's boyfriend. Sorry if that makes her a snake in my eyes."

"So she fell for a guy. So what? You can't blame the girl. If anything, it's Rafe's fault."

"You think I don't know that? Rafe is currently number one on my shit list. Rachel is number two. And anyone who cheats, anyone who would intentionally hurt someone who cares about them that much, is automatically an asshole in my eyes. No questions asked."

Brandon scoffed. "Oh really? Then how do you live with yourself, running around with Victor behind my back? Don't think I don't know what's going on."

I gave him my patented what-the-bloody-hell-are-you-talking-about look. "Have you been listening to the Toxic Two? Do you trust two vipers more than you trust your own girlfriend?"

"Apparently I can't trust my own girlfriend! Tell me the truth, are you sleeping with Victor?"

"No! I would never cheat on you. I wouldn't do that." What was he even-

Brandon looked away. "No? Then what would you do? Because Rafe told me that when you called him to your room, Victor was lounging on the bed as if he had been in your room before. He told me you and Victor were chatting and laughing in the gym, looking super comfortable, as if you'd known each other forever. He told me you only went after Rachel because she started poking into your and Victor's relationship."

I grabbed his face and forced him to look at me. "I promise you, I am not cheating on you with anyone. Look into my eyes. Can't you see that I'm not lying to you?" His eyes were blank, emotionless.

"No. I can't." Brandon walked away. He needs some space. I'll go find him later, and we'll patch this up. It'll be okay. We'll be fine. I couldn't tell if I was trying to reassure myself, or convince myself. I sighed, and headed to the gym to work out my frustration.

I taped my hands, and started going at a punching bag.

BAM. Why can't he trust me?

BAM. Why does he have to listen to those two scumbags?

BAM. Why does he think two liars are more trustworthy than me?

BAM. I guess he has a point, since we've only been dating for two months anyways.

BAM. But even then, it seemed like he was supporting their relationship.

BAM. Why does it seem like he supports cheating?

I stopped the punching bag mid-swing. I shouldn't be thinking like this. I should go talk to him, and we'll figure this out. I untaped my hands and left the gym to search for Brandon.

I searched the halls and eventually paused outside the mess hall when I heard voices inside. Strange. Nobody should be in there right now. Wait, that's Brandon's voice. And I think that's Rachel and Rafe. Instead of walking in to see what they were up to like a normal person, I decided to eavesdrop. Because why not.

Brandon was saying, "She didn't admit to cheating. You know, if she only told me the truth, I would've accepted it, and her."

Rachel replied, "Maybe she's trying to protect Victor?"

I could hear the anger in Brandon's voice when he said, "Well I'm going to beat him up regardless of whether she admits to it or not." Ha, I'd like to see you try.

Rafe then asked, "Wait, aren't you mad at Alex, too?"

Brandon immediately said, "No, she's just a girl, and doesn't know better."

Excuse me? I held back from giving him a piece of my mind. Brandon kept digging himself into a deeper and deeper hole. "Women are naturally deceptive, so I understand why she would hide running around with Victor. Of course, I will punish her soon, but not yet. It's refreshing to see her running around deluding herself into thinking she's as good as us men. I'm not ready to shatter that illusion just quite yet." The only thing that's gonna be shattered is his skull. Why isn't Rachel saying anything?

Rachel asked, "So, when are you going to teach her her place?" I'm going to slap that girl silly.

Rafe replied, "We're working on it. Thank god your father raised you right, Rachel. It was a pain in the neck to give Bee that lesson."

Brandon agreed, "Yeah, it was hard to get the timing right on that. I just don't know why she overreacted like that. It's only natural for men to deviate a little bit, but we can be trusted since we have more self control."

Rachel said, "It's a shame not everyone was raised the right way like us three. I'm so happy your father got custody of you when your parents divorced, Brandon. Your mother probably would've told you people like me and Rafe are horrible people, but that's not true. We simply see the world as it is-a world where males are superior, and women are only useful for fulfilling our more carnal desires and popping out babies."

I had snuck into the room by this point and grabbed a metal tray from a table. The trio was so wrapped up in their conversation, they didn't notice me as I walked up behind Brandon. They were all facing the fishtank, watching the fish dart around the underwater plants.

I raised the tray and brought it down on Brandon's head as hard as I could. Oh look, a dent. I always knew he was hardheaded.

Brandon collapsed in a heap, and I loomed over him. "Yeah, we're over." I looked over at Rafe and Rachel. "Rafe, your aunt and uncle did a shitty job of raising you. Rachel, I don't know about your personal life, nor do I care to know about it. You disgust me."

I stalked out of the mess hall towards the gym, where I went at the punching bag, letting the feel of hitting something chip away at my rage.

Once I felt like I could see other people without punching them in the face, regardless of who they were, I went to the infirmary to get my hands taken care of. I hadn't taped my hands again, so my knuckles were raw and bruised, and some of the skin had split.

The nurse bandaged up my hands, all the while muttering to herself about fighters with no regard for their own wellness and how they should put their ego away and take care of their health rather than their reputation. I left the infirmary, promising not to get into any fights until my hands healed.

I flopped on my bed and grabbed my phone, browsing social media. As I was scrolling through Pinterest, a Rule Book notification popped up. Funny, today's rule was Rule #56: No convincing substitutes that we're a cult.

I clicked the notification and laughed to myself. It read:

Due to an incident in the mess hall, a new rule has been added.

Rule #101: No smacking people in the head with trays

Really, people. Is it that hard not to knock someone unconscious with a tray?

I texted Bee, asking her if she saw the new rule. Since she didn't reply, I went back to Pinterest. I saved a few outfits I wanted to recreate and was about to dig into my closet to see what I already had, when I heard the all-too-cheery ding that signals an email.

I grabbed my phone and opened up the mail app, expecting some random notification from Facebook. Instead I saw an email from Rafe titled, Your Case. Shit.

I opened it and read it. Then, disbelievingly, I read it again. What kind of bullshit is this? How dare he try to give my case to Brandon? He suggests I take a different case? That asshole! I mentally punched Rafe in the face, since I promised the nurse not to hurt my knuckles any further. Unfortunately, tracking him down and giving him the beatdown he deserved would most likely get me in trouble with the nurse. That lady could be pretty damn scary when she had to be.

Hold up. He never explicitly said I have to give up the case, he only suggested it and said he wanted to give it to Brandon. Why that two-timing son of a bitch. I tapped out a response that went a little like this:

Rafe, you coward. If you want me to give up without a fight, you're living in the wrong universe. Try Universe 9. Contact me never. Bye!

I sent the reply and checked the news. Another jewel had been stolen. Aquamarine. A shitty end to a shitty day.