"And the prenatal development of fetus is the time where the chart showcases a rapid increase in developments, hence the reason each and every one of the human-"

I tune out the professor as he continues on the topic of how important the development of prenatal stages are for us to understand child psychology. Child psychology is apparently an important topic to give us a basic knowledge about how human brains should work. Quite an interesting topic, and I would have loved it, but I have more pressing matters to deal with.

Like how to tell Abby the truth without her freaking out.

I can't just go up to her and tell her that all her friends are associated with gangs and I am the one who killed her uncle. Oh let's not forget about me being a price target.

Yup. Not going to happen.

"Miss Greene."

I snap out of it, looking at the professor and the entire class. All of which had their eyes on me.

"Sir?" I reply sheepishly, shrinking in my seat in embarrassment.

"If you had been paying attention, you would have noticed me giving everyone a project. A project that makes up 14% of your grade," Professor Moore's voice borders on amusement as he continues, "May I know why such bad attention Miss Greene?"

"Uhh..." I bit my lower lip in frustration.

"Alright class, everyone out now."

Professor gives me a slight smirk before dismissing the class and turning to face his desk, collecting the pages scattered on his table.

I get up, walking down the side aisle with Nikki, asking her about what the topic for the project is.

"Everyone is given different topics ranging from development in fetus at week three to the development of a two year old. Even focusing on the type of development is different for everyone."

"Wait- What?"

"Yeah. Like I am given the development of body in a child from it's birth to the age of six months. Jack there has been given the topic of embryo stage."

"Oh..." I reply, stunned that someone will divide the whole topic to pieces. "But doesn't it make the whole thing a little too less for something that prices to be 14% of our grades?"

Nikki stops, right in the middle of the hallway, making people around us look at us in annoyance. "Come to think of it, you are right. It doesn't add up."

"What doesn't?" I turn her around again and push her to walk towards the parking lot.

"The fact that one of my cousin said that Professor Moore is the most strict lecturer in the Psychology department. And that he gives loads of assignments and projects, as in makes you work for each half of a mark."

I frown, noting how this doesn't seem like the man who has been teaching us for a while now. "May be... or maybe he got to know about how his reputation has been so he started working better?"

"Sure. May be. Who knows?"

"Oh wait. What is my topic then?" I ask right as we reach the lot.

"Uh... wait I have it written somewhere..." Nikki takes out her phone, and starts looking for the memo she has saved in class. Honestly, I am not surprised how she has taken it upon herself to note my topic as well.

Nikki is a great friend, and a supportive one. I am probably the only one she talks to freely, her nature too suspicious of everyone around her. One of the reasons why none of the two of us has tried to extend our friendship to our respective group of friends. I can not risk getting her know about the gang the boys are in, and she can not risk me getting involved with the investigations that she does for experience.

"There... you have the development occurring in the last trimester and its impacts."

The both of us grimace at that. "Really?"

She smiles sympathically, "It's not that bad..."

"The whole development at that stage is features defining and the CNS system and stuff... nothing new happens in it!"

She pats me on my arm, "Its better than Gilford's. He got the whole conception."

"Right... So, I am expecting late night calls to make this one interesting, Okay?"

"Done Ash. Now shoo, your friends and their staring is creeping me out." She tilts at the direction at the right side where Kevin and Mason are standing. I nod at her, giving her a hug and then part way.

Since only we had classes today, all the boys and I decided that the rest will stay with Abby and we will join them after class. Mason had football practises so he was the first one to be here this morning, though Kevin and I came together. Ace and Keith are running a check with Michael on the price target situation with Ry watching over Abby, all at my place.

"You done?" Mason asks me the moment I reach him, right as Kevin hangs up his phone and joins us.

"Yeah... Lets just take some food from KFC for everyone and then tell Abby the fucking situation."

"I hate that it has come to this," Kevin sighs. Mason opens the jeep door while adding, "The situation would have been better if we had bothered telling her all this from the very beginning."

We all get in, me in the passenger and Kevin sitting in the back. I look at him questioning, "What about your car?"

"I asked Keith to take it. He was here with Ry before Michael joined them to take the car away. Ace watched over Abby at that time but she was mostly too invested in the essay she got to notice anything."

I nod, "I see. And Mason, we know about how you felt about lying to her... but it was either that or lose her perky attitude. You know how hard she has worked to shed her meekness and be confident about herself. She would have turned into her shy and forever scared self again."

Mason turns on the ignition and pulls the car out of the college premises before he sighs, running his hands through his hair, "I know... doesn't mean I have to like it."

I hum, tilting my head to rest it on the glass of the window and closing my eyes to take a moment to gather myself. Too much has happened today, and I have yet to get some time to analyse everything.

But, do I need to analyse anything and everything?

In the past few hours, I was attacked, where I killed a man and saved by the man I hated, where he killed a man to save me then i saw the said man torture another man, though it was just the starting which means he can be worse and I would have no idea to prepare myself when he does go for his worst. And then I got to know I was declared a price target by some gang who wants me dead.

I heave a sigh.

I don't have anything to analyse really, but this restlessness is gnawing my inside. I am a mess of emotions right now, yet I am too proud to show them. I literally can't make myself show how absolutely terrified I am, or how I am wallowing in self pity, or how seeing Jayden is making me doubt everything.

How all I want to do is hide in his arms and let him kiss my pain away.

I absolutely can't do that.

Jayden...

Suddenly, I think about this morning. Early, when I went to inform him. When he stood without his shirt a few meters away.

The tribal tattoo that starts from the junction where his shoulder meets his neck, covering his shoulder on a whole then creeping down to his arm, ending right above his elbow. The intricate pattern also covering his hard left pectoral, blending and surrounding the gang tattoo perfectly. Then comes his muscles. His abs and the intimate V that leads to a very familiar but forbidden place.

He has bulked up from the last time I saw him years back.

But his still looks as natural and rugged as before. Just more muscles. As if he has been spending more time at the gym, as if he has been doing more physical work.

I snap out of thinking about him when I feel someone shaking me.

I open my eyes to see we are in the parking area of my building. I turn to see the boys holding the boxes and drinks, cursing myself to stop thinking about Jayden. I get out of the car, taking their bags as they hold our food and once we lock the car, we start on our way to my place.

Ryker opens the door right as we are about to knock making me raise my eyebrow at him in question.

"Michael is leaving."

"Oh..." I trail off, seeing Michael behind Ryker as he steps out of my apartment.

"A second Ash?" Michael tilts his head to the side to indicate me to follow him before nodding at the boys and going to stand a bit further down the corridor. I hand over the bags to Ryker and follow him.

"What is it Mike?" I ask right as I am within the hearing range of the man.

He smiles at me kindly, before saying, "Its good to see you too. Just wanted to see if you are alright."

I roll my eyes at him, "Mike, I grown a shit ton stronger than before. Killing someone is actually what made me end up in this mess, another death via me won't plague me of sleep."

"I know you have grown, Ash. You are stronger. More beautiful and more precise. But you are still you. A human. A normal girl. Its okay to seek comfort, even if you think the comfort you want is not one you should."

Jayden.

He was talking about Jayden. He is the comfort I want, but know I shouldn't.

I pull myself straighter, not ready to accept what he has just said, "That's where you are wrong Mike. I don't need comfort, especially one that comes at the cost of self." I nod at him in farewell and turn away, signalling the conversation to be over.

"He said he will meet you later in the evening today."

I keep walking to my apartment, refusing to acknowledge Michael and what he has informed me. I have more important things to see than wait for his master and bow to his commands.

Things like telling Abby a huge secret that may cost me my best friend of a year.

*******************************************

A/N: Hello there readers!

How do you like the story so far? Good enough?

Anyway, how do you say Abby will react when she finds out?

Vote, comment and share.

Love, Rupanshi.