Chapter 39// "Did you know your pretty little boyfriend shot someone?"
I look at the message in my phone in fear "We need to talk it's important â Ryan.
The second the message came through I blocked the unknown number and sat there staring at it endlessly. I wanted to ignore it. Pretend I never received the message.
But something inside me was eating me up. What if it was about Elliott?
I knew the reason why Ryan must have got my number. He must have Facebook stalked me. Because a few years ago Emily thought it was smart to put my number of Facebook.
I got many messages from many strangers. But that was beside the point. The number was hidden deep inside my facebook along with multiple other posts.
Ryan must have been going through my facebook in detail. Which sort of made me feel sick to the stomach because if it was another guy I wouldn't of minded but Ryan. Well that was sort of creepy.
"You look like either you going to throw your phone or yourself out the window?" I heard a loud voice say out loud. I glance over to my window where my curtains were wide open and there was a smirking Conner. Excuse me but what happened to privacy. I have human rights? But obviously the idiot who build the house didn't think of that.
"I'm really not in the mood to see your face" I tell him honestly. It was annoying that he was just standing there casually smiling at me like some kind of model while my hair was thrown up in to a scruffy ponytail.
"It's not my fault I had to see what was going on. You were swearing like a crazy women two minutes ago"
"Well it's got nothing to do with you" I shout at him rudely.
"I'm guessing it's boyfriend issues"
"Excuse me" I choke. That was an embarrassment, Ryan being called my boyfriend. I shiver at the thought.
'What did he do this time? Did he buy you the wrong color of roses? Or ..."
"I don't have a boyfriend" I growl at him, he knew things with Elliott and me didn't work out to well, so he was really pulling at my strings right now
"Good because he would be every annoyed if he found you standing there right now checking me out"
I feel my face brighten up in embarrassment. I change my gaze to a spot on my wall. I don't think I was checking him out.
"And the good girl blushes" He teases me.
'Say that to me again and I'm going to climb over this window and punch you"
"Your cute when you get all feisty and give out meaningless threats"
I stick my middle finger up at him and I hear him laugh lightly.
"So are you going to tell me who messaged you"
I furrow my eyebrows, why was he so desperate to know who messaged me, unless he knew. But how could he...
"Good night Conner" I say softly as I pull my curtain closed.
*
It was lunch and I was currently on my way through the car park off to the main hall with the crowd of students. I was in my own imaginary world, but that I meant I was still trying to work out how I nearly failed my AP calculus test. I really needed to get my head out the gutter and stop thinking about Conner and Ryan, when I should be trying to pass that class.
Suddenly I feel my wrist being pulled and I'm in between 2 cars with as certain blonde hair boy. I let out a squeak of surprise and he brings his finger to his lip to hush me.
Just because I'm a female doesn't mean guys get to treat me like this. Jeez. What happened to social equality?
We stand there silently, I don't even try and struggle, this boy was twice the size of me and I knew he wouldn't be afraid to bring me back if I tired to leave.
He waits till the car park is completely empty till he begins to talk to me. I didn't like him being this close to me at all. Not one bit.
"Can you take a step back" I raise an eyebrow at him trying to be confident when in actual fact I was shaking. I shouldn't be alone with him.
"Sure anything for you" The tone of his voice was flirtatious and it made me want to badly hit him in the balls.
"Really then while your backing away from me I'd also like it if you jumped in a river and left me alone'
There was a smirk playing at his lips and I could see something o familiar about it. The way his lips quirked up. It reminded me of him. It reminded me of Elliott.
"I think you want to hear what I'm going to tell you Crescent. There are things your in the dark about. Crescent I am not the bad guy'
Yeh like I've never heard that one before.
I snort out loud " How cliché, isn't that what the villain always says in the movie"
"But isn't the villain always the attractive one"
"You know what Ryden" I knew his name perfectly well, but I liked the expression on his face when I pretend I didn't know his name. "Put a condom on you're head because if your going to act like a dick you may as well dress like one"
He just laughs it off.
"When I heard about you I thought there was nothing special about you. Just a normal girl, but now I see why you have boys falling at your feet. If it makes you feel any better Elliott really did love you, it's a shame he had to leave"
I look him in the eye; there was something wrong with his tone.
'What do you mean he HAD to leave me"
"It's the reason I wanted to talk to you, now are you going to let me talk without disturbing me. I don't like being disturbed' There was a deep threat in his voice. I let out a shallow breath, beginning to feel afraid.
"Elliott would never have left you, if it wasn't necessary for your safety. He would have sat here and 'fought for you'. Makes me feel sick about how sappy he was towards you"
For my safety. I was really confused, what kind of trouble had Elliott got himself in to this time.
Then my thought change, why should I care, it's not like Elliott ever cared for me. He used me. Or so I keep having to tell myself.
"Just fucking tell me what's going on" I shout at him, but no he was going to take his bitter sweet time.
"Its amazing how you don't know about what's going on seeing as your brother is on it as well"
There was a twisting feeling beginning to form in my stomach.
"If Elliott knew it was just his safety at risk then he would have stayed, he always placed his life on the line, stupid bastard. But when they found out he had a girl, they manipulated you against him"
I was trying to read his cold expression, there was cold humor in it and I knew Ryan was anything but the good guy in this story.
That's when the sickening grin on his face widens.
"Did you know your pretty little boyfriend shot someone"
I felt my bloody run cold in terror. Elliott shot someone.
The thought was too terrifying and alarming to ponder over.
But I didn't have much time to let my mind wonder about who Elliott must have shot before Ryan is no longer standing in front of me.
"Has pretty boy come to save the day" Ryan laughs mockingly. Conner was standing right in front of me, almost like he was shielding me. From the corner of my eye I saw Alec at the side looking alarmed by the fact Ryan and me were together.
Well he doesn't have to worry because it wasn't by choice.
"Or no wait Elliott was pretty boy, what do they call you ' the bad boy'. Shame you took the blame for everyone. You always take the blame don't you"
"Shut up Ryan or I'm going to fuck you up really badly. We had a deal, you wouldn't tell her, you wouldn't even mention it to her" Conner's voice was threatening and filled with pure anger.
"Really, did we, well its not like any of you boys kept to your side of the deal when you all left"
I look between the boys, I was slowly working things out in my head but it could be true... my brother and his friends weren't part of some sort of gang.
"How did you know I was going to talk to her"
Conner doesn't reply to his question so Ryan answers it himself.
"You've been keeping tabs on my messages again haven't you, thought you boys were all over that"
So that's why Conner asked me who messaged me. He knew.
"We need to be prepared if you or Aaron going to do anything stupid"
"Crescent did you know your brother and his friends were part of a gang?" Ryan changes the subject, obviously wanting to spice things up a bit.
All I do is blink for a second and then I see Ryan up against the car with a cut on his lip, but he still had that sickening smile on his face. What does it take to piss this guy off?
I also didn't like the fact Conner wasn't letting him talk; I wanted to know what was going on. I had a right to know.
That's when Conner punches Ryan again, his muscles flexing and his blonde hair flipping to the side, lying messily in his face.
I squeeze my eyes shut, as I try and make an important decision. I had to know what was going on and Conner beating Ryan up wasn't going to help me.
I open my eyes wide and swiftly walk around Conner to stand in between Conner and Ryan.
For a second my heart jumps out my stomach in to my throat as I thought Conner's fist was going to hit me but it hangs in mid air. His blonde brows furrow when he sees me standing in front of him...Protecting Ryan.
"Your saving him" The betrayal in Conner's voice was obvious.
"Tell me what's going on" My voice was more hoarse than I expected it to be.
"Get out the way Crescent this has nothing to do with you" Conner tells me off.
"I just want to know one thing" It couldn't be true, knew it couldn't be but I had to ask I have to be sure. "Did...did Elliott shoot someone"? I didn't want tit to be true. I wanted Elliott to be the funny and silly boy I remember the boy I was in love with.
The second the words leave my mouth I knew it was true, the look if surprise in Conner's eyes. It confirmed it all.
"Crescent you need to understand, it was his life or the other guys. It was self defense"
"Is that what you call it Conner, it was more like Elliott pointing a gun at a innocent man. A man who wanted to reason with him" Ryan quirks a eyebrow, wiping the blood away from his mouth standing tall again, knowing that Conner wouldn't try anything while I was standing in front of him.
"Aaron isn't a innocent man, he has hurt many people, and we did it to get out"
"You betrayed us, all of you" Ryan narrowed his eyes in annoyance. I was stuck looking back and forth between both boys.
That's when Alec finally decided to step in.
"Conner let him go, if someone see you with him, there will be trouble"
"Listen to him, he's talking sense. Wouldn't want anyone to see you two with me"
Alec has to hold Conner back as Ryan causally walks away, still smiling. That bastard had some confidence.
"Your not going anywhere" I tell Conner pulling him by the collar of his shirt as he begins to walk away.
'Don't touch me" He tells me, looking down at my hand that was resting on his collarbone. How embarrassing, why did he always have to point these things out?
"Explain"
'Why should I, I told you to keep away from him"
"He cornered me, and you might not have noticed, but I'm slightly smaller than him and he's, oh you know a tad bit taller' More like a few inches taller.
"Just tell her, she knows already and Daniel was going to tell her sometime in the near future anyway" Yhe sound of Daniel's name coming from Alec's mouth made my blood boil. My brother was so dead next time I see him.
"It started off as nothing more than us hanging out. As a group Elliott's cousin Aaron was older than us. He had a smart mind and a lot of enemies"
"Seems like all of Elliott's family is a bit on the dodgy side" I say out loud.
'You'd be surprised' Alec adds in.
Conner runs a hand through his silky blonde hair and then crosses his arms causally leaning against the blue car behind him.
His cold blue eyes were running across my face, for some reason I wanted to lean forward in to him. But of course I didn't. That would be weird.
"Long story, short, things were getting out of hand. Aaron is getting more hungry for power and non of us were really in to it"
So Elliott's cousin was the gang leader or so I was guessing. That was all I really understood so far oh and the fact my boyfriend, sorry ex-boyfriend who left me, shot someone.
"Do you remember the time you and Elliott were chased by those two guys, who wanted something off Elliott"
I nod, yes I did remember and it was one of the most frightful nights of my life.
"When you ran out the car or so he told me, he came to me and told me he wanted out. He had enough of being told what to do; he had enough of owing people. It was what all of us were thinking, but we didn't say anything. Aaron has a lot of power and to leave him you would be creating an enemy. A enemy you wouldn't want "
"The thing is Elliott's never cared about anything, he always let his life hang on the line which made him valuable to Aaron" Alec tells me.
"Some guys heard that Elliott wanted to leave, so they kept tabs on him and then they realized there was one thing he cared about, he was almost trying to hide you because he knew that they would want you anyway to bribe Daniel"
Conner stops not saying anymore though I know there was something very important he was hiding. He stood there thinking.
"Why did you go jail, or the young offenders those times?"
He looks at me surprised by my question; he licks his lower lip before answering.
'Because I was dedicated to Aaron, he was my role model, so I always took the hit for it knowing he would bail me out" he shrugs, I nod like it was simple. But instead I was vey confused.
"Aaron needed both Elliott and Conner for different reasons" Alec adds.
Conner clicks his tongue a few times. It was a habit he had since he was a kid for when he was thinking.
"Elliott took you on a date in the middle of the night once didn't he"
I nod, having no idea where this was going.
"Early that night, Aaron wanted to meet us, so we went to the field behind the KFC. All 6 of us, also Elliott had told him he wanted told leave by this time. Aaron came with a bunch of his men, including Ryan. He threatened, that if we didn't stay then...well I think you can guess what he said"
And this was all on the night Elliott took me on our first date. I felt so dumb and clueless.
"I don't know why Elliott had it or how he knew he would need it, but he still had it"
I knew he was talking about Elliott having a gun. I take in a sharp breath knowing that this story was coming to a climax.
"Elliott knew the whole time what he was doing. But everyone went in shock when he pulled the gun out, no one thought Elliott had the guts to shoot Aaron, they were close"
"He did, didn't he?"
"It grazed Aaron's shoulder blade, and we ran and got away"
Conner stops for a second, and I could see the ghost of a smile playing at his lips.
"While we were all trying to get away, Elliott also stopped off to pick up a KFC for two. Saying he needed it. Elliott's always been a bit insane'
I already knew that, that was why I dated him.
Nevertheless the thought of Elliott with a gun in his hands was so scary, yet it was Elliott's mysterious side that always brought me closer to him.
"We heard nothing for a while, then a few nights before the Christmas dance Aaron came up to Elliott, he wasn't annoyed at him, almost proud. He made Elliott a deal, if Elliott left then he's leave all of us alone including you"
Me but why me, I was nothing important?
"Elliott declined...Blah blah blah, time passed. Aaron heard what happened between you two and caught him at his most vulnerable moment. And that's why Elliott left, I think Aaron thought Elliott was a threat to him."
My head was spinning at all these thought. Never had I imagined this was going on, yet it was so obvious.
"You want to know my opinion, I don't think Elliott ever really loved you. You were an excuse for him to get out off it all, to not get his hands any more dirty'
"Really Conner don't tell her that, you know that's not true" Alec scorns Conner.
But it didn't matter, Conner said it out loud and the thought was swarming through my head. My thoughts felt like a fog, that I could never get through forever lost, with out clear answers.
"I need some time alone" I tell them both not able to look them in the eye. I wanted to just drop to the ground and cry, but I couldn't do that. I was strong. I hear Alec call me back but I continue to walk.
I see Daniel sprinting out the school; he was running in my direction. He stops right in front of me.
"Cress are you okay?' he leans forward to give me a hug.
I push him back which he wasn't expecting.
"Don't ever talk to me again. I hate you. I hate that I'm related to you and I hate that you're my brother" The expression on his face was pure shock.
"Cress what's wrong, did someone hurt you'
"I know everything Daniel"
His expression become pure shock but I didn't care about his thoughts right now.
One thing was confusing me more that anything. Why was I still in love with Elliott after everything he's done?
Author note:
Well I wasn't even expecting all that. I still love Elliott.
If you have any questions, please tell me and I will explain them all in the chapter from Elliott prov.
I know it might be really confusing and I'm sorry. It's just so much to put in one chapter and so many plot holes.
Also I told you I would update quickly. Also I really want to know what your thinking, cause I hope you like it x