« Skylar's POV »

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"Don't tell me there are gangs for real?" I asked with an unbelievable eye roll.

He opened his mouth to say something but I interrupted, "I mean, I know there are many drug dealers here and there. But gangs? East gang? And then you'd say there is a West gang. And a North and South." I added. "Don't mess with me, Caden."

He closed his mouth and looked at me with a frown. "Why would I try to mess with a person like you?" He asked.

I thought we were warming up a bit. And here he was, his usual self.

"So, you're saying that there is an East gang?" I asked, ignoring his remark.

He ran a hand through his black hair. My eyes lingered off towards it involuntarily. "What else did I say?"

What was with him and his patience? I was also having patience here. "Why would a gang like to prank me?" I asked.

"That wasn't a prank. Do you consider killing someone a prank?" He asked. But why would some sort of gang want to kill me?

"How were you there? At the Chriswood street?" I asked after a moment of silence. That was the question replaying in my head again and again. Of course Caden was considered mysterious in many ways. But I never imagined him getting involved in gangs.

Or maybe I did.

He looked slightly taken aback by that question.

"You don't need to know that." He completely dismissed the question as he stuffed the paper in his pocket. Then he turned towards the door, ready to leave.

"You can't go away without giving me answers." I complained.

He stopped and turned around with a frown. "Just stay away from it, Anderson, and I'll make sure this doesn't happen again." He said with a very much pointed look towards me. As if I was the mere reason behind all of this weird stuff.

I gave him an unbelievable look which he just ignored and opened the door. He was almost out before stopping and looking right back at me.

"Keep the ice pack. It'll help more than the painkillers." And then he closed the door behind him.

I looked at him speechlessly before falling down on the couch with a long sigh.

**********

It did help.

The ice pack. I hadn't thought about it earlier. But it helped more than the painkillers. I didn't know how Caden knew stuff like this. I was surprised that he even cared to point it out to me.

But my head was actually better the next day I reached school.

"So, there is like nothing between Caden and you?" Alex asked while stopping in the parking lot.

I looked at him and shook my head. "Nope."

It was actually the truth. Kind of. But I wasn't going to tell him the part where Caden came inside my house. Alex had dropped by my house extra early and made me say out everything that had been happening between Caden and me.

Alex sighed in relief and got out.

"It's better to stay away from him, Sky. You know how much I hate his guts." He said before closing the door behind him.

I didn't know why he hated Caden so much. Just because he stole his girlfriend? Or maybe, there was something more to this.

The only thing that freaked me out was the stares I got. But they weren't that much. Only in the hallways, people stared at me as if I had grown three heads. But they eventually turned around and started to mind their own businesses.

I opened my locker and placed the books inside.

East gang.

I knew how I shouldn't be thinking about that. But I seriously couldn't help it. Even though Caden thought it was better for me not to know, I think I deserved to know. Because after all, that letter was sent to me. What guarantee did I have that they won't send it back?

I entered the Calculus class and sat down on my usual spot, against the wall. Not at the back and not at the front either. That way you could go unnoticed by the teacher.

The whole class was busy talking until I came in. The group of girls at the corner stared at me for a while before continuing their morning gossips.

I sat down and placed my head in my hands.

I was seriously getting fed up of those stares.

I saw Hanna come inside from the corner of my eyes. Surprisingly, she sat down beside me. She actually never did that. She used to sit in the front, all alone. I think she sat with me because we were on friendship terms.

"Hey." She gave a small smile.

"Hi." I smiled back. At least someone was acting normal.

"Is everything alright? You didn't come to school yesterday."

Hanna was actually pretty. With those black hair and eyes. She would've been among the popular girls if she wouldn't have been shy. She lacked social confidence just like me.

"I didn't feel like coming." I kept it short and simple. Not that that was a lie.

She seemed to understand as she didn't ask anything more. Soon our Calculus teacher came in and started writing questions on the board. We all busied ourselves with it.

Getting distracted with math problems was way better than letting the other thoughts cloud up my head. Especially the questions that were ringing in my head again and again.

It was all fine until the door opened up and Caden came in with his bag slung over his shoulder. He usually came in between periods. Which was totally pointless. If I were him, I'd never come to school.

He was wearing his usual leather jacket with his dark black hair almost in his eyes. He slid the late pass on the teacher's desk. Most of the people were staring at him but he seemed unfazed by that much attention.

A normal person would've peed in his pants. Like me, for instance.

He looked around the whole class as if searching for someone in particular before his green eyes stopped at me. Instantly, I looked down at my journal and started scribbling in incoherent words. Anything to dodge off the awkward stares.

I really didn't want attention, unlike him.

From the corner of my eyes, I watched him going over to his usual spot at the back and sitting down. Then everything went the same like it had been before.

The bell rang and I closed my books before looking over at Caden.

Maybe I can ask him about yesterday.

But I couldn't have because the next thing I knew, he was out of the class.

**********

I always hated essays. Especially about history. How were you supposed to learn what had happened in the past when you weren't even there?

Tying my hair up in a bun, I sat straighter, cracked my knuckles and started with the essay.

It was almost night and my homework wasn't even finished yet. I was hoping I could have an early-night sleep today. But my teachers had different plans. I continued scribbling on the paper filling line after line. Until I heard the creak of the door downstairs.

The pen stopped midway between writing on the paper. I sat up straighter and looked out of my room. I had definitely closed the front door. I had even locked it like dad had always told me to. How could I possibly hear it open then?

Maybe it's just the wind.

Or maybe it's the back door that you forget to lock every single time.

I cursed under my breath as my heartbeat increased.

Who could it possibly be? What if it's a killer? Or a thief?

Standing up, I slowly walked downstairs. The back door was just beside the kitchen. If somebody really had broken in, I would most probably see their shadow first.

I reached the sofa and his behind it, crouching on my knees. Slowly, I peeked towards the back door.

What if I freaking die?

I didn't even have anything to defend myself from. Not even a freaking pillow. I kept sitting there, holding my breath. Nothing happened for a while.

My mind must've been playing tricks on me.

I stood up slowly and blew out a sigh. But stopped again when I saw a shadow erupt from behind the kitchen wall.

My eyes widened as I realized it really was someone. I looked abruptly at the knife stand few steps away from me. I could almost hear my heartbeat in my ears. I was terrified, scared. I didn't know who it was.

I could've done only one thing. Which was the most stupidest thing. I ran for the knife. And I was so sure that I'd grab it just in time. But before I could've reached there, I felt somebody grab me from behind.

My heart almost leaped out.

A scream tumbled out of m lips as I tried pulling away. The person had it's mouth covered with a black mask. I pushed and struggled but his grip was way too strong. Considering it was a he.

That scene was straight out from a horror movie. I tried doing everything to get away but it was simply of no use.

I took the nearest thing, which was one of mom's most adored lamps, and threw it at him. He hissed in pain before twisting my arm behind my back in a painful way. If I tried to move, it hurt my arm. I felt him lean closer towards my ear before taking out a knife from his pocket.

Oh God.

"Next time, you will be dead." He whispered. For a mere second, it felt like I knew that voice. But it was quite hard to recognize due to the thick cloth covering his mouth.

Before I could've reacted, he slashed the knife across my palm.

I screamed in pain as he pushed me away, down on the ground. And then he was out like he was never even there. I clutched my hand in pain as tears fell down my face. My hand was bleeding and nothing could stop the stinging, harsh pain.

I staggered to the back door and locked it quickly. Then I leaned against it and slid down on the floor.

I couldn't even register the pain clearly. My whole arm was throbbing. My heart was beating almost feverishly. My whole body was trembling. It felt so bizarre and unreal at the same time. I didn't know who he was but those words kept ringing in my ears.

I didn't know what I had really gotten myself into.

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