FirecrackerStuart Twombly X Reader

Chapter 6

The next challenge was announced shortly after but I didn't turn up for the meeting. Neha had explained it to me over some alarming voicemails when she couldn't get me to answer the phone. She had also told me about how Billy had gone off the grid and how they weren't going to do the challenge without either one of us which turned out to be a bigger problem than I thought. Sitting by myself in the garden, headphones in and laptop out was my sure fire way to be left alone, it was as if I was invisible again, to everyone. Well everyone who wasn't already looking for me.

"Y/n, hey where have you been?" a familiar, male voice asked as he and the rest of the group approached me. I didn't answer. I didn't even look up at his mesmerizing brown eyes, which only made him pester more. "Y/n?"

"Hey y/n are you okay?" he asked repeatedly until I just snapped. "I'm fine, will you just leave me alone." hurt filled the eyes that i had finally had the guts to meet. "y/n we've been trying to reach you all day, where have you been?" a concerned Neha asked as she perched next to me, the boy from before retreating backwards.

"Around" I shrugged, not wanting them to know where I actually had been all day. I didn't want to hurt them, but I needed to have my priorities in place. I stood up after closing my laptop and began to walk away, "so you've just been avoiding us?" a pain filled voice asked as I passed the brunette by. "I thought we were finally getting along, I thought..." Stuart started again, i wouldn't look at him, with what i was about to say i couldn't watch for his reaction, for any of theirs.

"Thought what... that i was in this for anything more than the job, well you were wrong...our team never stood a chance of winning and i learnt a long time ago that if you want something in life you have to get it yourself!" tears filled my eyes as I finished talking, the guilt of my choices already filling my insides.

"These aren't your words y/n" Neha commented, giving me a knowing look. "What's he been saying to you?" she was the only one who knew the truth, the only one I had ever trusted enough to tell. "Drop it Neha"

"Who said what...what are you guys on about?" yo-yo asked, speaking for the first time since the group arrived. "Keep your mouth shut!" I hissed at Neha, as my anger and pain took over and I continued lashing out at my friends.

"I did what i had to do okay, our team was failing, we were just setting up to be knocked down again...Billy screwed my last chance to get this job, there's no way we could've won" i turned away from them and began to trudge away, tears of hatred towards myself streaming down my face. "I'm sorry...he said he could help me." I tried to leave but a hand soon connected with my wrist, forcing me to release a pain filled gasp.

Stuart rolled up the sleeve of the wrist he held onto, revealing the purple bruising, swelling on my wrist. "What the hell...who did this...will someone tell me what the hell is going on?" Twombly looked around frantically waiting for someone to fill him in. "Firecracker, what happened?" a concerned blonde man asked as he came closer to my person. "I uhh...i fell over"

"Bullshit!" Stuart yelled, inspecting the markings closer. "Why won't you tell me?"

"Just leave it Stuart, I need to go" I told him as I began to worry. "y/n. Don't go back there." a feminine voice rang out, concern filling the space between us all. "He shouldn't have done that, you can come back...we can still win this, you don't need to resort to him." Neha continued, confusing the boys even more. "Seriously, someone tell me what is going on right now or I swear to god..." Stuart started again, voice rising as he spoke. "y/n's cousin."

"Neha!" I yelled, but she continued anyway. "He did that, and he convinced her somehow to join his team, that's where she's been. I'm sorry y/n/n but they had to know." I sighed, looking at the ground, ignoring the burning gazes falling on me. "Who's your cousin?" Stuart turned to ask me, lifting my chin as he did.