BitterSweet

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

AURELIA FARIS BLACK 

I try my best to get home but my legs are uncontrollably shaking. My legs tremble with every step I take. I wipe off my dirty hands on my shirt before pressing on the wound, to stop the blood but it just gushes out from between my fingers. I want to scream and cry right now but I can't. My eyelids feel heavy and my eyes are rolling back but I don't let them. I want to go home. I don't stop, I walk through my stumbles. The mansion comes into view. I tell myself to take a couple more steps but my legs just give up on me and I don't get back up. They'll find me. I'm sure of it. 

I gasp awake. I try to sit up. Key word: tried. My arm is numb.  I look to the side and my upper right arm is bandaged up. I can't believe a lunatic jumped out of the bushes and attacked me.

" Why the hell would you do that? You know this is all YOUR fault right?!" A muffled voice screams from outside the room. It's Alec. I groan as I slump back down my bed. I use my one good arm, to throw the pillow on my face.

Then my eyebrow shoots up. This is why they let me have a day out of school. How convenient that I almost get murdered on the same day as I suddenly don't have school and everyone just starts acting suspicious. Then I'm angry. Why didn't they tell me? I could've taken precautions myself. I'm capable of it. Hell, I just used my bare hands and escaped death from probably a murderer with a knife. A literal knife. If I knew I probably could've escaped without a single scratch.

I gaze travels to the door when I see Alessandro's face peek in. I watch his eyes light up when he sees I'm awake.

" Thank god you're awake."

" I-waunt-" I clear my throat, " I want the whole truth."

His eyes linger on me. He knows what I'm talking about but never less, pauses before sighing. " A murder bounty was placed on you."

I blink. That was blunt. " Elaborate please."

" Someone put a murder bounty on you. We thought we had it under control so we didn't tell you since we didn't want you to freak out or worry." He says before dropping to a more accusatory tone " But Nathaniel thought you would be okay to be outside the house alone."

Nate walks in." Okay. How was I supposed to know that the guards on the house's premises were so incapable" His arms thrown in the air, articulating his words, clearly offended at Alessandro's accusatory tone.

Then Alec runs in. " Aurelia! Are you okay?" He asks, breathing heavily.

" I'm-" Blaze walks in " fine- Blaze?" Blaze just appeared like he is in the same room with me right now. " Uh, why is Blaze here? He's my classmate."

I have to take a few blinks to make sure I'm not hallucinating. So much is happening right now. Where the hell did Blake come from?

" Oh, I was out when all of this happened, and like my car happened to break down. I would've just called a guard or something to pick me up but Blaze just happened to drive past so he just picked me up." Alec answers me. " He's an old friend," he adds. 

I look between the both of them. They both do look roughed up. I have to take a closer glance at Blaze. Is that a worried expression I see? I grin.

" Everyone, calm down. I am very much fine." I say when I see Alessandro about to lose what's left of his restraint when Nate gives Alessandro an angry glance. I frown when I see the tiredness in Alessandro's and Nathaniel's eyes. " You guys should go rest. I'm okay."

Matteo and Lucien runs in.

" Sleeping beauty is awake!" Matteo grins.

" How is your arm? Oh my god, whoever who did this is gonna die a very painful death." Lucien goes from relieved to angry in an instant.