Play Me

by Ivy Knight

  "Seven days to know you, seven more to break you," he states. I look at his cold face. Is he fucking serious?

  "I won't repeat myself again, do as I say. If you're smart, you know what's good for you." He climbs off of me and sits back on his rightful spot. I clench my jaw and decide to exit the car.

  The nerve of this guy! He held a knife to my throat and I didn't do anything about it.

  I walk to the other side of the road ignoring all the honking. My hair flies into my face due to the wind and my whole body shivers.

  "Summer!" I can faintly make out Kai's yelling from behind me. No way in hell am I going to stop walking away from him. If he wants to threaten me, then I'll show him just how much of a handful I can be. Seven days to break me? I will make his life miserable. He can't handle me. My own brothers couldn't.

  "Summer!" Kai roughly pulls me around catching my right shoulder. Without a second thought, as I turn around, I lift up my right hand and slap him across the face. The echo of the slap audible even through the traffic makes me shudder. I look at his head slightly tilted to the side and watch as his eyes turn an even darker shade of black.

  I avert my eyes to his left cheek which is now imprinted with my hand. I want to say something like he deserved it or stand up against him, but I stand there, quietly waiting for his reaction.

  "Get in the car," he demands through gritted teeth. "Now."

  I bite down hard enough on my tongue to have the metallic taste of blood dance across my taste buds.

  "Only if you promise not to touch me again, just for the night, I need my space."

  His head rises and his eyes scan me over. I turn my head to the side when I feel my eyes clog up. I hate being this vulnerable. I wasn't raised like this and it's eating me alive.

  "Get into the car."

  Without another word or even a glance his way, I walk back to the car. The heat in the car mixed with my cold state cause's goosebumps all over my skin and I rub my arms trying to warm up. Kai climbs onto the driver's seat and we continue driving to the party.

  Just a little longer, Summer. You have to hold on for Alice and your parents.

  I blink my eyes dry.

  ...♛...

  "Where do you think you're going?" Kai grabs my arm and turns me around.

  "To Alice," I reply angrily.

  "Cole's taking care of her as long as you do what I tell you to, she's safe," Kai assures. For some unknown reason, I believe him. "Go, sit at the bar. I have to meet up with someone for a minute. Don't talk to anyone or go anywhere."

  I roll my eyes and squeeze my way through to the bar. Remember You by Wiz Khalifa featuring The Weeknd pounds my ear drums, and the smell of weed mixed with alcohol is all too familiar for me. Everything about this location bringa back so many old memories.

  I take a seat at the bar and order a shot of tequila. My eyes roam around the house. I'm more than surprised that so many people have showed up to a party, on a Thursday night, but I'm also sure that most of these people aren't just ordinary high school kids.

  The bartender hands me my shot glass and I take it right away gulping down the liquid. I hand him back the empty glass and thank him. One shot has to do for the night. From the corner of my eyes, I spot a girl flirting with a guy only a few seats down from me.

  The girl was pretty, but a little too exposed for even a guy, because after five minutes of trying to seduce him, he turns her down. With a defeated smile, she takes a seat next to me and I turn my head the other way pretending I wasn't eavesdropping.

  "That guy over there is a hard one," she starts. Her cherry perfume makes me nauseous.

  "Not really, he just has standards," I reply, calmly facing her. Her bright pink cheeks visible even through the dim lighting.

  "Oh, really? Why don't you try, you don't seem any better than me," she snickers.

  "Sorry, I'm not a slut."

  "Or, you're scared you won't be able to get him either," the confidence in her voice is annoying. I could get him, or any guy I wanted in less than a minute if I really desired.

  "I'm not scared, but to make it even more fun. How about we bet fifty on it?"

  "Deal, let's see if you can get him to the back alley behind this house to make out with you," she confidently challenges. I smile back as I get up. Adjusting my white crop top and side fishtail braid, I start making my way over to him. I take a seat next to him and order tequila.

  "You seem lonely," I comment as the mystery guy averts his eyes from his phone. He turns his gaze towards me and smiles. His green eyes seem pure.

  "Not really the party type," he chuckles.

  "Neither am I to be honest, I was dragged here."

  His white teeth display themselves as a smile appears on his lips and I get mesmerized by his cute dimples.

  "Devon," he gestures a handshake.

  "Courtney," I smile back. The bartender hands me my shot and I take it. I shake my head as I feel the drink starting to mess with me.

  "You're underage, you know?" Devon says.

  I look at him and grin, "And you're not?"

  "I'm twenty one," he shrugs, causing me to laugh.

  "Well, you're not going to turn me in are you?" I lean in and bite my lip.

  His eyes catch a glimpse, "Depends, how bad you've been."

  "Why don't we head out to the back and I'll show you?" I reply. His eyes turn a dark shade of green as he finishes off his drink and takes my hand dragging me out the back.

  "Slow down there buddy, I'm sure you need my hand for what you wanna do," I comment. We walk towards the back alley and once we're there, he pins me to a wall of an abandoned building.

  The crisp air burns my skin. Though, the heat radiating from his body comforts me, I still miss the jacket I left back at the house.

  His lips crash onto mine and before I know it, I'm kissing him back. I haven't made out with anyone since I left my old life so I knew I was a bit rusty, but Devon doesn't seem to mind.

  He takes control and makes me feel like the young devil I used to be. The feeling isn't pleasing. It was disturbing to say the least.

  As our lips move in sync, I feel his hand digging under the waistband of my pants. Before he can go any further, Devon's forcefully yanked back and the sound of a gunshot fills the air.

  As I watch Devon fall to the ground, more than half of my life flashes in front of my eyes. Tears draw and for the first time in five hundred and fifty days, I know now that there is no escaping from who and what I am.

  I lift my head up and look at the three boys who have been doing nothing, but ruining my life from the day we've met. I stand there without uttering a word; using the wall for support as Kai makes his way over to me.

  "I told you not to leave the bar."

  "And I told you, that I'm not your bitch," I spit back. Kai's smirk takes me by surprise. I had expected him to hit me, choke me, or kill me if not all of the above.

  "See now, this is what's so alluring about you, your confidence. Even after being kidnapped by a gang at the age of fifteen and being sold to men, your confidence stays intact. How?" I'm shocked that he found out about the Tennessee story so fast, but I go with it by letting the tears in my eyes run down my cheeks.

  "You didn't like me touching you in the car, but you let this lowlife bastard feel you up like it was nothing."

  "I have standards. He was innocent, and his eyes showed that."

  "And why is the devil looking for an angel?" Kai's eyes are so dominating that they make me want to be six feet under.

  "What are you trying to prove, Kai? That you saved me tonight?"

  "No, you can handle yourself just right seeing that you've escaped the Tennessee gang all by yourself," he states. "But, I do want you to meet a friend of mine before I explain why I actually wanted you here tonight. Jolene."

  I look to the side and the girl from earlier, who made the bet with me, walks out from the side of the building, "That bitch."

  "My bitch," Kai corrects, making me
avert my attention back to him. "That'll be you soon enough, Summer. Accept it or not, tonight, you were my bitch. You did exactly what I wanted you to do without you even having an idea about it."

  The fact that he's right makes my pain all so much greater. Tonight, I was his bitch, but I know I won't be making the same mistake again, "Jolene, here, does what you ask her to do at her own will. Do you really think you can turn me into one of those things?"

  "No," he replies.

  "Then why play this charade?"

  "Because there's no harm in trying, I always love a challenge. You might not do everything I ask you to do willingly, but with the right motivation, I know you will do everything."

  "Besides my family, there is no motivation and as part of the deal, you have to stay away from them. Taking Alice away, was a violation of the terms."

  "And killing my best dealer was too," Before I can say anything, an audio starts playing on his phone.

  "What kind of idiot goes on a fucking mission without dismantling the security cameras first?!... Ouch... That really hurt, Alice. I knew there were cameras, but I made sure they never caught my face. That's why Kai couldn't fully come out on me. He thinks the blonde was me, but has no clear proof. The one person who does is you and he can't touch you without going through me first," my voice plays through the audio.

  "Need to hear more?" Kai questions, turning it off.

  "I did kill your dealer, so what?" I look him in the eyes. He must've bugged Alice when he was sitting beside her.

  "So your sister is bleeding to death back in that house, find her in less than five minutes or get ready to say goodbye forever."

  "You – you wouldn't," my voice pathetically shakes.

  "I did," Kai replies. "The clocks ticking Summer," he points at his wrist watch taunting me. I push him away and run back into the house past Alec, Cole, and Jolene.

  Tears stream down my face.

  I should've never gotten involved with anyone. I should've stayed alone. Everyone is in danger because of me.

  I run up the stairs past all the people and open all the rooms. Some I regret opening, while others were empty. When I get to the last door, I open it and spot Alice lying down on the bed with her eyes closed.

  "Alice!" I run up to her.

  She groans opening her eyes.

  "Alice," I sigh enclosing her with a hug.

  "Summer? Wh– what happened? Why are you crying?" she backs away and scans my face.

  "No, what happened to you? Why are you in here?"

  Her cheeks turn a deep shade of red, "I-," she clears her throat, "drank too much and ended up puking. The last thing I remember is Cole bringing me up here and tucking me into bed."

  "Oh, well uh– we should go," I try to avoid telling her what happened tonight.

  "Not before you tell me what happened tonight," she says firmly.

  "I lost. They know everything about my past and starting next week, I'm all theirs," I smile wiping away my tears.

  "Summer," Alice sighs hugging me. Tears rush down my cheeks again.

  "I'm okay, Alice. Better, now that I know you're safe," I assure her. "Four more days to go before everything ends, so I might as well enjoy them."

  She nods, hurtful tears rushing down her cheeks as well, "Come on, let's go home and treat our hangovers."

  "You drank too?"

  "A little, but I was talking about the hangover Kai gave me."

  "Oh," Alice nods, dumbfounded. She gets up and we both exit the room and then the party only to realize we have no ride back home.

  "Need a ride?" Cole calls from behind us.

  "No," Alice and I both reply turning around.

  "I don't bite and I've got orders to not let our new pet walk stray."

  "Then walk us," Alice says.

  "Thought you weren't a bitch."

  "We all know the truth, I do bite," I smile at her comeback.

  "It's an hour walk to our place," Alice shrugs, and I follow her lead taking off my shoes. We turn around and start walking. I hear Cole groan and listen to his footsteps follow behind.

  The air is beyond cold and dry tonight. I watch as Alice stumbles a little.

  "Are you okay?" she nods, not really convincing me, but then smiles.

  "I'll be fine," she says just before fainting and Cole catches her just in time.

  "What the fuck did you do to her?" I hiss.

  "Nothing, her drink was laced and this is just the effects of it," he picks her up bridal style and starts walking back to his car. I stand there wondering what to do. Why is he helping us?

  "Are you coming?"

  "Why are you helping us?" I open the back door for him and he lays her down.

  "Like I said, I'm on babysitting duty," he replies, closing the door.

  "No, you didn't hurt her," I add, sitting down on the passenger seat.

  "Would you like it if I did?" he asks as he takes a seat on the driver's side and starts the ignition.

  "Of course not you bastard, I'm just confused."

  "We're all humans, Summer. As much as I hate to admit it, Alice is just another piece on the board that's dying for the queen."

  "And you're dying for the king, why?"

  "Why is Alice doing it?"

  "I... I don't know," I admit. Why is Alice doing so much? Any normal girl would've left by now or hate me for being who I am.

  "Because you accepted her for her."

  "She's normal."

  "No. To you, she is, only because she's like you, but for others, she's a lost cause."

  "She's not a lost cause."

  "I know, I'm telling you what others think of her from their perspective."

  "Others don't know what we've been through, so what others think is none of our concern," I speak through gritted teeth. I've always hated being the centre of other's opinions, it angers me how they just judge you off of your actions instead of asking logical questions starting with why.

  Everyone has a reason to do what they do. I was built the way I am today, so I don't know any better than that. Kai is who he is for unknown reasons, I can hate him for what he's doing to me or to the people around me, but I can't hate him for who he is.

  The rest of the drive goes by silently.

  ...♛...

  "Thanks for driving us home," I whisper, making sure not to wake Alice up.

  "No problem," Cole says. He takes out a pack of tablets, "Give her three every day for the next two days to neutralize the effect of the drugs. Until then, make sure she has a bucket next to her at all times."

  "Gotcha, thanks," I take the pack of tablets from him.

  "Kai wanted me to tell you that we'll all be seeing each other at camp for the next three days, and on Monday, after school, you should be ready to go. We'll be here at five to pick you up," he whispers. I nod knowingly, "He also wanted me to add emphasis on the fact that the first seven days will be the hardest, so be as hydrated as possible. If you give out before the seven days, they will be extended further until he's satisfied."

  "Anything else your king wants me to know?"

  "Try to keep Alice safe," he adds. The concern on his face is clear. He's grown a liking towards her. As much as I want to use that to my profit, I can't. Not at the cost of her life. I have to keep her away after I leave.

  I escort him out of the house, "Thanks Cole, for everything. For not hurting Alice."

  He nods and walks to his car. I watch him drive away before closing the door. My body turns around slowly, until I feel my back hit the wooden door. A shaky breath escapes my lips and tears I've been holding back, start to leak.

  As my legs go weak, I slide down the door. Soft whimpers fill the quiet house. I bring my knees up to my chest sitting in a fatal position.

  I don't want to go back, not at all. I hated my life before. I hated killing, I hated baiting, and I hated being a gang leader's daughter. My family cared about me and I loved them, but at times, I felt like nothing more than an asset.

  The
way my brain works sometimes scares me. The fact that Alice might be like me is terrifying, because I sent her down that path. I made her like me, and I would take that back in a heartbeat.

  Everything Kai did to me today, is unbelievable. It's like he knows me better than everyone. I was so stupid, I thought that I was rebelling, but I was doing exactly what he wanted.

  I've been out of the game for too long. I need to change my state of mind and become the exact person I was. I pushed her back, but I can't anymore. Not when I'm up against Kai who doesn't hold anything back.

  He wanted to see me break and he got exactly what he wanted. He made me believe that Alice was going to die because of me tonight. But in a way, he showed me the future. If I don't let these people go, they will die because of me. I feel like Kai's doing me a favour by pulling me away from everyone that I care about.

  Chapter 8

  "Summer, wake up," Alice shakes me. I lazily wave my hand around in the air, trying to get her to stop. "We're stopping for fifteen."

  "Okay," my eyes flutter open just in time to watch her exit the bus. I stay seated for a few minutes just to fully wake up. Today is the start of the three-day camping trip and camp is still three hours away.

  All last night, the smell of Alice's vomit and the sound of her coughing kept me up. I didn't complain because it isn't her fault, but it was really annoying. I let out a long yawn before getting up and exiting the bus.

  As I exit the bus, I watch Kai's black Audi pull up, making me miss mine. It was precious and everything to me. Now, I have to depend on Alice to go anywhere and everywhere I have to go.

  I walk into the convenience store and find Alice with a basket full of junk food.

  "Ooh! My favourite," I grin looking at the bag of Maltesers.

  "Yup," Alice pops the p. I look around and spot Cole wearing a white t-shirt two aisles down.

  "I'll be right back," I tell Alice who nods in response. I walk down and take a left towards Cole's aisle.

  "Hey," I greet standing next to him.

  "Hi," he responds, confused.

  "Can you, maybe, take care of Alice for the rest of the trip?"