Page 14 of Mayhem

I glance at the Kings. All three of them are looking at me with different expressions, but they all have an underlying look of want.

What do they want from me?

Serena

The last bell of the school day rings, and I sigh in relief. The first day of school is officially done. I pack up my stuff and leave Mr. Labeau’s class with Evie. I can feel his eyes on me as I walk out, but I ignore it. I walk with Evie to her locker. Talking to Evie is easy for me because she does most of it. I listen and nod along. I have never been a big conversationalist. Cleo or Evan used to be the ones who talked while I just listened. Yeah, yeah. I know I need to say what is on my mind more. Evie grabs her stuff, and we head out to the parking lot.

Naomi and Grace are already outside, waiting by Evie’s car. They are talking to each other in hushed voices. I watch them closely as we walk closer. Their hands are touching, and they look super close. When they notice Evie and me walking closer, they jump away from each other. Both pretend like nothing is going on between them.

Evie invites me to go out with them. I decline, needing some time to myself. I tell them I am going for a drive around town and see what there is. Evie offers to come with me, but I shake my head. She already has plans with Grace and Naomi. I don’t want to get in between. I wave goodbye to them and walk to my mom’s car.

A part of me wishes I had taken Evie up on her offer or gone out with the three of them, but I feel so burnt out and overwhelmed after today. I didn’t know what to expect, but I never expected everything that happened. I assumed everyone would be curious about the new girl, but to get the attention of the three most popular guys at school was not something I was prepared for.

Hopefully, by tomorrow, things will have calmed down, and I can resume my plan of going unnoticed.

I pull out of the parking lot and start driving. I don’t have a destination in mind. I want to see what is around. I drive through the small town. It looks so different in the light of day. Families are walking around together. Stores are bustling with business. The local restaurants and café are filled with families and students enjoying the evening together. It makes me think of a Hallmark movie. Everything looks just so perfect and peaceful.

What It Is by Doechii ft. Kodak Black is playing loudly through the radio. I roll the windows down, taking in the fresh mountain air. My hair blows in the wind as I drive. The scenery is breathtaking. There are mountains and forests as far as the eye can see. I feel like I can fully breathe for the first time in a long time. The deep pine scent soothed a part of my soul I did not know craved it.

Three motorcycles quickly catch up to me and stay behind me for a few minutes. I look at them in my rearview mirror but can’t see who they are. Just three black bikes followed behind me. I take a turn down a random road, and they follow me. A sense of panic hits me, wondering who they are and what they are doing. I speed up, trying to get away from them, but they continue to follow at the same distance.Fuck, fuck, fuck.I have no clue what to do. Do I turn around and go back home? I grip the steering wheel tighter, trying to figure out my next move when the motorcycles pull up next to me. I keep my head forward, trying to ignore the panic brewing in me now that they are now beside me. They stayed there for a minute, looking at me. I can see them nod to each other out of the corner of my eye. Their loud exhausts startled me as they sped past me so fast that I could barely see them as they disappeared into the distance.

When I can no longer see them, I sigh in relief, but the panic still lingers. This excess energy in me needs a way out. My body screaming at me to get it out the only way I know how. I resist the urge. I promised myself I would never do that again. I won’t relapse. I need to find another outlet.

I pull in next to a crystal blue lake and exit the car. The air feels so fresh and warm against my skin. I take my cardigan off and it in the back seat before walking to the lake.

Peace and serenity washed over me the further I walked around. I have always felt drawn to water. It’s a happy place for me. I was sad to be moving away from the ocean, but being so close to this makes up for it.

I kick my shoes off and walk into the water, the bottom of my jeans getting wet. A sigh of relief leaves me.Heaven.I walk down the lake until I come up to a dock. The narrow wooden walkway is about ten feet long. I walk to the end and sit down, my feet dancing across the warm water.

The world goes quiet, and all I can hear is the nature around me.

I close my eyes and tilt my head back, soaking in the sun.

Without wanting to, my mind wanders to the Kings. Midas, Odin, and Zeus. They could effortlessly become a deadly temptation. One I don’t need or want. They are the snake, and I am Eve. Unlike her, I won’t bite the apple they are offering. I refuse to, and not even just because of Evan.

I can already tell they are dangerous. I won’t get mixed into that. I know nothing about motorcycle gangs, but I have watched Sons of Anarchy, and if that show is even half accurate to what life is like for them, I wouldn’t survive it.

I won’t be like my mom. I never asked what trouble she got into growing up, but based on her warnings, it had to be awful. I know if I ever dipped my toe into their world, it would suck me in. Deep inside, I have felt this dark need that was never satisfied.I felt like I suppressed that side of me and if I let it free, I would never be the same again.

When I saw the Kings today, I knew they could feed that darkness in a heartbeat. It was the first time in a long time I felt that secret longing creep up in me. They are a poison that I would never be able to put down until it killed me. I refuse to get my heart broken by them because they would completely obliterate it. Those boys are heartbreakers through and through.

I picture how they each looked today. No eighteen-year-old should look like they do. It is obvious they spend most of their free time in the gym. They have far too much muscle, but it works on them.

“Ms. Gold, are you all right?” I jump out of my skin and turn around to see Mr. Labeau behind me. His eyes are searching mine, seeing something in them.

“H-hi, Mr. Labeau.” I nervously say.

I thought I was completely alone out here. I didn’t even hear him coming. I need to start taking in my surroundings.

“Tate. My name is Tate. You can call me that outside of the class.” He says. Tate points at the empty spot next to me, and I nod. I shimmy over, creating a bigger space for him to sit. Tate sits down beside me quietly.

I look over at the man next to me. He has a strong jaw and beautiful, cut cheekbones. He looks down at me and smiles. We say nothing to each other. Just sit and enjoy the peace until I hear footsteps running down the dock.

“What the fuck is going on?” Midas yells at us.

How the hell did they find me?

I don’t bother looking back at him. I refuse to let him break my peace this time. Tate looks over and scowls as the three Kings stomp over to us. They stop behind us, and I feel a hand grab my arm tightly and pull me up. Midas is glaring at me before turning his gaze to our teacher. If looks could kill, Tate would be dead on the spot.

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