Tales of the Underground: Crestfallen - 21. A Viper's Bite

I woke up feeling much different than any other day before. I learned a lot about Jayden yesterday…a lot about life. I learned what it means to be a good friend, but more important a faithful partner. I don’t need labels, just Jayden by my side, and as of right now I’m fine with keeping it that way.

Sunday went by in flash. It was filled with catching up on school work, training and of course texting Jayden. He was so much more comfortable over the phone, yet at the same time I could still feel that quiet sheepishness of his. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t hard to sleep that night, I guess I was just too excited to see him again, even if it was in school. Just like every other morning since I met Jayden, I rushed through my routine and eagerly waited in the car. Perry laughed, fully knowing what had gotten into me, but didn’t dare to say anything. When we pulled into the school lot I quickly ran out of the car, but looked back to see Brooke broodingly walking behind. Ughhhh SHIT! I guess I better talk to Eli first.

I made a small pouty face to myself, before walking down past my locker straight to the dark figure sitting in front of his. He had his long blonde hair pulled down into his face in an attempt to get some sleep. I took a breath before elbowing him in the side, awaking the beast within. “What the fuck!” he growled, not realizing who it was “I swear to fucking god…” he said turning his head slowly “Oh god damnit Rookie, I should’ve known it was your bony ass. What could you want this early in the morning?”

“Who’s viper?” I nervously spit, trying my best to stare him dead in the eyes.

Suddenly what I could see of Eli’s face turned as pale as a ghost “Viper…” he repeated in disbelief “Where did you hear that name?”

“Don’t worry about it.” I nervously shrugged “What does it mean to you?”

“Where did you hear that fuckin name?” He spit, a lot angrier than before.

“My sister.” I shot out, giving him the same level of anger “Now what does it mean?”

“Your sister…she got green eyes?” he spit, slowly beginning to shake as though this was some type of ghost story “and short black hair?”

“What is this 20 questions?” I sighed, starting to get annoyed with how much Jayden time this was cutting into “What does she even have to do with this, who’s Viper?”

“Answer the god damn questions Aidan!” His voice, turned to a deep growl, and for a second it felt as though it wasn’t even him speaking.

“Yeah she’s got green eyes, but she doesn’t have short hair anymore.” I forced out, trying not to let him intimidate me.

“Show me a picture.” He let out, this time more in disbelief than in anger. I rolled my eyes, but pulled out my phone and flashed him the picture of her and I on my lock screen anyway “She’s alive…” he whispered to himself.

“What the fuck do you mean she’s alive? Of course she’s alive!” I spit starting to grow paranoid “How do you know my sister?”

Eli shook his head not daring to speak “Remember what I said about digging, this is one of those things you better leave be.” He muttered, trying to cover his face more than it already was.

“Oh fuck this!” I let out, and before I knew it I grabbed a hold of his jaw and forced his face towards me, so I could see his eyes “This is my god damn sister, you’re gonna tell me what you know.”

I saw anger in the form of fire fill his eyes, but he fought it back, knowing better than to tango with me. “She was a racer.”

“Eli I don’t have time for this bullshit!” I spit, growing angry “Brooke is a horrible driver, she crashed into someone on her way to some stupid party she snuck out for last year. She couldn’t even race if she wanted to!”

Eli shook his head and pushed my hands from his face “She’s got you fooled. She wasn’t driving to a party, she was in a race against Jamie.” He confessed “That’s all you’re getting.”

“Like hell it is!” I shouted, beginning to grow loud “You’re gonna tell me everything, or this is going to get real ugly real fast, and I don’t give a damn what it means. This is my sister, the only real family I have, now spit before I knock your teeth out of your damn mouth.”

“She was good” he unwillingly began “The best female driver in the underground, and perhaps one of the youngest there. The boss knew he had to put her against Jamie, he thought it would ignite a fire within him…that it would truly bring out the Reaper.”

I jumped to my feet done with the story, and gave him a halfhearted shot to his head. “So you guys tried to kill her! God I didn’t believe a word of what your old friends told me. I figured there’s no way someone our age could be that cold hearted, but it’s true! It’s fuckin true! And you! The supposed golden boy back then, you just sat around and let it happen! They said you knew how dangerous he was! What a monster he was! Like a fuckin idiot I didn’t listen!” Eli went to speak but I wasn’t having any of it. “You almost killed my sister!” I yelled starting to get in his face. Before I knew it I felt Henry’s arm begin to wrap around me and drag me away “You’re fuckin dead to me Warren! If I ever see you again, you’re dead!” I shouted, as I was pulled away.

Henry turned me around and shoved me down the hall “Easy there tiger, now let’s not try and go getting kicked outta school.”

“I’m cool” I sighed, fixing my hair “I’m cool.”

“Doesn’t seem that way” he shrugged “What was that about anyway?”

“Nothing” I spit in anger. Before Henry could further push me for answers the bell rang, and we had to go our separate ways.

I spent the rest of the morning, brewing in anger. That snake! He was supposed to be fixing that whole shit show of a kid named Jamie. It’s bad enough they dragged down Jayden’s brother, but my sister! What the hell was she thinking racing? What the hell was he thinking letting anything like that happen! He let his boyfriend nearly kill her! And for what? A sack of cash! I would give up everything I had for Brooke and then some! As the lunch bell rang I ran down the deep parts of the sophomore hallways until I found my sister. Before I could even think about the contact that would occur I wrapped my arms around my sister “I’m sorry, I heard about Viper…about what could’ve happened!”

Brooke’s face turned bright red, as she tried to push me off of her “Aidan stop!” she whispered, trying not to make a scene “What happened to not liking to be touched.”

“that was before I knew they almost killed you!” I sighed, finally letting go.

“Who almost killed me?” she spit confused

“Jamie! Eli told me about the matchup, about how it brought out the Reaper!” I spit, not even in control of my own words.

“What are you talking about?” she sighed “Jamie never tried to kill me…believe it or not he was even kinda friendly. The accident was well. an accident. The Reaper existed longer before I met Jamie, and I’m sure long after, but he believe me, he wasn’t’ trying to hurt me. I wanted you to talk to him about it, because I want you to realize how easy accidents can happen, especially around Elijah Warren.”

I took a deep breath as I realized how emotionally I had reacted “Ohh no” I sighed

“Oh Aidan.” Brook groaned “What did you do?”

“Told Eli I’d kill him” I shrugged, realizing how bad I had fucked up “It’s possible I didn’t let him finish, and well…I kinda lost it on him.”

“I heard he was in an even worse mood today.” She laughed “Guess now I know why. You were really that mad?”

“well, yeah” I blushed “I though he tried to take you from me…I’m not sure I would know how to handle that.” I confessed “I mean I would be left alone with mom and dad, what would that be like?” I quickly spit, trying to cover my emotions.

“awwwww!” she let out “You love me!” she reached out to hug me again, but I pushed her away “Awww no, you wanted to hug before.”

“Stop!” I screetched “I gotta get to lunch! That was just me being impulsive…STOP!”

“I think you owe someone an apology first.” She sighed “Even if he is a dick, I think you two are starting to form something.”

I rolled my eyes and exhaled a deep groan “Where is he?”

She shrugged her shoulders “Last I heard, he’s been in the quad listening to music all day. Teacher’s don’t try to get him to go to class anymore, they kinda just let him do his own thing when he gets in these moods…it’s easier for everyone involved.” She explained, giving me a glimpse at what a famous case he actually had become in the school.

I nervously made my way to the outdoor portion of the school, worried the hell that awaited me. I mean he doesn’t have to forgive me. I exploded on him without even giving him a chance. I should know better than that by now. I should trust him! He’s my mentor! He’s willing to return back to hell just to make sure I stay safe! I’m such an ass! I quietly approached the bench he was laying on, and took a seat on the railing. “I’m sorry” I let out in an almost whisper.

“Whats that?” he coyly spit, pulling out a headphone

“I’m sorry.” I spit a little louder.

This time he pulled out the other headphone and gave me a full on shit eating grin “Still can’t hear you.”

“I’m sorry!” I exhaled, in a loud voice

“You’re damn right you are!” he spit “What the fuck were you thinking this morning! I told you to leave that story alone, but there you go digging through shit just like you always seem to do!”

“Can’t you at least see where I’m coming from?” I spit “Jayden and I are growing closer, and well…I see the toll losing his brother has taken on him…learning that that could’ve been me…it’s shaken me.”

Eli let out a very somber breath “It’s funny, thinking about her death had the same effect on Jamie. If you haven’t heard from your sister yet, he didn’t try to kill her. It was a racing accident…one he never fully recovered from.” The normal combination of sorrow and pain filled his voice “The boss thought it would bring out the Reaper, but that crash only brought out more Jamie. The second he pulled across the finish line that night, he began screaming for someone to help Viper, he ranted and raved and at one point refused to leave. It took everything within me to get him to drive away.” I swear I saw a tear drop from his eye as he thought back on the past

“Hell that night we even got into a police chase.” He let out in an almost laugh “I guess seeing someone so close to us in age…someone just like us in that bad an accident, it really made him realize what it means to be in the underground. That night, whether he would admit it or not, was the night he knew he had to stop racing.” He shook his head at the story he had just told “I owe a lot to your sister, and believe me, I’m relieved to know she’s okay…Jamie would be too.” Eli looked up at me, and I saw the true human within…the one I had first met last year in the ice rink “Believe me, Jamie wasn’t a monster…he was complicated, and hard headed and a dick! But a monster? No…never.”

I nodded, along with his words “I know you wouldn’t have fallen for him if he was. What I said before…it was all emotions…it was all impulsive. I guess I kinda get that way sometimes.” I embarrassingly let out “I’m glad to have you in my life. I’m glad to have you as my mentor, and when you feel up to it, I’d love to hear more about Jamie…and not the racer…the person.”

This time I know I saw a tear fall from his eye, but he tried to cover it with his hair “Maybe one day.” He sighed “but for now, go eat your lunch, and forget this ever happened. I guess you’re lucky I’m in a good mood today.”

“Really cause I heard you were an extra big dick today!” I teased

“Watch yourself.” He growled, trying to regain his normal tough guy look “Oh and one last thing.”

“Yeah?” I nervously let out, shaken by the sudden change of tone.

“If you lose control like that when I take you to the black market, you won’t come back out alive.”

The tone of his voice, how simple of a sentence that was for him…it shook me to my core. What the hell am I committing to here?