Page 14 of Bleeding Hearts (Pine Valley College #3)

CHAPTER TWELVE

I can’t focus on the instructional video in the seminar.

The lights are off, and the screen is bright, but all I can think about is the game and Lally.

If she carries on this way, she is going to end up dead.

It’s reckless, not brave. She didn’t care if she lived or died last night, and that destroyed me.

I couldn’t imagine my life without her. I can’t live without her.

I have loved her since the moment I met her.

I don’t care if she thinks we have no future.

I don’t care if she doesn’t feel the same way or if she thinks this is a phase.

It’s not. I’ve never cared about anyone like this before.

I’ve dated, sure, because I felt like I should.

They were usually men, but it wasn’t their gender that attracted me.

I fell in love with Lally’s soul, not her gender.

Why can’t she see that? This isn’t a test. I want her forever.

I want all of her, even the darkness she doesn’t want to share. I want to be the shoulder she cries on. I want to be the only one she smiles at. I want her wild days and her stormy nights. I want to be the one she turns to when things get hard.

I didn’t know much about love, and I still don’t, but the way I feel about her can only be summarized as love.

I never understood Alek’s devotion before or why he was willing to take a knife for Evan, until Lally. I would take one for her as well. I would die to keep her alive, because the idea of this world without her makes my chest tighten. She’s the best part of my life.

We might have fallen in love on a night filled with horror, but I don’t want our future to be filled with nightmares.

Lally and I were meant to meet and fall in love. I never believed in soulmates before, but after seeing Alek and Evan and Sky and Bones, I do. They were born to be together, two halves of the same whole, and I know she is my other half.

If she’s going to take risks, then so will I. I won’t let her do it alone.

I know I’m not the same girl I was at the beginning of the year, and maybe that should scare me, but it doesn’t. I’ll be anything I need to be for her.

My phone vibrates. After glancing at the teacher, I slide lower in my seat and pull it out, shielding the screen as I open the text. I’m hoping it’s from her, but she hasn’t read any of my messages.

Autumn: We were right. Family paid off. Found evidence. We are tracing the money trail now. Anything on your end?

I hesitate. If Leo was right, can they access my messages? I don’t know, but I can’t leave her waiting.

Alice: There was a game last night. Someone ended up in the hospital, but they didn’t die. They don’t tell us beforehand where or what it is. They are worried someone will report it, so they keep it secret. Don’t know when the next one is yet.

Autumn: Okay. When you find out, let us know so we can report it and stop it from happening, okay?

Alice: Will do.

Bones: TMW. Don’t forget your lesson. Skylar also says hi.

Bones: Sorry, his exact words were, “Hi, cutie, come for dinner one night. We miss you.”

Skylar: He slapped me for calling you cute.

A pouty picture comes through.

Skylar: I tried to explain it’s like how you find a Pomeranian cute. I don’t want to fuck it, just look after it, you know? Oh, he looks mad because I’m texting you. Bye. I’m going to fuck the brat out of my boy. Miss you!

I blink at the texts before shaking my head.

We’ve gotten close because of Alek and Evan, but they are so unhinged, I worry for them sometimes.

They seem to handle each other’s craziness though.

I do think Bones might actually murder him one day, or they’ll both end up in jail for committing murder—at least they’ll be together.

Evan: I hope you’re okay. Alek is upset about your argument.

You know how stubborn he is though. Let’s talk when you have time, alright?

You know he didn’t mean anything he said.

He’s just trying to protect me as usual and saying the wrong shit.

He loves Lally like a sister. Don’t tell him I told you, but he goes to her dorm every day with food, even before this.

I reread the texts before opening the thread with my brother. We haven’t spoken since our argument, but he texted me that night and I never replied.

Alek: Make sure to eat.

That’s it, but it’s his way of telling me he loves me. Sighing, I close my messages and lean back.

All those notifications, but none from the person I really want to hear from.

We get an hour’s notice before the game tonight.

That’s it. As soon as I have the location, which is a note slid under my door, I text it to Autumn, who assures me the police will break it up.

It might get Lally in trouble, but that’s fine.

It would be better if she was locked up instead of dead.

Plus, I’ll be in the cell next to her, and we have a good lawyer, even if he can be an ass.

Zipping up my leather jacket, I cover the tied crop top and shove my hands into my white pants pockets. I was getting dressed to go to a movie when it came through and had to ditch my friends.

I instantly spot Lally in the crowd. We are on a deserted road outside of Pine Valley.

I had to catch two buses just to get here.

She’s wearing a skirt with a plaid pattern on one side, and on the other, where her thigh is exposed, there’s a garter with a heart in the middle.

Her hair is tied back in a messy ponytail with feathers hanging from it, and her ears drip with chains.

She isn’t wearing her glasses today. It’s been a while since I saw her in them, and I miss them.

Her makeup is dark, with black lips and black eyeliner, and she looks so fucking good.

We all line up on the dark road, and I look around nervously for what the next game could be as I check my phone, wondering what time the police will get here. There’s a rumble of engines, and my eyes widen. Is that them? Surely they would come with lights on.

Four trucks appear on the horizon, and they spin and reverse to face us.

The backs are covered in tarps with the ends open, allowing for us to see rows of seats inside.

The windows are tinted, so I can’t see inside the cab.

I’m guessing we have to get in, but why?

I turn to Lally, but she’s already in a truck, so I clamber in after the others, and once the vehicles are full, they set off, heading toward the horizon.

I hold onto the seat as we bump over the road, disappearing just as sirens cut through the air in the distance.

Did they know?

Are they watching me?

Oh fuck, this can’t be good.

We drive for over an hour, the ground almost becoming impassable. We are thrown around the back like rag dolls until we jerk to a stop, and we all go flying. Nothing is said, but we all peer out of the back and realize we need to climb out.

My eyes slowly adjust to the darkness, and I blink at where we are.

There isn’t a city light in sight, and nothing but hills and farmland as far as the eye can see.

To the left is an abandoned barn, and farther in the distance is an old farmhouse, but there are no lights on, and even from here, I can see it’s overgrown and forgotten.

In front of us, a wall of trees separates us from the rest of the world.

It's isolated and dark and not much else.

What the fuck is this game? I search the crowd for Lally when horrified gasps sound, and I spin to see what they are seeing. That’s when my own horror rises as I realize what this game will be.

The slightly muddy ground holds twelve deep holes the sizes of coffins, and when I silently head closer, I see the wooden caskets inside the holes, the lids open.

“Are we going to be buried alive?” someone at my side murmurs.

“Fuck this, I’m out,” another hisses.

All I can do is stare at that casket, wondering how the hell I’m going to make it through this when I hate tight spaces.

I never used to have an issue with them, but after that night, after hiding in the dark .

. . yeah, I hate them. Even now, I sleep with a soft lamp on, and my door is always open so the space doesn’t feel constricting.

My throat feels thick, and my body overheats as panic sets in. I’m debating whether or not I can do this when huge stadium lights abruptly turn on, illuminating the macabre setting in a stark white glare. Past the holes and the coffins is a table, which is set up in the middle of them.

Something lies on top of it, but I can’t see clearly from here.

A bang sounds behind me, making me turn, and my eyes widen when I see masked people climbing from the trucks.

Their faces are completely obscured by melting smiley face masks, and black jumpsuits cover their bodies.

They head past us and stand behind the table, their arms behind their backs.

What are they waiting for?

I have a terrible feeling, and when my eyes go back to the coffins, I wonder if this is when I will lose both the games and Lally.

The same automated voice from the other games flows through the speakers.

“Welcome to Risk, players.” We all shift uncomfortably.

“You are here because you are still in the competition. Tonight’s game is all about facing your fears.

Like everything else, if there is no risk, there is no reward.

We have taken twelve of the most common phobias and fears from the gathered players, and tonight, you will face them.

When you are called, you will pick a card and then climb into the corresponding coffin.

You must stay inside that coffin for five minutes.

If you choose to leave at any time, you will lose the game and be disqualified.

Good luck, and happy playing, risk takers. ”

My dread only grows, and I feel sick. I want to run away, but at the same time, I’m frozen in one spot. My stomach roils, and goose bumps erupt across my arms. What do they mean, fears? I don’t understand, but it seems they don’t want to explain.

“Please step forward when your name is called, select a card, and await further instructions,” one of the masked people calls, their voice distorted.

“Sandra White, Black Halls, Alice Anders, Callum Thorn, Wren Jacks, Lally Stewart, Lauren Harris, Clark Robinson, Garcia Martin, Lee Walker, Isha Scott, and Cassandra Adams.”

Of fucking course, because how unlucky can I be?

People hesitantly start to step forward, and I have no choice but to follow. I look for Lally as I follow them to the table, but I can’t see her, so I turn around and run into someone. I apologize weakly as I finally get a closer look at what awaits us.

There are twelve cards, all with the Risk logo on the back, shining in the light.

“Pick one,” the masked person commands.

I glance from them to the cards and back again. A tall girl at my side snatches one as if she’s worried if she doesn’t, she never will. She peeks at it, her face paling. “No, please, let me pick another!”

“No. The card you pick is yours. This way,” the other masked man calls, and he leads her to the first coffin and stares at her. “Get in.”

She looks back at us, the card clutched against her chest. “I’m terrified of snakes. Please let me grab another.”

“In or leave,” he commands cruelly.

She peers into the coffin, closing her eyes for a moment. “I need the money, I need the money, I need the money,” she chants as she bends down and slips into the coffin.

“Lie down,” he barks. “We will not shut the lid until everyone else is inside.”

She nods rapidly and lies down, disappearing out of sight.

Snakes?

What is she talking about?

“Choose,” the distorted voice comes again, and when I glance back, I feel the person in the mask watching me.

No one else moves, so I step forward, my hips bumping the table.

I can’t back out. If I do, I’ll be out of the games, which means I can’t keep Lally safe nor tell Silent Rose and people will die. I have to do this.

Gathering my courage, I lift my hand and hesitate, sweeping it through the air above the cards.

“Choose,” they snap, growing annoyed. Swallowing hard, I glance down at the cards and press my hand to the one closest to me.

I blow out a breath, terrified of whatever is on the other side. Somehow, I know it’s going to be bad.

I peer up into the masked face as I slightly lift the card from the table, making it bend in the middle. The first look at the drawing on the other side freezes me in place as I stare at the picture of a large black spider.

Spiders.

Oh god, I can’t do this.

I can’t?—

“That one’s mine,” a voice snaps, and I jerk my head up to find Lally at my side. She glares at me and snatches the card away. “I was going to pick that one. Find another card, loser,” she sneers as she steps back.

My heart trembles, fear flowing through me as I glance at the masked man, but he says nothing. He lets her have the card.

Did Lally see the picture?

Did she know?

My eyes track her as I select another at random.

She is just trying to piss me off, right?

Clutching my card, I step back as she marches to a coffin on the other side, her chin up and a cocky smirk on her lips the entire time.

Fuck, I love this woman.