JACE POV

I knew I would regret banging this girl.

As soon as we were finished and I began putting my work uniform back on, she started babbling on even though it really wasn’t necessary.

“That was amazing.” She breathed while pulling her jeans back up. “Best first day at work I’ve ever had!” she giggled, and I scrunched my face in revulsion just from the sound of her voice.

I was on my lunch break at the same time as the new girl that had just started today, and it was amazing just how easy it was to persuade this girl to drop her knickers in the stockroom for me. I think her name was Naomi, I knew it started with an N. That’s about as far as I can stretch that bit of knowledge.

“You really were amazing babe.” She purred in my ear, nibbling my lobe slightly. I wince away from her and looked at her upset expression.

“Yeah...best get back to work before Dan starts throwing a bitch fit.” I quickly improvise, not really wanting to be alone with this girl anymore. I could see the noticeable hurt in her face as I began to walk away, and I swear her eyes started to water.

Great, this should be fun then. I have to work with this girl from now on and either she’s going to go all stalker on me, or start crying about how I used her.

I really should have listened to that expression Dylan uses all the time.

You don’t crap where you eat.

I made my way back to the shop floor, walking behind the counter to where Dan was stood leaning over it.

“Rushed off your feet are you?” I humoured as there was literally not one customer in the shop.

He sighed in desperation “This is ridiculous, we have not had a customer in over an hour!” he whined “I mean what the hell is wrong with people, do they not need shoes now and all decided to go on the hippy craze and walk around bare feet?!”

I laughed at his outburst and patted his back comfortably.”Times are tough mate, everyone’s broke. Not many people can afford to spend £80 on a new pair of high tops.” I tell him, trying not to smirk as he looks like he’s about to start crying.

He sighed deeply “Things better pick up soon or there will be serious hell to pay.” He muttered to himself, his tone sounded serious. Like there was something behind it. How bad can it be if were slow for a couple of weeks, its only shoes at the end of the day...

Dan walked to the backroom, leaving me alone on the shop floor. The shop was small; I mean my living room at home was about the same size at this. There were shelves around the walls with graffiti on them, holding up the hundreds of high-tops, trainers, UGG boots etc that people were not buying. To be fair, I could barely afford any of these shoes myself as they were all branded and cost a bundle. The middle of the shop had two stands which held more shoes, and a large tyre that people used to sit on while they tried stuff on. Or stand on and have a price gun duel with you colleague, which me and Freddie have done many times.

I had been working in this shop now for just over a year after dropping out of college. I couldn’t handle college; it was too much after everything that happened. Dropping out of college was not my best move, but to be honest I would have been kicked out sooner or later anyway considering all the stunts I pulled and just how fucked up I was. Now I’m stuck in a dead end job with no idea what to do with my life, banging any girl that comes along and getting drunk every weekend in an attempt to try and block out everything.

By everything, I meant the feelings of guilt that I had carried around with me for years...

“Evening all!” Dylan greeted as he walked into the shop with a big grin on his face. I gave him one of my own, glad that he had come to save me from this boredom.

“Dylhole, thank Christ you came I was debating on strangling myself with a pair of shoelaces from the boredom.” I informed him, and he laughed.

“Well, don’t stop on my account...” he clasped his hands together sucking the air through his teeth. I chuckled at his comment. “But I just came to chat to you for a bit while I deliver some news and wait for Chelsea to come out of her doctor’s appointment.”

“How come your not there with her?” I ask him looking at him like an idiot.

His face turns serious, and he looks at me gravely “You try being in a room with you girlfriend and a nurse while their talking about human beings coming out of their area and placenta.” He shudders dramatically.

I shake my head in amusement “It’s your fault she’s in that state, did you not pay attention in health class many years ago?” I humour, pointing my finger at him like he was my child and I was scorning him “Not using protection will lead to STDs and pregnancy young man.”

He shrugs “What can I say, I have superman sperm.”

If you haven’t guessed it, Dylan and Chelsea are still together and expecting a baby. Chelsea is 5 months pregnant with their first child. I wasn’t too surprised when I found out, I mean they had moved in together when they were 18 and they don’t strike me as the type to split up anytime soon. With those two, you cannot imagine one without the other. They just wouldn’t work by themselves.

“Anyway, do you want to shut up for a second and listen to my news?” Dylan asked me, smiling widely.

I cocked my eyebrow at his joyful expression “What news?”

He was full on smiling now, with the biggest toothy smile I think I have ever seen on his face the entire time I’ve known him “You’re going to have a goddaughter.”

My eyes widened and a grin spread on my face. “WERE HAVING A GIRL?!” I squealed, not caring that I sounded like a complete idiot right now. He nodded his head furiously, and I let out a loud scream of happiness. “WERE HAVING A GIRL!” we both yelled together. We must have looked like homosexual couple jumping up and down like 12 year old girls while holding each other.

After we had both calmed down a little, I leaned back on the counter not being able to wipe the smile off my face. I was going to have a goddaughter, and Dylan was going to be a dad. The realisation of this did not hit me until this very moment, now that I can stop calling their baby ‘it’ and can call it ‘her’. It had a real identity now, and it felt so real.

“Me and Chelsea have already decided on a name.” Dylan tells me, and suddenly his expression saddens a little.

“Why the sudden mood change has Chelsea decided your calling the baby Nipple or something?” I teased, and he smiled slightly.

“No I’m happy with the name.” Dylan tells me, staring at me a little harder as he continues talking “Were calling her Faith.”

My face immediately drops as I hear her name, and I feel my heart clench as the mixture of guilt and sorrow fills my body. Dylan expression grows soft, as if sympathising with the sudden change in my posture.

“That’s a really nice though man.” I tell him, smiling half heartedly.

He nods, understanding why I don’t sound more over the moon about the choice in name.

“Almost 3 years next week.” He says, his tone sounding like he could not quite believe it’s been that long.

“Is it?” I ask making my voice sound surprised, like I had no idea it had been that long.

In reality, I knew that next week will be 3 years since they found Faith’s body.

Just like I knew that today was 3 years since I last saw Faith at Dylan’s house party, alive.

3 years since I turned her down and watched her walk away from me. Forever.

How could I forget?

***

I slid the entrance doors of the shop shut, still being able to see out into the dark night due to the doors being glass and see through. I locked it, and put the keys on the counter waiting for Dan to sort out manager stuff in the back so we could get out of here. It was currently me, Freddie and that Naomi chick on the shop floor cleaning up and sorting the stock out for when we opened tomorrow morning.

“He better hurry up. You weren’t working last night were you Jace?” Freddie asked and I shook my head “He was up there for half an hour sorting paperwork out. I was later for my date!”

I grinned at him “How did the date go then?”

His lip curved into a smirk “Let’s just say that me being late did not put her off at all.”

We both laughed, and then his gaze turned to Naomi who was quietly sweeping the floor in the corner of the shop. The smirk was still on his face as he started between me and her, and realising what he was about to do I widened my eyes and shook my head at him warningly, begging him to keep his mouth shut. Being the asshole he is he did not follow my request.

“So darling, how’s your first day been?” Freddie asked her, and she looked at him with her cheeks flushing red “I trust everyone made you feel very welcome?” He chuckles, and I bury my face in my hands at embarrassment. She ignores Freddie’s comments and carries on sweeping, her face growing redder and redder.

I punch Freddie in the arm. “Your an asshole!” I whisper yell to him, and he laughs.

“You the one who banged her in the stockr-” his snide comment was cut off by furious screams.

“WHO THE FUCK DID THIS?!” Dan comes storming out of the back and stands behind the counter. His face was red with rage, and he was holding some a tiny white box with a wire coming out of it, that had been ripped. Whatever it was, it certainly wouldn’t work now.

I glance at Naomi, and she is in the corner looking a little scared by Dan’s outburst. I then look at Freddie, expecting him to have the same WTF expression on his face as mine, but to my surprise he is staring at Dan clenching his jaw, his face also slowly growing furious.

“Where did you find that?” Freddie asked Dan, both of them exchanging an expression that looked like there was more to it.

“There’s a whole bunch of them stashed around the stockroom and in my office!” Dan growls “Look around the shop floor now and I can bet my balls they are in here as well.”

“What is it?” I ask, not quite understanding what the hell is going on.

“Don’t play fucking clueless with me!” Dan snaps “Who do you work for?”

I jump a little at his tone “Dan I work for you.” I state, talking slowly like he is mentally challenged.

“Dan it can’t be him.” Freddie tells him, nodding his head in my direction.

“What can’t be me?” I question, my voice coming out a little louder than I expected. This whole cryptic talk was starting to get on my nerves now.

Dan looks at Freddie a little while longer, taking his words in. His face shoots to me, still in the same mask of fury as before. “They are wires Jace.” He hisses “The whole fucking place is bugged with them! And if it isn’t you who’s behind this, then that leaves new girl.” His glare shoots to Naomi, who is cowering in the corner with a frightened expression on her face.

“Dan I have no id-” she begins, but he cuts her off.

“SHUT THE FUCK UP!” he screams at her, slamming the wire on the counter. “So your onto us.” He states, his voice cold and vicious “Unlucky for you your locked in the shop with us. That does not equal a good ending for you.” The corners of his lip twists into a smirk.

“Have you called the others?” Freddie asked Dan, and Dan nods.

“They will be here in a few.” He replied, his glare still on Naomi. He points at her “As for you....” He reaches under the counter, and next thing I know he is aiming a gun straight at the new girl. My eyes widen at the sight of it and I back away as a reflex, even though the gun is not aiming my direction. “I’m afraid your first day did not go so well. We are going to have to let you go.” He smirks wider, and I can see he is about to pull the trigger.

“NO!” As I scream this out, I see something fly towards the glass door from the outside, smashing the glass all over the shop floor, sending the sound of the glass shattering bouncing from wall to wall. Freddie quickly runs forward so the glass does not hit him, and Dan ducks down a little, crouching behind the counter. I also jump out of the way, so I am now on the floor next to a screaming Naomi who is covering her head.

I look up at the shattered door to see a boy step over the spikes of glass remaining at the bottom of the door and into the shop with a big smile on his face.

“Right ladies and gentlemen, no need to be alarmed.” He announces to everyone, his voice sounding mocking “For those of you who are not drug dealers, you will make it out of this alive.” he assures everyone. He glances at Dan and Freddie who are both ducked behind the counter “For those of you who are however you...Well basically your fucked.” He shrugs.

“Jesus Christ Chris can you not just go in, shoot the targets and get out?!” I hear someone behind him, the voice sending chills down my body.

A figure also walks into the shop, a girl. Her blonde hair was straight reaching just below her shoulders, her fringe almost covering her dark smoky eyes. She stands next to the man, her posture confident and almost...threatening. She is wearing tight faded jeans; a white tank top that hugs her visibly toned stomach and legs. The leather jacket she wore over her tank top embraced her torso. Her heeled black boots made her posture look almost seductive.

“You know I like to go for the theatrics.” The boy, Chris, replies with humour lining his voice. She however does not laugh, or smile. Her expression is cold as she turns back to Dan and Freddie behind the counter.

“Hello boys.” She greets them, her voice malicious.

As soon as I heard her voice pierce through my ears, I could feel the chills run through my body.

She is hot I can say that, but there is something about her that just reminds me of someone. I knew exactly who it reminded me of, but the idea of it is completely ridiculous.

It couldn’t be her.

She was dead...



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