It feels lonely. No, I feel lonely.

It's the beginning of April. The sun's getting hotter and the days feel longer. I sit on the window pane and watch a few kids in the street play with their skateboards.

I turn the volume of my music higher when I hear faint laughing sounds and I bring my cigarette to my lips, taking a long drag. I close my eyes. It's not relaxing. It's not helping with the stress. It's only killing me from the inside. But it's okay because this distracts me from the things that are really bothering me and eating me up from the inside.

I hear a loud bang and I snap my head towards the door. I get off the ledge and toss my earphones and phone away. I'm about to toss the cigarette out of the window but stop when I see Jasmine standing in the doorway.

"What the hell are you doing?" She screams and scrambles into my room. I thought I locked the door. "What's that God awful smell?"

When her eyes wander over to my hand, I realize it's too late. I've been caught.

"Are you actually smoking?" She exasperates her arms in the air.

I roll my eyes. "Yea, so what?"

"So what?" She laughs. "Are you serious? Just wait till I tell mom!"

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," I say as I rest my hands on my hips. The corner of my mouth lifts up and I can't stop myself from smiling.

Jasmine turns around and eyes me suspiciously.

I never noticed it before but she's a lot similar to me. She always borrowed my clothes saying that it's a cousin thing but now I realize that she's trying to look like me. Her choice of shoes, the colors of her outfit, heck even her glasses are the same as mine. The only difference is our hair, hers are curly while mine are somewhat straight. I can't help but feel like she's trying to be like me, but a better version.

"Exactly why shouldn't I tell everyone about your little shenanigans?" I smile to myself as her words register in my head.

"I mean, if you're okay with me telling everyone about how you were fucking the guy in your drama class while also trying to get in my boyfriends pants then go ahead, tell Aunty I picked up a little habit." I bat my eyelashes and smile sweetly at her, enjoying the way her face turns red in anger and her nostrils flair.

"He's not your boyfriend!" She screams, making me shake my head.

"No, he definitely isn't now."

"I mean he wasn't your boyfriend when he kissed me." Her emphasis on the word 'he' adds fuel to the fire in me and I have to force myself to stay put and not punch her in the face.

"Even if he did kiss you," I say pointedly. "You could've pushed him away but no, you proceeded to make out with him."

"You know I have feelings for him!" Jasmine yet again screams at me.

I close my eyes for a brief moment. This bitch. "What about my feelings, Jasmine?" I ask. I'm about to continue but something burns my fingers, distracting me. I crush the cigarette in my hands and throw it out the window.

"I only kissed him back because you said you weren't sure about your feelings." It's pathetic how she's trying to defend herself.

"I never said anything like that! I always liked Charlie and I wanted this to work—"

"Charlie said the reason why you didn't make it official was because you didn't like him more than a friend."

"No," I croak out. I can't tell if she's lying or not but if she's trying to hurt me then she's doing great. I take a deep breath and continue, "We didn't make things official because dad was admitted to the hospital literally a day later, I didn't have time to think about this. I was so worried about dad but then when I finally gathered my thoughts, the two of you were professing your love for each other."

"Blake, stop trying to make me the bad guy when you know it's your fault too. Unlike you, I know what I want and I'm not gonna let an opportunity go to waste."

I laugh hysterically, "He was my boyfriend not some job offer."

"Whatever, just stay away from us and we won't have any problems." She places a hand on her hip and smiles at me if I'm the one who has a habit of poking their nose in others business.

"You too Jas, wouldn't want those videos resurfacing." I mock her stance, earning a glare.

"You wouldn't." She dares.

"Oh, I totally would. Now get out of my room." I turn her around and push her out of my room, slamming the door in her face.

I can't believe her. I can't believe the stories she's made up to make herself the innocent one. I just hope she doesn't catch on to my empty threats. I wish I kept that video where I accidentally walked in on her doing it with some random boy at a party. If need be, I could tell Aunt about all the things she's done. I doubt she would believe me though.

I spend the rest of the day locked up in my room. Nobody calls me for supper and I don't make an effort to leave my room until it's almost dinner.

After dinner, I went to the hospital to see Dad. He usually argued with me whenever I came at night, saying that there was no point and that I'll only be tired in the morning but this time was different. This time he weakly smiled at me and asked me to hold his hand until he fell asleep.

I told myself I'll stop smoking. I'll stop going over to Leon's and I'll stop being reckless but when dad restlessly moved around in his sleep and called for help when he sleep talked, I knew I couldn't get through this on my own.

Days turned to weeks, and weeks turned into months and then he was gone.

It was summer yet it was so cold. I felt bare, exposed even as people stared at me with a pitiful look, the funeral was a blur because I was crying to much and when guests came to visit me at home, I was too high to know who it was.

Two weeks later I found myself at Leon's doorstep.

The door was slightly open and unlike other times, I decided to let myself in. The sound of voices led me to the living and I instantly recognized Leon who was standing in the center of the living room with his back turned towards me.

My eyes travelled over to the side where a woman with tangled hair and a hot pink singlet and dirty pair of jeans slumped in the couch.

Her eyes wandered over to me and and squinted as she withdrew the cigarette from her mouth. "Isn't that the chick who owes us cash?"

Leon turns and an amused look takes over his features. "Long time no see, can I help you with anything?"

"Help her?" His mother, I assume as they're features are almost similar, stands up and marches over to me. She stops a few mere inches from me and I uncomfortably take a step back. "You've helped her enough, it's time she pays me for everything she's used."

"I'm sorry—" I whisper, looking at Leon for help. He eyes are focused on me but he doesn't say anything. I gulp and look at the lanky woman who reeks of something more than just beer.

She places her hands on her hips, daring me to say something she doesn't want to hear.

"You said I didn't need to pay so I didn't bring it up again." I look at Leon again but his face is blank.

"I said that once Blake, you've been taking cigarettes from me for weeks, that shit doesn't grow on trees, you know." He says, run a hand through his hair that barely move because of the grease.

I stand there in shock. I didn't ask him once, I asked him how much I owed him a countless amount of times but he never told me and with everything going on in the last few weeks, I was in the head space to ask him. "I said I'm sorry, just tell me how much I owe you and I'll pay you back."

Leon's about to answer but this mother beats him to it. "One grand."

"What?" I croak out. "That, that's too much! I only bought cigarettes and occasionally weed."

"They're expensive items deary, now pay up."

"Leon, come on. I know you're joking." I say waiting for him to laugh but he doesn't.

"Mom's the one who gets them, so she gets to price it. Besides, you're rich aren't you. I bet you have a grand or two lying around."

I choke out a laugh. "You're being ridiculous, I don't have that kind of money!"

"Oh please, Leon wasted hours at the hospital just to confirm that you came from money. Your family sure is greedy for not flaunting it around. Or is it because daddy loots people." She smiles smuggling and I lunge for her but in a swift motion Leon stands as barrier between us.

"Back off or she'll make it worse." He whispers.

"Fuck it, I am making it worse." She says from behind.

I blink when I'm pushed and when I open my eyes again, the mad woman is in front of me.

Her hands clasp around my arms tightly and she rams me towards the wall behind me. I lose my footing and just as I regain my balance I'm thrown into a dark room, a fall for a moment until my hand catches something and my body collides with a creaky wooden structure that I fear will snap because of the force. A door slams shut behind me as I realize I caught onto the railing of stairs and I slide I few steps down until I finally stop.

My screams echo until they're dimmed down by the loud shouting coming from somewhere above me.

It's dark and I can't see anything.

"Leon!" I scream and I feel around for the steps and railing and then I lift myself up. I hiss at the pain that shoots up my right leg when I put my weight on and suddenly everything starts to hurt.

"Leon!" I try to scream louder, "Leon please help me!" I hop up a few steps but my body hurts too much. "I'm hurt, help me."

"Mom, what the fuck—"

"No! You're not getting out of there until you pay up. One and half grand in cash."

"I will, I promise! Just let me out and I'll go home and give it the money, just let me out."

"You think I'm a fool?" Leon's mothers screeches, I sense she's standing behind the door because of the loudness of her voice. "I know what you're trying to do and I'll have you know that it's not gonna work with me."

"Let me the fuck out right now!" I bang my fists on the door despite the pain. "I'm going to call the fucking cops on you!"

I search my pockets for my phone but I can't find it. My breathing becomes even more rigged and I frantically touch the steps in hopes to find my phone. I know I had it with me.

"Leon, has your phone. I'm sure he wouldn't call the cops on his mother or himself." I hear her snicker and I bang my fist against the door once again. "Kept it down, or you'll owe a lot more than you think."

I hear someone walk away and I hope that it's her. I speak when it's quiet. "Leon?"

"Yea,"

"Let me the fuck out!" I bang the door again and growl in frustration when the door doesn't budge. "You can't do this, it's illegal!"

"I'm not doing this Blake and I didn't know she would do this either." He says, softly. I want to slap him, punch him, anything but I can't do anything.

"Let me out and we'll talk about this. I'll give you the money today. We could go together so you know I'm not lying. We can forget this ever happened, I won't tell anyone. Just let me out!" I beg helplessly as tears form in my eyes.

"Mom's not easy to deal with. Especially when she hasn't had the amount of fix she needs." He says, ignoring everything I'm saying. "We've been low on cash for a while and I promised her I'll make some big bucks and everything was going as planned but then, I don't know. I just liked you a lot and I didn't want to use you for money."

I stop pleading and listen to him. Anger boils inside me with each words that leaves his mouth. "What about your grandmother, you've been lying to me this entire time, haven't you?"

"I lied about my grandma, I've never met her just like the rest of my family. The woman you met at the hospital was just a random woman who lost her memory and believed anything you told her, like I said, I had a plan and I needed to get close to you somehow."

"Are you fucking psychotic?"

"I needed the money. Trace said he'd—" He curses under his breath and I realize he's on the floor behind the door. "I thought you'd do something more legit and I could make some money out of it but you only fucking smoked." He sighs audibly. "I needed to give mom the money. She knew my plan, she knows you're rich, she just wants money."

"Well I can't give it to you from in here. Let me out and I'll shove it up both your asses." I snap.

Leon's silent for a moment and then I hear shuffling on the other side of the door. "I can't help you Blake. Just corporate and it won't be so hard. She'll let you out soon."

I yelled until my throat felt scratchy, I screamed until I couldn't make a sound and cried until my tears ran dry.

My right ankle felt heavy and even I touched it, I realized it was swollen. There were countless spots on my chin, arms and legs that were stinging and the faint smell of blood in the air confirmed that I was probably bleeding yet I didn't do anything to help it.

There was no track of time as I lied beside the door. I focused on the sound breathing to distract myself from the rats that squeaked from beneath me. The basement felt darker than before and I didn't dare move.

I was in a daze for hours, falling in and out of consciousness until I felt numb. My body was propped up by the door, and my hand was on the doorknob, jiggling it every now and then in hopes that it would open but it didn't. I was locked inside for however long Leon's mother wished.

Charlie was right about Leon. He came to the funeral and warned me about him but I ignored him and pushed him away like I did with everyone else.

Leon was dangerous. From the moment I first talked to him I should have ignored him or made up some excuse and walked away but I was stupid and didn't think about how bad things could get.

Now I owed him money or something way worse could happen to me. I just hope I have money lying around. My inheritance is still in process, they're delaying it because my Aunt wants her share and then some. Dad's lawyers said that she won't get anything more than what's written in Dad's will but I know my Aunt won't stop at that.

I hear footsteps by the door but I'm too tired to make a sound. The doorknob jiggles and I raise my head up and steady myself as the door opens. The light is almost blinding and I shield my eyes from it.

"Raise and shine, bitch. Now get the money." I don't lift my head when she speaks. I'm afraid and I want to get out of her as quick as possible.

I nod my head and lift myself up using the railing. A cry leaves my mouth and someone quickly reaches for me as I stumble back. My eyes meet Leon's and I push him away, steady myself and stepping out of the basement.

The house is littered with beer cans and wrappers. The air is laced with a strange scent and when I cough, my ribs hurt.

I brace myself for the walk back to my car. I limply make my way towards the door, forcing myself not to cry out in pain each time I put my weight on my right foot.

I can feel Leon behind me but I don't make an effort to move out of his. I don't want to see his face but I can't get rid of him until I give him the money. I just hope I find enough at home. I walk over to my car and reach for the keys when a hand reaches over holding them.

"I'll drive," He says.

Like hell you would.

I snatch the keys out of his hands and unlock my car, getting in immediately. I wince at the pain that sores all over my body. Leon sits in the passenger seat as I start the car. I want to kick him out but there's no point. It's my fault he's here and I have to end this now.

I drive rashly, mainly because I'm not in the state to drive but I won't risk it again. I feel can Leon's gaze on me and it makes more nervous than it should.

"Blake, I wish this didn't happen but I can't control my mom. She's does weird shit."

"Weird shit doesn't mean locking someone in your house for an entire day! It's been over 24 hours, you locked me in there for an entire fucking day." My voice is hoarse and it stops me from saying everything I want to.

"I said it was my fucking mom!" He shouts back and I flinch. The car swerves to the side but I gain control of it in time.  "I like you Blake, let's not get this between us."

"Well I don't Leon. I never liked you and I never will.  Just take your damn money and leave me the fuck alone."

It's quiet after that and I feel a sense of relief wash over me.

I Park in the driveway and drag myself to the door, my foot is aching badly and so is my head. I try to open the door but it's locked. I'm half glad that nobody's home. I use the key that's attached to the keychain that has my cars and I let myself in.

"Hello?" I say, just to be sure that I'm alone. When nobody responds, I make my way up the stairs. I hear Leon behind and I turn to face him. "Stay here and don't move. I'll be back in five minutes."

He doesn't respond, only shoves his hands into his pockets and grunts. I take that as a yes and climb up the stairs.

I head for my room, searching through purses, drawers and practically anywhere I could put my money. I find around six hundred dollars but it's not enough. It's nowhere near the amount I owe. I stand in the middle of my room, my eyes scanning everything in my view. I'm about to give up when my eyes land on the room opposite mine.

Jasmine didn't lock her room. I creep inside and look around, it's not exactly neat but it isn't that dirty either. I remember she once told me she's saving money for some stupid trip and I start looking around for some hidden stash.

I check her her wardrobe, dresser, under her study table. I'm running out of places but in my desperation, I lie on my stomach and look under the sofa. I sigh when I don't find anything and I'm about to get up when my eye catches something odd under the mattress of her bed.

I crawl over to her bed and lift the mattress. There's money. A lot of money. I laugh and count as I pick the bills. I take nine hundred and smile when I realize she won't notice it's missing which means I have enough time to return it.

I underestimated Jasmine. She ended up saving me.

I get up and turn towards the door, counting the money again as I walk towards the stairs. I bump into someone and I jump back, pressing a hand to my chest when I see Leon.

I shove the money in his chest, "Here's everything I owed you. Now leave and never come back."

I nudged him towards the stairs but he doesn't budge. "It's not over." He mumbles.

I give him a perplexed look. "What?"

"It's not over." He repeats. "Just so you know, I have enough proof against you as you do against me."

He holds his phone close to my face and and I furrow my brows as I see a picture of me smoking a bong. He swipes and there's more, you can see my face clearly in the first three, and then the side of my face in the next few and then he shows me a picture of a girl hunched over a table. There's a white line on the table which I assume is powder and her face is inches away of from, a hand on her nose too.

I take a step back and look at Leon. "That last one isn't me."

"But looks like you."

"It does—" I look at the photo again and stop myself. The girls wearing all black, similar to what I was wearing the other pictures. Her hair's covering her face but it looks almost like mine. However, the quality is low is anyone would believe it's me.

"You literally told me you liked me twenty minutes ago and now you're blackmailing me?" I laugh in disbelief.

"I have to make sure you won't rat us out to the cops." He says shoving the money and his phone into his pocket. "Say a word to anyone and you'll see these photos all around town."

He doesn't wait for a reply and I don't call out to him either. I have nothing to say. I stand at the landing and watch him head downstairs towards the door. When he's half way there, he stops and reaches for something in his pocket. I recognize my phone in his hand and reach out to grab it as he throws it in the air. I'm not able to catch though and it falls to the floor with a thud.

"I trust you won't tell anyone." He says before slamming the door shut.

I stand there for a while as my mind replays everything that's happened. My teeth begin to hurt and I realize that I'm biting down on my jaw too hard. I open my mouth and take a deep breath to calm myself down but it doesn't work.

I feel tired, scared, lost even as I drag myself to my room. I pick up my phone on my way and put it on the bedside table as I fall on the bed. I cry out loud as all the pain in my body comes back. It's worse than before and I scream into my pillow.

I wipe away the tears and look at my phone. I need to tell someone about what happened. I grab my phone and look through the entire contact list several times but I can't figure out who to tell. I don't have any friends. I don't have anyone.

My mind wanders back to the threat Leon just gave me. If I tell anyone, he'll leak those photos. It's not me but people will believe whatever they are told.

I run a hand through my hair as I grow more and more frustrated. It's not me but it looks like it. If I tell anyone he'll use those photos against me but maybe there's a chance they won't. If I tell the police everything, they'll believe me. It's their job. They'll help me.

I dial 911 and hover over the call button.

What if they don't believe?

Then I'll fucking make sure that Leon and his mother go to prison with me.

With that last thought, I tap the call option and press the phone to my ear.

The call lasts around fifteen minutes and I'm assured that I'll be contacted again when a case is prepared. I'm not sure if this is how it's supposed to be but I don't question it any further.

Maybe I should've talked to my Aunt before doing this. I chew on my lower lip as a heavy feeling forms in my chest. Maybe this was a bad idea. I shake that thought away as fast as it came. It wasn't a bad idea. The cops should be involved, they'll solve everything.

I stand up carefully and walk towards the full length mirror beside my wardrobe. I observe the scratches and scabs on my face.  It looks just as bad as it feels. My arms are covered in bruises but the worst is my elbow where some of my flesh is exposed. I try to rub off the blood that surrounds it but it doesn't come off. I don't struggle with it and instead examine my foot. It's still swollen but I'm certain it isn't as bad as it felt before when I was...locked.

My jeans are covered in dust and my shirt has several blood stains here and there. I decide to take a bath to wash away the dirt.

Bathing in this condition was a bad idea. My skin burned and I realized I reopened every single cut and scratch on my body. I patted myself dry with a towel and put on a fresh pair of pajamas. The material touched my injuries causing more pain and I hoped that a few pain killers would make it go away.

When I checked the mirror again, all I saw were bruises and cuts. I could hear my Aunt and cousin talk downstairs and I feared what they would say when they saw me. I wanted to tell them, my Aunt was my guardian after all since I refused to meet my mother but I was afraid of what she would say when she found out the truth.

We were already feuding over my inheritance. I couldn't give her a chance like this yet I did. I slowly walked downstairs, using the railings as support so my ankle wouldn't hurt more than it already did.

I heard my Aunt in the kitchen and I hesitantly walked in. She stood by the stove, holding a spatula in one had and a pan in the other her back was towards me and I took a deep breath, bracing myself for the conversation we were going to have.

"What the hell happened to you?" I whip my head to the side to see Jasmine. "Did someone hurt you, it was that find of yours wasn't it?"

She narrows her eyes at me but I'm too tired to say anything to hear. Mostly because I'm too scared to talk about it and just want her to believe every idea that comes to her mind about me. It'll save me from explaining.

"Jas—" I hear Auntie say, she pauses when she sees me and the spatula falls from her hand and to the floor. The pans saved by the counter but with the way Auntie rushes over to me, I fear she will knock down something else. "Oh god, what happened?"

I open my mouth to speak but she doesn't give me a chance as she frantically talks. "I heard you in the shower, did you fall in there? Why didn't you call for help?" She carefully places her hand on my chin and raises it, assessing the damage done on my face. "You didn't fall in the bathroom did you, where were you yesterday, why didn't you come back home?"

Her tone is stern and she glares at me.

"I didn't think you cared." I say, thinking about how she didn't bother calling or texting me despite the fact that I was gone for an entire day without telling her anything.

"I'm not your parent." She states and I back away from her. Her statement hurts me more than it should and she realizes it because she reaches out for me. "I didn't mean it like that, I wanted to give you space. I know this is a bad time for you and with all the legal problems we're going through, I didn't want to make you feel like I'm always on your tail. I thought you went to a friend's place and I didn't want to disturb you."

"I bet you'd be happy if I died—"

"Stop it! Both of you!" Jasmine shouts. We turn towards her to see her fuming with anger. "Mom, you should check on the chicken. It's been in the oven for too long. I'll take Blake to the hospital."

"I don't need to go to the hospital."

"You do," They say at the same time.

"It's okay, I'll take her." Auntie says, fiddling with her apron. She stops and her lips form a thin line when Jasmine shakes her head.

"No, I'll do it. I'll let you know if anything serious. Blake, let's go." I watch as she grabs her phone from the counter beside her after which she reaches for the car keys and silently walks out of the kitchen.

I avoid Auntie's gaze and limp towards the main door. Jasmine starts the car as I walk over to the passenger side.

Somethings off about Jasmine. She rarely ever behaves this way. I can't tell if she's doing this out of pity or if it's a part of some plan. When we're off streets and on the main road, Jasmine picks up her phone from the cup holder and tosses it in my lap.

I wince when it hits my leg and I notice Jasmine looks at me before staring back at the road. "Someone sent me pictures of you doing God knows what."

I press the power button on her phone and swipe to unlock it, she doesn't have a passion on it so it unlocks immediately and I almost drop her phone when I see the image that's opened. It's the same one Leon showed me a few hours ago.

"It's not me, the last one isn't me." I say grimly.

"It looks like you and the other photos are enough to get you in trouble. If you aren't already." She adds, with a blank face.

This doesn't make any sense. She's being too calm and she's not attacking me. Either this isn't Jasmine or I hit my head too hard.

"You do realize that this can help your mom with the case, right?" I turn the screen towards her.

She looks at it and snatches it from my hand. She glances at the road and then at her phone, returning to the home screen and pressing the power button. The screen goes black and she places her phone back in the cup holder. Then she glances at me.

"Have you seen yourself in the mirror?" She asks incredulously. "I know we hate each other and everything but you're my cousin, I'm not gonna let you die on the streets."

"Really, because last time I checked, you and your mom were thinking of ways to get the house." I continue, "Why are you protecting me now?"

Jasmine hits the brakes too hard and I'm thankful that I'm wearing a seatbelt. "Because I know Leon did this to you it's not the first time he's done this and I won't let him fucking do this again."

Jasmine's face is red and it's not because of the traffic light. It's a tint in her skin color that appears only when she's angry and with the way she's glaring at nothing in particular, I know that's she's extremely angry.

"So, are going to help me?" I ask tentatively.

"I'm going to tell everyone that you fell from the stairs and you're going to ignore Leon and his entire gang." She says in an authoritive tone as she turns into the hospital parking.

"But what if we go to the cops?" I'm about to tell her that I talked to an officer but with the way she shakes her head in disapproval, I stop.

"Don't you know Trace has connections in the police? Why do you think they get away with everything, it's because he's got family in there." She answers, parking the car not too far from the entrance.

My blood runs cold and I feel my heart drop to my stomach.

My phone buzzes in my lap and I squint at the screen. There's a message from an unknown number and it reads:

SNITCH!