Dedicated to:Avy_S_2003

Thank you for the votes and comments girrll!

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A big thank to jenniejohnson2345 for these adorable covers!! Really...they're so freaking cute!!

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"I got ice in my veins,

Blood in my eyes,

Hate in my heart,

Love in my mind"

~Anonymous

Caleb

The trees and houses flashed by exceedingly fast. Everything was a blur except the road upfront and the steering wheel. Even though the air conditioning of the car was on full blast, drops of sweat trickled from my forehead and down my jaw line.

Amber bridge street, near the first alley on the left.

That was where Connor was supposed to meet Eric. That was too far away, I could get late. Is there any other way to reach there faster?

Dad! Police! Police cars!

The police station was closer to Amber Bridge Street than our house! I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket with my left hand, while steering with my right. Hurriedly, I placed dad a call.

When I heard him speak from the other end, I instantly felt safe and accompanied "Caleb, I'm busy right now-"

"Dad!" I yelled to cut him off "I know where Connor is and-and I think he could be in trouble"

There was a short pause as if he was trying to believe what he just heard "Well...where?"

"Please go along with the police to Amber Bridge Street, near the first alley on the left!"

"How can you be so specific?" he asked, in a slightly raging voice.

"I'll explain later dad" my breath came in gasps; that was lot of anxiety for me to handle "Please just go to Amber Bridge Street, he could be in trouble"

Dad ended the call.

"Dad? DAD?" I yelled through the phone. No use, the call had been ended.

Why? Why would dad end the call like that?

Did he think I was kidding?

How will I know if he obeyed me or not? Just a simple, yes or no would have been sufficient!

I tried calling him again but he kept on ending the call again and again. I screamed in frustration and threw my phone on the passenger seat.

Licking my chapped lips, I tried to believe if this was really happening. Connor really went to Eric instead of me.

I was sure Connor did this to save me. Of course, he wouldn't have thought that Eric and I would've had a merry chat, payed a visit to starbucks and enjoy life.

He knew.

And now he's in trouble.

Because of me.

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The car ride felt like hours till I finally reached Amber Bridge Street.

The sound of sirens filled the air as I slowed the car down. I could feel the presence of ambulances and police cars some distance away.

They were here.

I was immediately relieved. Dad had obeyed me.

As I edged closer and closer to the spot, police cars began appearing, parked on the side of the street with a few cops scattered around, talking and scribbling on their notepads.

I parked my car on the side of the street. My breath caught in my throat when I saw the ambulance parked near the spot.

Hastily, I pushed the car door open and hopped off. I could feel the tension in the air as if there were strings pulling me from all sides.

I found dad standing next to the ambulance, running his hands through his hair while he talked to a paramedic in apprehension. His face was red and he seemed to stutter while he spoke. Something was definitely not right and I wasn't ready to know it yet.

"Dad?" I half-whispered to him as I dragged heavy steps toward him "Did you find him? What happened?"

Dad looked up at me, not shocked at all by my presence. Nervously, he thumbed toward the ambulance and shook his head.

Connor was in the ambulance? What the hell!

Without wasting another second, I dashed toward the ambulance's back doors. I gripped the curvy and cold metal handles of the doors and began to yank them open - but they were locked from the inside. I was forcefully trying to pull the doors open when I felt people grabbing me from behind.

"No!" I screamed as the cops pulled me away from the ambulance "Let me go! I want to see him!"

"You can't go in there kid!" the cops yelled.

"Let me go!" I cried, ignoring the instructions of the cops, and started to punch them and kick them away "Connor!"

Tears started to sting my eyes as I was dragged away from the ambulance.

It was my fault. All my fucking fault. I felt like cutting myself. Even though I hurt Connor so much, he still got out of his way to cover for me. Why would he do that? I was a douchebag, I didn't deserve his generosity.

At that very moment - all that was left in my heart was nothing but love for him. Love for my dear brother who now lay fainted in the ambulance, injured and hurt.

I was dying to see him and at the same time, I tried to cease myself. Maybe I'll never get a good night's sleep after I see the condition he was in.

"Caleb. Son" my dad appeared from behind me and placed a hand on my shoulder "It's okay"

"It's not okay dad!" I spat at him as the cops let me go "What did they do to him? Wait - where are they? Tell me dad! I'll beat the fuck out of them!"

"Cal" my dad caressed my head "Get in the car and I'll explain everything on the way. The ambulance will follow us and Connor will not be admitted to the hospital, he's okay"

That calmed, my racing heart, down a little.

I wiped my tears away and obediently got into the car that I drove here "What about our BMW?" I asked when I saw our BMW parked a few metres away that Connor used to come here.

"The cops will drive it for us" dad answered as he slid into the passenger seat beside me "There are a few things I want to talk about right this instant. Start driving"

His voice was stern and husky. I was ready for the series of questions that he'll be asking me on our way back. With a wave, he signalled the ambulance and police cars, to follow us, as I started driving.

There were a lot of questions that he fired at me. Questions like: What was Connor thinking? Do you know who did this? Why did he come here? What is this place? And so on...

My answer to all of them was either 'No' or 'I don't know'. I could get in serious trouble if dad came to realize that I know exactly what and why it happened so, I just decided to hide all the information from him. I promised myself to meet up with the police later and tell them everything.

And for sure - I'll get those assholes, and Eric, locked up.

"Dad...?" I asked when he stopped asking questions "Please tell me what exactly happened back there?"

I couldn't recognize my own voice. It was rough. I could feel it, the pain that the sound held.

Connor, my brother's life was at risk because of me. I could feel the weight of guiltiness press down on me. It was heavy, almost unbearable, and I couldn't do anything to kill that feeling.

"We..." my dad started "We found him unconscious in the alley" he spoke those words with a heavy heart as if every letter burned wounds into his skin

"His forehead was bleeding and-" he took a short pause "and his entire body was covered in bruises"

I gripped the steering wheel tighter and clenched my teeth. My head hurt - I couldn't think straight.

My brain was screaming 'revenge' and for sure I'll get it. My heart, it was on fire, it was in a position where it couldn't handle the guilt anymore.

I'll take revenge for you Connor, I'm going to make Eric and his rats pay for this.

I promise.

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Alrighty...I guess we all know what this author's note is going to be about...

I'M SO FREAKING SORRY FOR THE DELAY.

And also, I apologize for not reading your books at the moment. I promise you guys, I'll read 'em soon, please bear with me T_T

If you're reading this then for sure you're a very loyal reader. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for the support!

Please continue supporting like this =^_^=

Keep commenting, keep voting, keep making people happy!

Love, K.

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