~ Chapter 46 ~

                                    

                                          
"Do you think we could sneak into your house?" Noah asks from the living room floor.
                          
"No,"
                          
"I think we can, I've done it plenty of times,"
                          
I shoot Axel a pointed look. "And thanks to you my father upped security. On top of that, I know for a fact that my father is looking for me. I've shut off my phone so he can't track it,"
                          
"There's no harm in trying,"
                          
"Actually, there's immense harm in trying,"
                          
"Immense? Wow, big words."
                          
I swear I hate these boys more and more every day. We're currently discussing how I could get my things from my house. Even though we have all of this stuff going on, we still have to go to school. Grades don't stop just because you're having family issues. 
                          
"We'll figure something out, we always do," Axel reassures me. 
                          
"Okay, but what about the rent problem? If you manage to get into my house. I think I have a little over a thousand saved up,"
                          
"We're not taking your money,"
                          
"Why not?"
                          
"Yeah, why the hell not?" Tyler cuts in. 
                          
Axel smacks Tyler in the back of his head, continuing. "You're not paying for rent,"
                          
"Athena, have you talked to your dad? Do you think he knew about the setup?"
                          
Athena pokes her head around the corner. Raven hair flying right after her. She thought for a moment, stepping away from the wall. 
                          
"He texted me asking if I was okay that night, but I haven't talked to him since," She answers, "I don't think he would set Axel up, but at the same time my father is a businessman and for the right price he would do anything."
                          
I glance at Axel. I can only imagine how he feels in the moment. His own boss setting him up. It's not like the fight would've just ended in a loss for Axel. I doubt my father would hire someone to just beat Axel up. I'm sure the outcome was supposed to be a lot worse. 
                          
I have no idea what the track record of the fighter is, but it can't be very clean if he's been in contact with my father. 
                          
Anyhow, I'm jumping to conclusions. My dad is a bad person, but murder? I have a very hard time believing he's capable of that. 
                          
"Tyler," Axel spoke, "Have you kept in touch with Marcos?"

                          
I watch the room's atmosphere change intently. The name seemed to put everybody in a tense state. Which is strange; I've never known this group to be intimidated by anything, let alone a person. 
                          
"Yeah, we talked a few days ago,"
                          
"I still want you to arrange that meeting with him. Even if he can't help us, it'll be good to see him again."

                          
Tyler nods moving out of the room. I didn't miss the small squint of his eyes before he got up. What I couldn't decipher was why he seemed to hesitate. It wasn't a hesitation as if he didn't want to call the man, more like delaying to see if Axel was sure. 
                          
"Listen," I yawned, "I'm going to head to bed."
                          
They nod and wish me goodnight as I exit the room. I can still hear them talk about ways to get money as I go up the stairs. I feel incredibly bad. I can pick up another job to try and pitch in. 
                          
They've been struggling all of their lives and here I am. That's a bad way of thinking, but I can't help it. Perhaps I'm being dramatic about my entire situation.