Hallows: Eulalie

Fvcking Psycho

Ludwig Van Beethoven- Sonatina in G Major, Anh. 5- Romanze

Ashley:

"Miss Villanueva, back again?" a deep raspy voice calls after me.

Mrs. Dubois, the head of the music department, walks out of her office when I try to sneak past her to get to the piano. I step back to stand in front of her doorway. We've been working together since I transferred here. She told me to get some rest after moving on to the second round of the piano soloist competition and I'm pretty sure I've told her this is the only thing that gets me to sit still. If I'm not here, I'd be getting into trouble with my new friend.

"I can leave," I say. She waves me in and taps the edge of her desk, beckoning me to take a seat. I drop into the leather armchair.

"None sense. We go where our hearts take us," she smiles. "Your mother called me this morning,"

"Oh, s**t. I'm sorry. I forgot to call her last night,"

"Call her now," she places her cell phone between us. "I'll give you a moment," she gets up and leaves.

I open the phone and dial the house number. It rings a few times before my mom answers it.

"Si?"

"It's me," I answer.

"Eula, que chingado te dije cuando te moviste al dormitorio?" she shouts. "No pude dormir estupida. Cuantas beses te tengo-"

"I'm sorry," I cut her ranting off. This is my fault. "I was tired. It was a long night, ma. Classes here are not like at H.H. and midterms are kicking my ass,"

"Estas bien?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little tired,"

"Okay, Sabes que no me gusta cuando no me hablas en la noche," she scolds me a little gentler now.

"I know. It won't happen again," we both know it's a lie. "How is Papi doing? What did the doctor say?"

"Don't worry about it," she says in her broken accent. "Esta bien. Regresa al trabajo manana,"

"I can get off campus if you need me to,"

"No, no. Aya quédate. Para que bienes si no ay nada que hacer?" she sighs.

"Do you need anything?"

"Quiero comprarte un cell," she says.

"I don't need a phone,"

"I don care," she growls. "Nececitas uno. Asi te puedo hablar cuando quiero,"

"Ma,"

"Ya. Ashley,"

"If you really want me to get a phone. I will. I don't need you to buy me one,"

"De donde lo vas a sacar, cabrona?"

"Don't worry about it," I mock her.

"Chingada, Ashley. No quiero que andes con la Chavela. Tu no eres como essas chamacas,"

"Okay, ma. I have to go. I have lessons in a little bit," I lie. Now that she knows I'm fine I have until tomorrow before she tries to chew me out again.

"Comiste ahora?" she asks.

"Yes, I did. Breakfast and lunch. Dinner isn't until seven."

"Ba pues. Te voy a llevar snacks de la tienda el Viernes. Yo y tu padre,"

"I'd love that,"

"Con cuidado, Ashley. No te vallas a estar peliando. You understand?"

"No fighting. Got it," I agree.

"Te quiero mucho, okay?"

"Me too,"

"Okay," she hangs up. I shut the phone and place it back on the desk.

The last thing I want is to have a phone where she can reach me all f*****g day. She'll never stop calling me. Mrs. Dubois comes back and tucks the phone into the drawer. She smiles tightly at me and sits back. I reach into my backpack and place the bottle of oxi pills between us. She pulls a stack of twenties from the same drawer.

"You need to be careful with this here," she puts the pills in her drawer while I count the money. "Kelly Hayashi and Dante Blackstone will pounce on you if they find out,"

"Yeah, I'm aware," I nod. Kelly has been trying to get me to work for her buddy, Dante but I can't stand him and I'm not doing this because I want to.

"You've got an hour on the piano before the Kennedy girl comes in,"

"I changed my mind. I have to go. Thank you for letting me call my mom,"

"Any time, Ashley," she nods.

Tiffany f*****g Kennedy. Just the mention of her makes me want to rip my hair out. That b***h has been on my ass from the moment she found out that I was going to be taking her spot in the pageant this year. She and her little friend Aubrey send their little minions to wait for me outside of the dorms. If it wasn't for Kelly this morning, I would have been late for class and I've been written up a couple of times for being late already.

As I get to the front of the school, I spot the Phantom limo waiting for him at the front gate. I groan, hoping he doesn't come out as I walk past it. His driver watches me as I make my way over to the gate. His creepy eyes are on me and I try to pick up the pace but then tense up when he looks over my shoulder.

"Going somewhere?" his low voice sends chills down my spine. I glare at his driver for distracting me long enough to let this s**t hole sneak up behind me.

"None of your business, Blackstone," I turn around to find him a little too close. He looks me over before meeting my gaze.

"I can give you a ride to the southside if you like. We're headed that way anyhow," I hate the way he speaks. So proper.

"I've got two feet. Thanks," I turn around to walk away. He grabs my arm. "Dude, what the f**k?" I try to get out of his hold but he doesn't release me. He just pushes me toward his stupid car. "I'm not getting in there," I put my foot on the car door when his driver reaches to open it for us. "Let me go,"

"Get in the car, Ashley," he growls. "I tried asking nicely the first time,"

He grips a handful of my hair and pulls me away from the car so that his driver can open it. Then he's shoving me inside.

"Okay," I shout, pulling away from him. He lets me go and I get into the car. He slides in next to me and shuts us in. "Come on, man. I don't want to be seen around you,"

"Why not?" he asks, taking a joint out of a little compartment by the door.

"I can get into trouble," I say. He reaches for my bag and I pull it away. He glares at me and takes it anyway. He takes the pack inside out and starts going through my things. He takes out the stack of money I earned today and then the pills.

"You're in trouble now," he says. "You do know this is my territory, right?"

"Yeah,"

"And what? You think you can sell your s**t here and get away with it?" he shoves my things back in the pack and pushes it into my hands. I don't answer because I really don't know what to say. It's not like I have much of a choice. "Who's your supplier?"

"I'm not telling you s**t," I look away. He smells amazing.

I scoot away from him as I slide my pack back into my bag. He moves to the seat in front of me and leans closer to stare at me. I look at him because I don't want him to think I'm scared or some s**t. The window is cracked a little and light from outside is shining down on his face, making his pale yellow eyes look gold. I've never seen him up close like this. He's a really pretty guy. Too bad he's an absolute piece of s**t.

"I respect that," he nods. "You're loyal,"

"This has nothing to do with loyalty," I scoff. "More self-preservation."

"You're running for Chavelita Jimenez aren't you? What does she have on you?" he asks. I don't answer him. "Come on, Villanueva. You gotta give me something,"

"I don't have to give you s**t. I don't know you. We're not friends." I point between us. If I get caught by one of Chaves guys with him. I'm in deep s**t.

"I don't want to be your friend, kitten," he sits back, taking a puff from his joint. My nose instantly starts to itch from the smell. He offers it to me and I shake my head.

"Don't you ever like to have fun? You're always so f*****g serious," he scoffs. "You should relax."

"Relax? In a school filled with f*****g snakes? Yeah, right," I look out the darkly tinted windows. A hint of a smile tugs at his lips.

"I think you're handling yourself well."

"I give two f***s about what you think," I scoff.

"Look, Ash. I can call you Ash, right?"

"No,"

"Look, Ash. There's no need for us to be enemies. You don't like me. You're the first. I'm a really f*****g likable guy. You're running pills in my school and you're really f*****g good at it. Kels wants you to come over to our side. It'll be beneficial for all of us,"

"Not for me,"

"Why not?"

"That's none of your business."

"How much is she paying you? I'll double it."

"Tempting, but it's a hard pass for me."

"Come on. Ash,"

"Stop calling me that,"

"All right. So, we got off on the wrong foot on your first day here. I shouldn't have brushed up against you-"

"You're not the first rich asshole to try and get handsy, Dante. I'm saying no. For whatever reason that is, you need to back the f**k off. I'm sure you're not used to being told to f**k off, but that's not my f*****g problem. I don't want to work for you or Kelly. I've got enough problems as it is. If you want me to stop pushing this s**t at your school, I will. f**k," I snap.

"Who's been getting handsy with you?" he asks.

"That's what you got from all that?" I scoff. What the hell is this guy's problem?

"What problems?" he asks. I glare at him and shake my head. "I'm going to find out one way or another. You might as well tell me. What does Jimenez have on you?"

"She doesn't have anything on me,"

"You're not related to her, are you?"

"Nope,"

"You owe her? How much?" he asks. I look up to meet his gaze. He laughs, taking another drag. "I can't help you if you don't let me,"

"What?" I laugh. "What makes you think I need your help, Blackstone? What about me gives you that impression?"

"You've been here for a few months, Villanueva," he says, turning his head to look out the window. He has something written in Japanese going down the length of his neck. The ink is red. "You've made more enemies than friends."

"Enemies?" I laugh. "You mean your girlfriends? Tiffany and Aubrey aren't my enemies. I'd have to give a s**t for them to mean that much,"

"You may not consider them a threat to you, but they are your enemies. You have their full attention."

"And you care why? I can handle myself just fine."

"I am aware, but these girls aren't like your little southside home girls. You're here on a scholarship. You've got a future ahead of you. They're going to buy their way into the world. You can afford to dismiss them as nothing. You can't be running around fighting the way you are. You will be expelled."

"Again, why the f**k do you care?" I ask. He suddenly leans in and I back all the way against the seat. He's so close I can feel the warmth coming off of him. His eyes are glossy and the weed he's smoking only makes him smell better.

"Get out," he says and opens the door next to me.

He falls back into his seat and it takes me a second to process what he just said. I tighten the hold on my bag and climb out of the car. We're near my mom's grocery store. I look back to shut the door and see him sitting where I had been. He holds out a card.

"What is this?" I ask, taking it.

"Give that to your boss. You work for me now," he slams the door shut, making me jump. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding in as the limo takes off. I look down at the black card he gave me to find three sixes printed in gold ink right in the middle.

"f*****g psycho," I shake my head and tuck it into my back pocket. I zip up my bag and pull my hoodie over my head. Chavela is not going to like this one bit. "She's gonna f**k me up."