Chapter 7 If You Want to Die, I'll Grant Your Wish

Stephanie's POV

They left? They must have been so caught up in celebrating that they didn't even notice I wasn't on the bus.

I spun around and rushed back to the locker room, yanking open my locker to grab my phone and call them.

But my locker was empty.

My bag was gone. My phone, my clothes—everything.

I stood there frozen as a cold draft blew in from the doorway. The team uniform stuck to my body, still damp with sweat. What should have been a symbol of championship glory now made me feel like a forgotten prop left behind on an empty stage.

"How could this happen..." I whispered.

A possibility immediately surfaced.

Jessica.

The thought hit me like ice water.

I bit my lower lip hard, forcing myself to stay calm.

I looked around. Most of the lights in the gym had been shut off. The empty stands loomed in darkness, with only the security office still lit.

I ran over and knocked on the window.

The guard slid it open. "Can I help you?"

"Hi, I got separated from my teammates. Could I borrow your phone to make a call?" I tried to keep my voice steady.

He hesitated, then handed it over. "Make it quick. I need to lock up."

"Thank you."

I took the phone, but suddenly realized I didn't know who to call.

My parents weren't in this city, and even if they were, they'd just tell me to figure it out myself. The only person I could think of right now was Lorenzo.

I hesitated, but dialed his number anyway.

One ring. Two rings. Three rings...

The call finally connected.

"Lorenzo! It's me, Stephanie, I..." I started urgently.

"Stephanie?"

The deep voice that answered wasn't Lorenzo's.

I froze. "Mr. Lewis?"

"It's me. Whose phone are you calling from? Lorenzo's upstairs—he left his phone down here."

I see.

A complicated wave of emotions crashed over me.

He knew I had my competition today, but he hadn't bothered to call. Hadn't even kept his phone on him.

But I knew solving my current problem mattered more than my hurt feelings.

"I... I need help." I took a deep breath and explained my situation as briefly as I could.

Two seconds of silence on the other end.

"Address."

"West City Stadium."

"Wait there." Christopher left just that one word, and I heard footsteps.

After a moment, I heard Lorenzo's excited yell. "Yes! Take him down!"

Then came the sound of a door opening, followed by something hitting the floor.

"Go pick up your girlfriend at West City Stadium." Christopher's voice became clearer.

"Not going." Lorenzo's answer was immediate and firm.

Christopher's voice turned cold. "Lorenzo, your girlfriend got left behind by her team. She has no phone and no money. She borrowed someone's phone to call you. I answered. Now go get her."

"I said I'm not going!" Lorenzo's emotions clearly ignited. "She only contacts me when she needs something. Why should I?"

"Because you're her boyfriend, and she's stranded. She's in a vulnerable situation right now."

"Then why did everyone else make it onto the bus except her?" Lorenzo shot back immediately. "That shows she's cold, doesn't get along with people, so that's why..."

"Shut up!" Christopher suddenly raised his voice, cutting him off.

"I'm asking you one more time. Are you going or not?"

"No." Lorenzo's voice was stubborn.

"Fine, Lorenzo. Someday you'll regret this decision." Christopher dropped that line, and it sounded like he slammed the door hard.

I could still faintly hear Lorenzo's defiant roar through the phone.

"I'll never regret it!"

On my end, my back had gone rigid.

He knew my situation and still refused to come?

My ears rang for a moment, until Christopher's voice pulled me back.

"Stephanie, are you still there?"

"I'm here."

"Stay where you are. Don't wander off."

He hung up, leaving me with a wait of unknown length.

I stood under the streetlight at the gym entrance for what felt like forever. The cold seeped through my shoes, crawling up my legs, numbing my hands and feet.

My heart was losing its warmth bit by bit too.

Would Christopher really come?

"Hey there, pretty girl, all alone out here?"

A low whistle came from nearby.

My whole body tensed. I slowly turned my head.

Several guys with brightly dyed hair were leaning against the railing, eyeing me like prey.

My heart jumped. I quickly lowered my head, pretending not to hear, and walked briskly toward the only place still lit across the street.

A 24-hour convenience store.

"Don't leave! Let's chat!" I heard footsteps chasing after me.

I broke into a run, shoved open the convenience store door and rushed inside.

Seeing other people in the store, they didn't follow. I finally let out a small breath of relief.

Behind the register sat a young clerk who looked like he'd just pulled an all-nighter. He yawned, glanced at me, then went back to scrolling on his phone.

I walked to the shelf at the very back, pretending to browse, but my eyes stayed glued to the glass door. Those figures lingered at the entrance, cursed something, then finally left.

My tense shoulders completely collapsed. That's when I felt the wetness on my face. I raised my hand to touch it—tear tracks, still damp. I wiped them away roughly.

But then the store door was shoved open again.

Two men stumbled in, reeking of alcohol from several feet away.

"Boss... boss, two more... more cases of beer..." The man clutching a bottle slurred his words.

I shrank back, retreating a step into the corner.

"Huh?"

The man grabbing beer turned his head. His cloudy eyes suddenly lit up, locking directly onto me.

He nudged his companion with his elbow.

"Hey, look. There's a little bird over there, all lost and alone."

My scalp prickled. I turned to leave from the other end.

But they'd already staggered in front of me, one ahead and one behind, blocking the narrow aisle.

"Hey, sweetheart, you out here all by yourself?"

The alcohol breath sprayed across my face. I felt nauseous and tried to dodge.

"Dressed so light, aren't you cold? Come on, have a drink with us, warm up..."

"I don't know you. Please move." I tried hard to make my voice sound steady.

"Have a drink and we'll know each other!" Another grimy hand reached straight for my face.

"Don't touch me!" I screamed, shoving him away hard, squeezing through the narrow gap between them, stumbling toward the register.

"Help me! Please, help me—call the police!" I shouted with everything I had at the clerk still scrolling on his phone.

The clerk looked up, frowned at me.

"If you're not buying anything, don't cause trouble. Go on with your friends and don't mess up my shift."

He made it crystal clear he didn't want to get involved.

My heart instantly plummeted.

"Hear that? He's telling you to come with us!" My arm was grabbed by a hand like an iron vise, squeezing so hard I gasped.

"Let go! Help! Hel—"

Crack!

A sharp slap cut off my cry for help.

Everything went black, and my mouth immediately filled with the taste of blood.

Then a hand grabbed me from the side, forcefully dragging me toward the door.

I looked desperately at the clerk, begging over and over.

"Help me... please... I'll pay you later, whatever you want..."

I used every ounce of strength to grip the doorframe.

The clerk finally spoke again. "If you don't have money, just go home with your boyfriend. Couples fight—don't make such a scene. Go on, go on, don't block the door."

My heart hit rock bottom.

The force pulling me grew stronger. My knuckles turned white from gripping so hard, my fingertips sliding bit by bit from the doorframe, my whole body being dragged out.