Chapter 7 The Vault

Kendrix

The dinner was horrible and I was an asshole.

In my eighteen years of existence, those that things were probably the most shocking thing that had every happened to me simultaneously.

One: I loved to consume as much unhealthy food as I could before the season starts. The team nutritionist would murder me in cold blood if she saw the pasta in front me.

The first shock that evening was that the delicious pasta tasted like ash in my mouth.

Two: I've been called an asshole by many people in my life, but I've never for once admitted it to myself because I was perfect. Literally and figuratively. I had the looks, the charm, and the skills.

But Stephanie, without even saying it, made me feel like the biggest asshole in the world. Shock number two.

I had asked for her to come with me to the restaurant so I could try to convince her to go to the Vault and join my squad for the tournament. But my plan had backfired so thoroughly.

Ever since JJ planted the idea of getting kicked out of the Vault in my head, I hadn't been able to think of anything else. The tournament was the week after resumption.

If I wanted to convince her, it had to be now when she isn't sucked in by any of KSE dramas.

So I had tried to smoothen the car ride by teasing her – in my defense, that strategy always work with the boys – but somehow, I just widened the rift between us instead. She didn't spare a glance or even a flicker of her rage for the rest of the evening.

I realized that calling her out on her attitude around her supposed best friend wasn't the right move to win her over. Even if I was certain it had been true.

It wasn't my place to tell her that whatever had made her react like that around her best friend was probably true. I didn't know their history, I should have kept my mouth shut.

But I hadn't. I had became JJ for a second and it had cost me a potential squad member. Stephanie Scott would not be participating in the tournament as a member of my squad.

I swerved my bike into the alley where I would meet with my friends. I could make out the two figures and the bike in the dimly lit area.

“Took you long enough.” Cisco drawled as he pushed his motorcycle towards him.

Brooklyn strode after him, clutching two helmets in one hand and her phone in the other.

“JJ is at the Vault. He says Sebastian and his group of heathens are bragging about beating him in last week race and how they would beat you in the tournament.” she scowled.

Brooklyn might not be a biker like the rest of us, but she was just as involved in our shenanigans and pride herself on being at the top of every gossip channel in the area. The bond between the four of us had been strong since kindergarten. It hadn't fractured in the slightest even when Cisco and Brooklyn began dating last year.

Her expression was mirrored on Cisco's face. “They beat JJ through foul play. They should be disqualified already.”

“Well, Ronnie was clear when he said there were no rules except no death.” Brooke shrugged.

“Yeah, no rules except the ones he springs on us last minute. Ronnie is an asshole.” Cisco scoffed.

“Still, they won. And we're still short a member.” Brooke said pointedly at me.

Like the rest of my friends, Brooklyn was curious about Stephanie, which was rare because she found most people's company to be tiresome.

I couldn't tell her that I had probably ruined the chance of her wish ever coming true. She would not be seeing Stephanie at all.

“Well, we should get down there and make sure that doesn't happen again.” I started my bike and grinned at my friends. “Shall we?”

The couple exchanged glances as they grinned back to me, donning their helmets. Cisco climbed on his bike, Brooklyn followed suit, her arms wrapped around Cisco's waist.

“Race you to the Vault.” I said.

“A thousand dollars.” I could feel Cisco grinning as his girlfriend made the bet.

“Deal.” I winked at them and sped off. Cisco's string of curses echoed after me while I laughed.

I only got a few seconds headstart before Cisco was speeding towards me, Brooklyn encouraging him. She whooped happily at they sped past me. I increased my speed and charged past them, throwing a wink even though they couldn't see my face through the helmet.

We kept up at it, biking down the alley at breakneck speed. And just when we were about to get to our destination, I swerved my bike, displaying the recent maneuver I had been practicing and lifted the bike on one tyre, my arms open. I hung in the air for the few seconds before skidding into a halt.

Cheers erupted around me at the almost impossible move. I removed my helmet, grinning from ear to ear. Brooklyn and Cisco did the same as they strolled towards me.

“I can't even be mad that I lost. That was crazy, man.” Cisco said as he clapped my hand, giving me a side hug.

“Well, I am. Now I owe the asshole a thousand dollars.” Brooklyn frowned. I winked at her, if only to piss her off more.

She rolled her eyes and walked off. JJ found us soon after that, simmering with rage, no doubt from the insults he received from Sebastian.

“Where is the son of a bitch?” Cisco seethed.

JJ jerked his head towards the group of teenage boys, huddled around a bike cheering for someone. Sebastian, no doubt. It was easy to spot him among his minions, probably because of that hideous bandana he had never took off.

He claimed it was for good luck, and yet he had only managed to beat me in one race since I began coming here. The first time I raced against him when he was the reigning champion.

The next time I challenged him to a race, he had not emerged victorious and his champion position had transferred to me.

I might have gotten a little carried away in my celebration and fucked his girlfriend, but she had offered to suck my cock. Sebastian hadn't been too happy when he found out.

“Let's go over there and knock that smug smile off the fucker’s face.” Cisco said.

“We have a bigger problem.” JJ started pointedly at the new biker in Sebastian's ranks, his bike new and shiny beside him as he laughed at something Sebastian said.

“Fuck,” Cisco swore.

We were truly and well fucked. JJ’s grim face confirmed it.

Me? I just stared at that young boy who would be no more than a sophomore, the exact grade I had been in when I stumbled upon in this place and gotten so absorbed in the lifestyle, when I had discovered my love for bikes.

The new biker – that was supposed to be the new addition in my squad and the reason JJ had arrived ahead of the rest of us tonight – was still laughing with Sebastian, the dead man walking, and hadn't noticed the three of us glaring at him.

I had no doubt Sebastian recruited him to sabotage our chances of participating in the tournament. The smirk he gave me was enough evidence of it.

“Anyone else eager to knock that smirk off the fucker's face.” JJ seethed, his green eyes flayed with barely restrained anger.

“Oh, we'll knock the smirk off his face all right, but we'll do it the right way.” I exchanged glances with my friends and they nodded their understanding.

Fights in the Vault were settled in only one way: a challenge.

Brawls got you kicked out, especially the person who started it. It was the rule that Ronnie had managed to uphold for so many years. And it was why, after all these years, Sebastian still tolerated me. He couldn't fight me physically here, and I had never hung around long enough for him to get me anywhere else.

So when the three of us strode towards him, our helmets in our hands, he immediately knew why we were approaching.

“Well well, if it isn't the Eagles of KSE.” his tone dripped of mockery. “I see you're still down a squad member. Too bad you can't cheat your way out of the tournament like your school did during the championship. Ronnie is pretty anal about his rules.” he sucked on his teeth.

Another thing the Vault was famous for was the constant clash between KSE students and Diamond High School students, a rival school in the neighborhood. A piss poor copycat of our school, really. Sebastian is a student of DHS.

“I see you're so afraid of losing that you thought to sabotage us by stealing our new addition.” I threw a glance at the young boy who squirmed under my gaze. JJ bared his teeth at the boy and he shrieked.

“Can't steal someone who came to me willingly. He simply saw you for what you really are, just like everyone here. Why do you think no one wants to join you?” Sebastian smirked and brushed past me.

I had no doubt that he had spread some nasty rumours to spook the newcomers. It didn't matter anyway. I didn't want a new addition who is easily spooked by rumors.

But I knew somebody who won't, a girl who would probably bite my head off.

Fuck, I needed Stephanie Scott.