𝗜𝗧𝗖𝗛 ✔

𝟓𝟏. 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐔𝐍𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐍

Cara shivered as Taelyn pulled up to the wreck of a building that was the restaurant Yin's Bistro. It had an eerily creepy aura now that night had fallen, and suddenly she found herself wondering if she should've agreed to come here tonight.

"It's a little scary, isn't it?" Tae murmured, turning around the corner and parking the car.

"Taelyn Scott is scared? That's a first," Aiden remarked snarkily.

"Shut up. I'm not scared. I'm just telling all of us that the building is scary."

"Yeah, makes sense," he replied with the same air of sarcasm.

"Okay, fine, you have to admit it's a little creepy."

"Admitting," he nodded. "Anyway, let's, um...get going."

Cara remained quiet as they all exited the car. The cool spring evening air would have been a nice and relaxing breather had it not been for the nailed up haunted-house next to them.

"Did you get the tennis balls?" Aiden looked at Tae.

"Yeah," the latter responded, reaching in the car for a small plastic bag, which was filled to the top with old tennis balls. "Hopefully this'll do the job..."

"Got it. Wait - Cara, you wore a holster? Where did you even get that from? We don't even have guns." Aiden raised his brow.

"Mint got it as a fashion item back when she visited some kind of fair...I don't know, to be honest. It might not even be legit. I wore it in case, you know...I need something."

"But you don't have anything-"

"Anyway, I got the keypad password, it's on my phone, but I memorized it anyway."

"And I got the GHB," said Taelyn. "Let's get moving."

"Wait - Tiger."

Cara turned around, confused.

"Why do you have a gun? And where did you get that holster?"

She looked down at the holster on her waist. "O-oh. From Willow-?"

"Willow?" Aiden raised a brow.

"M-my former nurse. She uh, was giving me shooting lessons?"

Both of their jaws dropped. "She was what?"

"You were shooting guns? Do you know just how dangerous that is?" Aiden frowned, his tone getting harsher.

"She recommended it as self-defense and I thought it was cool-"

"Why the hell didn't you tell me? I'd be in, sounds like the time of my life," Taelyn rolled her eyes.

Aiden glared at her. "That's not supposed to be the reason why you're upset!"

"Guys, just drop it," Cara said lowly. "I'm sorry for not telling you earlier but this is the exact reason why I didn't tell you. I wanted to do it, and it would have been great if you learned too, but I knew you would react this way."

"How many lessons have you had?"

"Three or four, I think. But it doesn't matter, I'm not an expert yet. I brought this just in case we would need it. And don't even think about asking me to use it on the dogs. It's the people who deserve to get hurt, not the dogs, okay?"

Aiden cocked a brow at her. "Don't think this conversation is finished."

They walked in silence across the parking lot. When they reached the front of the building, Taelyn put up a signal of silence. The others complied, tip-toeing to the back of the building, where the alleyway was.