Being in the room with Asha and Malachi brought out feelings in Simi she didn't understand she didn't understand. It was almost as if she was jealous, which was ridiculous because she'd liked El and now she liked Peter.
She shrugged off her feelings and watched as her best friend and his girl displayed their affections for each other.
If Peter hadn't turned out to be an asshole.

"Kai, what happened with Jamal?" she asked after a while, pushing down her feelings as she sat on Malachi's bed while the two of them were on the study desk and chair.

Malachi turned his attention to her. "I think Forson might have saved his life. He warned him that the board wanted to get the List from him by any means."

There was confusion on Asha's face again. "What's going on?"

"Do you remember that my best friend may have been murdered?" Malachi asked her and she nodded.
"We're still trying to find out who killed him and we're almost close"

"If that bitch would just tell us who it was," Simi murmured.

"Who?" Asha juggled from Malachi's face to Simi's.

Before Simi could respond, Malachi shook his head at her. There was a reason why he hadn't told Asha about what they'd been doing. It was dangerous and didn't really concern her. The last thing he wanted on his conscience was to have something bad happen to her because of him.

"Babe, I wish we could tell you but it's dangerous," he said to her and Asha's face fell a bit.

"Hey," Malachi put his hand on hers and smiled at her. "Trust me?"

Asha nodded and the frown on her face lifted.

That same voice at the back of Simi's head cautioned her to be careful of Asha. She wondered if it was jealousy that was bringing out that voice. But still, Asha had incorporated herself in their pretty quickly and they still didn't know who killed El.

"So where's Jamal and his sisters now?" Simi asked him.

"At my place. No one knows there so they'll be safe for now."

Some part of Malachi wished Asha wasn't around so he could go into full details with Jamal's situation.
And their next move with the List he now had. They had to plan carefully and decide which course of action was the best of them and the worst for Forson and his empire.

The things we do for like, he glanced at Asha and smiled again.

Dr. Blankson, the dean of students, had been at home for almost a fortnight now. Almost all of his memories had finally returned and his bruises were healing slowly.

He'd been spending more time with Peter and the guilt at how much he had left his son alone gnawed at him each time he looked at him.  They were sitting in the living room and watching a wrestling match and Peter was rooting loudly for his team.

Dr. Blankson had noticed the stitches on his face and Peter had told him that he had fallen down at the stairs but it was clearly a lie. There was something else the boy was hiding from him.

The match went on commercials, Blankson switched the television off and turned to his son. Peter was about to grumble but kept quiet when he saw the look on his father's face.

"Dad, what's up?"

"What happened to your face?" he asked Peter.

"I fell down at the hospital, I told you this," Peter chuckled and reached for the remote.

His father pulled it closer to him and replied, "Peter, I know I haven't been there for you in the past but don't lie to me."

Maybe it was that look on his father's face he'd always longed for or he was getting fed up with how involved he was with the Chill Network was but Peter contemplated telling his father everything.

He shook his head and decided to tell him as little as possible. "I'm in some trouble dad."

"What is it?"

Peter straightened himself on the couch and turned to his father properly. He hoped what he was about to do wasn't a mistake.
"I sold Chill for some side money and now I'm –,"

"You did what?!" Dr. Blankson almost shouted.

"Calm down dad, it was a one-time thing."

His father rose up from the couch and faced him. "Don't lie to me. You and I both know it wasn't a one-time thing."

Peter face palmed himself. "This is why I don't tell you anything. You are never around, and you always overreact."

"Don't turn this on me boy. What don't I give you? Why would you do Chill?"

"I said 'sold', dad. Not 'do'."

"What do you think people will say when they find out the son of the Dean of Students 'sold'-", Dr. Blankson did air quotes with his hands and continued, "drugs."

Peter stood up to face his father, their heights and faces similar but Peter's hair was streaked with white and his father's hair was all black.

"Fuck you, dad. The reason why I sold Chill in the first place was because I was working undercover for that NSA lady you brought home late last year."
Peter hit his father's chest with his index finger.

Dr. Blankson was stunned and couldn't find the words to say. "Wait-what?"

"You had drinks with her and told him all about me. She came around and we talked more."

"And she recruited you to work undercover?"

Peter sighed and sat down on the couch again. He put his head in his hands and when he raised it to look at his father, his eyes were teary.
"I messed up dad."

Dr. Blankson sat beside him. "Why didn't you tell me she was recruiting you?"

"I'd have made some money and when she asked me, I couldn't refuse. She listened to me talk about school life, my internship and my friends and it almost felt as if he was -," Peter stopped talking and shook his head.

But his father knew what he was about to say. This was turning out to be his fault.

"How did you mess up?"

Peter wiped his nose with his backhand and shook his head again. He wiped at his eyes before his tears could get the chance to fall.

"Tell me Peter," Dr. Blankson nudged him.

"Those guys who beat you was partly my fault."

"How?"

"The Chill Network threatened me. They said if I told anyone what had happened, they would kill you. And you were fishing for info too so it didn't help your case."

His father put one hand on Peter's and said, "Why? What happened?"

"I swear I didn't know she would do that. I thought we would just beat him a little."

Every molecule of Peter felt as if it were on fire. His hands were trembling and his breathing had turned ragged. This was the first time he was telling anyone what he'd done.

"What happened Peter?" Dr. Blankson drawled out slowly and draped one arm over his son's shoulder.

Peter turned his teary face to look at his father. "We killed Elder Benson."

Discussion Area

One piece of the puzzle finally solved guys! Who do you think Peter meant when he said 'we'?
Why did Simi feel awkward when Asha was around Malachi? Do you think she likes him?
Please don't be a silent reader, let's discuss!