Bad Influence - Episode 7&8

 

 BAD INFLUENCE

Bad Influence - Episode 7&8

(•Tainting Her Innocence•)

GENRE: College romance 

By, Mide L.

    ✧༺✰༻✧    ✧༺✰༻✧    ✧༺✰༻✧

              ✮{...FRESHER'S NIGHT I...}✮

Hailey walked back toward her friends, her heart still hammering in her chest. She could still feel the lingering heat of Xavier’s intense gaze, the way his smirk had sent a strange shiver down her spine. She shook her head, trying to push the memory of the encounter out of her mind.

She reached their table and Jessa raised a brow.

"What took you so long and where’s the book you went to get?"

Hailey hesitated, gripping the hem of her top.

"I, um…" She glanced at Asher, who was focused on his phone but he was paying attention to the conversation. 

"I got caught up looking for it but it wasn’t there" she said and Jessa frowned. 

"That’s weird. You were gone for a while. Are you sure you’re okay?"

Hailey forced a smile. 

"Yeah, of course"

"Hailey come sit here" Asher invited her to the seat beside her.

"Umm...sorry I have to go" Hailey said grabbing her backpack before rushing out of the library without waiting for a response. 

Jessa stared after Hailey, her brows furrowing.

 "Okay… what was that about?"

Asher exhaled, setting his phone down. 

"She seemed off" he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.

•••

Xavier got into his car, exhaling a cloud of smoke as he leaned back against the seat. He twirled the cigarette between his fingers, his mind replaying the look on Hailey’s face back at the library.

Pure innocence.

It fascinated him. How easily she flustered, how her wide eyes revealed everything she was feeling. He had seen the nervousness, the curiosity… something she was probably too naive to recognize herself.

He smirked.

"This should be fun"

Tossing the cigarette out the window, he grabbed his phone and scrolled through his messages. A few unread texts from girls who wanted his attention...none of them interesting. 

He exhaled slowly, his fingers tightening around the steering wheel as he revved the engine. The low growl of his car filled the air, and with a sharp turn of the wheel, he sped off like a bullet.

Streetlights blurred past as he weaved recklessly between cars, the rush of speed fueling the chaos in his veins. A driver honked furiously when he cut them off but Xavier only laughed, flipping them off without a second thought. 

The thrill of danger, of pushing limits, was an addiction he never planned on quitting.

A red light was sighted but he didn’t stop.

The screech of tires, the distant shouts of pedestrians...none of it mattered. The only thing in his mind was the destination.

Minutes later, he skidded to a halt in front of an abandoned building on the outskirts of town. Dust and gravel kicked up around his tires as he killed the engine, stepping out into the street. The place was quiet and isolated.

Xavier ran a hand through his hair, his jaw tightening.

Inside, two men were already waiting. They straightened when they saw him, their postures stiff, wary. He wasn’t the kind of guy you crossed without consequences.

"You're late" one of them whose name was Viper, muttered.

Xavier smirked, his tongue running over his piercing before he pulled out a cigarette to smoke. 

"And you're still alive. Lucky you" he said and Viper became tensed.

"Let's get this over with" Xavier said with authority.

The other man, Knox, a burly guy with a jagged scar running down his cheek, crossed his arms.

"You came alone?"

Xavier exhaled a long stream of smoke.

"Do I look like I need backup?" His voice was calm, but there was an underlying menace that made the guy hesitate. 

Vipee pulled out a duffel bag and dropped it on a metal table with a loud thud. 

"It’s all there" he said, unzipping it slightly to reveal stacks of cash and a few sealed packets...probably drugs, possibly weapons.

Xavier took a step closer. "And you’re sure you’re not trying to screw me over?"

Knox scoffed. 

"We know better than that"

Xavier's smirked. "Do you?"

In a flash, he grabbed Knox by the collar, yanking him forward so their faces were inches apart. The room tensed instantly.

"You see" Xavier murmured, his grip tightening,

"I don’t like being played. And if I find out even one dollar is missing, I will personally make sure you regret ever meeting me"

Knox swallowed hard, nodding quickly.

Xavier shoved him back with a smirk. 

"Good. Now, let’s finish this before I lose my patience"

The transaction continued and no one dared challenge him because they knew what happened to people who did.

As the last of the transaction wrapped up, Xavier’s new phone buzzed loudly in his pocket. He barely spared it a glance before pulling it out.

The screen flashed with a name he knew all too well.

He clenched his jaw, irritation flickering in his eyes. He already knew what the call was about, and he didn’t give a damn.

With a scoff, he tossed the phone on a nearby crate, letting it ring. 

"Not gonna pick that up?" Viper asked, watching him carefully.

Xavier exhaled a slow breath of smoke, his lips curling into a smirk.

"over my head body"

The phone buzzed again. And again.

His fingers twitched.

Then, without a second thought, he grabbed the device and flung it across the room. It hit the concrete wall with a sharp crack before clattering to the floor, the screen spiderwebbing on impact.

Silence followed.

Viper and Knox exchanged a glance but said nothing. This is like the tenth phone he has destroyed himself, in their sight.

Xavier rolled his shoulders, as if shaking off whatever irritation had crawled under his skin.

"Now, where were we?" he muttered.

Knox cleared his throat.

"Your power bike’s here"

Xavier’s smirk returned. He took one last drag from his cigarette before flicking it to the ground and crushing it under his boot.

"About time"

Knox motioned toward the back entrance. 

"It’s parked outside. Freshly tuned, just like you wanted"

Xavier didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he ran his tongue over his piercing, his fingers flexing at his sides. He had been waiting for this. 

He headed towards the exit and headed opened the front door.

There it was. His bike. Matte black and menacing just like he wanted.

Xavier straddled the seat, his fingers running over the handlebars as a slow smirk tugged at his lips. He could already feel the rush, the thrill of losing himself in speed.

Without another word to Knox or Viper, he revved the engine. The deafening roar sounded through the abandoned lot, sending vibrations through his veins and then he sped off with looking back. 

•••

NIGHT, THE BROWN'S RESIDENCE*

Hailey stood at the sink, her hands submerged in warm, soapy water as she scrubbed the last of the dinner plates. 

The house was quieter than usual, with only the faint sound of the television playing in the living room where Brielle was likely scrolling through her phone, barely paying attention to the show. She came an hour ago. 

Hailey exhaled, rinsing off the plate before setting it on the drying rack. 

Her arms ached slightly from the chores she had done all evening which are cleaning, cooking, making sure everything was in order, just as Cecilia liked.

Cecilia won't be coming home tonight and Hailey couldn’t hide her happy face when she told her. It meant one thing—she was free tonight.

And more importantly… it meant she could go to Freshers' Night.

The thought sent a thrill through her, even as she wiped her hands on a towel. She had spent all day wondering if she’d be able to attend, but now, with Cecilia gone, the opportunity was right in front of her.

Her lips curled into a small, excited smile.

She just had to make sure Brielle didn’t ruin it for her.

Taking a deep breath, she turned off the kitchen light and stepped out, ready to head upstairs. But just as she reached the staircase, Brielle’s voice called out lazily from the couch.

"Get me a chilled water"

Hailey clenched her jaw, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. She hated how Brielle ordered her around like she was some personal maid. 

It didn’t help that she was actually older than Brielle by two months, yet Brielle acted like she was superior in every way.

For as long as she could remember, Brielle had treated her like an afterthought. Bossing her around, belittling her, making sure she always knew her place in the house. 

And after Cecilia stopped paying for her education, things only got worse. If Hailey hadn’t worked hard to pass that scholarship exam, she wouldn’t even be in college right now. Meanwhile, Brielle had everything handed to her on a silver platter.

Hailey inhaled sharply, forcing a neutral expression on her face before walking to the fridge. She grabbed a cold bottle of water and turned back to the living room. Brielle didn’t even glance up from her phone as Hailey placed the bottle on the table.

"There" Hailey said.

"You could’ve at least opened it" Brielle said  rolling hers eyes. 

Hailey’s fingers twitched at her sides. She bit her tongue, knowing that exchanging words with Brielle was pointless. Instead, she turned away, heading for the stairs without another word.

As Hailey reached the first step of the staircase, Brielle’s voice rang out again.

"Oh, and Hailey?"

Hailey stopped, gripping the railing tightly. She already knew whatever Brielle was about to say wouldn’t be pleasant.

"You’re not actually thinking of going to Freshers’ Night, are you?" Brielle let out a mocking laugh. 

"I mean, what would you even wear? That sad little wardrobe of yours? You’ll probably be the worst-dressed person there"

Hailey’s fingers curled into fists, but she refused to turn around. She wasn’t going to give Brielle the satisfaction of seeing how much her words stung because it really did.

Brielle sighed dramatically. 

"Honestly, you should just stay home. Spare yourself the embarrassment. No one will notice if you’re not there anyway"

"And one more thing. Stay away from Xavier"

That made Hailey glance over her shoulder, frowning.

Brielle smirked, twirling a strand of her hair. 

"I saw the way he was looking at you in the cafeteria. Let me give you some advice, cousin. He’s way out of your league. He doesn’t go for girls like you. And trust me, you don’t want to get on the wrong side of the girls who do"

Hailey's stomach twisted, but she masked it with indifference. 

Brielle’s smirk widened. "Consider this a warning coz"

Hailey didn’t respond. Instead she walked up the stairs, to her room.

•••

HILLSWORTH COLLEGE*

Hailey arrived at school in her simple outfit. A red flowy dress that swayed gently with each step. It wasn’t extravagant, but it was her best, and tonight, that was enough.

Just as she reached the main entrance, she spotted Jessa and Asher waiting near the gate. Jessa, dressed in a stylish cropped jacket and jeans, waved enthusiastically. Asher stood beside her, looking effortlessly put together in a fitted sweater and dark jeans, his hands tucked into his pockets.

"You actually made it!" Jessa grinned as Hailey approached. 

"I was starting to think you chickened out" She added.

Hailey rolled her eyes playfully. 

"Not a chance"

Asher gave her a once-over, his lips quirking into a small smile. 

"You look nice"

A slight blush crept up Hailey’s cheeks, but before she could respond, Jessa looped her arm through hers. 

"Come on, let’s get closer to the fire. The night’s just getting started"

With that, the three of them made their way toward the glowing centerpiece of the event. 

A bonfire party for the Freshmen.

Hailey felt the warmth of the bonfire before she even reached the gathering crowd. The flames crackled, sending golden sparks into the night as students laughed and chatted around it. 

The atmosphere was lively with music playing from nearby speakers, groups of people dancing, some roasting marshmallows, while others passed around drinks.

Jessa tugged her along, leading her and Asher to a spot near the fire. 

"See? This isn’t so bad, right?" she grinned.

Hailey nodded, feeling a bit more relaxed. Maybe tonight could actually be fun.

But just as that thought crossed her mind, a sudden splash of cold liquid soaked through the front of her dress. 

A sharp gasp left her lips as she looked down...her dress now stained and wet. The strong scent of alcohol filled her nose.

A burst of laughter erupted around her.

"Oh, shit!" The guy who had spilled the drink, clearly drunk, grinned down at her. 

"Didn’t see you there, sweetheart"

He didn’t look the least bit sorry. In fact, his friends were laughing along with him, some whispering to each other while throwing amused glances her way.

Hailey stood frozen, humiliation burning in her chest.

Jessa, however, wasn’t having it.

"You think that’s funny?" she snapped, stepping forward. 

The guy smirked. "Relax, it’s just a drink. She’ll live"

"You’re a pathetic excuse for a human being" Jessa fired but the guy only chuckled, unfazed.

But before Jessa could go off even more, Hailey felt a warm hand on her wrist.

"Let’s go" Asher said softly.

Without another word, she let Asher lead her away from the crowd, his grip steady and reassuring.

Jessa shot one last glare at the guy before turning on her heel and following them, muttering curses under her breath.

As they moved farther from the fire, Hailey swallowed the lump in her throat. She had wanted tonight to be special. Instead, she just felt exposed.

Asher stopped near a quieter area, looking down at her with concern. 

"Are you okay?"

She took a shaky breath. "I don’t know"

Jessa huffed beside her. 

"What a bunch of as$holes. I swear, if I see that guy again, I’m throwing my drink at his face"

Hailey let out a weak chuckle, but her stomach was still twisted with discomfort.

Asher shrugged off his jacket. 

"Here" he said, draping it over her shoulders. "It’ll help cover the stain"

Hailey glanced up at him, surprised by the gesture. 

"Thanks" she murmured, pulling the jacket closer around her.

"Let's go back" Jessa said, tugging on Asher’s arm this time around. 

As Hailey tugged Asher’s jacket tighter around herself, her phone vibrated in her hand. She frowned, unlocking the screen to check the message.

A single text from an unknown number.

• Take off that jacket and burn it. Now. Or you won’t like what happens next.

Her breath hitched. A cold shiver ran down her spine as her grip tightened on the phone.

She didn’t need a name to know who it was from.

Xavier.

Her heart pounded against her ribs. How did he even get her number? And...was he watching her right now?

She swallowed hard, her fingers twitching against the fabric of Asher’s jacket.

Jessa nudged her. 

"You okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost"

Hailey forced a small nod, quickly locking her phone and stuffing it into her pocket.

"I—I'm fine" she murmured, though her mind was anything but.

Her eyes flickered over the crowd, searching, but she couldn’t spot him.

Yet, she knew.

Xavier was here. And he was watching.

___

💕TBC💕

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