Trailer by suck_my_cockiness. Chapter dedicated to her. 

Chapter 10: Planning Your Murder, Obviously

Saturday was the set-up day. Sunday--we were going to talk to Chace.

It was about midnight and I was thinking everything through. Nolan and I were alone in his house. His parents didn't know that. My parents didn't either, except for the New York thing. If Nolan disappeared, I could get out of this revenge ordeal.

Slowly, I snuck down to the kitchen. Grabbing a knife, I headed to Nolan's room. Maybe if I threatened him, he'll let me off the hook. Nolan's room's door wasn't locked. I entered, crawling on all fours to keep myself low. I stopped by the bedside and rose up, leaning half on the bed.

The tip of the knife in my hand touched his chin. "Nolan!" I whisper-yelled.

He almost jumped up, but I kept the knife close to his face, making him freeze. "What the hell are you doing?!" he almost shouted.

I rolled my eyes. "Planning your murder, obviously."

He looked down at the knife and then held my gaze. "When will your prank be done? We have to wake up early tomorrow morning. That breakup--"

"Won't happen if you die." The shiny knife glistened under the light from the window. "Get in your right mind, Nolan, before you lose it."

His eyes didn't dare leave mine. He reached out and covered my hand with his tightly. I struggled to get it free. He moved the hand with the knife towards my face. My eyes almost popped out of my head. I used my other hand to push him, but he fought back.

"Hel-en, behave."

I was trying to slash him with the knife. "Let go, then!"

I pulled and pulled. The floor gave me no support. I was wearing socks and they slipped a lot. I tugged hard one final time and ended up with Nolan on top of me on the floor.

The whole plan backfired.

"Get off!" I screamed. His elbow was digging in my ribs. I could see a close up of his eyes--very light green. I hated being so close to someone like him.

"Are you going to murder me?" he asked, leaning his face even closer.

If he didn't weigh so much, I would've easily gotten away. "If I get the chance, yes," I said, turning my head away.

He forced my head back his way and look him in the eye. "Criminal record? Princeton will be a bye-bye, Hel-en."

I groaned. "Fine. I won't. Now, move!"

"Also, promise you're helping me with the rest of the breakups," he said, "without attempting to murder me." His cold hand holding mine moved the knife to my chin. "Promise me, Helen." I should have just gone to sleep when I had the chance. I shook my head. The tip of the knife dug a little in my skin, but not enough to draw blood. "Promise me!" he whispered.

I closed my eyes, trying to relax myself through deep breaths. "You are going to kill me with your weight."

"Promise me, Helen," he said stubbornly.

"Fine!" I snapped. "I promise." He smirked satisfied. I took the moment to push him off. He rolled away on the floor, but with the knife. Standing up, I headed out, kicking Nolan on the way. He only laughed like a psycho.

I couldn't believe he made me promise him.

I should've definitely looked up "How to be an assassin" before entering his room.

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We got ready early morning and called Chace's parents' again, saying we needed to know their decision before noon. Otherwise, the spot was going to another potential candidate. Nolan carried the knife from yesterday night with him around the house. I simply rolled my eyes and studied notes for the midterms coming up. It took a while until Chace's mom finally emailed us back.

She said a yes. Nolan was extremely pleased while I knew I had to approach Chace myself.

Annoyed, I walked out of the house without explaining myself. Nolan yelled after me from the window, but I ran. I quickly called Chace. He picked up.

"Chace?" I asked for confirmation.

"Yes?"

"This is Helen," I said quickly, hiding behind a tree. "We met yesterday. I was with Nolan."

"Oh, yeah. How did you get my number?" he asked.

"Just hear me out." I spent the next ten minutes telling him everything. Seriously. He silently heard me out. I knew he wasn't too happy, however he had to understand my situation. Finishing up, I said, "Now, I have a plan. If we follow through this, everything will work out. In or not?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"No."

After discussing through the details, Chace was clear. I went back to Nolan's house. He was sitting on the hood of his car, smoking. Why couldn't I find a better blackmailer?

"I thought you said you quit smoking," I said, keeping a ten foot distance.

"People lie, idiot." I controlled my anger. "Anyways, where have you been? Did you check Facebook? Chace updated his status two minutes ago!" That was the first step of the plan. Nolan got off and threw the cigarette on the ground. Crushing it under his feet, he said, "Come on. Get in the car. He's going to 'Bread Zeplin' soon with Hanna."

Glaring at Nolan, I got in the car. We drove in silence. Hopefully, Hanna and Chace talked about the plan and can do a good job. Nolan and I went to the restaurant the couple had previously gone to. Like stalkers, we took a table as close as we could, but far away to be hidden. Chace and I made a swift eye contact before he casually started talking to Hanna. His girlfriend was glowing--radiating, even. Pregnant people. And she was a great actress.

"So, I got a college offer, yesterday," Chace said a little too loudly. I glared at him slightly before pretending to drink my coffee. "Great scholarship but it's in Seattle."

Hanna's smile turned into a frown. "Did you--"

"Sorry, Hanna, but my parents really want me to accept it, so I said yes," he answered with his head tilted down. Hanna put on a forced smile. She was a great actress. I turned to Nolan, who had a blank look. I couldn't even guess what went on in his head.

"That's great, Chace. I'm happy for you," she said.

He gave her a surprised look. "Really?" She nodded. "Hanna, I don't think long distance relationships last longer . . . so maybe if we" Chace trailed off.

With a broken expression, Hanna asked in a small voice, "Are you breaking up with me?"

From there, I realized that Chace hadn't told Hanna the scheme. Men couldn't do anything right! So damn stupid! She was pregnant! She didn't need this shocking piece of fake news.

"I'm sorry--" Chace began.

Hanna, with tears streaming down her face, stood up, and said, "It's your life." She walked out of the restaurant, hurt and furious. I stood up to go after her, but Nolan grabbed my wrist. He shook his head.

"You're going to get slapped, publicly, if you don't let go of me," I warned.

He tightened his grasp, standing up. "We need to head home as soon as possible. Leave Hanna be." Letting go, he started walking out. I gave a distressed-seeming Chace a thumbs up and quickly followed Nolan out. Smiling at my planned breakup yet not-breakup, I walked. Nolan got into the car and gestured for me to hurry. He really wanted to get out of here. What a jerk!

As I opened the car door, a piercing scream rang down the street. Chace was coming out of the restaurant. We made a scared eye contact before his eyes went past me. I turned my head to find a whole traffic jam. Someone had gotten hit, according to the whispers going around.

"Hanna," Chace mouthed, running. I left Nolan's car door hanging and ran after Chace.

I prayed for it to not be Hanna. That girl was already getting tortured enough. Once we reached the accident site, my fear was confirmed.

Hanna's unconscious body laid in the middle of the road.

"Chace," she was calling out. He ran to her in a heartbeat.

"What's wrong?" I turned my head to find a panting Nolan. Still in shock from what I was seeing, I pointed to Hanna's body. Her head was blood covered and she had a hand over her stomach.

"It's okay," Chace kept whispering. He was panicking himself. "Someone call the goddamn ambulance!" His yell was unnecessary because we heard the sirens. The stupid traffic jam wasn't helping. Chace held Hanna's head in his lap. They were both crying. "I'm sorry, Hanna! I'm sorry!" Guilt washed over me. I turned to Nolan, who was helplessly staring at Hanna and Chace. "It was all a dumb plan! I'm sorry! I'm not leaving for any college! Hanna, I love you. Don't do this to me! Stay with me! The breakup was all planned! I'm sorry I didn't tell you! Oh god, where is the ambulance?!" Chace's frantic behavior was killing me.

I tried to go forward when Nolan took my arm. "You planned it! You promised--"

Pushing him away, I raised my hand and slapped him as hard as I could. "I never promised to not help them! She can lose her life, her child because of you!"

I couldn't believe it! We tried to breakup a couple and . . . I'm a bloody murderer! Tears sprung to my eyes and I clutched my hands to my face. Nolan tried to hug or something--I wasn't sure--but I pushed him away shouting. He forced me into this! I wanted to hit my head against the wall. Hanna . . . We hurt Hanna, her unborn child, and her boyfriend.

The ambulance had finally reached the victim. Hanna was brought inside on a stretcher. Chace went along after putting up a fight. I held my head in my hands and took deep breaths. I was responsible for this. For all of it. If I hadn't egged Kay Pal's house, I wouldn't be here. No involvement in Nolan's break-up scheme.

People soon disappeared and I was left standing next to Nolan.

"Come on," he said. I shook my head. I didn't want to go back to his house. "Let's go to the hospital." I complied, taking my time.

True indeed, we went to the hospital.

Chace stood leaning against a wall in the emergency ward. His face was blotchy. When he saw us, rage overtook. "This is all your fault!" he screamed at me. I thought he was going to hit me when he took steps my way. Nolan stepped forward slightly.

"Chace," Nolan began, with his hands out, "I know--"

"You! You are mad!" Chace said through clenched teeth. His whole focus landed on Nolan. "Who the hell plans on breaking up couples?! Have you lost your mind? You need to go to a mental asylum! I swear if anything happens to Hanna, I will kill you!"

Nolan remained unfazed. The death threat was kind of expected. I mean I gave one to Nolan last night over this scheme of his too. Nolan attempted to calm Chace down, but it only infuriated the guy more. At the end, Nolan and I waited down the hall. No one knew what condition Hanna was in. What about her unborn child? Did it survive?

It took four hours for the doctors to finally say: "We're sorry." They couldn't save the mother or the child.

Those words were enough to make an angry boyfriend jump at Nolan's neck. "You killed her! It's all your fault! I'm gonna kill you! You son of a bi--"

"Chace, stop!" I tried to get Chace to stop choking Nolan. The cops in the building separated them. Though Nolan deserved to get choked to death, Chace was too young to go to jail.

Crying, I left the hospital with Nolan. I had barely known the girl for a day and ended up being responsible for her death. She would have stayed in the restaurant and with Chace if this plan hadn't processed.

"Are you satisfied, now?!" I yelled at Nolan once we reached his house.

"Helen, I didn't mean for her to--"

"Yes, you did!" I shouted. "You wanted her broken! You wanted her to suffer like you did! You knew she was pregnant! Nolan, we killed her. Her and her child!" I fell down on my knees. My hands covered my face and I tried to accept what had just happened. The reality was a blow. I clutched my head, trying to make sense. Nolan plopped down beside me and patted my back. "What did I ever do? One small mistake, Nolan! I egged someone's house. That's it. You forced me through so much. Now . . . I became a killer!"

"Helen, please just calm down," he said. His behavior was extremely calm.

"Do you not feel guilty?" I asked incredulously. "Or are you happy that the break up did happen?!"

Anger reflected in his eyes as he said, "I never wanted her to die! That was an accident! We are not responsible for her!"

I shook my head in repulsion. He was a disgusting person. Standing up, I wiped away my tears. I had to be stronger. But how?

"We are leaving for home right now!"

Without complaining, Nolan nodded.

It was already four in the evening when we left. We reached Maryland at eight thirty at night. My parents were in for a surprise. Nolan and I weren't on a talking basis, anymore. Not that we were much in the first place. He ruined my life. I was extremely happy when I was alone. No trouble. No problems. Ever since I started hanging out with him, all I ended up with was heartbroken couples.

The entire ride my eyes were wet. My thoughts never left what happened in Manhattan.

How could this happen?

What did I do to deserve a guilty conscience?

Once we reached our destination. Nolan helped me take my stuff up to my house. The textbooks bag was pretty heavy.

I saw another car parked in the driveway. Guests?

We knocked on the front door and my mom opened the door. With a bright smile, she said, "Welcome back." I scowled. Something was wrong. She was expecting us to return from a funeral. No need to be cheerful. "Nolan, dear, come in."

"I'm fine," Nolan politely declined. "I should probably head home. My parents--"

"Don't worry. Your parents are here!" she said happily. Nolan and I exchanged a glance. Busted. We were so screwed. "Come on."

We slowly entered, fearing what consequences awaited for us. My dad and a man with dark brown hair and brown eyes were sitting on the couch. They were busy watching football. There was a lady with bleach blond hair and blue eyes, standing with a book. When she saw us, she gave a surprised look.

Nolan's parents looked much different from him. Neither one had green eyes.

"Oh look, who decided to come back home," my dad remarked. I was in the eye of the storm.

"How did the funeral go?" Nolan's mom asked.

Nolan pursed his lips. We were both deciding on potential lies to make up. If we said we went to break up a couple, we'd be . . . so screwed.

I turned to my mom. "His friend passed away, mom." I was telling the truth. The adults laughed, but these were mocking laughs.

"No, really. Hanna met with an accident--" Nolan endeavored to help.

"Stop with the lies." My mom's smile had finally dropped. She looked angry, now. I was in so much trouble. "I know you find yourself a boyfriend but that doesn't mean you have to lie and get out somewhere all alone with him. You, young lady, have no idea how much I was worried when your dad met Mr. Milesblue at a conference. Lying about death is not acceptable!"

"But mom--" I started.

Mom helped up a hand. Stupid Nolan got my parents turned against me. "You two aren't allowed to see each other again. Ever. Not until you are out of this house, Helen Postulet."

Nolan's parents agreed with the punishment. I was actually content by this, but I had to play it like it was the worst thing in the world. Giving my parents a heartbroken look, I said, "We did nothing wrong! His friend seriously passed away!" Hanna's bloody face flashed across my eyes. I tried to keep myself collected.

"Go to your room, now!" Dad said. "Enough of this nonsense."

Gladly, I went to my room.

My parents had finally saved me from Nolan.

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A/N

How was the chapter? Predictions? Parents found out. Uh oh.

How is Nolan? He got slapped. What about Chace?

Thanks for the support so far.

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