“Nice, very nice ... Let's see how you look under these leggings ...”
Motherfucker!
And then again, didn't I say something similar to her on that infamous first date at the movies?
Spyder grabs the waistband of Ayla’s leggings, ready to slice them open like he did with her t-shirt.
I clench my fists and swallow painfully: what am I good for if I can't protect her?
“LAPD! Freeze! Drop your weapons and place your hands over your head!”
It’s Marcia’s voice: Ayla's Mom’s here.
I inhale sharply and then everything happens fast but also at the same time, my mind takes it in as if it were happening in slow motion.
Spyder drops the knife and drops face down to the ground.
But my eyes register Gator’s movement behind him: he kicks Ben to the ground and points the gun at Ayla.
I hear the noise of the gun being cocked and I know he’s gonna fire it at the girl of my dreams.
Ayla is frozen in shock and doesn't even hear my warning but years of playing football and riding motorcycles has made me fast to react so I step in front of her and I almost don't feel the bullet hitting my chest: it feels like the paintball bullets I’ve been hit with countless times when I go play with Sam and Tuna.
I hear Ayla scream my name and when I look down, I see a red splotch widening on my chest, by my left pec.
I realise that it’s my blood but I really don't feel much until my legs refuse to support me and I hit the ground.
I see two policemen tackle Gator while the whole skate part is swarming with cops.
Ayla’s kneeling by my side, pressing her hands on my chest and her lips on my forehead.
“Baby—”
I say but I’m not sure if I managed to say it out loud: I hear a loud ringing in my ears and all of a sudden it's really hard to breathe.
I feel cold.
Really, really cold.
“Alex, I love you. Stay with me, please. Can you hear me? I love you, I forgive you.”
I smile and I wanna say it back: I open my mouth but the words won't come out.
Ayla’s out of focus: I see two of her.
I try to say I love you: I’m so happy that she's forgiven me.
But I can't really talk and everything fades to black.
Alex
THERE'S A REALLY INSISTENT and annoying beeping noise that won’t stop, so I open my eyes and lick my dry lips, opening my mouth to tell someone to turn it the fuck off.
And then I see her: Ayla’s standing at the foot of the bed and she's in Sam and Tuna’s arms.
Her head’s on Sam’s chest and Tuna is hugging her from behind.
She lifts her face towards Sam’s and he kisses her lips in such a sweet way that it makes Tuna reach to move her hair away from her shoulders and kiss the back of her neck.
It's funny how seeing this should bother me but it actually makes me happy for a ton of reasons.
I love to see my girl loved and safe and I know that my brothers feel the same way I do with her: she makes us feel grounded, accepted and excited all at the same time.
Also, this can only mean that my memory of Ayla saying that she loved me and she forgave me, isn't a figment of my imagination.
“Turn this fucking beep off!”
I croak with my eyes closed because the lights in this room are brighter than a thousand suns.
“Alex!”
I reopen my eyes when I feel the softest lips in the world brush mine and I lose myself into the green of her eyes.
“Baby ...”
She carefully cups my face with her hands, putting more pressure on my lips and I sigh happily into her kiss.
“Baby?”
“Yes?”
“I feel this huge weight on my shoulder, if you're sitting on it, can you please move?”
I hear Sam and Tuna chuckle before I even hear Ayla's outraged reaction.
“Dude! I’m only letting you get away with this because they told us that you’d be pretty out of it waking up from the anaesthesia... And because you took that bullet for me. But this is your one and only get out of jail free card. Another comment like this about my weight and you're in huge trouble.”
She has that smile that made me fall in love with her: it reaches my heart every time.
“A bullet? I don't remember. I remember that your brother was in trouble and the guys and I came with some money. That asshole wanted to— Shit!”
I have to close my eyes: the memories of what happened at the skate park start coming back to me.
“Is Ben ok?”
Ayla nods.
“Yes. He’s got a ton of scrapes and bruises and two broken ribs and he’s in a LOT of trouble with Mom. But he’ll live. Thanks to you.”
She kisses me again and I really want her to help me fill the blanks in my memory but I’m not complaining about the kisses.
“Hey Ayla?”
“Yes?”
“Bite me, please?”
I’m worried that I died and her forgiving me is just a dream or heaven or whatever happens when you die and I say it out loud, making her giggle.
“No. It's not a dream and you aren't dead. And you're extremely lucky because that bullet missed your heart by a hair. The heavy feeling you’ve got in your shoulder is because the painkillers are starting to wear off but we can get you some more.”
“In a second, baby. I know they’ll make me feel sleepy again and before I go back to sleep, I wanna make sure that I remember well. That we're good.”
She takes my hand and squeezes it gently.
“I guess nothing's like stepping in front of a bullet to say sorry about a stupid bet, huh?”
She’s trying to make light of the situation but I see the worry in her eyes.
“Alex, I’ve put that bet behind me. I know that you felt rejected and you wanted to punish me. And you did punish me. Because I’ve never felt so used, betrayed and rejected like when I heard about it. But the reason I forgive you, Sam and Tuna, isn't that I understand why you did it. It isn't even the bullet you took for me. It's because you were there. And not just yesterday. You were there before when you took Ben to rehab, you were there for me whenever Michelle did something horrible. So yeah, that bet was a real asshole move but—”
I know what she's saying.
And she's been there for me and my brothers at the lowest times too.
“I’ll always be there for you, baby. Always. I love you.”
“I love you too, Alex. Somehow you’re the best and the worst boyfriend in the world. All wrapped into a hot, infuriatingly arrogant package.”
She called me her boyfriend again ...
So now maybe I can get more pain killers and rest.
But I can't resist a dig at my brothers who are standing at the foot of my bed smiling.
“You're welcome, you assholes! Keep an eye on her while I rest but I call dibs on her time for a whole week as soon as I’m discharged.”
And I’ve never rested more soundly.
Epilogue
Sam
IT’S GRADUATION DAY: I can't believe that high school is over for us and we're about to receive our diplomas!
I’m sitting in the front row next to my beautiful girlfriend Ayla and while I’ll miss Beverly Hills Prep Academy, I’m excited to begin our new adventure at Yale in the fall.
Our little tribe of four has all been accepted and we’ve convinced Ayla's Mom to let Ayla live with us in an extra luxurious penthouse off campus that Alex’s father has bought for him.
After the events of Christmas Day, it would’ve been impossible to hide the real nature of our relationship from Marcia Jennings anyway.
She knew that Ayla and Alex were dating but I guess Tuna and I became very protective of our girlfriend while Alex was in surgery.
And Ayla's Mom isn't stupid: the way we were holding her hand and comforting her definitely gave away that we were a lot more than good friends.
It took a lot of pleading and explaining to get her to accept our relationship but Tuna, Alex and I never gave up and showed up at countless dinners, movie nights and family outings.
When Marcia got to know us, she realised how much we love Ayla and that all we want is to make her happy, so she gave us her blessing to date her daughter.
The help we gave with Ben was certainly a huge factor in our favour.
Principal McArthur starts calling our class to hand out our diplomas.
The A-Class is called first and then the rest of the senior class.
When Tuna stands up and walks on the podium to receive his diploma, is when it really dawns on me: high school is truly over.
And I owe this school a lot more than I can ever fathom: here I met my brothers, Alex and Tuna.
I came here a broken, lost child and the love of my brothers helped me heal and recover from the loss of my Father.
And then at the end of last summer, I met her: the most beautiful girl in the world.
The one who understands me, accepts me and loves me with all my flaws.
She's nervous about the valedictorian speech she has to deliver at the end of the ceremony and she's been squeezing my hand so tight that I think I’ll have a few broken bones by the time she climbs the stairs to that podium.
When her name gets called, I kiss her knuckles and watch her get her diploma with the biggest, sweetest smile and that bright light in her eyes that has made me fall for her.
Next is Jenna: she joins Tuna, Ayla and EM among the newly BHPA grads.
She too has a big smile: she was our Prom Queen this year and EM was crowned Prom King.
Ayla was in the running but she made it clear that she didn't want the title and that she thought that her bestie deserved it, especially because of the awful Ugly Prom Queen incident freshman year.
They’ll join us at Yale, while Char’s decided to go to Stanford with her boyfriend Max, who’ll be a sophomore next year.
Alex is the next one called: he's fully recovered from being shot on Christmas Day and he received a commendation by the mayor for saving Ayla's and Ben’s lives.
Apparently Spyder wasn't just a small time drug dealer but at twenty one he supplied most of the drugs circulating in Beverly Hills and Bel Air.
I’m called last and when I receive my diploma and meet my Mom’s eyes and Marcia’s, my stepdad and little brothers, who are all here to see me graduate, I smile big.
That little touch of sadness I was feeling is gone: this isn't the end of an era, it’s just the beginning of our next chapter.
Ayla
WHEN I CONCLUDE MY valedictorian speech, I received a loud standing ovation.
I was really nervous about this speech, especially because I only attended my senior year here at BHPA.
But this has been the most important year of my life so far: I met the most amazing boys ever and my two best friends in Jenna and Char.
As soon as the ceremony is over, my Mom, Cheryl and Irene, Tuna’s Mom, force us to pose for countless photos.
I see the boys are impatient but we promised to have dinner with our families at Sam’s house before the huge party tonight at Alex's house.
Alex is chatting with my Mom: he’s such a charmer!
Mom doesn't say anything but I know that Alex is definitely her favourite among my three men.
I’m glad that he doesn't look sad: Mr. Richmond was supposed to be here today but he was held up in London for an urgent corporate meeting and ended up not making it.
Mom says something that makes him laugh and Alex doesn't miss an opportunity to flatter her:
“I see where Ayla gets her awesome sense of humour ...”
But the words die in his mouth and I see him stare in front of him as if he's just seen a ghost.
I follow his gaze and find a blonde girl walking towards us.
When she stops in front of Alex, I notice that she's younger than us and if I hadn't already seen the resemblance, her smile would give her away: she's Abilene Richmond.
“Abi? What are you doing here?”
Alex wraps his little sister in a tight hug and I notice how their hair is the exact same shade of blonde and they have identical blue eyes.
When they quit hugging, Abi explains that she managed to convince Mr. Richmond to let her come to represent the family at the graduation ceremony.
“I can't believe how hot it's here in LA! London is so cold even at this time of the year!”
She rides to Sam’s house with us in Alex's SUV.
“So, how long are you gonna stay?”
Abi’s lips form a little pout.
“I’ve gotta fly back tomorrow. Daddy's sending me to summer school in Switzerland. Even colder than London. But I convinced him to let me come back to LA and enrol me at BHPA for my senior year. All I have to do is to get a perfect GPA next year and make the A-Class.”
She looks hopeful and Alex asks with a cautious tone:
“That’d be great, sweetie. But are you sure that he won't go back on his words like he did last summer?”
Abi’s eyes darken: they have the same look when they're angry.
“He won’t. I wanna attend Yale, like you. And he knows that not even his money and connections can guarantee that I get in. A diploma from BHPA is my best option. He said that he’ll hire some extra house staff so that I’m taken care of.”
Alex narrows his eyes and observes that it's not so much about her being taken care of but more about having guard dogs that will report to their father.
“I know.”
Abi admits with a sigh.
“But everything is better than going to school in a convent. Lights have to be off at ten pm, even on weekends. If you don't have somewhere else to go and spend your weekends, you get one hour in the little town centre on Saturday afternoons and you're dropped off and picked up by the nuns. They make us go to confession every Sunday. I don't care how many people he hires, Alex! I wanna go to a normal high school! With boys!”
She says it innocently: I can't imagine how it must feel to basically live in a school dorm all your life.
Abi spends the whole school year in England and then gets sent to summer school anywhere in Europe where her Father doesn't have to worry about her.
Alex nods.
“Don't worry, Abi. If he goes back on his word, I’ll deal with him. Plus at the end of next summer, you're turning eighteen, so you’ll get access to your trust fund and your shares. He won't be able to tell you what to do anymore. Like he wasn't with me.”
THE PARTY'S IN FULL swing: the whole school turned up at Alex's house but this time, Mr. Richmond agreed to let us party in the main house.
Obviously he imposed a strict no alcohol rule, since we’re all underage but trying to stop teenagers from drinking at a party is like trying to steal the moon: simply impossible.
So there are several kegs in the backyard and every bowl of punch, every jug of mock-tail has been spiked.
Alex kept an eye on Abi until his sister succumbed to jet-lag and went to bed in one of the guest rooms of the pool house.
We’re all staying here tonight so we can say our goodbyes to our friends.
Char is going on a month long cruise on her boyfriend’s yacht and leaves tomorrow afternoon.
Jenna and EM both got internships in San Francisco: EM at a tech company and Jenna at a law firm.
I know I’ll see them at Yale but Jenna and I are freaking out about how much we’ll miss Char, so we made her promise that every Friday afternoon, no matter what, we’ll FaceTime for at least one hour.
We’re determined not to be the cliché high school friends who lose touch with each other and twenty years later end up feeling like total strangers at a high school reunion.
As the party starts to die down, Alex, Sam and Tuna insist on taking a walk along the private beach at the edge of the property.
We end up stopping at the dock where Tuna and I had our first kiss.
; We sit at the edge of the dock, with our legs dangling above the dark sea water.
“So, are you all packed up for tomorrow?”
I nod.
We talked about it at length and decided that while we could apply for internships or summer jobs, we’d rather spend this last summer of complete freedom together, so I’ll join the boys in their summer tradition of spending July and August on Sam’s parents private island.
I’m besides myself with excitement: apparently there's no one on the island but Sam’s family and the house staff.
We’ll have a boat to go get supplies at a bigger island two hours away but we’ll be completely alone.
Sam’s parents normally can only join on the Fourth of July and maybe a weekend here and there.
“Well then, since everything is sorted, we all got something for you. Graduation presents, Ayla.”
Each boy takes a small box out of their pockets.
They look like the boxes I found under my Christmas tree when we were broken up.
Those ended up being a beautiful set of diamond jewellery: Alex got me earrings, Sam got me a pendant and Tuna a bracelet.
I only got to open them on New Year's Eve, after Alex was discharged from the hospital and I never take them off.
“Aw, guys! More jewellery? I love the thought, but you didn't have to get me anything ...”
Alex chuckles softly: he’s got his astute expression and Sam and Tuna look equally amused.
“It isn't jewellery this time. Just open them, please.”
I narrow my eyes at him, I really think this is some kind of prank.
“Ok—”
I open all three boxes and each box contains one key.
“I don't understand. I already got the keys to the Yale apartment—”
Alex takes my hand and pulls me closer to him for a sweet, lingering kiss.
“My box has the keys to my Ducati.”
Before I can say anything, Sam pulls me onto his lap and kisses me playfully, biting on my bottom lip and making me squeal.
Beverly Hills Prep Academy The Complete Boxset : A Light Bully Romance Page 31
