by Ivy Knight
"Then I'd ask what I took," he says.
"Something that can never be given back, Nicholas Black," tears fill my eyes at the thought of the six months I was forced to spend with him. "You have enemies that you didn't even know existed, so I'll warn you now, stop creating new ones."
I slide my chair back and take off his jacket. I chuck it onto the table, "That jacket will be the only expensive thing you'll own the day I'm done with you. Cherish it."
With that, I walk away.
"So you're just going to turn your back to me? You know, I could shoot you and you wouldn't even know what hit you."
"Tell me, when was I ever with you and why haven't you already?" I wait for a response, but we both know I won't get one. "We'll meet again, Nick. I promise you that."
...♛...
"What happened in the room, Summer?" Cole asks as I walk into our apartment. The moment I left the room, I made my way to our car.
Since then, I've only spoken five words.
I want to go home.
I'm not sure if that meant the apartment or the house I was born in, but here I am in the apartment. I don't seem to be complaining.
"Summer," Alec lightly grabs my wrist and turns me around. "What happened in the room?"
I look at him with no emotion. I'm feeling overwhelmed. Everything that just happened, did it actually happen or was it all just a dream?
"Is that blood?" Alec looks at the palm of his hand and at my arm which is splattered with blood. It must belong to the man that sat beside me. I didn't even notice it got on me before.
"Summer, I won't ask again," Alec threatens.
I close my eyes trying to clear my mind of all thoughts.
"I want to talk to Kai, alone."
I open my eyes and spot Kai leaning against the wall behind Alec.
"Okay, thirty minutes," Alec says. I watch as Cole and Alec walk out the apartment.
Kai stands up from the wall. His eyes stay at my face. I know he wants to get a glimpse of my body so why is was he holding back?
"You're shaking," he says. I follow his eyes down to my own hands. Undoubtedly, they're trembling. "Get cleaned up, I'll cook us something to eat."
"Something toxic would nice," I respond.
"You've already had enough toxins in you for one night," Kai says as he walks past me into the kitchen.
...♛...
"I'm not hungry," I say after ten minutes of poking around at the food on my plate. The corn, carrots, chicken and rice all seem delicious, but my appetite is lost.
"You haven't had anything to eat all day," Kai points out.
"I know, but I'm not hungry," I tell him. I push the plate away from myself.
"Okay, where do you wanna talk about this?"
"In the living room," I reply. I get up and walk outside impatiently. Taking a seat on the couch, I wait for Kai.
He enters two minutes later taking a seat on the other end of the sofa.
"He killed them all without hesitation. Nineteen men versus him, and he came out alive."
"What offer did he put up?" I look up bewildered by how Kai knew Nick had put up an offer. "It's a thing he always does, Summer. I'm his brother, I know how he works."
"Right," I murmur looking down at my lap. "He offered an alliance. The FBI is keen on ending everyone and everything gang related. He wanted them all to ally, ending the gang war and put all business on hold for two years. This way the FBI would go easy on the gangs and take up more work related with mafia putting them at the center of attention."
"And the same offer stands for me?" he questions.
"Yes, it does."
"What do you think I should do?"
"Honestly," I look up into his eyes. They're calm yet destructive. Glazed with many layers, it’s impossible to know what he's thinking. "I promised you the states and I tend to fulfill that promise, so I think you should fight for what you want."
Small dimples form on the ends of his lips as Kai smiles. Taking that as my signal, I get up to go on the balcony and get some air.
Once I'm out, I look down at the busy streets. Street lamps, car lights and building lights brighten the night. I close my eyes and feel the cold breeze pass by, blowing my hair.
When I open my eyes, the cold wind is replaced by a warm presence. I feel a hot breath on the back of my neck. Climbing its way up, Kai's mouth stops at my ear.
"You did good today, Verano. School starts Monday, get some rest," his lips remain on my ear. He's thinking something. "I'm sorry, for yesterday and today."
One blink of the eye and he disappears.
He gave me something he's never given to anyone, an apology.
Chapter 28
"We're here," Alec says. Reluctantly, I turn my head and look at the school I haven't been to in over two months. Everything is the same. Same parking lot and the same stares.
I open the door and exit the car. Kai walks around and stands next to me while Alec stands on the opposite side. Both stand by my side like bodyguards making me uncomfortable.
"I need my space, guys," I tell them distantly. My mind is too focused on the memories of my first day at this place to even put the slightest force behind my words. I still remember how angry I was when Cole trashed my car and Alice stepped in between us only to end up kneeing him.
"We discussed this, you stay within eye's view," Kai says. I roll my eyes and start to walk towards the main doors. Many of the kids standing outside, stop their conversations to watch me pass by. They incoherent, but whispers can be heard from their mouths.
Apparently, she went crazy and burned her whole family alive.
I heard she slept with all of them.
Wonder what happened to her sister? She probably sold her for drugs.
She looks like she hasn't slept in years.
"Don't listen to them," Alec catches up to me.
"When have I ever?" I walk inside of the school and make my way to the English room. The whispers are quite cliché and boring, but the 'slept in years' one is right on. I haven't slept for the last two days because of my dreams. I didn't want to sleep through my first day of school so I decided not to drink either.
The first one in class, I choose to sit at the back. Instead of sitting where Alice and I used to sit, I pick the seats on the opposite side of the room.
As every second passes by, kids start to enter the class. My eyes constantly glued to the door hoping that Alice would walk through with a huge smile on her face. But I'm left with just that, hope when the bell rings and Kai walks in with Alec by his side. Both of them take a seat beside me and I take out my notebook before the teacher starts writing down todays assignments.
"Hey," Kai whispers. I keep my head down watching my hand copy the words on the board down in my notebook.
"You look distant. Do you wanna get out?" Kai asks.
I look at him past my glossy eyes. When Kai sees my face, a look of regret flashes on his for a millisecond, but is then covered by a stone look.
"No Kai, I wanted to be here so I'll deal with whatever I'm going through. Even if you're the reason I'm feeling like this in the first place."
He doesn't reply, but when I turn my head, I notice that everyone's eyes are on me.
"Class, get back to your notes," the teacher instructs. All the students turn their attention back to the board. With a heavy head, I look down and instantly, a tear drops down onto my page.
The writing magnifies before smudging when the tear drop soaks into my paper.
Stop it, Summer. Stop being an emotional fool and deal with it. This is reality. Alice is gone and she's gone because of you. She's probably in hell and it's all your fault, but there was nothing you could do. At the end of the day, she is the one who decided to stick by your side.
...♛...
It's lunch now. I don't even know how I made it through the first two blocks. Even though Alice and I didn't have all the same classes, small incidents, actions, people or things would remind me of her. I've worked so da
mn hard to build myself up from the day I've been with Kai, but I feel like I'm right back where I started.
The guilt is eating me alive.
I take a right down the hall to get to the cafeteria, "Ugh."
Bumping into a hard figure, I fall flat on my ass.
"I'm so sorry," a deep voice speaks. I look up at the hand extended out for me. My eyes trace the tattooed hand up to the culprit. He is a light skin. The buzz cut makes his hazel eyes pop and magnifies the innocence in his personality.
They're beautiful.
A bright smile appears on his lips telling me he knows I'm staring. Blushing, I look down and help myself up. I dust myself off and look up at the guy who towers over me at probably six foot five.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bump into you," he apologizes.
"It's okay," I reply trying to hide my embarrassment under a small smile. If I already wasn't so distracted by old memories, I never would have fallen simply by bumping into a person.
"I'm Jayce by the way, I don't think we've met," his massive hand extended out indicates a handshake. I stand there eyeing the hand.
Does he not know who I am?
"I'm Summer," I reply putting my hands in my hoodie's pocket. His lips click as he awkwardly takes his hand back.
"Okay, uh- you're new right?"
"Uh- no, kind of, but not really," I try to answer his question in the best way possible, but my mind is just not having it. My mouth refuses to agree with my mind.
But the real question is, everyone runs away from me, why isn't he? If he did too, then I wouldn't be in this dilemma in the first place. Gosh.
"Well I was heading to get some frozen yogurt with my friends, you wanna come? I feel bad for knocking you down," his cheeks flush clearly stating that he feels guilty of what was an accident.
"No, i-it's okay. I'm okay, you don't need to feel bad. I just have to be somewhere right now," I reply remembering that Kai said I had to return to the cafeteria in five minutes.
The one term he set for me coming to school was that I had to be within eyesight or he needs to know where I am. Stupid, but I was desperate to get an escape from the gym and the house. Like always, I felt like I needed something normal to keep me grounded and sane, so I agreed to his term.
"You look flushed, I think something cold will really help you," Jayce takes my hand in his.
"Jayce-" before I can continue, he pulls me towards the opposite direction of the cafeteria.
"Wherever you have to be, I'm sure it can be handled later. Let me make up for this and you'll never have to see me again," he tries to negotiate.
I sigh heavily. All I've wanted the whole day is to get out, so I guess this won't be such a bad idea. I can handle Kai on my own anyway.
"Okay."
"Okay? Okay. Okay!" he smiles pulling me through the main doors. A smile tugs at the end of my lips at his childish behavior.
"So Summer, how are you kind of not new?"
"I came here at the start of the year for a week before I had to go somewhere," I skim over the truth. We stop at a white Mustang. Jayce pulls out his keys and unlocks the doors. I climb in.
"My parents gifted the car to me two days ago on my birthday," Jayce says clearing the skeptical look on my face.
"Understandable, and happy belated birthday," I smile.
"Thanks," he replies. "And cool, I moved here from Canada three weeks ago."
"Really?"
"Yeah, my parents decided to expand their business into the states."
"Nice, and how do your parents feel about your tattoos?" I question eyeing the small lines connecting to make one huge sleeve around his left arm.
"To be honest, I don't know. They're never around so they've most likely never noticed it."
"Really? That bad, huh?"
"That bad," he nods. "What about you, what's your story?"
My mood drops at the thought of my story and my arms extend out stretching to the end of my knees stalling for time.
"You've probably heard the rumours. I'm surprised you even talked to me."
"What? Those rumours about a new girl killing everyone in her family?" I nod. "That's bull, I don't believe it until I hear the girl accept it herself. I mean when I came here, everyone thought I was a porn star."
I burst out laughing hysterically, "You- you could be one."
"I know," he turns his head displaying his smirk. Taking a right, he pulls into a small plaza and parks the car in front of Menchies.
"We're here and I'm warning you, don't fight with me. I'm paying," he states. I get out and walk up next to him. From the outside, I can spot a table with a couple of people from our school.
"Come on," he says. Jayce makes his way to the table and everyone smiles at his arrival. I stand far enough just being able to make out their conversation.
"Guys, I brought a friend," he says looking at me. I force a faint smile. Instantly, their faces drop.
"Dude she's with Kai Black, you shouldn't have brought her here. She's dangerous," one of his friends warns.
"Yeah, she's bad news man."
"Are you guys kidding me?" Jayce laughs. "You guys look like you're about to shit your pants."
"We're serious Jayce, she'll ruin you," a girl at their table says sparing me a side glance.
"You know nothing about her except for some stupid rumours. At least give her a chance," he protests taking me by surprise.
"And how much do you know about her?" the blond haired one asks. Jayce stands there speechless. "My point exactly."
"You know what Jayce? They're right. I'll just leave. Sorry guys, you enjoy your frozen yogurt," I loosely wave bye and turn around. My eyes fill with tears as I walk out.
Normal isn't really feeling like an option anymore.
"Hey, no. I'll drop you off. I'm not letting you walk," Jayce stops me. I watch as his white Jordan's come in view. Trailing my eyes up, our eyes meet. His face fills with guilt at the sight of my broken state.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't think they were going to react like that. Just let me drive you to school, please?"
"No, it's not them or you. It's just- can we go anywhere besides the school?"
"Yeah. I- uh- yeah," he says sounding like he's unsure of his own decision. We get into the car and I let him drive. A part of me hopes that he drives me somewhere far away from here. Somewhere not even my thoughts could get to me.
...♛...
"What is this place?" I follow Jayce through the abounded amusement park. I haven't seen many horror movies, but the ones I have, sure seem to resemble a setting like this. This whole park seems to be almost fifteen years old. The metal is covered in rust while the ripped tents are buried beneath twenty sheets of dust.
When I said anywhere besides school, a small cafe or a park came in mind, not an abounded amusement park. I wonder how he even found this place. My mind didn't keep track of the whole ride here, but what I do remember is going through a lot of deserted areas.
We keep walking until we're out of the amusement park and climbing a hill. From behind, Jayce's neck shines in the sun telling me this is quite a work out for him and I both. Almost forty minutes later, we make it to the top of the hill.
Catching my breath, I stand with my hands on my knees and find Jayce seated on the edge of the hill. I strip out of my hoodie letting the wind attack my bare stomach. A feeling of relief washes through me and I decide to take a seat next to Jayce leaving my hoodie on the ground.
We silently look at the view of the whole city from above. A normal person would admire the unique site I'm so lucky to be looking at, but no. My head tilts down and my mind wonders how far below the ground is. How much it would hurt if I jump, and how long it would take until there's no time left.
If I jump, everything would end and I'd be free. No more worries and no more pain. There'd be nothing.
"You're looking at the wrong thing, Summer," Jayce cuts my thoughts. My head shoots up looking at him.
I need to st
op drifting out of reality.
"Look at the city, Summer. It's beautiful," he informs. I look at the buildings now even tinier than the size of my hand. He's right, the whole site is breath-taking. We watch as the sun starts to set and the lights of the city take over its spot.
I look up at the sky; dark with no moon and no stars. Empty and bare it's like someone has stolen the beauty away from the night sky. Ripped the sky open until there was nothing left.
"Why did you bring me here?"
"You tell me," he replies.
I tuck a loose strand of hair behind my hair reminding myself that I'm the one who asked to be taken anywhere that wasn't the school.
"Thank you, Jayce. It really means a lot."
"You still haven't told me," he says.
"What?" I ask looking at him.
"Your story."
"You'd regret asking the question the minute I start telling the truth."
"Try me," he smiles. His eyes curiously wait for a response.
I sigh.
"Another day, maybe. If you stick around long enough."
"So does that mean we're friends?"
"You ask a lot of questions, you know that?"
"Hey, questions never hurt anyone."
"But the answers sometimes do."
"So I'll take that as a yes," he smiles.
"Only because you're stubborn," I laugh.
Maybe a friend is all I need. Someone normal who believes in me as the Summer White I want to become not the Summer White I'm born to be.
"Shit, it's almost midnight," Jayce curses looking at his wrist watch.
"It is?" I question.
"Yeah."
"Fuck," I had a shift at the cafe downtown at four today. Kai's going to kill me. He probably thinks I ran off or something.
Jayce gets up and cleans off the dirt on his pants. He lends a hand out and I take his offer cuffing my hand in his. I pull myself up looking towards the way we came up. A mental picture of the amusement park at night runs through my mind.
"I can't go down there. If it was scary during the day, it's probably terrifying during the night."
"What?" Jayce laughs. "You're scared?"
"Yeah," my voice low as possible. I felt ashamed admitting the fact. I've never accepted being scared of anything in my whole life even when I was.
