"Well Alexis..." he started.
"Listen Jay. If you say you don't want anything to do with me again, I'll understand. If you say you hate me for what I did, I'll understand as well. But if everything were to happen the way it did, I wouldn't change a single thing about it. I had a choice to make, to either keep you guys safe or drag you in the middle of this family war and put you all in grave danger. You know that I would rather die than have any of you dragged into this. So, yes. I did what I had to do to protect you guys, and guess what? I'd do it again and again and again. So if you're here to tell me that you don't want me in your life again, go ahead. I would understand." I said gently, but firmly.
I'm not crying, I'm not shaking, I'm not stuttering. I'm understanding. If this is what he wants to do, then the choice is his. I've already told him this a million times and I'll keep telling him this; I'm not worthy of his love. There are far more prettier girls out there who would be right for him. I'm just too much of a nobody. Too much of a broken piece that'll do nothing but cut him every time he's near.
So if leaving me is what he wants; I'll understand.
I love him. I'll always love him; but I'll understand.
"I found myself without you, Alexis; and I don't like it. I hate who I am without you in my life. Not talking to you, not being able to hold you, or hear your voice... it was worse than I ever thought possible. You bring light to my day, and peace to my nights. Just talking to you takes all my burdens and worries away. Just a simple glance from you has the magical ability to make me smile uncontrollably. I love you Alexis. I know I keep saying this, but I mean it more every time I repeat it. I love you so much and I can't wait to make you mine forever." He said, smiling from ear to ear.
I would like to say that I expected him to say that, but I really didn't. After all the downs we've been through, I thought that he'd at least leave my side by now. I thought that he'd never want to see me again, but he just promised me forever. A forever I knew he wanted to seal when he bought me that diamond ring. He doesn't know that I know because I didn't want him to. Once, he slept during class and before it ended, the teacher woke him up and started reprimanding him for such reckless acts; especially for a senior and stuff. Anyways, I told him I'd put his books back in his bag, and as soon as I opened it; there it was. A pink, velvet box with a golden strip around it. When I opened it, there was the most beautiful ring I've ever seen. Of course I knew that it wouldn't be for anyone else because I know my guy.
"I love you more than I can ever express Jay. I'm sorry..." my apology got cut short when Jace came dashing through to us.
"We need to leave like right now! Like right now, right now!" He said pushing both of us towards the exit.
"Ok ok! Slow down Ross jeez! Leave it to you to ruin every single good moment I have." Sulked Jaycee.
"Ok Royce you can sulk later, but I promised my..... I mean I promised Brenda I'd bring this chick back home in one piece."
"What's the intel?" Said Jaycee, pulling me from under Jace's pushy hands.
"We saw a few of Giovanni's puppies stand guard around the place with handguns and stuff." He replied, completely out of breath.
"You're doing a good job Jay Jay." I smiled, patting Jace's heaving back.
"Why thank you bestie!" He smiled, his face glowing in return.
"She's joking. You suck." Said Jaycee.
This dude seriously needs to chill the hell out.
"I'm not! He's just jealous cuz you're awesome!" I said, sticking my tongue out at Jaycee.
"Okay people! We need to leave like right now!" Said Ashton, calling out to us.
"And why the rush?" Said an unfamiliar voice.
We all whipped our head in the direction of the voice, only to be met with a group of guys. Or gorillas. Either way, they were a lot. And a little too big. What the hell were they feeding them at daycare? Medium rare steroids with a side of hormones?
"Let's go!" Said one of them pushing me so hard I forcefully slammed my head against the wall.
"Hey! Watch it dipstick!" Said Jaycee, throwing that guy a punch square in the jaw. The guy didn't even flinch. Instead, he punched Jaycee back; right in his stomach. Jaycee fell to the ground, blood trickling down his mouth. He wiped it with the back of his hand, groaning in pain.
"No! What the hell are you doing!" I said, a pain shooting through my cranium.
Before anyone had the chance to analyze anything, Jaycee did an impressive karate move that had that big guy flying to the other end of the hallway; hitting his head in return.
"Stand up Atticus. Show me what you really got." Said Jaycee, jumping forward and back in a swift motion.
I mean, okay. I knew he was athletic, just not that great at it.
Groaning, this Atticus guy, stood up and he didn't even bother hiding his smug smirk. He also didn't even budge, all he did was simply take out his gun and point it at me.
My heart stopped beating.
"If I show you what I really got, her brains will be all over the wall behind her Royce."
"I swear to God if you as much as touch a hair off her head, I'll kill you myself do you hear me!" Yelled Jaycee.
I couldn't even come up with a single word to say. What if he does pull the trigger? What if he accidentally slips and kills me? What then? I'm not ready to die yet, nor do I want to; not after what I've been through. This is not how I die.
"No. Please. Don't. Don't hurt her. Take me if you want, kill me. But leave her out of this." Pleaded Jaycee.
"Look at you now Royce. Pleading for this girl's life like a little wuss. Where was the courage you wore on your fists not even three seconds ago?" He mocked.
"Well why don't you put the gun down and fight me man to man."
"Or man to gorilla." I added.
Brain. Disconnect. Please!
"Oh look. Little princess can tell jokes! Would you look at that!" He said, slamming hands against his knees; face laughing.
Then he continued.
"I'll show you who's the gorilla now!" He said, taking my by my collar and slamming me repeatedly against the hard, brick wall.
"No! Stop! Let her go Atticus please! Just let her go! Kill me if you want but please leave her alone!" Yelled Jaycee. Giovanni's guys held him so he wouldn't come to me.
As if gorilla idiot couldn't hear him, he smashed my head one more time against the wall that I thought I felt a part of my brain leave through my nose.
"I'm going to kill you! Do you hear me! I'll kill you!" Said Jaycee as, he too, received a few punches to his abdomen.
I fell to the ground, blood trickling down an open cut on my forehead. Blood was coming out my nose and my vision was getting a little too blurry. What hurt the most was the throbbing pain shooting at my cranium. Gorilla guy was seriously strong; I'll give him that. I tried getting up but the whole ground around me moved as soon as I lifted my head. Maybe I should lay down for a while.
I could hear Jaycee's pained, muffled screams as he was being beaten, but it was all a distant murmur. I couldn't get my eyes to open, and everything became so far away. I felt someone sit me up and empty a bottle of water on my face; brought me back to reality right away.
"Come on now Atticus, we need the lady for other purposes remember." Said a voice I knew a little too well. He patted my face with a mini towel; drying off the water he just drowned me in.
I opened my eyes, despite the pain, and when they adjusted, I saw who it was.
"Giovanni you better stay the hell away from her!" Said Jaycee, attempting to charge at him, only to be restrained by his men.
"Why?" He asked like it wasn't common sense to not hurt people.
Jaycee didn't reply. Why isn't he replying? Why isn't he telling him that he shouldn't hurt me because I'm a human being. That you can't just go around hurting people.
Why the hell isn't he saying anything?
"You have no answer for me do you?" He asked. "Do you?!" He added, a little too loud for my throbbing head.
"Did you stay away from my brother?! Did you show him any mercy when you hurt him?!"
Again. Not a single word from Jaycee.
"Then tell me why the hell should I go easy on her? Especially knowing your entire being revolves around her! You want me to leave her alone when you took away my brother from me! There's no chance in hell that'll ever happen Royce. Ever!"
What? Jaycee took away his brother from him? Did he kill him? But he's not capable of doing something like that!
Is he?
Maybe there's a dark side to this gang stuff that I don't know about.
Maybe there's a dark side to Jaycee that I don't know about; and that scares me.
A single tear slipped through my face when a realization dawned. If Jaycee really did kill this deranged lunatic's brother then that means that my fate has been sealed.
Giovanni is going to kill me and avenge his brother and there's nothing anyone can ever do about it.