by D. K Lake
I don't know why I say it like that because that wasn't exactly what happened but I don't know what happened when I left. Ugh. My head hurts. I sit back on the edge of the bed and start to cry.
Dammit.
But it's not just because of what's happened or the fact that Mitchel is a cokehead, it's because I'm leaving and we've run out of time together and my life is ruined.
RUINED.
I realize how similar Paige and I are; she really is my sister.
Mitchel sits down next to me but I ignore him and curl up on the bed and cry into the pillow. Mitchel joins me and lies down beside me and tucks my body into his and hugs me as I sob.
"I'm sorry." he whispers into my hair.
"No, I'm sorry I yelled at you."
"I was stupid. I should have come and found you sooner."
"It's alright, Nessie kept me company."
I sniff and wipe my nose.
"I didn't touch that girl in there."
"I know, I was just being jealous."
"There's nothing to be jealous of, she threw up all over JT's bed and he went batshit crazy."
"I feel tired." I say.
I want to stay awake and sort everything out between us but I'm tired, and any chance of us sleeping together is long gone. I'm a mess and just want to sleep.
"Shh..." Mitchel kisses the back of my head. "I love you, Blue." I hear him whisper before sleep takes over.
61
I wake up to shouting.
I feel Mitchel stir behind me.
"Where is it?!" booms an angry voice, and I sit up, rubbing my eyes and forgetting I have makeup on still.
Mitchel sits bolt upright next to me.
"What's going on?" I whisper.
"I don't know." Mitchel jumps over me and creeps to the door.
The music has stopped and when I glance at the clock I see that it is 3.10 am.
"Stay here." Mitchel hisses as I climb off the bed.
"Who is that?" I ask as the voice continues to yell.
"I don't know. Lock the door behind me."
I tiptoe to the door and stand behind him.
"Wait!" I grab his shoulder and make him turn around to look at me.
"It's ok." he soothes.
My heart is racing and I'm scared. Mitchel is acting strange and it's making me panic.
"Kelse, look at me."
He grabs my face and roughly presses his lips to mine, it only lasts two seconds but it makes me worry that something is wrong.
"Lock the door." he orders and slips out of the door before I get the chance to say anything.
I turn the lock on the door and press my ear against it, listening for any sound.
"Check the last room." I hear the same deep voice call down the hallway.
I step away from the door and a second later the door handle rattles.
I hold my breath and inch further away from the door.
"This one's locked!" shouts a different voice.
"Break it down." the deep voice orders.
I turn around and look at my choices of places to hide. It's too late to climb out the window and I'm sure Mitchel keeps it locked anyway. The door thumps loudly behind me and I dive to the carpet and wriggle under the bed.
What is happening? I know that whatever is happening it's not good.
The door crashes open on the third thud and swings into the room and smacks into the cabinet and I hear the wood splinter.
I stay low and quietly inch closer to the back wall, sliding any loose clothes I find in front of me to block me from view.
My heartbeat is pounding like a drum and I'm afraid whoever is out there will hear it. The closet doors open and close and I hear boxes and items of clothing being pulled out. Then the desk drawers are on the floor. I can see a pair of beige steel cap boots walking around in denim jeans but I don't know who it is.
I know there is no way the person won't look under here so I look around for anything I can use as a weapon and all I find is a skateboard. A few more minutes of me crapping myself, the room goes deathly quiet and the person gets down on their knees. I grab the skateboard and as soon as I see a pair of eyes and a creepy smile I ram the board into their face. The man yells obscenities and backs away holding his nose and I use it as my chance to escape. I don't really have a plan after that, I don't even know where I'm going. I wriggle out and make a mad dash to the window and pray it's unlocked. It's not and as I'm jiggling the window my ponytail is yanked backward and the man drags me off the bed.
I scream and kick him in the shin and because I'm still wearing my wedge sandals I actually manage to cause him some pain and he lets go of my hair and I make a run for the door but trip over all the random items that have been scattered everywhere. I go down hard and hit the floor and the man grabs my ankles and drags me back, then he grabs my ponytail again and pulls me off the floor.
"Feisty bitch, ain't ya?" he says in a gravelly voice.
I only catch a glimpse of him but he looks older, possibly in his late thirties.
"Get off me!" I scream and try to kick him again but he produces a knife and holds it against my throat.
I stop kicking and gulp. I don't move a muscle until he orders me to start walking. He walks me out of the room with my hair still in his hand and I have to tilt my head and walk slumped over because the guy is shorter than me in heels.
"What do you want?" I ask, noticing all the other doors are open and there is stuff everywhere, clothes strewn all down the hallway and boxes tipped upside down. They must have searched all the other rooms before Mitchel's.
He guides me into the living room where I see Boston tied to a chair with a cut on his head, JT is sitting on the couch with his head in his hands, and Mitchel is sitting on a barstool gripping the edge of it and his eye looks a little pink and there is a fresh cut under it. They don't look too hurt. Mitchel looks up at me with a mixture of emotions plastered across his face, but the one I sense the most is fear.
He doesn't get up but I can tell he wants to, he tries to keep his cool and shifts his gaze away from me and back to the other man standing in the room.
"Found this one in there." Gravel voice says and gives my ponytail another tug, making me cry.
He then shoves me toward the couch and JT catches me and quickly pulls me down on the other side of him to keep me away from the two crazy strangers.
I look around and wonder where Nessie is. I hope she found a better hiding place. I know she must be here somewhere because I spot her high heels on the floor near the coffee table.
"You must have known this would happen?" says the first guy with the deep voice.
"Vincent, we don't have anything. I don't know who told you we're dealing but they're lying." JT says.
"You know, kid, I've been around longer than you and I know when someone is lying to me."
I take a minute to study them both, the one that dragged me out of the bedroom is wearing a beanie with a scruffy hoodie and is unshaven and has scars on his face. He stands beside the other guy, Vincent, who is dressed differently, smarter and cleaner with smart black shoes, smart pants and a shirt with a leather jacket. He looks around forty with dirty blond hair curling just below his ears. His fingers are covered in rings and I think he's the one that punched Mitchel and cut his face.
"Carlos, check the back rooms again." Vincent orders.
"I just did-"
"Well do it again!"
Carlos stomps off down the hallway and knocks over a small table that has glass candles on top, thankfully they aren't lit.
"I know you're hiding it somewhere. I'll make you a deal, you hand over everything you have and I'll forget this ever happened and you go back to peddling weed to the school kids, ok?" Vincent picks up a small bag of weed and chucks it back on the coffee table.
"Um...how about no deal." JT says.
I want to hide when I see Vincent glaring at JT with such intensity I think he might pop a vein. His face his red and he looks super
angry. I glance over at Mitchel but he's looking at his brother.
"I've had enough of your attitude, boy." Vincent snarls.
"We don't have anything. All I do is sell a little weed to school kids as you said." JT says calmly.
"Then why am I losing half my buyers to you? You're on my turf, kid."
"I think you should leave. There's obviously been a mistake here. Now I'm going to let it slide that you came into my home and dragged us all out of bed so you could trash the place but now I want you to leave." JT stands up and Vincent laughs.
"Sit your ass down, boy." Vincent growls and produces a gun.
My whole body starts to tremble and I just wish JT would shut up.
This is way worse than I had originally thought. Guns, drug dealers, what have I gotten myself involved into?
Vincent points the gun at Mitchel and I let out a little gasp.
"Now, let's try this again. Tell me where your stash is and I won't kill anyone."
I grip JT's arm and squeeze, praying he says the right thing.
I'm on the edge of the couch, ready to...I don't know what exactly but I can't sit still.
Mitchel looks over at me and gently shakes his head, warning me to stay where I am.
"Vinnie, mate. Come on. There's no need to kill anyone over a big misunderstanding." JT laughs.
Carlos walks back into the living room with a little bag in his hand that is filled with white stuff.
Ah, crap. Now I'm wishing Mitchel and his brother had snorted the whole lot and not left behind any evidence.
"Found this." Carlos holds it up to show Vincent then he opens the bag and dips his finger inside and tastes it.
"It's the same stuff that we found at Adam's."
"Is that so? I thought you said you only deal weed?" Vincent snarls and glares at JT.
"We do, someone must have brought that to the party. That's not ours."
"It was tucked inside a jacket in the bedroom."
"Could belong to anyone." Mitchel speaks up.
Vincent is still pointing a gun at him when his cell phone starts ringing. He takes it out of his pocket and answers.
"Hello?...No, we're a little busy at the moment. I'll send some of my guys over." He ends the call and rubs his forehead. "Just tell me where it is." Vincent says with a sigh.
"The bathroom's down the hall on the left." JT says casually as though this is all a game and I pinch him.
"My patience is running out, kid." Vincent growls.
He groans and turns to Carlos and they exchange a few words quietly and there is a nod of heads.
Vincent turns around and holds the gun up again, and I feel sick when I see that there's a silencer attached to the gun. And before I know what is happening the gun goes off. I scream and watch as Mitchel falls off the stool, as if in slow motion. I jump up off the couch and make a move to get to him but JT grabs me and roughly pulls me back and holds onto me. I know by the way he's holding me that he'll leave bruises on my skin but I don't care because I just want to get to Mitchel.
JT is making a noise that sounds like he's growling and Mitchel is on the floor leaning against the counter, holding his shoulder.
It doesn't look too serious but it's still a gunshot wound and he still needs to go to the hospital.
"I warned you. The next one is going in you." Vincent aims the gun at JT.
In one swift movement, JT shoves me aside and I fall onto the couch.
I'm full on shaking now and I'm crying. JT gets down on his knees and I cover my mouth to stop myself from screaming.
This can't be happening?
I know this is it.
Vincent is going to kill JT if we don't do something, but Mitchel's shot and down on the floor and Boston is tied to a chair.
After the quickest pep talk of my life, I decide to do something either really heroic or really dumb.
I'm about to launch myself at Vincent when a gunshot rings in my ears and Vincent drops to the floor like a sack of potatoes, leaving blood splatters on JT's face and I get some on my feet.
JT grabs the gun from Vincent's hand and points it at Carlos and he bolts out of the front door and is gone in seconds. I stand up, still shaking, and look over at Nessie who is standing nearby holding a different gun.
"Good girl." JT says, going over to her and taking the gun from her.
I rush into the kitchen and grab a towel and duck down and press it against Mitchel's shoulder.
"What just happened?" I ask, looking over my shoulder at Nessie as she staggers over to the couch like a zombie and sits down, she's wearing one of JT's t-shirts and nothing else apart from underwear.
"When they broke in I sent Vanessa out the window and told her to get my gun out of the car." JT says.
"This is really bad." I say, shaking my head.
"Let me look," JT squats down and inspects Mitchel's shoulder.
"It's not that bad, he won't die but he needs to go to the hospital."
"I wasn't talking about Mitchel's shoulder! What is wrong with you? There's a dead guy in the middle of the living room!" I stand up and dig my fingers into my hair, rubbing my scalp, trying to process what has just happened. I go over to Nessie and sit next to her and put my arm around her shoulders to comfort her.
JT quickly unties Boston and they stand over Vincent.
"We have to get this out of here. If the neighbors heard the gunshot they'll ring the police."
Boston nods in agreement.
"I need you to clean the house down, flush anything you find, pills, the whole lot, then I need you to tidy up in case the police show up." JT orders Boston.
"What about Mitchel's blood? It's everywhere." Boston says, pointing at Mitchel who is still on the floor leaking blood everywhere.
Mitchel grabs onto the counter and pulls himself up and downs the first cup of alcohol he finds.
"Just clean it up and if anyone ever asks we'll just say he got a nosebleed." JT replies.
A nosebleed? What is happening?
"Kelsey, take these and get Mitchel to the hospital." JT chucks me the keys to his Mustang and I barely catch them.
"We'll take the Jeep, it has more space. Vanessa, I need you to go and put some clothes on."
Nessie doesn't move and I watch JT as he rolls Vincent up in the living room rug like a chicken wrap.
"What are you doing?" I mumble and stand up on shaky legs.
"We need to be going. Vanessa, go and put some damn clothes on!" JT growls.
"Why?" she finally speaks.
"'Cause I need you to help me get rid of this."
"What? You want to get rid of the body?" I ask, still shaking.
"No, I want to mount him on the wall." JT jokes and I could punch him for making jokes right now.
"It's either this or one of us goes down for murder and I don't really feel like spending half my life in prison. I can't believe you shot him square in the back of the head like some execution, how bad does this look? It doesn't exactly scream self-defense." JT puffs, dragging the rug to the front door.
Nessie doesn't say anything and runs out of the room. I want to follow her but I'm more concerned about the dead body being dragged to the door.
"Boston, help me get this in the car. And we're gonna need shovels."
I can't believe what I'm hearing, but weirdly enough, I know JT's right, one of us would go down for this. It would be Nessie, but I know none of this is her fault and I don't want my best friend to go to prison. I don't want any of us to go to prison.
"What about Carlos?" Boston says.
JT drops the rug and it makes a thud when it hits the floor and Boston stretches his back out like he's been carrying heavy cargo for too long.
"I wouldn't worry about Carlos." JT snorts.
"Why not?"
"Because we just killed their ringleader. They're probably shitting themselves in case I send Vanessa to finish the rest of them off." he laughs.
"How do you know for sure?" I speak up.
"Look, don't worry about Carlos, by next week he'll probably be begging me to take him on as a runner or begging for his life. Trust me, you have no idea who this guy was or how these things work. I have already been working with a few of his guys that wanted to come and work for me." JT looks down at the rolled up rug.
"Are you telling me we just murdered some drug lord?" I say, blinking at the rug.
"Pretty much, but it's cool." JT shrugs.
"Really? We just killed someone and you think it's cool? This is madness!" I throw my hands up in the air. "Wait...what do I say when we get to the hospital?" I ask, following JT and Boston to the door.
"Just say something like, you woke up hungry and went to the 24/7 convenience store, say you parked around the back where there are no cameras and someone came along and stole your purse and shot Mitchel." JT tells me as he cracks the front door open a few inches to spy outside and then they carry the body out in the rug. There isn't even a drop of Vincent's blood on the floor, just Mitchel's blood which is the only good thing to come out of this.
I look around and grab Mitchel's hoodie off the hook and when I turn around Mitchel is gone.
"Mitchel?" I follow the sounds of cabinets being opened and containers dropping into the sink and find Mitchel in the bathroom digging through the cabinet but he doesn't find what he's looking for and walks past me as if I'm not there and into his room and raids his closet for one of his jackets. He finds some pills and pops the lid off and tips the container into his mouth.
"Not too many." I say, taking the container away from him. I don't even know what they are.
He spins around and downs the pills with a water bottle.
"Flush them and this." He hands me a little bag of white powder from his back pocket.
I quickly go into the bathroom and do as I'm told and then I meet Mitchel near the front door, holding a fresh towel on his shoulder with his good hand.
JT and Boston walk back inside at the same time Nessie reappears from JT's bedroom. Her hair is tied up in a messy bun and she's wearing skinny jeans, a sweater, and Ugg boots. She walks into the kitchen and grabs something and comes over to us and I see that she's grabbed a pair of rubber gloves.
"Ready?" JT asks and Nessie nods.