Stephan

by Hazel Gower

  Cassie giggled. “Your girlfriend is a lightweight.”

  I knew that from the last time she’d gotten drunk, but it didn’t answer my question. “Yep she is. How much did she have?”

  Renee looked into a cooler. “Six…no…er seven vodka cruisers. She likes the raspberry ones. I like the passion fruit ones.”

  Groaning, I looked at Cassie. “Who the hell drove here?”

  “I did. I’ve only just started drinking since Scott said he was on his way. Brad was giving him a lift.”

  Sighing, I glanced behind me to see Derick laughing at me. “A curse, brother,” he whispered.

  “Shut it and set the towels up for me, please.”

  Derick grinned but did as I asked and I closed my eyes and prayed for patience.

  Tilting Jade’s head back, I gazed at her. “You haven’t got your cast wet?”

  Her brows furrowed and she nibbled on her bottom lip. “Nope all dry, see.” She shoved her cast arm in my face.

  “Little bit, have you eaten anything yet?”

  “Err, an apple. No,” she took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “I had a piece of bacon and hash brown too. It was nume, nume, yummy.”

  Derick was cracking up and the girls were giggling. Carefully kneeling on the sand, I moved her so I could sit. Reaching the bag I got out a bottle of water and undid the lid before holding it out to her. “Drink some of this?”

  Jade took the water and sipped it.

  I looked around at the girls. “What time did you start drinking?”

  “We came here after breakfast. We didn’t start drinking until ten thirtyish.”

  “Oh only ten thirtyish.” I shook my head but couldn’t help my grin. “You guys are a bad influence on my girl.”

  “Hey,” Stacy protested. “She was the one who thought to play the drinking game.”

  “What drinking game, little bit?”

  Her eyes brown eyes sparkled with mischief. “Have you ever.”

  “Who was winning?” I asked.

  “Jade was.” The girls all chorused.

  “What? How? I thought you said she’d had seven?”

  “She has,” Patricia added.

  “Shit, how many have you girls had?”

  Five girls looked into the cooler bumping heads. “Ouch, hey,” they squealed.

  “I’ve had eight,” Racheal said with a huge grin. “I’m coming in second.” She winked at me.

  “I’ve had nine,” Cassie said with a burp.

  “How the hell, Cassie, you said you just started?”

  “Isa just have, but I had to skull to catch up.”

  “For fuck sake.”

  Derick chuckled.

  “How many drinks did you bring?”

  “Argh, two coolers full. Twelve vodka cruisers each. And two bottles of wine,” Patricia giggled out.

  “Holy shit, what would you have done if we didn’t come to look after you and drive you home?”

  The girls thought it was hilarious, even Jade was snorting with laughter.

  “Wes made a bet,” Renee piped in.

  “Yeah, yous a quick response,” Patricia giggled.

  “They think you don’t know how to say no to me,” Jade whispered. “I don’t care what they think. Thanks for coming. I’m tired. I couldn’t sleep. I was cold without you.” She shivered against me and I rubbed her back as she snuggled against me.

  I didn’t care what her friends thought I cared what Jade felt. Kissing her forehead, I hugged her to me and gazed over at my brother to see Derick smiling. It wasn’t a curse.

  Chapter Eleven

  Jade

  The weekend had been great. I’d spent Friday night at Cassie’s with all the girls and Saturday at the beach. Stephan had joined us and he’d looked after me. It was becoming harder and harder not to fall for him. He was amazing and he put me first every time. We went to bed early Saturday night and I slept in his bed draped over him.

  Sunday we had a lazy day. Well I did, reading and baking in the kitchen. Stephan had gone to the gym, probably to beat the crap out of his bodyguards, or for them to do it to him. I stayed away from the gym and the no go zone of the property.

  Now it was Monday and I stood by our meeting place outside of the school waiting for Stephan. He was late. Usually he meets me on my way to our spot or was already waiting for me. I’d just told Cassie to go before her brother left without her. Bringing my bag around I got my phone out and checked to see if Stephan had called to tell me he was running late.

  Glancing around, I saw Derick coming toward and me smiling. I moved away from the tree I leaned against and went to him. “Where is your brothe—” Before I’d finished my question gunfire rang out around me. “Get down,” Derick yelled.

  A burning pain hit my good arm as I dove for the ground. Yelling and screaming all around me had me staying down and not daring to look. Derick’s body came and covered my own.

  “Oh shit, fuck, you’re hit.” I heard Derick’s voice in the distance but my arm hurt and my cast arm felt like it had been cracked again. I felt like I was far away and filled with pain. I wanted to close my eyes, they were so heavy. The weight on me kept reminding me of the pain and I knew I shouldn’t close my eyes.

  More shots sounded and cars and what sounded like motorbikes screeched away.

  “Derick, get off her. We need to see if you have been hit.” I knew the voice. Who was it?

  “Brand, I’m fine. Jade’s been hit. Oh shit, Brand, that’s a lot of blood.”

  Ah, Brand, head security. I heard what sounded like ripping.

  “Check her over, Derick, to see if she’s been shot anywhere else. David’s called the ambulance and the police. He and a team are waiting and the gates. Try not to move her too much, she’s been hit in an artery.”

  Brand lifted my arm and tied a piece of cloth around me tight. I screamed as he tugged. Black surrounded my vision and then nothing.

  *****

  Stephan

  I’d been talking to my business teacher about a makeup test for one I’d missed while away looking after Jade. We agreed I’d come in early tomorrow and he’d give me a do-over. Then I ran out of the room and down to the tree where I meet Jade. I could see the tree in the distance and Derick walking to Jade. I’d asked him to tell her where I was.

  Everything happened so fast. A blue Ford car and three motorbikes drove up to the pickup zone, guns appeared and they shot at Derick and Jade. I watched with a sickening feeling as bullets flew by and Jade dropped to the ground. I crouched down and watched Derick crawl to Jade and cover her.

  It was only minutes but felt like hours passed before Brand, David, Rex, and Royce showed up, shooting back at the car and motorbikes. They sped off and then the gates closed. I kept low the whole time and ran, ducking and dodging to get to Jade and Derick.

  Brand made it before me and I arrived in time to see the once green grass covered in red. Jade screamed and I looked to see the bottom part of her covered in blood. Derick was checking her, running his hands gently up and down her now unconscious body.

  Dropping to the ground, I stared at Derick. “Please. Please tell me she’s okay,” I choked out.

  Derick grimaced and held his hands over her thigh. “Put pressure here. I need to check her other leg.”

  I did as I was told in a haze of disbelief. Blood oozed onto my fingers and I moved so my palm pressed down slowing the flow of blood. Derick ran his fingers over her other half.

  “What do we have?”

  I didn’t look up at the paramedic.

  “Seventeen year old female. Shot to arm that hit artery. I’ve cut the flow with the bandage but she needs care. Stephan is holding what I think may be a graze or a through and through shot. The cast has cracked and she passed out a couple of minutes ago.”

  “Son, I need you to move now.”

  I pressed down on Jade’s wound too scared to move.

  “You can let go now.”

  I couldn’t move. I
heard the voice, but was terrified to move my blood soaked hand.

  “Stephan, the paramedic needs to work now.”

  I looked at Derick, he was covered in blood. It never occurred to me he could be hurt.

  “Son, you’re covered in blood. Are you hurt?” another paramedic asked Derick.

  Derick shook his head and gazed down. “It’s not my blood. It’s my sister’s.”

  “The girl is your sister?”

  Derick nodded. “She will be,” he said hoarsely.

  Brand removed my hand and dragged me back. “Stephan, you have to let them work.”

  Gazing up at him, my cheeks felt wet. “Where the fuck where you? How the hell did this happen?” I shook myself out of his hold and stood. I studied the scene around me, bullet holes were everywhere: in trees, cars, the school building, and the ground. It looked like a war zone. “What the fuck happened?”

  Brand stood and ran his fingers through his short hair. “There are two vulnerable times, at drop-off in the morning and pick-up time. We monitor both, but there are so many cars and it’s hard to tell if they’re not picking up someone. We were lucky not many got hurt.”

  “What do you mean lucky? Jade is fucking almost bleeding out.”

  “Only six people got hurt. None are fatal.”

  I wanted to yank my friggin' hair out. “We live in Australia. Guns are illegal. Why the fuck did we just have a shootout. This is something I expect Dustan to tell me about in America.” I was furious, but I’d rather be angry than a blubbering mess. Brand didn’t say anything, not that I expected him to. He knew how it went.

  The paramedics wheeled Jade away on a stretcher. I ran after them. There was no way they were leaving without me.

  “Are you family?”

  “Yep.”

  They eyed me for a moment before one nodded, I got into the ambulance.

  I hovered over Jade. Her eyes were open and she smiled seeing me but it quickly turned into a grimace.

  “Hey,” she rasped out.

  “Little bit, what am I going to do with you?” I stroked her cheek.

  “I’ve never been shot before I met you.”

  My heart sank at her words and I cleared my dry throat, was I killing her? Was I the reason she’d been shot at so much. “Angel, I’m so sorry.”

  “Don’t,” she whispered. “I don’t like that look. You didn’t do this.”

  I nodded, but didn’t believe her. I needed to leave her alone. I could make myself live without Jade as long as she was alive. What I couldn’t live with was her continually getting hurt because of me. If she died, I don’t think I would ever forgive myself. I needed to leave.

  I couldn’t get the image of her covered in blood out of mind and I thought I was going to be physically sick. I needed to stay away from her and then she’d be safe.

  *****

  Jade

  Something didn’t feel right. I awoke and I was alone. Pain throbbed through me, not the worse I’d had, but I still hurt. I pressed the nurse call button and a woman in her late forties came in. “Hi, is anyone outside the room.”

  “No, sweetheart. Are you expecting someone?”

  I furrowed my brows and shook my head. “No.” Where was Stephan? I was sure I saw him in the ambulance.

  *****

  I didn’t see Stephan even after three days. Evelin visited and even his father, Lucas. They wouldn’t tell me about Stephan besides he was fine and thought it best they stop seeing each other. Derick didn’t come by either. Cassie and my friends visited me, but no Stephan. The bastard didn’t even tell me himself he couldn’t be with me anymore.

  On the third day in the hospital they let me out. My arm had been recast and my other was in a sling to help it heal. I had stitches in my right leg where a bullet had gone straight through. I felt like shit, but what worried and scared me the most was I hadn’t seen Stephan or Derick. I learned from Cassie, they were both all right.

  Sitting on the bed I waited for my guardian to show up and take me home. Cassie and her parents knocked on the door. My heart sank and I knew even before Cassie spoke, I wasn’t with Stephan anymore.

  “Guess what. I get to have you as my sister.”

  I forced a smile and slowly stood. I should never have let myself fall under his spell. Biting my cheek to hold in my sobs I berated myself, stupid, stupid me. I should know by now not to trust or rely on anyone. Hardening my heart, I stiffened my spine, grabbed my bag, and walked out of the hospital room. Never again. Never again would I let my guard down.

  *****

  The police wanted to talk to me and this time I didn’t have a lawyer there to tell them to hurry it along or stop them from badgering me. The week I spent recovering was spent mostly in the police station. I’d told them everything I could think of and more. They wanted to know everything about my grandpa and what I saw and the most important, who I saw. The person they were most interested in was the man I’d only caught a glimpse of. I now knew that the police thought I’d been shot at twice now thanks to my grandpa and his dealings. They wanted me kept quiet about who I’d seen.

  This shattered my heart into a million pieces, because I’d put people I cared for in danger. I was worried I was putting Cassie’s family in danger. They assured me the two police vehicles kept them safe. A bunch of my grandpa’s associates had been arrested and for the moment I couldn’t do anything.

  I was eager to go back to school. Cassie’s parents were fantastic. I only had two weeks until I was eighteen and I promised them I’d find a place of my own then. They told me over and over not to worry, that I was no trouble and welcome to stay as long as I wanted. I was done though. I was done relying on anyone but myself.

  “Jade, sweetheart. You have a visitor,” Cassie’s mum yelled to me.

  Easing off the bed, I put the book down I wasn’t really reading and went down the stairs. My heart sped up at the figure at the door. Stephan stood with flowers and a basket with goodies in it. He looked like he hadn’t shaved since I’d seen him over a week ago. He had dark circles under his eyes. I felt bad, but I couldn’t do anything except apologize.

  “Hi. I’m sorry about everything. I’m glad Derick didn’t get hurt. ”

  “Jade, you have nothing to be sorry about. You didn’t pull any triggers. You were innocent in all this.”

  “Okay.” I didn’t know what else I was supposed to say. “Is that all?”

  “No. I wanted to say I was sorry—”

  “You have nothing to apologize for.” My body ached from missing Stephan. My heart was pounding so loud and it hurt at the sight of him. I wanted so badly to jump into his arms and hug him. I wouldn’t though, I would never touch him again. I couldn’t. I had been shot at, had my body cut and bruised, but nothing hurt more than Stephan leaving me. I didn’t have much in my shitty life but what I had, Stephan had taken and stomped on it. “Thanks for this stuff. I’ll see you around at school.” I turned and he grabbed my cast halting me. I glanced down at his hand and back to him.

  “Wait. Little bit, I want you to come home.”

  I choked on a sob, as he called me by his pet name, how could he? I fought him so hard because I couldn’t take this heartbreak, there were only so many times someone could be beaten down and I was done. I’d had my mum beat me down all my life and I bounced back. I even had my grandpa do it and now the man I loved had done it. No. I’d had enough.

  “Get. Your. Hand. Off. Me. Now,” I gritted out. “You stay away from me.” I backed away and dropped the gifts he’d given me.

  Stephan went white and I took an involuntary step toward him only to stop when I realized what I did. “Just go, Stephan.”

  “I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”

  I knew Stephan and he wouldn’t leave me alone. I nodded and walked away. I went up to the room and called the detective who’d given me his number, he was the nicest of the bunch. He had a daughter my age. “Hi, Detective Web. I need a restraining order please.”

 
; *****

  Everyone was staring at me. I kept my head down and kept close to Cassie as we walked to lunch. With the retaining order I had on Stephan I couldn’t sit with the girls where we used to sit. They’d moved for me. We now sat in the quad with all the younger people. Even after three days at school everyone was still talking about me.

  The first day I jumped at everything. The second I hid in the library. I’d gotten Cassie to give the phone back to Stephan. I didn’t want him knowing where I was. I deliberately didn’t look for him. It hurt too much when I saw him. I couldn’t even gaze upon Derick. I knew some of my friends thought I was overreacting, but I didn’t give my trust easily and I’d given it to Stephan. He’d stomped all over it and my growing love. He’d abandoned me. When I’d woken in the hospital and he wasn’t there, not even one of his family members, I’d never felt so alone in my whole life.

  I listened as the girls talked about going to the movies this weekend. “Sure, sounds good.” Right now I’d agree to anything.

  I nibbled on my sandwich and halfheartedly listened.

  *****

  Stephan

  I didn’t want to go to school. I didn’t want to leave the house. The bodyguards still watched Jade, but I had received the restraining order. Derick wasn’t talking to me. He was still angry with me over how I’d dealt with Jade after the shooting. My parents had left me be, only putting their foot down about school. So I went to school and rugby.

  “I’m leaving. I can’t sit with you anymore.” Derick got up and I followed.

  “Where are you going?”

  Derick walked toward the buildings. “Away from you. I’m so pissed I can’t even look at you."

  He entered the quad and that’s when I saw her. Like a moth drawn to a flame I couldn’t stop myself. She was so beautiful. I missed her so much. She looked almost lifeless as she sat with her head down. I hadn’t slept in two weeks and I couldn’t even lie on my bed. Fuck this shit. I’d had enough. I wanted my little bit back.

  Going to Jade, I picked her up. She squealed and fought me coming to life.