She's Too Naive

Chapter 34

I clambered out quickly, stumbling on my wobbly legs. Rosen wasted no time in grabbing my arm and pulling me back as Cole squealed out of the alley.

"Where do we go?" I asked, apprehensive as I looked around the empty area.

"Let's go in back behind the buildings, easier to hide from them." I followed Rosen closely, my one hand gripping onto the arm of his jacket. He kept both hands free, but near the handles of the guns in the waistband of his jeans.

I jumped when Rosen accidentally kicked an empty can, and I saw him try and hide his grin.

"This is not a laughing matter," I grumbled, cursing myself for being so skittish.

"I know, but it's a can," he laughed quietly, nudging my side with his free hand. He suddenly stopped when we heard voices, and I quickly found my back pressed against the brick wall of the alley. Rosen had his back squished against me, his hand on his gun, as he tried to hide me while the footsteps grew nearer.

I held my breath.

The footsteps passed by without stopping. Rosen moved away from me with a sigh.

"Just some normal people leaving the restaurant," he explained.

We began walking behind the building, but Rosen stopped and squinted, seeing someone up ahead. He pushed me towards a dumpster that reeked of weeks old food.

"Hide behind here, just in case," Rosen said.

"Wha-" I began saying but was already being crammed behind the dirty dumpster. I plugged my nose and winced, trying to keep out the sour smell.

I was expecting Rosen to follow suit, but he didn't join me and I felt my heart spike a beat.

Holding my breath, a voice suddenly came out from nearby.

"Rosen, long time no see."

I cursed internally, swearing up and down at Rosen for leaving me behind there.

"Jase," Rosen's cool voice replied. I tried peaking around the dumpster so I could see what was happening, but was too afraid of being caught.

"Hate to do this to you but..." the sound of a gun clicking nearly made me fly out of my hiding place. "I have direct orders from the Def to bring you and Cole back. More specifically you." Jase said.

"See, it's not very convincing to point a gun at me and basically say you need me alive," Rosen replied, and I pictured a grin on his face. There was silence for a few moments.

"You happen to know where the girl you were traveling with is? That shithead Knox lost her." I was surprised they didn't know I was with Rosen and Cole again. But, Jase was baiting Rosen, attempting to get a rile out of him or some sort of emotion.

"Haven't heard from her, don't care."

"I find that hard to believe." I heard some footsteps and then another gun being drawn that had to have been Rosen's.

"Don't seem so confident," mystery man Jase said. "I can easily explain to the Def that your death was an accident." My hand flew to my mouth to hide the noise of my breath. The sound of my heartbeat was loud to my own ears, and I questioned if they could actually hear it from the other side of the dumpster.

I couldn't hold it anymore. I peeked around the corner.

Rosen was out of my view, but I was able to see who I guessed was Jase. He looked to be in his mid twenties, with buzzed short brown hair. He also had a scar running down the side of his neck that made me shudder.

Jase's finger shifted to the trigger, and I couldn't help my instinct to jump out from behind my hiding spot.

"Wait," I cried, desperately trying to prevent Rosen's death. Both boys turned to look at me, seeming completely caught off guard. Rosen's eyes were as wide as plates.

"Ellie," he said, jaw clicking. A smile slowly grew on Jase's face.

"Not a smart move," Jase tsked, cocking his head to the side to observe me. I stood frozen, now realizing what situation I just put myself into. Did I awkwardly walk over to Rosen or did I stay put? Would this Jase guy shoot me? I wasn't really important so it was pretty likely.

"Come here," Rosen ordered, his gun back to pointing towards Jase. I guess that answered one of my questions.

In a tense silence, I shuffled my way to Rosen who effectively stepped in front of me.

"How cute," Jase cooed. "Now where is the third wheel? Is Cole hiding behind another dumpster?" Rosen refused to reply, not wanting to satisfy Jase by a reaction.

"On the count of three, you are going to run as fast as possible. I'll be right behind you, promise," Rosen whispered so only I heard.

"Confessing your love before you're separated? or maybe she can come back with us to the Def. Bet you'd love that, huh Rosen?" Rosen tensed, his muscles coiling. I internally yelled at him to stay focused.

"One," Rosen began the countdown under his breath. I tried composing myself for the run of my life. "two..." Nobody notices Rosen's finger inching towards the trigger. Jase kept taunting Rosen, the idiot too busy to pay attention.

At the same moment Rosen said three, a flurry of events occurred. A small pop and a whistle sounded at the same moment my shoes gripped the pavement as I took off. I heard a shout, and footsteps behind me, but didn't dare turn back.

I ran behind side streets, and in between buildings, knowing Rosen was behind me. His breath was coming out in pants and it was pretty obvious if it was Jase I would have been shot.

When my legs burned so much I could barely lift them for the next stride, A hand gripped my arm and pulled me to a stop.

"It's me. It's me," Rosen repeated, dragging me into his arms. I breathed him in, my body trembling from exertion and from the adrenaline of what just happened. We held on to each other tightly, each of us gasping for breath. Drinking in the cool oxygen.

"We're safe," Rosen said, reassuring me most likely because he could still feel me trembling in his arms.

"We're safe," I repeated softly, testing the sour words on my tongue.

I didn't feel safe.

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