A Safe-House In California

Chapter 9- Help Me Get Hitched

Rachel Damiano's POV

"Paige. Open up!" I shout, pounding on Paige's door. She opens the swinging brown door and smiles.

"Is it time to make you gorgeous?!" she squeals. I nod, dreading it. She grabs me by my right wrist and drags me into her PINK perfume smelling bedroom. She sits me down in front of her mirror and breaks out the ol' makeup bag.

She starts by pulling me hair back and tying it up in a rough sort of fashion. I squint, seeing how tan I look in the mirror. She rubs concealer all over my face and has me rub it in deeper. She then takes eyeliner to my brows and then my eyes, applying mascara right after. I blink a couple of times. God I hate makeup.

"Lipstick!! PUCKER UP BITCH." Paige says, patting my head. She applies red lipstick onto my lips, making me pop them. She starts waving my hair.

I hate this.

I hate having to look pretty.

Can't I just get away with a ponytail and sweatpants? No? Okay. Fine.

"Alright. All done. Go pick out a dress. Put it on and I'll zip you up. And wear heels, please." Paige says. I nod rolling my eyes. I pick out a long vibrant blue gown with a break in the side of the skirt. I pick nude colored platforms and walk out. "Need help being zipped up?"

"No. Can we please just go..? I wanna get this over with." I mutter. She backs off, hands up, pushes me into the hallway. She notices me fussing with my hair and fusses with me. A chorus of 'no' and 'I don't want to' and 'can I stay home' escapes from me as I 'casually' walk into the living room where Briggs and Levi are seated.

Paul Briggs's POV

Holy crap.

Rachel... She uh... Looks... Um.

What was the question again?

Paige Arkin's POV

I grab Rach's wrist. "Look, you're gorgeous. Stop being so self conscious and GO."

"I honestly love the pep talk thing, but I don't like looking like this!"

I louden my voice. "Paul and Mike seem to like it!"

Paul and Mike look up at me, gulping, as if they'd been found out. Well it's obvious they're ogling over her. And she should be ogled over. She looks flawless. You're welcome, Rachel. "We um... I er... She looks...." Paul begins to say.

"Great. I know she does. So get your asses over to that bar or whatever. Be home by eleven. Kay? Thanks.

BYYYE." I push the three out the door and sigh to myself. Well, my work here is done.

Mike Warren's POV

Things are awkward in the car to the bar. Paul drives, and Rachel and I sit in the back of the truck. Rach looks out the window most of the time, watching the California city lights zoom past her like a rainbow of thoughts. I can tell she doesn't think the way she looks right now is right. But she really does look beautiful.

"Hey, you okay?" I say quietly, so that Paul can't hear me. Rachel snaps out of her head and looks at me, wide-eyes.

"Me? Yeah, fine." she nods.

"Well, you don't look fine. You look distracted."

"I'm not the only one." she says, referring to when Paul and I were 'ogling' over her. I mock a laugh sarcastically. With that, she turns away again, back in the zone of her crazy mind.

"Alright. We're here." Briggs says, opening the front door. We get out of the truck and enter the joint.

Paul Briggs's POV

"Skinn... Hey, my man."

"Paul. Hello. And these people are...?" Skinn says, his scar making my eye twitch. Gives me the creeps.

"Mike, my bodyguard, and Rachel, his girlfriend."

Oops. I forgot to tell Rachel that. Oh well. At least now she knows.

"Lovely to meet you both. Now, Paul, we must discuss some business, yes?" Skinn says. I nod, giving Mike and Rachel to back off for a couple of minutes.

Rachel Damiano's POV

Mike and I sit at the bar staring at our drinks. Why is this so awkward...? It's not supposed to be. We're friends.... I think. I mean, I've known him for five days. So... I guess that mean we're pretty good friends...?

A message pops up on my phone.

1 NEW MESSAGE FROM PAUL

HEY. I NEED YOU TO BUY ME ABOUT TEN EXTRA MINUTES. THANKS. XX

I roll my eyes and look up. I grab Mike's hand and drag him on the tiny little platform stage in front of the bar. We discuss what to sing. We decide on Without You from RENT. It buys about five minutes, and then I sing Show Off from Drowsy Chaperone. Five more.

1 NEW MESSAGE FROM PAUL

"This can't be good..." I mutter.

GOOD JOB. BUT.. I NEED TEN MORE MINUTES. THANKS.... XX

I slide off my aunt's ring and put it in Mike's hand.

"What the--?!"

"Go propose to me."

"WHAT?!"

"Listen, Paul needs more time. Just go up there, propose to me-- your girlfriend. And people will take up the time congratulating us. Got it?" he mods slowly. "Now GO."

He goes on the platform and grabs the mic. "Hey, guys... So this is something I've been planning for awhile but... It can't wait any longer...."

Mike Warren's POV

I can't believe I'm doing this.

"... I've been dating Rachel for three years now. And I love her." somehow I can't control what I am saying anymore. "She's beautiful. She doesn't know it, but she is. And she has this smile that can make you the happiest person on earth. And she can love you on your worst day. She doesn't care about your flaws. She only sees you. And she has been seeing me for a long time... I don't know how she does it, either. But Rachel..." I get down in one knee. "I love you." I put up the ring. "Marry me. Make me the luckiest man on the planet."

"Yes, oh my god yes!" Rachel squeals running up to me. I slide the ring onto her finger and we share a kiss. It's just as I imagine it and better... She hugs me, tears in her eyes. And shes right, the whole bar comes up to us and congratulates us.

Paul has us get in the truck again. "We have to go to a factory to get our stuff... Let's move." he hits the gas pedal and we fly down the road to a factory. Dingy. Dark. Grey. Ew.

^_^_^_^_^

Well this has all escalated quite quickly. We're fighting with Skinn verbally. He suspects that we are going to give him away to the Feds. Haha, smartass.

"I promise you, we aren't."

Paul says, looking up at him pleadingly. Rachel and I nod quickly, agreeing with Briggs.

"... You promise?" what a bunch of strange and scared little kids. Ugh.

"Promise." Paul says. Skinn opens the case of crack. Johnny's men come in, open fire. One shot is extremely loud, coming from Skinn himself. It aims in my direction. I halt, believing I have been shot. But when I look down in alright.

It was Rachel.

OOOOH

#suspense

#sorrynotsorry

AHHH

[rachel]