Helplessly (Anthony Ramos Fic) √

12. Loving it -pt 2

I walked casually into the store.
It was a small enough store. A dinky little thing.
The cashier looked bored, and there was only one other person there. He was a shady looking young man, with his hood pulled low we couldn't see his face.
I noticed a strange lump in his pocket as he passed.

I connected the dots as I felt cold metal against my neck. I bit back a scream as the thief whispered in my ear. "Scream and you die."

I'm gonna die today.
Tears began to stream down my face, as I thought of the things I would never say to Anthony.
I suddenly missed my brother a lot.
The man roughly yanked me to the counter. The cashier gasped and leaned back, automatically opened the register.

Suddenly, a young woman walked in. The thief wrapped his arm around my waist. I made eye contact with the woman. She frowned, then, her face whitened in understanding.
She understands. 
The woman backed out of the store without the man noticing.
Grimaced as the thief's grip tightened.
He was speaking, but I couldn't hear him.
Blood was rushing in my ears, and I wished I would have told Anthony I loved him.
The man bagged the money, and, the gun still held to my neck, barged out of the store.
My stomach dropped when I saw the circle of police around the door.

"You are surrounded." A policemen commanded.
"Drop the gun."
The thief tensed. "Never." He growled.
I scratch the crowd frantically. Suddenly, my eyes meet a pair of Carmel brown ones.
Anthony.
He looked horrified. Daveed, Lin, Chris, and Thayne appeared around him.
They all had the same expression of fear on their faces.
I close my eyes.
Jubilee, you aren't stupid or weak.
I nod ever so slightly, to myself.
What do you do?
I don't know...
I can hardly hear the police yelling, or feel the metal of the gun digging into my neck.
What do you do, Jubilee!?
I don't.... I do know.
My eyes fly open, and I assess the situation.
The safety in on on the gun.
Anthony is seven feet to my left.
I know sign language. So does Daveed.
Its how we used to communicate in secret as kids.
I sign to Daveed.
Distract.
He nods. "FIRE!" He shrieked.
The thief looked around.
I took my chance.
Ducking my head out of his grip, as I brought my heel into his crotch, and dove to the ground. But before I could move much more, the gun was on me again, this them without the safety.
He chuckled. "Nice try."
I glowered at him. The cops kept uselessly telling him to put the gun down.
I noticed Anthony creeping up on him, and I began talking.
"How could you do this?"
The man looked confused.
"What?"
"Rob a store! With a gun? Would you actually kill me?"
I challenged.
He grinned. "Let's see."
He cocked the gun. "Yes."
My heart was beating so hard.
Suddenly, Anthony tackled him, despite his height.
The gun went skating across the pavement, and I kicked it to the cops.
----
With the man safely in the back of a car, ams driving away, I was swallowed into the arms of my friends and brother.
Daveed got to me first. He scooped me up, stroking my hair and wiping my tears away.
"Oh, Jubilee." He whispered.
He finally released me, and Anthony hugged me like he would never let me go.
"We thought...."
"Ant, let me go, I ain't dead yet."
He chuckled and blushed, releasing me.
I redden, and then I feel Chris pick me up. "Gosh, kid, didn't realize we liked you that much."
I laugh, and playfully smack his arm. "Put me down!"
Chris raises an eyebrow, and carefully sets me down.
I glance at Anthony just in time to see him frown at Chris, and then regain composure, flashing me a winning smile.
I hear someone whispering behind me, and I spin around. Thayne and Lin were smiling at me. I threw my arms around them.
"You guys, don't get all emotional on me yet."
Lin laughs and Thayne whimper pitifully.
I smile and elbow him. "You know what this calls for?"
Thayne blinks.
"Cookies!" I cry, and we all march back to the theater, loving each other like friends do.

===========
"Hey, she didn't kill anyone."

"Well, she isn't Moffat, for Pete's sake."

Happy?