The Guarded One ✔

Chapter Thirteen

"I still tend to" Jimmy admits, "after the stunt your boy pulled"

My heart skips a beat. I won't let him involve Duncan. Not again.

"Don't get any of them into this" I firm my eyes, "this is between you and me...no one else"

"He made it about him when he hit me over the head...eight stitches right here" he shows me the back of his head.

"Duncan's paid for it" I cry "he was in a coma...he doesn't even remember that night for Christ sake"

We saw Jimmy that night, right before the accident. If Duncan sees Jimmy again, the events of that night will repeat themselves - we may not be so lucky when that happens.

"Not good enough" he clenches his jaw.

"This is between you, me and my father" I cry. "This is about Johnathan, not Duncan! You hear me?"

"Loud and clear" Jimmy firms his eyes as taking a step towards me, "but just remember who you're messing with, Sanders"

"If you touch any of them I'll-" I begin to threaten.

"You'll what?" He laughs "you're nothing more than a kid"

I clench my jaw. Keep your cool, remember what happened last time. Duncan nearly died for fuck sake.

"Watch your back, Sanders" with that he leaves my sight.

He can't hurt me, or any of them for that matter. I'm unbreakable, I have to be.

I sigh before making my way downstairs. I leave the house where I find a familiar teen, standing at the front porch.

"Not your night?" I raise a brow as shutting the front door behind me.

"That obvious, huh?" she half-smiles before placing her cell phone into her back pocket.

"Lucky guess" I shrug as taking a few steps towards her.

"My sister was meant to be picking me up" Ayla explains, "looks like she fell asleep"

Well, it is two am. I don't blame the kid.

"I can give you a ride" I offer.

I'm not a fan of leaving people alone to find their own way home, especially at this hour.

"And let you miss out on the party?" she raises a brow, "no way"

"I'm leaving now anyway," I assure her, "I reckon it would be stupid of me to leave you here"

Ayla looks down and nods. "How much have you had to drink?" She questions.

"Little," I lie.

A few beers are more accurate.

"So I'm driving" she smirks as taking out her hand, "keys"

"You think I'm gonna let you drive my car?" I cock an eyebrow.

My aunt Laura worked double shifts and long nights for six months to get me that car. I don't let anyone drive it but me.

"Yeah I do" she smiles.

I'm too drunk to argue. Not drunk enough not to care.

I roll my eyes as throwing her my keys before we make our way to the car.

"Be careful" I beg as she opened the driver's seat door, and we both jump in.

"Your car is surprisingly neat" she points out as driving on the street "well besides your school stuff sitting in the back seat"

"Will ya just drive" I beg.

My school stuff practically lives in the back seat of my car. I'm always spending my days in libraries and what not. There's something about empty houses that I can't stand. I only feel safe when someone's there with me.

"Alright," she smirks. "She's smooth"

"Hence why I love driving her" I admit.

"My car's in the shop," she tells me.

"How come?"

"It got smashed up pretty bad a few weeks back" Ayla admits with a small smile as she drives down the street.

"I'm starting to think I shouldn't be letting you drive" I facepalm in regret.

She laughs "so where has Hayden been? I haven't seen her in class for a while"

I shrug "I couldn't tell you"

"Aren't you guys like best friends?" She raises a brow.

I nod, "we have a mutual understanding...we don't ask each other any personal questions"

"Are you kidding?"

I shrug. "That's the kind of friendship that Hayden and I have" I admit.

"So you two literally know nothing about each other lives?" Her eyes widen.

"She has a kid brother and lives with her parents," I tell her, "I don't know much more and I honestly don't need to"

Hayden and I made a pact years ago that we wouldn't exchange any personal questions or stories. Why? I guess that shame is a big part of my past. Many abuse victims experience it. I don't know what secrets lay in her past and I honestly don't want to.

"That's so crazy to me" Ayla admits, "I could never make a pact like that"

I shrug, "sometimes, there are things that are better off unsaid"

She parks the car at the kerb before looking over to me. Ayla's eyes soften as a small smile spreads across her cheeks. We both jump out of the car and stand by the hood in silence.

Ayla gives me my keys then smiles. "Jason, I don't know you and I'm not going to stand here and pretend that I do" she admits, "but I've been spending a lot of time with Duncan and he really does care about you...so can I just say this, I think that you've had things happen to you in the past that you want to forget, and hell, maybe Hayden does too...but, being guarded only gets you so far in the world, just keep that in mind...drive safe"

I nod "always"

With that, Ayla walks up the driveway, leaving my sight. I jump in the driver's seat and smile. I guess she's not bad after all.

I drive down the street where I find a Wal-Mart on the corner. It's a twenty minute drive home, there's no way I'll do with alcohol in my system, especially at almost three am. As a result, I park the car down at the store, before falling asleep in the back seat.

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Hi all,

I really think that this is a significant chapter because it demonstrates what kind of person Jason really is. He doesn't drive under the influence, he cares about people, and he would do anything to take care of his friends.

What do you think of this book so far? Please let me know :)

Don't forget to VOTE if you're enjoying this book.

Thank you

Happy reading!