When I lost my father, it was the breaking point.
Not the end, but the start of my downfall. I thought surely, I can't survive after this.
But, then I learn that my family became stronger in the face of adversities.
I have seen my mother broaden her shoulders and my sister become a link to lean on. We were close before, but now we were unbreakable.
They became more than my everything.
I thought that there is no way that I can lose them too.
So, when I sit here on the sofa staring at the black screen television with the news of my mother telling me that Raine was kidnapped, I wondered what did I do to God to deserve this.
Why was my family being picked off one by one?
What seeds did we sow? Because for every bad seed, I promise I would go over them with good.
I just didn't understand.
She was to work when the shooting happened. I was home, here, watching tv. The hysteria in her voice had me running to the door ready to come where ever she was, but she forbid me to move.
She said that it was going to be okay. I question her sanity on that.
Nothing about this sounded okay.
Nothing.
I can't say minutes went by or even an hour --I was too out of it to count before the door rang. Two persons stood on the porch. One I recognized and one I didn't.
It was Levi. He was standing there with a white suit on, obviously from the dance, but there was blood on his right shoulder. He also had a bandage around his head.
"Can we come in?" I pushed the door wider, stepping back. To stun to even protest as they walked past me into the house.
"We're waiting on your mother," the woman said as she sat Levi down in the seat and sat beside him. She was looking at him with so much concern I assumed that this had to be his mother.
"Where is she?" I asked, looking back outside. I didn't see her car pull up.
"She's at the school, but she'll be here soon. I am so sorry for what is happening right now"
I didn't understand why she was apologizing. She didn't walk into a school dance and decided to lit it up. She also had a child who was injured.
"They had someone working on the inside" Levi gritted. I slammed the door walking over to him. He was hunched over on the table. I could see the blood seeping through his bandage.
"I know that. I just underestimated them." the woman whispered. She looked so regretful.
I begin to doubt my stance for taking up for her. Maybe she was guilty.
Levi took her hand. "No, you did well. We just have to go get her. They won't get far" he reassured her.
They were talking about Raine.
Immediately my ears burned and I walked over to Levi, pulling his shoulder back. My hand touching his blood-stained shoulder didn't even make me squirm.
"Who are you talking about?" I gritted. I felt as though something was going on and I was kept in the dark of it.
Levi looked up at me, his eyes glazed over then at the woman.
"I-i"
Now he couldn't speak. I roughly push him back and the lady jumped to her feet behind me to pull me off from beating the answer out of Levi.
"You will know everything. We're just wait-"
Her words were cut off by my mother walking through the door. When my eyes met her, I instantly was pushed to the day when my father died and she came to tell me the news.
Fighting to be strong because she had to take care of all of us by herself now, but yet so evidently weak.
"Justus" she cooed and that's when I broke. I ran to her embrace, tears flowing down my face as I wrapped my arms around her. "It's okay" she patted my back.
I hate when people say that when in actuality, it's really not.
I opened my eyes, but then saw Lucas standing there. He was frozen in the spot, staring at us.
"Why are you here?" I asked, stepping back from my mother. She walked past me to the lady and Levi.
"Trying to figure out" he muttered, following my mother.
When I turned around they were all seated with solemn faces. My mother at the head of the table, the lady on her right, and Levi on her left. Lucas debated if he should sit or stand and opted for the latter. Leaning on our divider with his hands folded as he looked at Levi with brows raised.
I opted for standing and leaning on the island.
It was the lady who broke the silence first.
"I haven't been upfront with you," she tells my mother and I see my mom nodded stiffly.
"I know"
The woman swallowed but still continued.
"I had no intentions of your daughter being in the midst of this. I just wanted the original plan to be executed. I just never thought that the Guillianos would get involved. They have been dormant for a while. Only triggering him on petty issues. They have never went this far to start a war. They actually couldn't get this far" she said the last part in disbelief.
I have heard about the Guillianos. I knew they were a gang. I also knew that their territory was on the Southside and not here. So, why the hell were they here.
I looked up to Lucas. He was now staring at the woman. His brows furrowed in deep thought.
"Who are you?" he asked, his question directly to the lady.
She swallowed hard before stating that she was Carol.
The sound of the table being hit harshly had everyone startled and staring at my mother.
"Don't you think you have lied enough?" My mother spat with her head directed to the table. When her eyes looked up, she looked dangerous. "Speak the truth, so we can get my daughter."
Carol gulped, her eyes moving to Lucas and then back to mom's threatening ones. She then looked over to Levi who nodded at her.
"I was apart of The Oscuros." The news had Lucas's arms dropping to his sides and me gasping. "I never really liked the gang and wanted out, but Hardin wouldn't let me. So, I run away the first chance I got." She looked down. "But, I had left something there and I wanted it back. So, I wanted to sabotage Hardin. It's the reason I came to you, Allanna. I wanted you to be the one to bust the biggest drug dealer out there."
"I have intel on all their locations. I know their routes. The Oscuros are ever-evolving, but their fault is being traditional. I made a tip on their biggest drug change on the park, their famous drug locations, and a few more. It's not enough to say Hardin is a drug dealer and get him locked up. He has friends in high places. I need a lot of evidence to get him down"
"I had to burn that park down before the police would come" Lucas mumbled. I don't think he was meant to say that out loud so the widening of his eyes was understandable.
He walked closer to Carol his hand slamming on the desk. "I am going to ask you one more time. Who the hell are you?"
Carol gulped before standing up, "I know how to get her. I know where Guillianos' spot is. They'll carry her there. Possibly ask for a ransom, but I can get in and get her"
"I know that too. I am fully equipped to get her back" Lucas gritted. He continued staring at her waiting for his answer. He looked as if he knew her, but couldn't quite put a finger on it.
"Tell him who you are so that he can trust you to do this" Levi spoke.
Carol with shaky fingers, pulled on her forehead, and then the hair on her head was gone. Black hair came tumbling out and falling down to her shoulders rushing to her waist.
Lucas stepped back, stunned and possibly in shock.
"Leslie Macaughlin, but I go by Carol Johnson now," she said.
Lucas kept stepping back as he watched the woman. His face was contorted in disbelief.
"Mom?" he whispered and she nodded reaching out to him, but he shook his head. "I-I" he kept opening his mouth and closing it. He couldn't phantom that his mother was standing before him.
I couldn't either. Everyone assumed she was dead.
"And, you?" his voice was still breathy as he looked at Levi, but the guy shook his head.
"I don't think I matter right now"
"I didn't mean to leave you with that monster. I just needed to get out, so I can make it and come back for you. I know you weren't cut out for that life. None of us were" Carol-Leslie continued, but Lucas kept shaking his head.
"No. no. I can't do this right now" he said. "I can't do this right freakin now!" He shouted. With that, he quickly walked for the door and then almost broke it off the hinges as he slammed it.
Leslie slammed back down in her chair, her face contorted in so much pain. She started rubbing at it.
"How many guys were out there?" My mother didn't give the situation time to be digested. However, I couldn't blame her. My sister was still out there with the Guillianos and they weren't the best people to be around.
"A lot. I tried to keep her protected, but one of the guys knocked me out. We can get her" Levi answered, his gaze shifting to Leslie.
She swallowed, before nodding and leaning forward. "Yes, uh- would you like to step into this?" It took me a moment to realize she was talking to me.
"I was already in," I told her.
From then, she delved into the plan.
***
Introducing Carol, or should I say Leslie, Lucas's Mother. She is played by Megan Fox.
P.S. Lucas and Leslie are described as having blue eyes but the persons that play them don't have them. This is where your imagination runs wild.
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