"Pretty angel, press the brakes of your doubt,"
- e.k.
G A B R I E L
I didn't react when I found out she was captured. I knew something was still off, and I stood corrected when she escaped custody a while afterwards. It was my gut telling me not to let my guard down yet, and I wasn't going to.
Especially not when we were driving to a safe house with the FBI.
"Two, maybe three days," Serenity was sitting next to me in the car, talking to her mother on her phone. "Of course, I'll be back home... I told you this is what the FBI said... Yes, the FBI... Well, you're supposed to care because a nut job is- you know what? I'll call you later... I told you to not worry about me. How is that making this just your problem? If the FBI is involved, surely it's everyone's problem. Oh my- I'll call you when I have to."
She abruptly hung up and sighed. Her cheeks were flushed, and even though she was whispering into the phone the whole time, she knew I would've heard anyway. Ren was embarrassed. Her eyes didn't meet mine for the rest of the ride, so I held onto her hand tightly, relieved when she squeezed my hand back.
I wasn't too sure what was going on. My head was still in a state of numbness, making me nod to everything that was said to me. The words went in one ear and out the other. Sometimes, Ren spoke to me, and I couldn't understand what she was trying to say. I didn't think she minded that I was out of it most of the time. She understood and had all the patience in the world to stay with me anyway.
I almost said how much I loved her last week when we were laying on her bed, and she read to me. I wished I did, but if I opened my mouth to say those words, I would've cried. Every time I cried, she did, too, and it broke my heart.
When we got to the safe house, the FBI got out of the car first, opening the doors for us before leading the way into a small building. It was cozy. With Ren glued to my side and having my friends here, safe with me, I was relieved.
But not all of them were here.
My eyes wandered around the room, narrowing on hallways I couldn't see, back to River, his mother and Nia. None of my family members were in sight. One of the FBI agents said they had my house protected, and I wasn't sure I trusted them to do that. Nothing was explaining the absence of Nico and Zion. Pearl was next to River. They were conversing. Maybe about our friends' whereabouts.
I took a step to ask them but stopped. I didn't want to talk to Pearl yet. Something was holding me back from even looking her way. Yes, I was mad at her for choosing to hurt Zion instead of letting Zandra kill me, but what else was she supposed to do? Zion would've taken my place if I hadn't hurt Zandra the night I escaped. That was why I was angry.
Still, she didn't know any better. Pearl couldn't have known that Zandra would've gone after Zion. She was choosing to save me, and how was I reacting to that? Despising every moment I glanced at her. It was wrong.
"Where are Zion and Nico?" I asked River harshly. I didn't mean for my question to sound so demanding. I was going to panic. All I ever did was panic.
"They'll be here in a few minutes," River answered when he saw me, letting his brown eyes inspect me. "We're safe here. They'll be, too."
I didn't believe him. The air felt too frigid, tight. Something wasn't right.
A few minutes later, Nico was walking through the door, guarded by two FBI agents. They checked if he had anything on him, and he glared at them before striding toward us. River was the first to ask where Zion was, and I strained my ears to listen. Their voices were harsh murmurs, and I couldn't get up from my spot on the couch. I was too scared to hear.
"Where is he?" Pearl spoke up the loudest first.
No one answered.
"Nico," Her voice hardened, catching him by surprise. "Tell me."
My eyes didn't leave a spot on the crimson red carpet as Nico replied. I didn't move as the words left his lips, I didn't even blink. Serenity squeezed my hand, and I swore that was the small movement that kept me grounded. How long would I remain this calm?
"The FBI is using him to get Zandra."
A quiet pause followed.
"What?" Pearl's voice was smaller. "But I was going to- What? With who?"
"I don't know his name. Tall, sounded Russian, dark hair, grey eyes-"
"Riot," Pearl was up and walking to the foyer before either of us could comprehend the word.
Iris' brother. What was he going to do to stop this? Could he even be trusted? I would've trusted Iris if he was here helping instead, but he was dead. Zandra killed him. She could kill Zion, too.
I lifted my head and saw Nico pacing, holding the back of his head with both hands. River stood near the corner couch, where his mother was giving Nia a bottle. He sighed deeply and sat beside them. She gave him an apologetic look, and he just leaned forward, elbows on knees, and held his face.
"I want to be there," I said to Ren.
I felt her tense beside me.
"No, you don't," She moved until her body was facing mine. I knew she was glaring at my side profile. "You're safer here. And if you see her, we don't know how you'd react. We can't risk that. This has to go right. We'll trust that the FBI knows what they're doing. Besides, Nico and River wouldn't let you step foot out of this house."
My jaw clenched as I shook my head.
"Just stay with me until this is all over," Ren murmured, leaning closer until she was resting her forehead on my shoulder. "Please. I don't want to feel like I'm going to lose you again."
I waited a few moments before I reached my arm over Ren's shoulder, making her head lay on my chest. Her hand held onto my torso, clutching onto the material of my hoodie.
"I'm scared," I told her with a whisper.
"I know," She mumbled, and I felt her voice vibrate through my skin, easing me, letting me know that I wasn't alone. "But it'll all be over soon."
Pearl wasn't back yet, and worry crept into my heart. She wasn't going to them, right? That would be stupid. The FBI had a plan with Zion already. Why did they need her, too? She knew Zandra, probably more than any of us did, but wasn't risking Zion's life enough? They didn't need to risk hers either.
"I'm going to see where Pearl went," I raked my hands through Ren's soft hair, and she moved away from me.
"Gabe," I heard Ren call me when I stood up. I glanced down at her, seeing how she was staring at me with glossy eyes. "I love you."
The words were at the tip of my tongue. I had to let Serenity know that I loved her more than she could ever know. I just had to say it out loud. But my heart already felt like it was about to explode, and I couldn't say it when everyone else was panicking, too.
So I crouched in front of her and held onto her knees. She bent down to hold my face and crashed her lips onto mine - a quick, sweet kiss that let me know she meant those three words with all her heart.
"You're everything to me, pretty angel. I hope you know that," I told her instead, and it was enough to have her pulling my hair away from my forehead to kiss me there.
I got up and made my way to the foyer of the safe house. Words were being murmured, and I couldn't hear a single one. I recognised Pearl's voice, though, and I was relieved she didn't leave yet.
"Well, put it on," I heard one of the FBI agents speak, followed by the sound of clicking.
"Am I just going there to watch you shoot Zandra, or am I going to be put to use?" Pearl's voice was clearer as she spoke back.
"Sokolov is going to make that call. He'll tell you when we get there," The FBI agent said, and the sound of the door opening made me pick up my pace.
The agent's stoic face was intimidating as she gestured for Pearl to walk through. She did, just as I came into view. She turned her head to see me.
"Where are you going?" I asked her, knowing it must've sounded harsh.
"Go back inside, kid," The FBI agent said. I ignored her.
"I'll be back," Pearl looked shocked that I was speaking to her, and it made me feel guilty.
I held her eyes for a moment longer, not liking how the time was beginning to slip through our fingers so fast. She was good for Zion. He needed her. If I was the one going out there to face Zandra, I knew I couldn't handle it on my own anymore. I wouldn't have Ren involved. I wouldn't let her ever see Zandra's face, but Pearl knew her. Pearl used to hang out with her, she knew her tactics, her lies, her truths - if she ever told any.
"Bring Zion with you. Safe. We need you both," I said, hoping she caught onto the way I spoke the word 'both.' She mattered to Zion and all our friends. She was my friend, too.
Pearl merely stared, appearing like she wanted to say something. She couldn't. Agent Bitchface was already slamming the door shut behind them.
⭐︎
"Zion?"
I saw his broad back hunch over as he ran his fingers through his hair. He was sitting on the bench at the park as he always did. One day, I was going to buy a pledge that had his name engraved into it. He'd love it. That was his bench.
My best friend didn't hear me, so I walked closer. His hands were trembling when he returned them to his lap, his forearms resting on his thighs as he glanced at the cement below him. He was upset about something, probably angry. He was always angry now. He didn't use to be like this.
"Z?"
He heard me this time. His back straightened, and Zion spun his head around to see me walk toward him from behind. I smiled at him, trying to ease the tension in his serious face.
"Why so serious?" I teased, jumping over the backrest of the bench to sit next to him.
Zion sighed and leaned back, shaking his head.
"Come on, tell me. What am I? Nico? I won't tell the whole world," I shrugged, grinning widely in hopes that he'd do the same.
"I'm gonna do something stupid tonight," He mumbled, returning to the position of leaning down and staring at the ground.
"Can I join?"
"No, I want to do this by myself," Zion huffed a chuckle, and my chest felt lighter.
"Alright. Can I know what you're doing?" I stared at his side profile.
He shook his head.
"Is it going to get you arrested?" I probed, not wanting to hear the answer.
"Probably," He whispered.
I stared at him.
I blinked at him.
I gaped.
I almost choked on air.
"What?"
Zion sighed and ran his hand through his hair again.
"I know. It's stupid, but- I don't know. Rob said something about having this one vinyl. A hundred thousand dollars, it's rare. The Beatles," Zion was talking in a low voice. "Xyla loves The Beatles."
"Xyla? What's she got to do with this?" I stood up and moved in front of him. "Is Xyla in trouble? I'll help out, tell me what to do."
Zion cleared his throat and looked somewhere behind my shoulders. He shrugged.
"Zion!" I abruptly grabbed his head and slapped the side of his face. "Have you gone Nico mad? Do I need to get River to pull your head from Nico's ass? Because this is convincing me he gave you pot."
Zion pushed me away and laughed, hiding his face in his hands.
"This is fucking crazy," He whined.
"Yeah," I widened my eyes and confirmed it was. "You're saying you want to break into Rob's house? Because what the fuck, Z?"
He was still laughing, and I was still convinced Nico hooked him up on something.
"Name the time and place," I said.
That got him to stop laughing.
"No, I'm doing this alone," he moved his hands away from his face and glared at me.
Zion was toasted on something. I just knew it.
"Stop looking at me like that, Gabby. I'm not on drugs, and you know I don't drink," Zion rolled his eyes.
"Could've fooled me!" I exclaimed before pacing on the pathway in front of him. "Ah, who am I kidding? I'd do the same for Sara or Liz- okay, maybe not break and enter into someone's property, but I get what you want to do. And then I don't because this could get you arrested. You'd lose the scholarship you're about to get."
"I've thought it through-"
"Clearly, not enough. Ugh, fine," I sped back to him and looked Zion in the eyes. "I'll do it for you. Tell me when you want it by, and I'll do it."
Zion stared back at me before raising his eyebrows. "No."
"Oh, c'mon! It's not like Rob is an angel. Silvia cheated on Nico with Rob. He knew what he was doing. We don't need to feel guilty about this."
Zion looked down at his hands, guilt etched on his face. He was quiet for a while.
"I don't want Xyla to die," He whispered.
Panic filtered into my chest.
"What?" I muttered, carefully sitting back next to him.
"I've been trying to do everything to make her happy," Zion sounded defeated as he tilted his head back and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his palms.
"Is she okay?" I asked because I had a feeling she wasn't at all.
"No, she's not okay at all, and I'm terrified," Zion's voice broke, and it made my heart heavy.
I didn't know what to say for a while.
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
He shook his head.
"Well, if helping you get this vinyl for her gets her to feel better, I'll do it. You don't have a choice. The plan is already in motion," I snickered, attempting to ease the tension.
It didn't.
But Zion's arrest led him to Pearl. It triggered her memories of him and connected them in a way no one would ever understand. Everything happens for a reason, and maybe that was what kept me calm when we got the bad news.
Two hours went by before an FBI agent told us the good news before he solemnly said that Zion was shot twice.
I was still for a minute,
an hour,
two,
three,
and when I finally registered that Zandra was shot in the process, leaving her dead on the beach that started everything, I broke down into Serenity's arms and sobbed as my heart ached with relief and fear.
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a/n: I feel that because I know we're reaching the end of this story, my writing has become a bit choppy and it probably makes no sense at all, but I hope it doesn't look like I put in no effort because I think I just tried to write what I had in my head and it was a mess, but I got it done anyway and now we have 2 chapters left!!
thank you for being here.
have a great day/ night <3