Hailey's POV
It's been about almost two weeks since I've talked or seen Isaac.
I was currently curled up in the middle of my best friends huge sectional, with her laying to my right, as we both watched the movie that was playing on her 60inch. We were both currently on winter break, and I had been over here for about a week now.
I couldn't bare the thought of being home alone and Isaac show up out of the blue looking for me. I was truly and utterly terrified of seeing him, being alone with him, let alone talk to him.
He's been trying non stop to get ahold of me, and I've been ignoring every single one of his calls, every single message, until I couldn't take it anymore and actually put him on my block list.
Mind you, I don't have a single angry bone in my body, I've never used nor put anyone on my block list up until now.
I didn't go to school the following week after everything had happened, so I easily dodged Isaac then. And it's not like I meant to miss school purposely, but my anxiety had got so bad that it triggered my depression, and it literally made me ill.
I was up crying most of the nights because I couldn't sleep, every time that I closed my eyes i would see the dead bodies in my head, I couldn't get the images out after that night.
Every time I thought about what happened I would get sick to my stomach, and would end up running to the bathroom and puke my brains out. I was hardly eating so I was constantly dizzy, always feeling weak, but afraid to fall asleep, afraid to relive everything.
My dad actually got fed up and took me to the doctors that Tuesday afternoon on his day off. Apparently everything I was going through, all the symptoms that I had, were very similar to having a stomach bug. I was then excused from school for the remainder of the week, but I knew damn well that I didn't have a stomach bug.
I obviously couldn't tell my dad what was really wrong, what had happened, nor did I want too. I didn't want to tell anyone, the only person that I had actually told was Carmen, but that was only because I felt like I was suffocating one night and poured my heart out to her.
Carmen really didn't say anything the second I told her, I don't think she knew what to say or how to even process it, and I didn't blame her. She would literally just listen to me cry when I called her, attempting her best to comfort me. Carmen actually came over last weekend and talked to my dad, convincing him that he let me stay with her during our break, and surprisingly he agreed.
My dad and Carmen knew me better than anyone else, I knew that he knew something was wrong, but being the good father that he was he never pushed it. Luckily for me he had a busy work schedule coming up, and he felt more comfortable knowing that I would be around Carmen and her mom, rather than at home alone and depressed.
I automatically felt 10x better the second we got to Carmen's. I was able to breathe a little more knowing that Isaac didn't know where she lived, knowing that I wasn't in their "territory".
Isaac was relentless though, he wouldn't let it get past him, that man didn't know how to take no for an answer even if his life depended on it.
After I blocked him on his number he called me off every phone he could possibly get ahold of. Dion, Patrick, Angela, even Sofia, who barely likes me, were constantly messaging me to get ahold of Isaac because he really wanted to talk to me. It got so bad to the point where I actually thought about changing my number, but just like with Isaac, I put them all on the block list as well. I no longer wanted anything to do with Isaac Matteo and his world.
I was actually pretty proud of myself, I had been doing so good all week. Carmen and I were going out, I wasn't staying cooped up in her apartment being a Debbie downer, I hadn't thought about Isaac once, up until now.
My eyes immediately began to glister with tears as we continued to watch the movie that was currently playing on Carmen's living room tv, Doctor strange. Although Isaac was always working; doing something for his dad, training, or in school, he was the biggest nerd when it came to Marvel movies.
I fight back the tears that are threatening to spill from my eyes, when Carmen shuffles to the right of me, setting her bowl of popcorn down on the coffee table.
"What's wrong, Hail Bear? Why are you being so quiet?"
I turn to look at my best friend, frowning a tad bit, and point towards the tv in front of us. "Uh- I thought we were watching a movie?"
Carmen narrows her eyes a bit, giving me an almost annoyed look, "I know you, Hailey Katherine Summers, I can feel you thinking from over here. What's going on?"
I cling onto one of the couch cushion's that I had laying on my lap, hugging the dear life out of it, burying my face into it as I give in and let everything out.
"What's wrong with me?!" I sob.
Carmen instantly scoots closer, wrapping her arms around me and pulls me inwards, "don't cry, Hail bear, I hate seeing you like this."
"I should hate him," I cry into her. "I shouldn't want anything do to with him anymore, but he's all I can think about! I hate that I love him, Car, I hate that I miss him, that I can't hate him even after what I seen him do!"
"Oh, Hailey.."
"You didn't see him that night, it was nothing to him, he- he didn't even blink an eye, Carmen, it was like second nature to him."
"Mami, look at who his father is, what family he comes from. You must of known deep down inside what he was capable of."
"I know, I- i guess I just, I don't know, I didn't want to believe it, I never imagined that I would see that side of him I guess. Oh God, am I just as bad for not hating him?" I cry looking up at Carmen.
She instantly pulls me in closer, "heavens no. Are you kidding me, you, bad? Please. We're human, Hailey, we're bound to make stupid decisions, we live and learn, well sometimes," she chuckles softly, and I join in with her.
I push myself away from her, wiping my eyes with my blanket that's wrapped around me, "thank you."
Carmen smiles, "It was bound to happen sooner or later. You know what I like doing after a good cry?" I look over at her letting her continue. "Eat," she grins, and I let out a semi suppressed laugh. "Why don't we cook something up?"
I nod and motion to follow Carmen off of the couch, my blanket still tightly wrap around me as I cling onto it. Carmen walks into her open kitchen, opening the doors to her fridge, as I take a seat on the near by stools, watching her when her doorbell is suddenly ringing.
Carmen pulls her head out of the fridge, a soft frown on her face, "are you expecting someone?" She teased.
"Me? You're the one who lives here!"
She laughs softly, "would you mind getting it please, I'ma heat up the pan."
I nod and hop of the stool, lifting the sliding blanket from my shoulders. Carmen's visitor rings the doorbell a second time before I manage to open the door and my heart immediately sinks to my stomach.
There's an incredibly big scary guy standing outside of Carmen's apartment, and I immediately know where and who he's from as my hand that's hanging onto the doorknob begins to tremble. I was stupid to think I could hide out here, of course he would come looking here, both Dion and Angela knew where Carmen lived, I'm sure one of the two told him, but where was he, why send one of the big scary guys.
"Who's at the door, Hail?" Carmen shouts from behind me.
"Um-"
"Are you Ms. Summers?" the tall man with the glasses on his face finally speaks up.
I swallow the lump that has form at the back of my throat, nervously nodding my head, when I hear Carmen swear behind me.
"What the hell, who the fuck are you?!" She quickly grabs my arm, pulling me next to her.
The nicely dressed man sticks his hand into his suit jacket pulling out an iPhone 7S in the middle of his hand, "this is for you." The phone immediately starts to ring in his hand and I glance down at it, "answer it," he commands.
I nervously take the phone from him, staring at the screen as it continues to ring. There's no name, no number, the screen reads unknown so that immediately makes me a little more anxious.
"Answer it," the guy growls once more and I do.
I slide my thumb along the screen, placing the phone next to my ear, my eyes trained on the big scary guy in front of me, but I don't speak, I stay quiet letting him start.
Only it's not who I think it is, it's not Isaac on the phone, the voice is much softer and feminine, either way I know this voice as well, it's Angela.
"Hailey?"
"Yeah?"
"Oh thank god you're there!" She exclaims, a hint of relief in her voice. "You're one hard woman to get ahold of."
"Wow, you guys just don't know how to take a hint, do you?"
"You're mad, I get it, Hail, but hear me out please. Have lunch with me."
"Are you serious?" I scoffed.
"Please, Hailey. I promise he's not with me, it'll be just us two."
I think about it for a second or two, eyeing the big scary guy who's just watching me, his hands behind his back. "What's with the big guy?" I ask.
Angela remains silent for a couple more seconds, "You're close the city," she mumbles softly.
"Where exactly are you that you're calling me on the phone?"
"Downstairs, in the truck."
"It's a little much don't you think?"
"My dad," she starts. "He feels more comfortable this way."
"How do I know that he's not down stairs with you? Or that you even told him where I'm at?"
Angela sighs deeply, "he's not, Hailey, I wouldn't do that to you. Trust me, please."
"Fine, but I'm taking Carmen with me," I say.
Ang sighs again, "I love Carmen, I really do, Hail, she's amazing, but this is one time where she's not welcomed. I need to talk to you about things, things that she's not exactly allowed to know."
I stay quiet looking over at my best friend, sad that I can't bring her along with me when I need her the most.
Carmen smiles sadly, nodding her head, "go, Hail bear, I'll be right here when you get back."
I smile back in response, "I'm not ready," I tell Angela. "I look like trash, I need to change."
Angela chuckles softly, "I'm sure you look fine, Hail, hell if it makes you feel better I'm in nothing but a pair of leggings and a sweater. It's just lunch, nothing fancy I promise."
I laugh at this, "please, you guys don't know the meaning of simple."
~~~~
Angela and I actually end our conversation a little short after, and I hand the big scary man his phone back. He doesn't leave immediately like I thought he would. I actually find him standing outside in the walk way still once I'm done getting ready. I didn't take too long, five minutes tops maybe. I brushed my hair out a bit, tied it up into a decent pony tail, grabbed my boots and headed back outside where I was met by Mr. Scary dude.
He actually doesn't move a muscle the second I step out of the apartment and asks me to lead the way, so I do up until we get to the parking lot. He walks us over to a black SUV and opens the back door open, suggesting that I get in. I walk up to the open door and immediately notice Angela on the opposite side of the truck, with another big scary dude sitting in the driver seat.
Angela instantly beams with happiness and greets me as I slide into the luxurious SUV, taking a seat right next to her. We don't do much talking on the drive to the restaurant, a little small talk here and there but that's about it.
We actually head East, back home, and stop at a little restaurant at the edge of town. Angela immediately sends her body guards away, seeing how we are back home and has nothing to worry about, me on their other hand, I'm a little on edge, afraid that we'll actually run into him. We get seated instantly in a small table near a window, watching the few people that walk by.
I can not stop shaking my leg under the table as I look over the menu, it's actually pointless really, I get the same thing every time I come to this café. It's either the strawberry mint salad or one of their famous sandwiches.
My eyes immediately go to the window every time that someone passes by, Angela notices this and attempts to calm my nerves.
"He's not here, Hailey, you can breathe. He's out of town with Mr. Matteo."
I close my menu and set it down on the table, "can we cut the crap and talk about what you wanted to talk about, so I can get back to my best friends house."
Angela sets her menu down as well, her eyes now glistering with tears. "Are we not friends anymore?"
My heart immediately aches but I don't say anything as our waiter walks up to our table and takes our order, leaving immediately right after, but instantly comes back with our drinks. I ordered a strawberry lemonade and Angela just had a plain glass of water, with lemon inside.
I sigh deeply and meet Angela's gaze, "I love you, Ang, and I mean this in the nicest way possible, but I want nothing to do with Isaac and his life anymore. You're-"
"Apart of his life," she says sadly. "I get it."
"You're one of the most amazing person's, afar from Carmen, that I have ever met in my life," I say. "It kills me to do this, Angela, you don't know how hard it's been because we've become such great friends, but it's gonna be even harder being your friend knowing that Isaac is always going to be around."
"What do you wanna know?" She quickly blurts out.
I clench my eyebrows together, "what do you mean?"
"Isaac," she starts, but then quickly comes to a pause as our waiter brings our salads to the table. "Thank you," she smiles.
I pick up my fork, instantly tossing my salad around with it, "so," I look up at Angela, who's doing the same thing to her salad. "You were saying."
She sets her fork down, "You're not the only one who has it hard, Hailey. You have questions, and he can't answer them for obvious reasons, but it doesn't mean that he doesn't want too, you don't know the torture he's going through right now. Never in my life have I seen my best friend so miserable. Tell me what I need to do to fix this, KP made it clear that he didn't care anymore, to tell you anything you wanted to know, no more secrets. So ask away, what do you wanna know, Hailey?"
"Wait, are- are you serious right now? Won't you get in trouble for that?"
She shrugs her shoulders, "yes and no, but it'll be way worse if it comes from him. What do you want to know?"
I start shaking my head softly, stabbing some of my salad onto my fork, "I- I don't even know what I want to know."
"Come on, Hailey, cut the bullshit, we both know what you're dying to ask so ask already."
She wasn't wrong, I had a million questions rolling around in my head. I guess I was still trying to figure out if I wanted to know the answers to them, if I was ready to know, ready to handle it.
"That wasn't the first time, was it?" I whisper.
"No," she murmurs while shaking her head. "And it probably won't be the last either."
"H-how, how old was he when he first, you know?"
"Fifteen I think, I'm not entirely sure, but he was pretty young still."
"Oh my god.." I gasp.
I think back to everything that Isaac has shared with me and think of one specific thing, one specific night. The night in his room when I first asked about his work, when I first seen him breakdown. Isaac told me about his first job, his first hit, could this be what Angela was talking about. I'm about to build the courage and ask, but Ang quickly beats me to the punch.
"They don't carry guns just for show, Hailey, they have them for a reason," she implies. "They're not just for scare tactics," she adds, shoving some salad into her mouth.
"Has Dion ever?"
She nods again, "even Patrick, and he's the saint out of the bunch."
I don't know why, but my heart sinks to the bottom of my stomach after Angela tell's me about Patrick. I guess in my head he seemed the most normal out of Isaac and his friends, but turns out he just hides it better because he's exactly like them, he's just as bad and dangerous as them.
"Do you understand now when I say they're lethal together, why I have to hide certain things from KP, why I have to hide certain things from Dion." I blow a puff air through my nose and nod my head yes.
"I wanna tell you that it gets easier, Hailey, I do, but it really doesn't. My heart still races when one of the guys gets into a fight, I never know how it's going to end, or if it's even going to end. I still get worried sick when my dad doesn't come home when he says he is. But I've honestly never seen KP act like the way he does when you're around him, it's like he's a whole different person. You really don't know how much he loves you, how much of an affect you have on him. You don't know how many times he's came to me and Dion wishing that he could be someone else, wanting to be someone else, because he truly believes that you deserve better. He didn't choose to be this way, he doesn't have the luxury of walking away and starting over like, Ric, Vin, anyone really. Isaac was born into this life, Hailey, and you knew that from the start, you're bound to always have problems just because of who his dad is."
"I know," I murmur looking away from her, glancing down at my untouched salad.
"If you're going to cut him, us, out of your life, at least have the decency to tell him. Break his heart if you have to, but don't keep torturing him like this, he doesn't deserve it."
Angela chuckles softly to herself while taking another bite of her salad, "he doesn't even care if you snitch him out to your dad, Hailey, he's genuinely just worried about you. That family loves you with all their heart, including Mr. Matteo, although he'll never admit it, but he actually trusts you. KP told him about what happened, and look, here you are still, untouched and okay, that says a lot, Hail."
"He knows that I know?"
She nods, "yeah, and Mr. Carmelo wasn't too happy about that either, and hi- never mind," she shakes her head this time.
"No, he want, Ang?"
Angela looks up, meeting my gaze, and there's a sudden sadness behind her beautiful brown eyes, "he hit him," she exhales. "Pretty bad."
My hand instantly flys up to my mouth, covering it, "oh my god, why would he tell him!"
"Because he doesn't know what else to do, how to even fix it, how to come back from this!"
"Is- is he okay?"
"He's hanging in there. I mean he's not drinking, he's not MIA, so that's a good sign. He's not really talking much though, Dion's the one who's been with him most of the time. If Isaac didn't respect you he would've came to you along time ago, Hailey, he's trying to give you space, time to process everything. You really think he doesn't know where you're at? Do you honestly believe that you can hide from him?"
I shake my head softly, "no, I guess not. I just don't know what to do," I mumble.
"Have your feelings changed towards him? Do you still love him?" I nod my head, staring down at my leafy food. "Just talk to him, tell him how you feel, let him tell you how he feels."
"Will you be there with me?"
"Oh- I, uh, I don't think that's a good idea, Hail."
"I don't want to be alone with him," i admit. "I can't be, I'll freak out too much."
She nods, "okay, we'll figure something out. Let me talk to him first."
"Okay," I reply, and remember that I do have one other thing that's on my mind. "Ang.."
"Yeah?"
"Who's Verdino?" I ask.
Angela immediately starts to choke on the water that she was drinking, "who?" She continues to cough.
"I didn't stutter," I tell her.
She grabs the napkin from the table, nodding her head, wiping her face off, "why do you ask?"
"Those guys, the one that I- uh, he kept, he kept mentioning him."
"It's Axel," she sighs. "Axel Verdino."
I shake my head a little in disbelief, "that doesn't make sense. Why would Ax send those guys after Isaac?"
"It's complicated, but Axel isn't who you think he is, Hailey. He's ruthless, he's only being nice, trying to get close to you to aggravate KP. What did that guy say?"
"I don't know, he said something in Italian and that Verdino wasn't going to stop, or something like that."
Angela frowns a bit, "I'm no one to tell you who you can and can't hang around with, but be careful when you run into him, Hailey. I would hate to see something happen to you."
I nod, when Angela suddenly starts making a weird face, almost as if she's in pain, scrunching up her nose, furrowing her eyebrows. She quickly drops her fork onto the table, grabbing ahold of the edges.
"Hey, you okay, Ang?"
She nods, her face still contouring that she's hurting. "I'm getting really bad cramps," she titters.
"Aw no, well let's get going so you can drink some tea and get some rest," I smile.
"No it's fine, Hailey, you haven't even touched your salad," she says breathlessly.
"Nonsense, Ang, you look like you're in pain, I'll take it to go."
She nods her head, "I'm so sorry, I'll make it up to you."
"Oh stop it, it's fine."
I quickly wave our waiter back to our table and ask for our check long with a to go box for my salad, but I never get the chance to pack it as Angela's pain only starts to increase.
She quickly doubles over in her chair, crying out in pain, and I'm immediately flying out of my seat, crouching down right next to her.
"Ang, what's wrong, talk to me?!"
She shakes her head as her arm clings onto her stomach, "it hurts," she cries.
"Are they always this bad?" I ask and she immediately shakes her head no, when I glance down at her lap and notice the blood steeping through her leggings. She wearing a pair of grey leggings so the crimson is easily noticeable.
"Ang, you're bleeding..."
She glances down at her lap for a second then looks up at me, mirroring the same confused expression and is instantly bending over in pain again.
"Here's your ca- oh shit, is everything alright?" Our waiter is suddenly back with my debt card.
I snap my attention towards him, practically yelling at him, "call an ambulance please!"
He nods his head rapidly, immediately scurring away and I focus back on Angela, who seems to be in more and more pain as the seconds pass by.
"What's happening?" She cries.
I attempt to soothe her, gently running my hand up and down her lap, "I don't know, Ang, but hang in there, helps on the way."
The waiter comes running back in our direction, a phone in his left hand now, "the paramedics are on their way, I'm still on the phone with dispatch," he says breathlessly. "They want to know if shes pregnant by any chance."
"What, she's not pregnant!" I quickly blurt out, when I feel a tight grip on my forearm.
I quickly turn to look at Angela, her face contouring in pain still. She lets out a tiny sob, nodding her head up and down, and my mouth immediately goes dry.
"Y-you're pregnant, Ang?"
"Yes, she says she is," I hear the waiters voice at a distance now, although he's still standing right next to us. I hear him mumble a couple other things, but my heads currently spinning with what Angela has just told me that I can't really concentrate on what he's saying. "Yes, Thank you, they're here."
"By who, Ang?" I questioned, a little in disbelief still.
Only Angela doesn't answer me, she stares at me apologetically as the paramedics reach us, and they kindly ask me to step out of the way so they can help Angela onto a stretcher, and haul her out of the restaurant.
I don't push the question though, I let it go for now. Instead I reach for her hand so that she knows she's not alone, that I'm still right here with her. I walk along the side of the stretcher until we make it to the ambulance, and the paramedics inform me that I can't go with them, but I'm more than welcome to meet them at the hospital.
I frantically nod my head as they load her into the ambulance, "should I call someone, Ang? Your parents? Isaac? Dion?"
"Don't tell KP," she cries before the EMT manages to close the doors.