*
06
SPENCER MURDOCK
I felt red everywhere, I didn't see it but I felt it. I could smell the blood, I didn't even know blood could smell like that. But the crimson red was nowhere to be found. It was just my mom, and me looking up at her. She seemed so tall like she could touch the clouds.
"Get in the ca-" and then I saw it. The blood shot out of her head like a squirt gun. I didn't hear the shot, the booming of the gun was silent.
I saw my mother drop to the floor, her eyes lifeless. I held her in my arms, her head was as heavy as boulders. My tears mixed in with her pool of blood. My skin was stained with it. I couldn't breathe.
Suddenly, strong arms grip me and begin pulling me into the unknown.
"No! Mommy!" I yelled but it came out all muffled and weird. At least I thought it sounded weird. I let out a loud scream but it was the same. Covered by the sound of silence.
As the unknown men pulled me away from my lifeless mother, who now looked so far away, I felt myself get weaker. I got hungrier with every inch they pulled me. My eyes got heavier and my body became skinnier. Until I was left in complete darkness.
No hands on my little body. No one pulling me away. Nothing around me but darkness and a spotlight that didn't have a source. It lit up the barrel of a gun pointed directly at my limp head.
A burst of clown-y laughter erupted from an echoed distance like he was far away but he wasn't. He was right there in front of me, threatening my life.
And then it happened. The loud bang of a gunshot. The only thing I heard clearly.
I woke up in a deep sweat and the sound of gunshots coming from the song on the radio surrounded me. I steadied my heavy breathing and looked at the time. I've been asleep for an hour. Sighing, I turned the car off and glanced out the window at the café.
I'm supposed to be meeting Diego there, some kind of coffee date. I wish it was with Jackson instead. I'd like to get to know more about him. His family. Of course, I'd have to lie about mine if he ever asked. Some people might think it's odd that my father has been training me to fight a battle that doesn't exist.
I get out of the car with my bag over my shoulder and lock the door behind me. My heels give the familiar click on the black tar road as I cross the street. I reach the glass door of the café and hesitantly open it. Walking in, Jeff is wiping the wooden tables with his rag. He catches my eyes and immediately stops what he's doing.
"When I said yesterday was the last time I'm watching your Tasmanian devil, I meant it." He grumbled. "He's no longer welcome here. Leave him home alone like normal people."
"If it means so much to you, Jeff, I'll hire a dog sitter from now on," I say.
"Jesus, I forget that you're rich enough to do that." He groans and then looks at me with a different look from before. He looked at me with a slight hint of jealousy but was overpowered by the look of amusement. "Also there's a hottie waiting for you in the back."
I look behind him and spot Diego sitting there patiently waiting. His eyes make contact with mine and he gives me a cocky smirk.
"What is about you that attracts the hottest guys?" Jeff says playfully.
"I don't know, what attracts you to me?" I ask.
He chuckles. "Your ability to make people forget that they're mad at you."
I gave him a smile and kissed his cheek before heading to the back with Diego. "Order me a Pink Drink," I said before I sat in the chair in front of Diego.
"Pink Drink?" Diego questioned me. "Isn't that a Starbucks thing?"
"We supply the cheap knockoff," I tell him, and he chuckles.
"Do you work here?" He asked and I nod my head.
"I start my shift in an hour. So after we're done, I'm up." I tell him.
"In a hurry to get away from me?" Diego asks with a smirk.
"No! I didn't mean it like that!" I quickly corrected myself. "I just mean we can do whatever this is until I have to work."
"Oh-" He was about to say more when Auggie decided to make his entrance. He ran up to me and put his head in my lap. I ran my hands through the fur of his head and circle back to the side of his cheeks.
"Is this your dog?" Diego asks curiously. He suspiciously eyes Auggie and then looks back up at me.
"Yeah, his name is Auggie," I tell him, averting my gaze back to my dog.
"What breed is he?" Diego asks and now it's my turn to eye him. Besides my father, I am the only one protective of Auggie. "Where I'm from there are more... wolves than dogs. And the wolves don't like anyone outside their pack."
"Wolves in California?" There hadn't been any wolves here for decades.
"My town is rare, it is one of the only towns that are populated by them." He explains and I nod my head at him. I get distracted by his dark bushy eyebrows and attractive tanned skin. Tanner than me. Like he'd been out in the sun all day. His gothic style and athletic skills say otherwise.
"Uh-" I shake my head from my thoughts. "He's a bit of Husky, a bit of Blue Nose, and a lot of Timberwolf."
"Like your school?"
"Yeah, no connection though." I joke.
Diego was about to say something else when he was stopped, again. Jeff came walking in with my drink in his hand and set it on the table.
"There you go, cutie," Jeff mocks as sets the drink down in front of me.
"Thanks," I say grabbing it from the table. I look at Diego who was glaring at us. Jeff turned to Diego and winked at him. Diego's face paled and watched Jeff walk away from us.
Diego looked back at me as I slurped through the straw. He glared at me for a second more before slumping back into his seat carelessly.
"Saw you at lunch today. You were reading alone on the cement bench." Diego said. "What's a gorgeous girl like you doing alone like that?"
"That means a lot coming from you," I pause. "too bad you're gay." I set the drink on the table in front of me.
"Wh-What?" He stutters and readjusts in his chair.
"Oh come on. Don't try to deny it. I saw the way you were looking at us when Jeff came along. How you glared at me even after he left or when you flushed because Jeff winked at you. Or-"
"Okay." He groaned and covered his face with his hands. "Whatever."
"Look, Diego, it's fine," I told him softly. I might have pushed him too far. I never had any friends, especially a closeted gay friend.
"I know." Diego groans once again. "Just don't tell anyone, Spencer. My family is definitely not okay with it. They're already questioning me."
"I mean if you want I can be your girlfriend." I offer. He looks at me and chuckles.
"You're cute and all but I'm obviously not interested in you that way."
"I know, dumbass," I smirk. "I mean to convince your parents."
Diego studied me, his dark eyes roaming around my face. I would be lying if I didn't say that I felt intimidated. Like his looks could kill.
"Sure." He simply says taking my drink from the table and slurping it. He gives me a weird look like he's never had it before.
"Jeff is gay by the way," I informed him smoothly. "Openly gay. So if you feel the need to 'cheat' on me, he's your man."
"I'll keep that in mind." He says smirking. Diego glances behind me at, who I assume is Jeff. I smile at him as his eyes lighten at the sight of him.
"I'm gonna let you know something now that we are really close friends," Diego says still watching Jeff behind me. "You don't wanna mess with Jackson. I hate to admit this but he's loyal, kind, and protective, all you need in a boyfriend. It's just that he's dangerous, without even trying. So don't pursue him unless you are prepared to get hurt."
I look at Diego suspiciously. He glanced at me with a serious face and then back at Jeff.
"Don't tell him I said that about him or else I'll plead the 5th." He warns.
Diego below