Aloha.
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WOW! Tysm I can't even believe it, 100 reads in two days!!!
Welcome to chapter 21. Grab your tissues folks! I hope you love it. Also real quick... *rummages through random box of names marked 'special'* Ah yes, Angela. You know who you are. You're welcome.
(super secret friend code if you're wondering)
Let's do dis
Chapter Twenty-One
~~~
L I L Y
"I know Dad," I sighed, rubbing my temple with two fingers. "Blade has it under control. So do you think Uncle Roy could do it?" I listened into the phone for his response. "Mhm... great. Okay thanks. I'll be fine. You and Mom just figure out you're stuff."
I hung up with a huff. This was the most annoying situation ever.
"What'd he say?" Blade came into the kitchen where I was.
"He's gonna send my Uncle Roy and some other guys," I nodded.
"Great."
There was an awkward silence. The atmosphere was weird... thick. Blade was seated on the couch I slept in the night before, his head was thrown back so it hung off the end of it. I chuckled silently and sat next to him on the farther end, hugging my knees.
"So this is weird," I started.
Blade nodded and sat up. "Yeah."
I scanned him. He looked exhausted, and hot in the mask.
Like, sweaty hot. Perspiration and such.
"Do you want to get out of that mask? I don't mind I'll just turn the other way." I smiled weakly.
He mulled it over for a bit, I heard him kiss his teeth. "I don't know... Murray said you can't even get a glimpse of my face."
"I won't. I promise," I answered quickly. "You just look... you look like you're about to melt."
"Gee thanks."
I rolled my eyes. "Seriously. You can take it off." I stood up and spun around. "See? Not looking."
I heard him sigh.
~~~ C A R T E R
I really did want to get out of the mask. I was nervous enough. A black, tight, plastic padded object wrapped around my face did not help.
So... I took it off.
She didn't look like she promised... but the entire moment of sweet relief I couldn't help but think...
What if she did turn around?
What if she knew I was Blade?
Would she run? Would she even want to see me?
"Thanks," I said, running fingers through my sweaty bangs. I saw her visibly jump... not like six feet in the air, but she jumped.
"U-um yeah, no problem," she chuckled.
~~~ L I L Y
His voice.
Not muffled.
It whacked me on the side of my head like a baseball thrown by a three year old.
"U-um yeah, no problem," I answered in some sort of forced chuckled.
Reeeeaaaal smooth.
Then my phone rang, making my already jumpy self jump higher than before. I glanced at the profile, Rym.
"Yeah Rym?" I said into the phone.
"Lily!" her frantic voice exclaimed. It sounded like she had been crying. "Lily please it's Jasmine!"
I dropped the phone, trying to contain myself.
"What's wrong?" I heard Blade ask. I didn't turn. "My mask's on."
Thank heaven above. I turned around to see my phone pressed against the masked boy's ear.
"This is Blade... what?!" he snapped. "Where are you?" He nodded. "We'll meet you at the hospital."
HOSPITAL?!
He hung up. "Let's go."
I nodded, tears welling up in my eyes. "What happened?! Is she okay?! Where were they?!"
"Stay calm." Blade grabbed my shoulders. "Grab your shoes, I'll explain in the car."
"But-"
"We don't have time Lils!"
I closed my mouth and nodded. Throwing on a pair of flip flops, I headed out the door. I couldn't think straight. One of my best friends too. I it was my fault-I knew it was my fault! If only I hadn't walked that way home! If only Violet never existed! If only I could go back in time! If only I could see Blade's face!
Before I could stop them, the tears burst through whatever thin walls I tried to push then back with. I was a sobbing mess, my forehead pressed against the window next to the passenger seat. I tried to choke them back, but with the sudden quickness of my breath, that wasn't an option.
"Hey! Lily, Lily it's okay." I heard through gasps.
I nodded and tried to wipe my face. "Y-yeah I-I know. I-I'm fine."
I'm fine.
Stupidest words ever invented.
Blade sighed and looked right at me, getting fully into the driver's seat next to me. "I promise. It's going to be okay." Blade grabbed and held my hand gently while I tried to regain control over my breathing.
We continued the car ride in silence.
~~~
"Where is she?" I asked a nurse at the front desk immediately.
"Who are you here to see?" the small nurse asked me back. She was stubby with dull, brown hair thrown into a low ponytail.
"Jasmine Leonard."
"Name and relation?"
"Lily Easton... um, friend."
Blade appeared next to me, making me relax a bit.
"Sorry hon, she's in surgery right now."
Surgery?
"Lils, come sit down," Blade motioned to an area full of chairs. People eyed me cautiously, I didn't blame them. My face was red and puffy and I was constantly sniffling. Not to mention I was in a tank top and sweatpants...
And flip flops.
Why did I put on flip flops?
"So what happened?" I asked Blade, wiping my face again.
"Jasmine, Astrid and Rym apparently went out for coffee. Vanessa had to leave I don't know, but Rym said that a guy grabbed her and dragged her to the back of the coffee place they were at. Naturally Jasmine and Astrid ran after him but he had a gun... and when Jasmine tried to help..."
"Oh my god," I said into my hands. "Wait... is Rym okay?!"
"She said she was fine. The guy ran off after Astrid called 911, but I think she's getting checked out."
"I want to see her," I marched up to the front desk again. "Lily Easton, I want to see Rymetha Easton."
The nurse tilted her head up to look at me and nodded. "Room 106."
"Thanks."
Grabbing Blade's hand and ignoring weird stares, I basically ran to the right room where Rym was.
"Lily!" I enveloped my twin in a huge hug. "It was so scary Lils! Jasmine saved my life!"
I nodded. "I know I know! I'm so sorry I wasn't there! I'm so sorry for all of this!"
"Lils it's not your fault," Rym narrowed her eyebrows and looked at Blade. "What did you say to her?"
He held up his hands. "I told her what you just did."
My sister shrugged. "She got shot though... in the stomach. If Azzy hadn't called an ambulance..."
"It's okay. You guys are okay. How's Astrid?" I breathed.
"A little shaken up but okay. She's with her parents... and Hayden may or may not be out there too."
"Seriously?"
"Before you two start a gossip," Blade cut in. "I think Jasmine's out of surgery."
"Who told you that?"
"A doctor, just now c'mon."
Rym and I nodded and followed Blade. He asked the lady at the front desk what room she was in and started for room 201.
"She's sleeping," Mrs. Leonard said shakily as the three of us opened the door quietly.
There she was. Jasmine was laying lifeless on the gurney, surrounded by machinery. Mrs. Leonard was crying with who I assumed was Mr. Leonard comforting her.
"Is she going to be okay?" Rym asked.
Mr. L nodded. "Stomach wound, she'll be on bed rest for a couple weeks but they were able to get the bullet out," he answered. "She's gonna pull through.
Thank god. I visibly sighed in relief.
"When will she wake up?" I asked.
"After a few hours they said," Mrs. Leonard answered.
I nodded. After maybe a half an hour of waiting, a nurse came in and told Mr. and Mrs. Leonard they had a few relatives here so they left to speak with them. It was just me, Rym and Blade.
"I want to know," Rym piped up.
"Know what?" I asked, sitting back in my seat.
"Who it was. Who it was who shot Jaz, and why he tried to take me."
Blade folded his hands. "My best guess is that he thought you were Lily, the resemblance is pretty strong with you two. That's probably why he ran even when the cops weren't there. He saw your eyes weren't the same."
Rym nodded.
"I am so sorry Rym," I sniffled. "This is my fault."
"No it's not, we talked about this," Rym chuckled halfheartedly. "You didn't ask to be stalked by a psycho, illegal gang ruffian."
When she put it that way it made this situation sounds crazier.
"So he worked for Large?" Rym prompted.
Blade nodded. "Yeah."
I tried to wrap my head around this. It was obviously insane, I had accepted that. But now things were getting real. Jasmine was shot. It wasn't the cautious, but peaceful month anymore. December was getting closer.
December third. I didn't know if I was ready, Murray had been training with me but still...
I would have to fight against Blade, the best fighter in the Dug Out, and lose. He would have to... unmask me.
Then what? Boss would be done for but he'd still want to come after me! Not to mention Blade probably would never want to see me again. I honestly have no clue how he would react to me being Violet. Mad? Maybe. Sad? Also maybe.
Maybe wasn't what I wanted to hear though!
"Hey."
My head snapped in Blade's direction.
"You okay?" He looked at me expectantly.
"Yeah. I'm good."
Was I?
~~~
Ugghhhh short chapter I'm sorry. But I felt this was a good place to stop(again sorry)
Well wowza, Jasmine's in the hospital? Someone tried to kidnap Rym? Lily's feeling conflicted about December third?
How do you think Blade(Carter)will react to seeing that Violet is Lily?
Also next chapter we're going back to school, but in real life I'm on Christmas break*YAY*. And Christmas is almost here, FINALLY.
Love you all to pieces<3