I held onto his body. Jayden tried to pull me off. I screamed at the ambulance crew to do something. I begged them to let me ride with them. One whispered to Jayden and he looked at me.
"Grace, I'm going to ride with you okay?" I nodded. "I'm just going to call Ryder's mom and Melanie and then we will go." He walked out of the room and I heard him break down telling Ryder's mom. He said he would call Mel and that we're heading to the hospital now.
"Ma'am, we need to put him on the stretcher. The lady at the door is walking behind us. She will walk beside you. Is that okay?" I didn't take my eyes of Ryder. I nodded. The woman took my arm and led me out of the bedroom. Jayden was on the phone to someone who sounded like Drew. He was shouting. My tears were no longer coming. I was still crying though. We made it outside and I pushed the woman off me to be sick in an empty plant pot. My dad was pushing through past the police.
"That's my daughter! Let me see my daughter!" They let him past. "Baby are you okay? Oh god you're covered in blood." I looked down at my blood soaked pyjamas. The back of the ambulance opened and the paramedic was looking at me.
"Uncle Dom. I said I'd ride with her. She doesn't want to leave him."
"Is he okay?" My dad asked Jay. Jayden shook his head. "That's the boy she loves isn't it?" Jayden nodded. "Don't leave her side. I will follow you in my car." My dad kissed my head. "I'll be there right after you baby."
Jayden grabbed my hand and helped me in the ambulance. The sobs had stopped. I held his hand and stroked his face the whole way there. They put him in a room so the family could see him before he was taken away.
When his mom and Mel arrived with Drew I gave them some privacy. I needed some air. My dad was sat with my aunt. Jayden followed me outside. "You shouldn't be alone right now Jelly Bean." He put his arm around me.
"What happend in there?"
"After you left, the doorbell rang. Ryder thought it was you. Hell I thought it was you. I heard footsteps running upstairs. One of Daunte's guys walks in the living room and fires a shot. Everybody ran. Sean tackled him from behind and he dropped the gun. I tried to help Sean hold him down but this asshole had a knife." Jayden lifted up his shirt, he'd been stabbed.
"Are you okay?" I asked with no emotion.
"Flesh wound. We hit the guy and I thought we knocked him out. That's when I ran home. Sean gathered the rest of the people hiding in the kitchen, including Sam and got them out of there. When we were in your room and heard the bang, something inside me knew Daunte had him."
I slapped him. Then punched him. He didn't try to stop me. He pulled me into a hug and let me cry into his chest. "You should have got him out of there... You and Sean... I wish it was you!" I screamed at him. He dragged me back n the hospital and called for a doctor.
My dad came running over and held me as a doctor with a syringe approached me.
I fell asleep.
*****
Jayden POV
She wished it was me. Hearing her say it made me wish it was me. She's right. I should have made sure my best friend was safe. She's never going to forgive me. I'm never going to forgive me. Ryder's mom and Mel came out from his room.
"Where's Gracie?" Mel could barely talk through her sobs. "I want to see her."
"Doc's taken her. She had to be sedated." I pointed her in the direction of her room. "If you are with her when she wakes up, tell her I'm sorry."
"Where are you going?" My mom asked. I told her I need air, a drink and a friend. Sean was sat outside the hospital with Drew.
"Sean, when did you get here?"
"Just a few moments ago. I can't do it man, I can't face them. Who is in there?"
"Mel, Mrs. Flynn, my mom, Mike, Uncle Dom. Gracie. He died in her arms man. It was the worst moment of my life man. I thought he was outta there. Or hiding! I git home to call the cops and Gracie was running downstairs. She saw the blood. I told her to call the cops. She ran upstairs to get her cell. I followed her. We heard the gunshot. I...I..." I broke down. Drew offered me a ride home. I declined.
I can't go home. I went back inside to find the cops. I need to tell them everything. I need them to get out there and find Daunte. Ryder needs justice.
*****
Grace POV
I haven't left my bedroom. My curtains are open. So are Ryder's. I guess his mom and Mel can't face going in there. I can't take my eyes off his room. The moments I could was to read his last text to me.
'I love you Gracie. I'm sorry. We'll be together someday xxxxxx'
Each time I read it I cried. The moments I did fall asleep I woke up screaming. Five days after he died, I finally made my way downstairs. The cops were here. I glared at Jayden. My dad whispered something to him and he left the room.
"Mrs. Flynn and her daughter have asked us to inform you that we have arrested Mr. Daunte Newman. We will keep you informed of everything."
"I hope someone kills the bastard in jail." I stood up and walked to the kitchen. My aunt and dad said their thanks and goodbyes to the cops. There was a bag by the door. I opened it and it was my pyjama's covered in Ryder's blood.
"What the hell is this?" I screamed as I held up my clothes.
"They are going in the bin honey, they've been runined." My dad said calmly.
"No no no no no.I'm keeping these. It's all I have left." I screwed them up and held them tightly. I ran back up to my bedroom. Melanie was lay on Ryder's bed. I waved over to her. She waved back and picked up her cell. My cell started to ring.
"Hi." I answered.
"Hey."
We stayed in silence for a while.
"So, I didn't want anyone to know and Drew wants a suprise but the baby is a boy."
"He would be so proud." I smiled thinking of him. I could picture his face when he discovered the baby was a boy. His nephew. "You thought of any names?"
"Only in the last five days. Ryder." I heard her crying. I was holding back the tears as best I could. "My baby has lost his uncle. I need you to do something for me Grace."
"I... I....What?"
"Be my son's godmother. His aunt."
"I'd be honored." We stayed in silence again for a while until I heard someone shout her. "Call ya later." She waved through the window and left his bedroom. I put my blood stained pyjama's under my pillow.
There was a knock on my door. Jayden. He had a box in his hands. "These are for you. From Mrs. Flynn." He passed them to me and started to walk down the hall.
"Jayden!" I shouted after him. He turned to me. "Thank you. I'm sorry for what I said." He smiled weakly at me and mouthed 'it's okay' before heading down the stairs. I sat on my bed and took the lid off the box. It was full of photographs of us. That night under the pier. Our first date at Shades. The walk on the beach afterwards. I smiled at the memory.
We had stopped random people and pulled the most stupid face we could when the camera flashed. There were more from parties he had threw over the summer. Ones of just me and him on the beach. There were some of me on my balcony I never knew he took.
There was a brown bag at the bottom of the box. It had a note from Mel.
'Mom doesn't know. I want you to have these. I remember you saying you love him in this shirt. The other item, please don't be upset I've sent it to you. Only you would understand how precious this was to him. He loves you x'
I pulled out his black YSL shirt. He looked hot in that. I smiled. I could smell him. I put the shirt on. I tipped the bag. His whistle fell out. I put it around my neck.
"I miss you. So so much." I cried into my pillow. "Please come back to me. I need you to talk to me. I need to tell you....I love you."