Why me? (Austin Mahone)

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

I've been in this coffee shop for more than 10 minutes now..

As soon as I got here, I asked the cashier if he had a phone, and luckily he said yes.

Without explaining anything I called my mom -who by the way was freaking out because I was gone for a day- and I told her where I was. She told me she was going to be here in 10 minutes...

Apparently she lied..

I was sitting on a table next to a huge window. I was wearing the same clothes as yesterday but they where all dirty and they stank. I gathered up my light brown hair in a messy hair bun.

I was looking outside watching people pass-by, feeling my eyes wearing down, when suddenly a black van stopped right in front of my window. The passenger seat window slowly rolled down...

No way.

It was him. He made a creepy smirk and waved at me.

This couldn't be happening. How? Why? 

Yes. That was Austin.

He and Alex left the car and made their way to me. They opened the door of the coffee shop making the jingle bells sound.

Alex sat in front of me and Austin next to me at my left.

"Did you really thought you would make it far?" Alex said grinning at me.

Something happened to me. I was in shock. I couldn't move or even talk. I was starstruck. Why is this happening to me? Again

"You're coming with us" Austin said turning his face towards me.

"No way" I said firmly. I tried to sound as confident as possible.

"Yes" Austin's lips turned into a thin line and his eyes were full of anger "You will"

"No, there's no way I'm coming with you"

I felt something hitting the side of my waist. I looked down to see it was a gun. Austin was pointing a gun at me.

"You don't want to die do you?" I instantly shook my head. My face was pale and I was literally about to cry.

Please Mom I thought Where are you?

"If you don't want anyone getting hurt" Austin demanded "Get up without making any sound. Understand?" I nodded in shock.

He got up still pointing at me with his gun hidden under his jacket. I followed.

We were almost out of there when someone spoke up.

"Don't move!" It was a male voice coming from the kitchen "Turn around"

We all did what he said. We turned to see an old man with a shotgun, pointing at Austin. Everyone in the coffee shop went silent.

Thank God. Someone DID notice Austin's gun.

"Let the girl go" The old man said. He walked closer to us, slowly. When he was just a few steps away, he stretched his hand towards me. "She's coming with me. The police is on their way" When I was about to take his hand, about to be safe again, Austin grabbed me by the waist and pulled me closer to him.

"She's not going anywhere" Austin pointed his gun to the man's forehead "We will leave this place with her, nobody move" He was poiting at everyone while he walked to the door, taking me with them. Tears running down my face.

Everyone at the coffee shop was on the floor with hands up.

When we were almost out of there, a girl picked up her phone and pressed it against her ear. Austin turned just in time and saw her.

"What the hell do you think you're doing!?" He turned the gun to face her. "I said NO ONE MOVES"

The girl was crying. She slowly left her cellphone down.

"END THE CALL!" Austin yelled. But the girl was in shock and wouldn't move. "I said END THE FUC-"

He was interrupted by the sound of a gunshot. I jumped scared thinking the old man had shot Austin, but when I opened my eyes the girl with the phone was lying on the floor. Blood coming from her chest.

"Oh my God" I murmured to myself in between sobbings. Austin shot that girl accidentaly.

"This is all your fault!" Austin yelled at me "I wasn't going to shoot anybody!" Austin stopped behind me whispering in my ear "You should have listened to me! The stupid gun moved and I didn't want-"

We were again interrupted by another gunshot, but this time it wasn't Austin's it was the old man's. He was pointing straight at me, hands shaking. I slowly looked down to find blood coming out of my belly.

He was supposed to shoot Austin but he was behind me.

I fell to the floor. Everything seemed blurry and my eyes slowly began to shut.

"Ashley stay with me" I heard Austin say. I opened my eyes a little, I used a lot of energy to do that, my eyes felt really heavy and I could barely keep them open. He knelt next to me, putting pressure on the wound "Open your eyes Ashley"

I closed them again. The voice was still there, telling me to open my eyes, but this time it was imposible, I couldn't open them anymore.

"Come on Ashley! Open your eyes!" Austin voice kept talking to me while I was fading, he was shaking my shoulders. "Come on! Wake up"

Everything turned really dark and silent for a second. Then I heard that voice again.

"Ashley! Wake up" But it wasn't Austin's voice anymore, it was a female voice "Come on sleeping beauty! Open your eyes"

I opened my eyes slowly, blinking constantly to adjust my eyes to the light.

"There you go" Arms appeared hugging me around my waist. I turned to see who it was.

"Mom?" I asked confused.

"Oh, my baby! Where were you?" She was hugging me even tighter "I'm sorry it took me so long to get here, there was so much traffic"

It was then when I realized where I was.

The coffee shop. Sitting on the table next to the window... I fell asleep.

My instinct told me to look at my belly. And I did. Everything was perfect, no blood, no scars, no bullet inside me.

A dream. It was just a dream.

Thank God.

I turned to face my mom, my eyes teary, full of excitement. 

"Oh, mom!" I got up and I hugged her as tight as I could, not leaving an inch of distance between us. "You have no idea how much I missed you"

"I missed you too honey" She was hugging me back a bit confused.

"I love you so much mom. Please don't ever leave me again"

******

After taking a long shower, getting in my comfortable pj's and getting inside my confy bed, I realized how lucky I was.

I actually managed to get out of that place. I escaped. I had nefer felt so relieved in my entire life. I need to recognize I wouldn't have done it without Tyler. I owe him a big one. I hope he is okay.

And Jake.. he's alone. What am I supposed to do now? He should have his leg cured by now. I'm hoping they're going to let him go, and if that doesn't happen then I'll have to do something to get him back... After all, I am a witness to everything that happened last night, and they are aware of that. 

About my mom and my dad, they grounded me for not showing up at night and not answering my phone. I didn't tell them what really happened because, after thinking about whether I  should or not, I came to the conclussion that Austin still had Jake and he could use that against me. If I say a word about what happened they could hurt him in revenge. I won't let that happen. I ended up making a story about getting drunk last night, loosing my phone and passing out. I told them I woke up on Chloe's house but had to leave because she had to go to work. 

They didn't ask much honestly. I got the feeling they wanted to buy the story to make sure I didn't spend the night with a guy and got dumped on a coffee shop. 

I know I have to talk about what happened. I have to say the truth... just not now.

All I could think about right now it's sleep. I haven't slept in what feels like ages. I will get some sleep, and after that I'll manage this whole situation.

*****

I was really bored listening to Ms. Haynes talking about something in History class.

It was monday now and I haven't seen or heard about Jake. I'm really starting to get nervous... it's been 3 days since the alley... talking about the alley, I haven't gone there to get my cellphone AND the flash drive. I'm going today after school with Chloe. I told her I needed her for something and she just agreed.

Hope it's still there... What if it's gone? What am I going to do?

"Miss Ridgell" Ms. Haynes snapped me out of my thoughts "Are you even listening?"

Everyone turned to see me. That's when I realized Jake's empty seat...

"Uhmm yes, sorry Ms. Haynes" She look at me with dead eyes and continued with the class.

There was a knock on the door and a boy walked in. The boy I was DYING to see.

Jake.

"Sorry Ms. Haynes, can I come in?" He was good as new. He looked around the room and he found my eyes looking straight at his. He grinned at me. His smile was so perfect. I can't believe he is actually here... Am I dreaming?

"Sure kid, I am aware of what happened to you.. I hope you're feeling better" She made a creepy smile and Jake just nodded.

He made his way to his seat slowly, and that's when I catched a glimpse at his feet. He had all his leg bandaged, and he was limping.

He was sitting a few chairs in front of me, so I coudn't talk to him, but I would totally do when we finish school.



****



"But what happened to him in the past three days?" Chloe and I were talking at the front doors when the school was over, waiting for Jake to come out.

"I don't know" I lied.

"He wasn't answering his phone" I was trying to avoid this kind of questions, guess not for too long... "By the way! You haven't been answering my phonecalls either! Where were you?"

Do I really want to tell her the truth? ... I mean, I do want her to know what happened, she's my best friend, But if I tell her she'll be involved in this, and I surely don't want her to.

"Ashley!" someone yelled from behind me.

Wohooo Luck is finally on my side.

Chloe and I, we both turned to see who it was.. I almost wanted to die. I've been avoiding him all day and it worked perfectly! Why now?

"Ashley!" Austin catched his breath when he reached to us. He looked like he had been running for a while.. That made me think that maybe he had been looking for me.. "I found this in Biology class" He handed me a paper, and I took it. "It slipped out of your notebook... thought it'll be nice if I give it back" He grinned at me.

Why is he being like this? Why is he pretending like nothing happened? Why aren't they punishing me? Why aren't they trying to take me back?

Pushing all my thoughts aside I nodded and made a fake 'thank you' smile. He said goodbye and ran to the parking lot where a car was waiting for him. He got in and they left.

"What was all that about?" Chloe asked.

"I-I have no idea" I saw the paper in my hand and unfolded it, making sure Chloe wasn't looking. Even if I tried to deny it, I knew this was coming. And I won't lie, I AM scared... and apparently I'll always be.

I looked down at the paper to read those words again.

"I'm giving you your last chance to be free, say a word about what happened and I'm taking you back"