Hello Everyone! Okay, thischapter wasn't all that well written. I tried to revise it tonight, but I'm soo tired, so therefore, I am severly lacking in the wit department.I think there was something wrong with last chapter so many couldn't review mychapter, but that's okay!
Anywien:Thank you! Look!Midterms haven't even started and I'mupdating already!NOW you love me,eh? hehe
nikki:Yeah, something funky was up with lastchapter and reviewing... Thanks!
marvelgirl08: Yeah, Rob andDoug WERE pretty cool to Jess. I think they were worried abouther, what do you think? ;) Jess wouldn't let anything interfere with herhelping Sean. She's stubborn! hehe. Rememberin the 2nd book whenRob told Jess"You arealso the stubbornest damned person I've ever met. Once you get an idea into your head, nothing can change your mind. Not your friends. Not the FBI. And certainly not me."I think he had that pretty much correct.;) Thanks for the review!!
Living2Love: You're depressed? That's not good. I'm very glad I made you feel better though! I hope this makes you even happier!! No, it won't be finishedsoon. Well, maybe. It's about halfway through now. I've already finished writing it, but I may make a sequel within the story, because there's a time lapse. Like, a few weeks pass at one point. But that's later on. Thanks!
Ya Iknow:Yeah, maybe I'm pushing Rob to be a little too sweet, but I honestly think that's how he'd act.If they were going steady, I mean. Remember in the first book when Rob got all defensive in detention whenWylie was going to punch Jess?He had even talked to Wylie and Wendell beforehand telling them to leave her alone. Then hebreaks into a military base to rescueher when he's on probation? You don't do that for anyone you'vebeen on one date with. I'd say that Robhas a hard-looking exterior but is a total sweetieon the inside. Thanks for the review!!
Uh.yeah:Heya Claire! Yes, I think Rob would be so sweet to Jess, especially ifshe was injured. Look at the review above.Haha yeah, I loved the part where she blackmailed Doug!Hmm I wonder what's going to happen... yeah, i think you know.::whispers:: But, SHH! Don't tell! :) Hey, you have to update your story too! Please?I think you should write a new one. Since,you know, our stories were deleted and all.YouDIDsave, didn't you? I think you said you did... Thanks for the review, Claire!!!
Flonshoe: Hey Lauren! I don't remember what you're review said,and I can't go back, because, well, they deleted it. So, I'm just going to wing it. I am updating faster than you would have thought! Midterms haven't started yet, but this is the last update until nextFriday. I also won't be on mcbc for the rest of the week. Sad, but true. Thanks for the review though!!
Thank you to all of my reviewers and thanks for sticking to my story!!!On with the show!
Oh, and this brings about a whole new problem for Jess. One that will leave her more scared then she's ever been before. Also bringing back, very briefly, a character from the second book. Enjoy!
Chapter 8:Twists and Turns,Ominous Cars, and A Missing Family
Sadly, Rob and I did not make out that night. We'd hardly even kissed, except for when he said he had to leave.
The next week I was back at school, but I wasn't very happy. I mean, I never was that happy about going to school before, but now it was weird. I kept thinking about Sean's dad, Jacob, and Rob, of course.
For my first day back at school since the "accident" I decided to stop pretending with the mini skirts and all. They just didn't feel right to me, and besides, I was so not going to wear anything that had knee coverage, when my left knee looked like a yellow blob. Instead, I wore my usual, and comfortable, jeans and T-shirts. I was all set.
Except, that it was very annoying to have to try and avoid people because they have a tendency to bump into places that are still sore. Like my knee, and my ribs, for instance. Oh yes, it was like a barrel of monkeys. High school hallways can kill, you know. Especially on Friday afternoon, it's like a stampede of mostly testosterone-driven boys.
When the week was finally over—T.G.I.F.—I was excited to jump into Ruth's car and head home. I was planning on taking a bubble bath—something I don't do. I just don't take them, but this was like, life or death practically, I was that sore.
So, after the last bell rang I went outside to look for Ruth. I saw her to my left, and she was talking to a guy. Hmmm…, I thought. When I got closer, I saw that it was none other than Scott.
"Jess! Look who showed up!" Ruth squealed excitedly. Yes, she actually squealed. I hope I don't sound that way when I'm with Rob…
"Hey Scott! How are you?" I said. Wow, I haven't seen him since the summer! What is he doing here, out of the blue?
"Jess! I'm good, but how have you been? I heard about what happened," Scott said as he drunk in my appearance, and gave me a huge hug.
"I'm alright." I winced as he put a little too much emphasis on my ribs. "Ooh, watch the ribs."
"Oh God, I'm so sorry," Scott said. He sounded it too, I felt bad for making him sound so sad. He sounded like he was trying to comfort someone who lost a loved one, and all that happened to me was that I was beat up. That's all. No problem here.
"It's fine. So, whatchya doing here?" I asked with a smile. He seemed to perk up at this. "Oh, I came to see Ruth. I'm going to take her out later." Scott said with a giant grin on his face.
"Oh, Jess. I'm sorry; I forgot that I said I would give you a ride home. And Skip had to go to a Comic Book convention or something." Ruth said, remembering. Great. How convenient. But, I don't want to spoil Ruth and Scott's fun, since they hardly get to see each other. So instead of whining I said, "No problem. I'll just call my mom."
"Okay! If you're sure, I mean." See how excited she was? Who was I to destroy such bliss? No one.
"Go on. Have a good time." I smiled. The only problem with this plan was that there was no one available to pick me up. Perfect, I thought, as I started the two mile walk home.
When I had come up to the scene of the crime—the metallic bleachers where this all started—I heard a familiar sound. Rob! And his Indian! I was saved! I was so wound up to have a ride home that I didn't think.
So when I turned around, I spun around too quickly and guess what happened. Yeah, you guessed it, my knee buckled. God, when will this stop? I had already done this ten times in my house and like five times at school. I ended up on the sidewalk, eyes tightly closed, trying to hold back the scream I wanted to release.
"Jess! Jess!" I heard someone cry, but I didn't dare open my eyes. I wasn't thinking too clearly, so I must have hit my head. I don't know why I was scared to open my eyes, I mean it was Rob. Wasn't it? I don't know. What if it's someone else? Like Jacob's minions who beat Rob and I up last time… I let out the shriek I couldn't hold back any longer.
I was so certain that it was his men and they were back to get me. But then I heard a familiar voice say, "Jess! Stop! It's me! Rob!" I didn't know whether to believe the voice or not, so I slowly opened my eyes and saw Rob's mist-colored eyes staring into mine. "Rob?" I asked, hesitantly.
"Yeah, it's me. What happened? Are you okay?" His words came out in a jumble, like he couldn't contain them anymore.
"Um…I thought you were someone else. But I'm fine, I think," I said, realizing how his face was pinched in this really worried and nervous expression.
"Someone else? Must have been someone bad, from the way that you screame-" Rob stopped short, I guessed because he figured out exactly who I was thinking of. But I was wrong.
"Yeah, I was thinking of-" Rob cut me short by putting two fingers to my lips and staring over my head. "Don't move," he said. I nodded, because I wasn't sure if I could move. What is going on here? I don't like not knowing. What could possibly be lurking around Ernest Pyle High that's so bad that I have to stay put?
Rob and I were half in these wild bushes growing on the side of the field. He picked me up and placed me underneath the bleachers. Not again. I hope there won't be another thunderstorm. If there is ANY sign of one, I'm getting the hell out of here.
Then I saw Rob get on his motorcycle and drive off. Yeah, you heard me right, DRIVE OFF! He left me there, a cripple practically, and LEFT.
Thanks Rob, thanks a lot.
But then I saw him come back. Except, his bike was nowhere to be found. Well, not that I could see, he was just running over to where I was. "Rob, what the hell-" I tried to say, but once again he cut me off, but this time, he put his whole hand over my mouth. Why couldn't it be his lips?
Then I saw a car, a brown sedan; go by our hiding spot very slowly. I know that the speed limit for a school zone is slow, but jeez, you don't actually have to go five miles per hour or anything, because I swear that's how fast he was going. I saw them go by and I started to say something, but Rob wouldn't take his hand off my mouth.
The car went by again, this time heading for the exit of the school. You would have thought that I would have created some sort of idea in my head as to why a car was going by slowly, obviously looking for something, why Rob stashed his bike somewhere, and why he was preventing me from talking. But, no, that didn't come until later. The idea, I mean.
As soon as Rob thought it was safe, which was like, ten minutes later, he released his grip on my mouth. "Jeez Rob! What was that all about?" I whispered. Rob looked very worried, even more so then when he found me on the ground fifteen minutes ago. "Rob? What's the matter? Who was that?" Then it hit me. "Oh, my God. Was that? Was that…Jacob?" I asked breathlessly, eyes wide open.
"No, not Jacob," Rob finally said. "But someone who works for him, definitely." God, they've gone so far that they are stalking me at school now? But that scared me more than I thought it would. Oh, I didn't scream or anything, but I started to shake.
I wasn't even fully cured from the beatings they gave me last time, and they were ready to start again? I don't usually start like freaking out like that. I'm usually calmer, well not really, but I don't usually start shaking. I guess it's because I never really thought anyone could kill me. I really didn't. But all of a sudden, like a drunk driver hitting a victim, I realized that someone could kill me. And Rob.
(A/N: do you get the "drunk driver" thing? Well, those things usually are quick and only take a matter of seconds. That's the reaction Jess got when she realized it. One minute, she didn't know, the next, BAM!)
"Jess? It's going to be okay. I promise. Now, are you alright? What happened earlier?" The same promise he gave me a couple of weeks ago. But, I guess, everything turned out okay. I gave him a puzzled look and said "What?" Sure, not very intelligent, but I was in shock or something here, give me a break.
"When I was pulling up. You fell down? Don't you remember? Oh, God. Don't tell me you've hit your head." Rob was babbling. I didn't know Rob could babble. This was yet another shocker to me.
"Oh, I guess I forgot about my knee and I turned too quickly and I fell. Um, I'm not sure if I hit my head. I don't remember doing that, but…" I said.
Rob started to gently examine me. First, my head, then my knee. He told me that it didn't look like I had caused any damage to my head, but I scratched my cheek up. Oh and my knee? Yeah, almost sprained it all over again. Nice job, Jess.
Rob picked me up, since it was too hard to walk, and he carried me to his bike, which I found out was hidden behind a dumpster nearby. I assured him that I could stay on his bike and we left.
Rob came with me into my house, because he said he wanted to call Cyrus Krantz, and he wanted to make sure that I was okay, because, believe it or not, I was still shaking when I got home. He called Dr. Krantz and told him about the car, and my injuries. I don't know how my knee is relevant to the car, but whatever.
Krantz said that he would be posting feds outside my house and Rob's house. Once I heard that, I was really scared. I mean, it was fine when they were after me, and me only, but when Rob's life was in danger, I got really mad.
As Rob was putting ice on my leg, I asked him a question, "Why did you come to school today?" I had been meaning to ask him this, but there never seemed to be a right time today.
"I wanted to see if you needed a ride. Which you obviously did. Why were you walking home, anyway?"
"Oh, because Scott, you remember Scott? From orchestra camp? Yeah, he showed up today and was taking Ruth out, and Ruth was my ride home. So, I lied and said I could get someone to pick me up, but I didn't, so, I just started to walk." I shrugged; it didn't seem like a big deal to me.
"Well, that was stupid," he said. "What? What do you mean?" I asked, because I really didn't understand. How is allowing my best friend to go out with her long distance boyfriend stupid?
"Mastriani," he was loosing up, hence the nickname. "If you don't remember, you are recovering from a sprained kneecap. It is not smart to try to walk two miles home. You could have called me, you know."
I hadn't thought of that. I really hadn't. I have no idea why, but it just didn't occur to me to call him. "I dunno. I just didn't think of it. Seriously, I have no idea why, I just didn't think of calling you. Maybe all the painkillers are getting to me." I said the last part jokingly.
"Alright," Rob said, but I think he was lying, I don't think he thought it was alright.
"Do you want to watch some TV or something?" I suggested, because a long pause came after that.
"You don't mind if I stay awhile? At least until your mom or Doug comes home."
"Of course I want you to stay!" I said, smiling. He smiled too and leaned over to turn on the TV. We watched a made-for-TV-movie for a little while, then some weird reality show, then some western movie. And we hadn't made out once. I couldn't believe it. But I think that Rob noticed also, since he pulled me closer to his chest and we snuggled. I was in heaven. But I think that Rob didn't want to start anything in case my mom walked in or something. So, once I came to that conclusion, was perfectly content with snuggling.
It started to get late, and I was falling asleep when I noticed that no one has come home yet. "Rob…I'm worried. No one has come home yet. Hand me the phone, will you?"
Rob obliged and I dialed the number for Joe's, one of our restaurants. Ironically, Mrs. Wilkins answered the phone and told me that my dad left a few hours ago. He said he was going to meet my mom. I told her thank you and gave the phone to Rob, who wanted to talk to his mom for a few minutes.
When I got the phone back I dialed the number for Underground Comics. Rob got the number out of the phone book, and I asked if anyone had seen Doug. They had and said he, too, left a few hours ago, saying that he was going to meet our parents. Okay, I thought. This is weird. If they were all meeting each other, why didn't they call? I wouldn't have minded them going out for dinner without me, but they could have called!
Lastly, I called my mom's cell phone. This, out of everything I've ever been through, scared me the most. When the phone stopped ringing, I said "Hello?" and no one answered. But in the background, I could hear voices. I strained my ears to hear them, and they sounded like my dad saying "Let them go." Over and over again. I couldn't hear anyone else for a few seconds, then I heard someone gasp and I heard my mom scream. Into the phone I screamed, "Mom! Dad!" But no one answered, then the line went dead.
I hung up and stared down at the phone. I just couldn't process what was happening. Why them? Why?I couldn't believe he was doing this! When I focused on the phone again, I realized that it was shaking. I thought this was odd, but I looked at my other hand and my legs and realized that it was me who was shaking. Seriously, I was shaking like a maraca at a Latino festival. And I couldn't see either. My vision was blurred, I mean. That meant only one thing: I was crying. Why shouldn't I be? My mom, dad, and brother have been kidnapped!
Everyone Review Please!!! My midterms start on Tuesday, and I'm going to have to start studying tomorrow. I will not be able to update until next Friday. Thank God I don't have school on Monday; more time to study! Stupid midterms... ANYWHO, Please Review!! Thanks!!! ;)
luv, Catie