As eight 'o clock rolled around I left my parents a note saying Heather and I went to the movies before going to Heather's house to get the car. "You okay?" Heather asked, noticing that I hadn't said much for the past hour or so.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little preoccupied is all." I said, slowly rubbing my stomach. I was worried, not so much for myself but for this kid I was carrying. If I didn't make it through this meeting...would Alejandro really try to hurt his own child?
"Don't worry, he'll be fine." Heather said, taking my hand for a moment and squeezed it before getting in the red Pontiac.
"What makes you so sure it'll be a he?" I asked, getting in the passenger side. "It could easily be a girl."
"True. I just have a feeling." she told me, starting the car and drove off. "What are you going to name it if it's a boy?"
"I'm not sure yet. I've really been wishing for a girl. But maybe...David. That's a nice name." I said, looking out the window. A girl would be nice but...I was scared to have a boy. I wouldn't admit it to Heather or Duncan but when ever I thought of having a boy Alejandro immediately popped in my head. I knew it was foolish to think he would turn out like Alejandro since he wouldn't have a brother like José to tease him but I couldn't help it. Maybe I wasn't even ready for a child. Adoption was an option but I couldn't even think of that route yet when I didn't even know the sex of it.
"We're here," I shook my head gently, so wrapped up in my thoughts I hadn't even noticed the school approaching. Heather parked the car and we stepped up, looking at the school that had never looked as imposing as it does now. "Scared?"
"Terrified," I replied, taking a deep breath. "Let's do this." We walked to the doors and I pulled them back slowly, half surprised they were unlocked though we were on summer break at the moment.
"Where are we supposed to meet him?" Heather asked before the PA system came on.
"Heather and Courtney, could you please meet me in the gymnasium? Gracias." We both looked at each other and shrugged, headed for the gym. I couldn't help but feel like an inmate on death row, walking to my death.
I looked around quickly, taking note of the cameras that Alejandro had no doubt shut off. But even with them off I kept feeling as though he was watching us, enjoying the sight of my shaking body and my hands passing over my stomach every few seconds. We made it to the gym, walking in slowly and cautiously. All lights were off and I could barely see my hand in front of my face. Suddenly, the emergency lights flashed on and I covered my eyes from the blinding light. Standing in the middle of the huge gym was Alejandro, that smug smirk still on his face. "Hola, ladies. Thank you for joining me. Please take a seat." he said, motioning to the two seats he had in front of him. We both looked at each other then sat down, Alejandro sitting in the seat in front of us.
"Where's Duncan?" I growled, crossing my legs and folded my arms on my chest.
"All in due time, Courtney. You'll see him. But first, you're probably wondering why I asked you to meet me here." He looked back and forth from us then nodded once, the doors shutting. We gasped and I felt myself tensing up. "It's time we make some negotiations, ladies. Three things." he turned to look at me, all serious now. "First off I want that website you have of me taken down. And I mean everything. Secondly, I want those pictures of LeShawna and Bridget." He held out his hands and I begrudgingly gave them to him. He smiled and pocketed them, leaning back in his chair. "Now was that so hard?"
"What's the third condition?" Heather spoke up, moving her hair out of her face.
"You should know what it is. No mas. No more. I'm tired of playing with you two. Always having to duck and dodge around gets tiresome real fast. So you call this whole operation off. Tell the police anything you have to."
"What are we supposed to say?" I asked.
"You're two smart women, you'll think of something." he told me then smirked again. "So, do we have a deal?" he asked.
"There are two parts to a deal. What's in this for us?" I said, giving him a steely gaze.
"Duncan of course," he said with a shrug as if he could really care less about that. "And you get to leave out here alive. Simple?"
"There are two of us. What makes you think you can take on both of us?" Heather asked.
"That's a very good question, Heather. I'd like you two to meet my associate Justin." He whistled once and a tall, tanned guy walked behind us. He was gorgeous, maybe even more so than Alejandro, his brown eyes taking in the sight of Heather and I. "Justin, these are the two ladies that I told you about."
"Hello, girls. Alejandro's told me a lot about you." Justin said.
"You see, girls. Justin here is just like me-just probably not as guapo. He's traveled all over, been with plenty of women-some willing, some not-and is rich. But you want to know the difference between him and I? He's actually gotten caught by the police. Stayed in jail for two very long years. We met as soon as he got out. He's become a very good friend for me. So you see, ladies. I won't have to go through both of you. Just one at a time." he said the last sentence slowly, sending a shiver through my spine.
"So, do we have a deal or not?" he asked, holding out his hand. I stared at him for a long time, considering his words. Call everything off. I didn't have a clue how I was going to do that. It wasn't like me to give up and I couldn't stand the thought of it. Yet...if I didn't, Duncan could get hurt and I could possibly die. I lost on either account. "Well...?" he said and I sighed in defeat, shaking his hand.
"Deal," I said. Heather looked momentarily shocked like she wasn't expecting me to say yes but shook his hand regardless.
"Good. See, this wasn't too hard. Justin, why don't you get our little delinquent friend?" Alejandro said and Justin walked off, disappearing out of the safety lights. He came back a moment later with a very bruised and battered Duncan, hands and feet tied, a gag in his mouth.
"Oh Duncan..." I gasped, bringing my hand up to my mouth. He shot a death glare at Alejandro while Justin untied him and took the gag out of his mouth. He pushed Justin back and came to my side. "You're okay," I said, hugging him tightly.
"If you could call getting the shit kicked out of me okay, then yeah I'm dandy." He said, but hugged me back. "Please tell me you didn't listen to him and called the police?" he said quietly, glancing to Alejandro. I smiled at him then and kissed him.
"Even better," I told him and Alejandro's eyes widen.
"What did you do?" He asked.
"Well you said I couldn't involve the police, you never said Carlos couldn't." I told him and Heather held out her phone. "You got all that Carlos?" I asked.
"Yep. Hola, Alejandro." Carlos said through the phone. Ever since we walked out the car, Carlos had been on the phone, recording our whole conversation and had called the police during the middle of it.
Alejandro looked shocked for a moment then growled, glaring at us. "You bitch!" he shouted, reaching in his pocket and flicked out a knife, the same one from before. Everything next happened much too fast. Justin grabbed Heather and me, pulling us back. Duncan tried to swing at Alejandro but he dodged it quickly, slicing Duncan's forearm before kicking him square in the chest, sending him flying backwards. "I should have killed you when I had the chance." He snarled at me, lunging at me. I screamed and closed my eyes, waiting for the pain of the knife. It never came. I opened my eyes and saw just in time Heather kick out, catching him in the stomach. He keeled over, clutching his abdomen. "Bitch..." he growled. I took that as my chance to jump into action. I kicked my leg backwards, hitting Justin between the legs.
"Ow..." he said quietly, letting both of us go. I glanced to Duncan who had picked himself up, glaring at Alejandro.
"Leave him, we have to go!" I shouted as I heard the sirens and saw the flashing lights through the window. He looked back and forth between Al and me then ran for the door with me and Heather behind him.
"You're not going anywhere." Alejandro growled, grabbing me by the arm and pulled me back.
"Duncan!" I screamed then gasped in pain as he brought the knife in my stomach then twisted.
"Two birds with one stone." He said, dropping me then and ran for the back doors with Justin.
Duncan came back, picking me up. "No..." I whispered, the world beginning to dim in and out. "No, no, no..."
"Hey, hey listen to me. You're going to be fine." Duncan told me, running through the halls.
"No..." I sobbed. It wasn't myself that I was worried about. I wasn't worried that I wouldn't live but what would happen to my kid? What would happen to him or her? "No..." We came outside then, the school surrounded by police.
"We need an ambulance!" Duncan called as I clutched onto him for dear life. "You're going to be fine, babe. Don't worry." He whispered to me soothingly as I was put on a gurney.
"No..." There was so much sounds and lights yet...they didn't seem to effect me. I could barely see the lights then, I couldn't hear the sirens anymore or Duncan's soothing voice. "Duncan..."
I woke up to the sound of beeping, matching my heart rate. Slowly I looked around and found my parents sleeping on the couch on the other side of the room. Even sleeping I could see the worry lines on their faces. Looking the other way I saw Duncan. He sat right next to me in a chair, head bowed and eyes closed. He breathed slowly and figured he feel asleep like that. "Duncan..." I said quietly and he woke up instantly.
"Court..." He said and grabbed my hand gently. "How you doing?" he asked.
"A little numb...what time is it?" I asked.
"Um...a little after two in the morning." He said. "Yeah, the doc said you'd feel a little numb or groggy. That's the meds." he told me. I nodded gently and closed my eyes, ready to go back to sleep before remembering what had happened.
"Did...did they catch Alejandro?" I asked, opening my eyes back to him. He looked away and I could see the answer on his face.
"No...sorry. He got away again." I bit my lip. I felt like crying but I think the medicine stopped me from doing so. After all that hard work. He got away again. "Hey...but there is some good news." he told me.
"What?" I croaked. Nothing could be considered good right now. Alejandro was gone and probably wouldn't be coming back again. He said he was done with me and Heather. He'd probably go into hiding before coming back here.
"They're okay," Duncan told me.
"Huh?" I asked, confusion clear in my eyes. He placed his hand on my stomach and smiled gently.
"Twins...a boy and a girl." I gasped and gingerly touched my stomach.
"Twins..." I whispered. "A boy and a girl." I sighed, closing my eyes again. The medicine was beginning to take affect again and I let the words slip past my lips. "Crystal...Alexander..."
A/N: So, twins eh? And no, she does not know Alejandro translates to Alexander. I thought it would be fitting for the kid. But anways! You'll be getting your epilogue in the next few days. But first! I'm a person that likes feedback. I live off of feedback. I breath feedback. So, please. Review. Tell me did you like the story, did you not like the story, did you like the ending? Anything! I'm being whiny, I know and I'm sorry I just can't stand not having someone say something about my writing. I drives me loca! And I feel like I can always improve with the right critisicim. So, thanks for reading. Review. And enjoy your epilogue soon. -Love Stripes