Chapter 3
'Call me when you get there," I hugged my mom tightly. It's been less than a week and they're off to another trip. I let her go and smiled, moving to embrace my dad next.
'Take care of yourself, Princess. We're proud of you," he whispered, kissing my temple. I smiled when I heard his words, squeezing him even tighter and trying not to lose my balance while standing on my tip toes.
I kissed his cheek before I let go and watch them turn to walk into the airport. They turned to look at me for a final time and waved.
When they disappeared behind the glass doors of the airport, I got back to the car, closing the trunk on my way to the driver's seat.
I've got a long drive ahead.
An hour of continuous humming and singing, my throat felt parched and I pulled up into a convenient store to get myself something to drink.
Locking the car, I jogged into the store under the light drizzle that had started to pour not too long ago and immediately went to the back of the store where the fridge doors fogged.
I opened the fridge that held mineral bottles, took a couple before walking to the counter to pay for them and grabbing a pack of oreos after a second thought.
‘Whistle' by Flo-Rida was on and I started humming lowly to it. I set the things on the counter and waited for the man behind the counter to check them out.
My hums were cut short by a female news reporter that appeared in the TV.
'Breaking News; fifteen minutes earlier, a woman that was walking pass the town square reported hearing gunshots being fired. Policemen were forced to get involved and we found what seemed to be a war against two gangs." A security footage and a low-quality audio was played and the sound of gunshots rang from the TV.
I watched the screen with nothing particular in mind until I finally saw something that irked me; a guy with an eerily familiar mob of brown hair and a distinct scar, highlighted by the lamp post nearby, on the guy that he was aiming for. Unless my eyes are starting to deceive me, I'm 90% sure that what is being broadcasted in the news is Adam and scar-face shooting at each other.
The camera zoomed in on the two and I felt bile rise in my throat and I forced it down before I vomit in public.
'Miss? Are you alright?" My attention snapped to the man behind the counter. I swallowed tightly, trying to mask my unease and went for a tight-lipped smile. It wasn't the best smile that I could have done but it was the best that I was able to manage at that moment.
I paid for the things and rushed to my car in a hurriedly. I didn't even realize I was closing the car door with too much force until it banged against the side of the car.
Even then, I couldn't shake off the tremor in my hands as I remembered Dom's words that night.
'Bryant and I joined a gang," He must mean Quentin's Even though I was concern with why they would ever join that douche's squad or gang or whatever they call it, I was more interested in why they would join a gang to begin with? Bryant wouldn't have done anything that would endanger me so why?
All I could gather from our conversation was that they did it to protect me. But from what? I let my head fall on the steering wheel and continued to let my mind wander for a while in silence.
If only I could ask someone; anyone. The questions were slowly killing me inside and the need to know and understand the situation grew as the seconds ticked by.
After a few minutes later, I finally forced myself to snap out of it and continued to drive. Another hour passed before I finally pulled up into the Jones residence.
They've finally managed to pull it together and stabilize their financial state again a few months after Adam's accident.
I was happy for them and the kids were holding up alright. Speaking of...
'Casey!" I grinned at them as they jumped into my arms and knocked me backwards, forcing a puff of air out of my lungs as I steadied us to make sure no one will end up in the mud.
All thoughts about the gang fight i saw in the news went away once I saw them.
'Hey kiddos, have you been good to your dad and brothers?" I ruffled both of their hairs and Cali grinned at me while little Pio grew a slight frown at the gesture and started fixing his hair before finally smiling at me.
'Case! Glad you could make it. Come in. I was a bit worried since I heard there was a storm coming," Jerry greeted and I smiled at him, scooping both of the kids into my arms and getting them inside, following their father into the kitchen.
We strolled into the house and found Preston rummaging the fridge for something. He didn't seem to have heard us so I decided to put the kids down to their feet and crept up behind him.
'Boo!" I whispered into his ear and his whole body jolted, bumping his head onto the fridge's roof and causing the contents inside to make clinking sounds of bottles hitting each other.
The kids laughed loudly but Preston didn't look as pleased as they do.
'You just had to," He stated, glaring at me while I smiled innocently and pushed him out of the way to right the fallen bottles. Luckily, nothing spilled.
I took my head out of the fridge and turned to face Jerry who had a silent amused smile plastered on his face.
'What?" I asked him, knowing perfectly that his smile was pointed at my childishness.
He shook his head and gestured to the dining table that was already prepared and full with food, 'shall we?"
I beamed at him, trying to suppress the growls made by my stomach to a minimum.
'Definitely."