Dance Moms Bodyguard (5) Protectee

Chapter 5 : Broken

As they walked toward the bus station, pedestrians broke to a sudden run. Acting on instinct, the ALDC girls ducked for the nearest cover.

In a panic situation, people would run at all directions, it risks running directly into the threat. The girls scanned the area, looking for the source.

Suddenly an arm grabbed Chloe from behind, she acted on instinct, slipped her hand under the grabbing arm, ready to break the lock. From the reflection on a shop window she saw her attacker was a young girl no older than twenty.

"Stay back! Or I'll kill her!" the late teenager shouted, on her other hand was a revolver.

Judging by the way she held the gun, Chloe knew she has never fire a weapon in her life. The teenager was waving aimlessly, but she was tense and her finger was on the trigger, and this could lead to casualties.

"You don't want to do this." Chloe said to the teenage girl, raising her free hand to a surrendering gesture. "You don't want to hurt anyone."

"No? Why should I be the only one get hurt? He doesn't want me! I wanna show him what he has done!!" the girl cried.

Kalani was ready to make a move. Chloe extended her hand to stop her.

"Who doesn't want you?" Chloe asked.

"Dan Nelson! He said he'll die for me. Now he dumped me for some stupid girl!" the teenager cried. "I'm going to make him remember!"

"But you don't want to take anyone with you."

The teenager struggled, spinning around keeping everyone away with her gun. Suddenly she pushed Chloe away, instead pointed the revolver under her own chin, the crowd screamed in fear.

"You don't want to do that either." Chloe said.

"I don't care! I want him to know what he has done for the rest of his life!"

The gun is an arm away, but her finger is at the trigger, reaching for the gun would risk going off. Chloe assessed the situation.

"It won't work this way." Kalani stepped up.

"How would you know?" the teenager sobbed.

"I meant the way you're holding the gun. The bullet won't kill you."

Everyone was astonished by her words, Kalani took another step, now to Chloe's left.

"It will miss your frontal lobe and blow your face off. You'll live, but your face will turn into mush. You'll blow up your eyes, your nose, unable to speak, most likely blew your eardrums too. You'll be a walking piece of meat and people see you like a freak."

Kalani slowly shifted to the side, putting herself in the line of fire, blocking her protectee with her own body.

Even now, she's protecting me... Chloe read her movement.

"Believe me. I've seen it. Girl die to make boy remember, boy just find another girl, but you'll have to live like a monster, and regretting this for the rest of your life."

Kalani reached out her hand, palm opened.

"You really wanna hurt him? Be better, prettier, richer, prove him wrong."

There was a long silence, the teenager slowly lowered her gun, placing it into Kalani's hand.

By now police broke from the crowd and secured the teenager, Kalani handed them the gun and turned away quickly.

"That was unexpected." Chloe caught up behind her. "I thought you would handle it differently."

"Blend in. Wasn't that what you said?" Kalani looked around, police were beginning to take statements, pedestrians pulling out their phones taking videos. "Let's get out of here. I can't afford to be seen with the police."

Being ex-celebrities, the girls have grasped the technique to dodge attention. Brooke and Paige went one way, Kendall headed the opposite direction. Chloe got into Kalani's car and drove away.

"Why couldn't you be seen with the police?" Chloe asked, watching the crowd pulling away.

"My boss doesn't like his people being around cops."

"Is Don Alberto a criminal?"

"That's none of your business."

"All right." Chloe rested her case, knowing it was rude to push someone for questions.

She stared out the window for a moment, teenagers like herself were hanging around the street, enjoying their final hour before heading home for dinner.

"What you told that girl. Was it true?"

"Why would I lie about something like that?" Kalani kept her eyes on the road. "We grew up together. She was my best friend."

"Oh God, I'm very sorry!" Chloe felt her heart just crushed, thinking what impact it could do to anyone.

"It's all right. She shot herself again not long after she got out of the hospital, couldn't live with her regret. At least she did it right this time!"

"Oh My God!" Chloe felt devastated.

"She did the right thing. It made her mother and siblings' life easier."

The rest of the journey Chloe remained in silence, shocked by Kalani's story, thinking what did these people do to deserve such tragic life?