The New Student

Chapter 22

AJ's POV

Once I reached downstairs, I headed towards the kitchen to get something to eat. Naomi was acting weird. Her 'hey' seemed not really sincere. I guess her and Dylan are trying to figure out what they are. 

"You good?" I ask Dylan as he paces at the end of the stairs. 

"I don't know what to do, man." he explains. 

"Well first, why don't you stop pacing and sit down?" I suggest. He nods as he heads to the couch and sits. I follow pursuit. 

"Relationship issues?" I guess.

"Not even that. It's just..... we're not in a relationship but we're not friends. I'm trying to figure it out but I'm messing it up in the process."

"Elaborate."

"I get jealous when Mateo is around cause I know he has a thing for Naomi. It's obvious. I act overprotective but she gets mad at me when I don't come to terms with how I feel." he explains. 

"How do you feel?" I ask.

Dylan stares off into space for a while, seeming to not really know the answer. 

"I like her. A lot. More than I'd like to admit which is my problem. I want to tell her but for the first time in a long time, I'm afraid." he states while taking a deep breath. 

"Why?"

"I'm scared to fall for her and up in pieces. Or more for her to end up lifeless in my arms. I live a dangerous life and she knows this. But it seems that's not stopping her. I don't want her to be at the end of the gun when it comes down to it." he sighs. 

"She won't be. I know it." I tell him. He looks up at me with a questioning look. 

"How do you know?" he questions. 

"Cause you'll protect her." I state with reassurance in my tone. 

"But-" he takes a long pause. "But what if I'm not there to protect her?" he asks with worry laced in his voice. 

"Then teach her how to protect herself." I tell him. 

"She's strong, I can tell. She has courage, she's fierce, and doesn't take shit from anyone; not even you." I explain with a laugh. He breathes out a small laugh too. 

"So I'm not concerned about her. I know it's only natural for you to be, but she can handle herself. You and I both know it." I continue. Dylan nods, mostly to himself. I put my hand on his shoulder. 

"Hey. Just tell her how you feel. Come all out. She'll understand." I finalize, removing my hand.

"How come you have never been in a relationship before but here you are, giving me the best relationship advice I've ever heard?" Dylan questions with an amused expression. I laugh his comment off. 

"I don't know. Maybe you just got lucky." I say with a sly wink. Dylan rolls his eyes with a 'yeah right' face. As we rise from the couch, my stomach starts to growl.

"Looks like I'm hungry from feeding you my wisdom." I laugh while rubbing my sculpted abdomen. Dylan laugh with another roll of his eyes. 

I head for the kitchen, but not before turning back around and telling Dylan, "Keep rolling yo eyes like that, they finna get stuck there."

Even though his back is turned as he heads up the stairs, I just know he rolled them again. He flips me off as he disappears around the corner. I laugh away his insult while making me something to eat. 

After I do so, I sit at the dining table. I scroll through my phone while eating my mac n cheese I made. I found my way to Instagram, where I searched up Maria. Not trying to be a stalker, just want to see what her life was like before she got here. 

Once I found her Insta, I scrolled through pictures she took. A lot of them were her taking selfies in different parts of New York. But the further I scrolled, pictures from when she was in Colombia started to pop up. She seemed to live a normal and happy life. I continued to scroll the pictures of her posing with a bright smile, until a certain photo caught my attention. 

It was a family photo. She was younger, possibly 10. I recognized her brother that was wearing a small smile. There was a woman that looked like an older Maria with long curly hair and a Mona Lisa smile. She was beautiful. Standing on the right with his hand on who I guessed to be Maria's mother was a tall man, maybe 6'5. Even though he was wearing a suit, I could tell he had tattoo's traveling up his arm from the one that was imprinted on his hand but disappeared under the sleeves. 

Unlike everyone else, he had a straight face. Looked more pissed than happy. Even through the photo I could feel power radiating off of him. I got a weird vibe from the photo but nevertheless, I just turned off my phone and began to clean up where I ate. As I cleaned up, my phone began to ring. I picked up the phone, it was Dylan's father. 

"Mr. Lee." I answered. 

"AJ, my boy! How are you?" he asked with happiness and pride laced in his tone. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, even though I knew he couldn't see me. 

"I'm good. You need something?" I questioned, getting right to the point. 

"Yes, I do. Ya see, my son hasn't been really keeping his head in the game with this mission that is about to erupt into a war, specifically because of his existence. I'm not sure what's distracting him so but I need you to push him in the right direction. Can you do that for me?" he asks, still faking his happy tone. 

Dylan and his father's relationship has been a rocky mess ever since his mom died. Mr. Lee uses him as a tool, just to distract him from what really matters. And that has causes Dylan to be cold to people and show no remorse for anyone. So I don't really have a care Mr. Lee that much. 

"Sure. No problem." I reply, faking a happy tone. 

"Great! Call me when you get more information." Mr. Lee finalizes before hanging up the phone. 

I roll my eyes before putting my phone into my pocket. Once I've finished cleaning up, I head down to the basement, where we're keeping Lisa. 

Dylan has been cold for years. He's built up a wall. But I've watched that wall slowly fall when he's around Naomi. She's the only one that has been able to break through to him. And possibly make him change. So I'm not going to change that just because Dylan's father doesn't want to see him happy. 

Once I reach the cell Lisa's in, I grab a key in my pocket and unlock the door. I pull it open before grabbing a sleeping Lisa by the wrist and drag her out the room, taking her to the torture chamber. We just call it that cause it sounds cooler. 

Lisa immediately starts to scream. Trying her best to claw at my hand that's tightly wrapped around her wrist,  all while begging for my release. 

"P-please! I'll do anything just please let go!" she shouts. I roll my eyes and continue walking till we finally approach the room. Opening the door, I drag her in and sit her down in the chair that's located in the middle of the room, in front of a pillar. I tie her hands behind the chairs before wrapping the extra rope left over around the pillar. 

Once I'm done, I stand in front of her with my arms crossed. Her pants of desperation are heavy. Tears shine in her eyes. 

"What do you want from me?" she pants out. 

"It's pretty obvious," I say stepping towards her. I lean down and let both my hands grip the arms on the chair. 

"Answers."