My Beautiful Boy ✔️

39

I'm rushing home, grabbing my phone and calling Alayna with the hopes that Stawarski will answer. After the fourth ring, someone answers, but it's completely silent. "Hello?" I question warily, my steps slowing down.

"Anderson." Stawarski's voice cuts through me and my nostrils flare in anger. "How are you, boy? You know, you should keep a closer eye on that pretty girlfriend of yours-"

"I swear to God, Stawarski, if you lay a hand on her, I'll-" I'm cut off by the sound of his laughter bubbling through the phone. My breath shakes.

"It's a bit too late for that." He cackles, and tears prick my eyes. I've never felt so much anger in my life. I've never wanted to kill someone as much as I do now.

"I'll get you your money, okay?" I yell desperately, running my fingers frantically through my hair. "Just let me talk to her." I told him. I only get his chuckle in response.

"Now, why would I let you do that?" He questions, and a deep frown encases my face. "If you want proof of life, I'll send you a picture of her cowering in the corner, fearing for her life." My blood boils at his words.

"No. I need to hear her voice." I told him. Stawarski sighs before I hear him speaking to someone who doesn't reply to him. Then, I hear her shaky breath and my heart rate picks up. "Alayna?" I asked, unsurely.

"Dawson?" Her voice cracks, and my mouth parts in relief. She's fine. She's breathing and she's alive and she's okay.

"Alayna, listen to me. I'm coming, okay? I'm gonna get you out of there. I'm so sorry about everything. I promise-"

"Okay, that's enough. You know where to meet me with the money." Stawarski cuts off the call, and my jaw clenches in anger. Instead of going home like I was planning to, I took a detour to the bank and took out practically all the money I had in it. It only came up to a little more than one thousand pounds. I needed help.

***

I rush into college, lucky that I'm able to make it just before the lunch break ends. As I had hoped, her friends were in their normal break room, laughing along with each other. They obviously have no idea what's happened to their friend, so it's time for me to break it to them.

Their eyes flicker to me and Leilana smiles at me, gesturing for me to come over. "Hey, Dawson. How's things going with Alayna? Speaking of, where is Alayna? She's supposed to be here-"

"That's what I wanna speak to you about." I tell her, gesturing towards the whole group. "Look... you can hate me all you want for this, but Alayna's been kidnapped." I tell them, and all of their mouths drop in shock.

"What the fuck do you mean she's been kidnapped?" Leilana shout-whispers, gripping my shoulders. Her eyes are wide and her skin is pale. "Dawson, this has something to do with... your situation, doesn't it?"

I nod my head. "Listen, I can explain everything later, but I need your help. I don't have time." I tell them, and Willow tilts her head at me, shaking her head.

"Wait- Alayna has been... kidnapped?" She asks, and I nod my head. "Like... abducted?" She asked, and I nodded my head again. "How?" She questions, and I realise that I probably should have approached them all separately.

"That's not important, right now." I shake my head. "Look, her kidnapper wants money. I need to somehow make nine-thousand in, like, two hours." I tell them, gulping. As soon as the words left my mouth, Willow snatched her phone from the table and asked for my bank information so she could transfer me some money. Sydney does the same, and then I'm turning towards Leilana, raising my eyebrows.

She clears her throat, crossing her arms over her chest. "I..." She rubs her hand over her nose, screwing her eyes shut. "I've saved up about one thousand pounds. I'll transfer it now." She says, flicking through her phone, and I sigh in relief. "I'm gonna go to her house and make sure her parents are alright."

"Okay, great. That takes me up to..." I glance at my phone. "Seven thousand. Not enough." I sigh, looking up at the ceiling. "I think I know where I need to go." I say, but I'm not looking forward to it. There's only one problem. I doubt she will want to talk to me.

***

I walk into the restaurant, closing the door behind me. It's a Friday, so the restaurant usually closes early. Gracie is leaning over the table, wiping it with a cloth. She's whistling to a tune, and I clear my throat.

She squeals and turns around, completely shocked. Her face drops when she sees me. "What are you doing here?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest. "You don't work on Fridays." She tells me, and I nod my head and step towards her. "I thought-"

"I need your help, Gracie." I gulp, looking her right in the eyes. "And, I'm hoping that if you truly mean what you say you feel about me, you'll help." I say, and Gracie tilts her head in confusion. "It's Alayna." She nods her head. "She's been kidnapped, and I need money. Well, her kidnapper needs money, but I don't have enough." I sigh, and Gracie's eyes widen in shock.

"W-" Her mouth drops open. "What are you talking about? How am I supposed to help?" Her eyebrows scrunch in confusion, and I sigh, collapsing into the chair and running my hands through my hair.

"It's my fault." I choke out, shaking my head. "I tried to protect her, but... I wasn't good enough. I need to do this last thing for her. I need to save her and take her back to her family and then..."

"What?"

"I need to get out of here. Leave the town. Go back to London, I don't know." I shrug my shoulders, crossing my arms over my chest. "All I'm asking, Gracie, is for your help." I ask her, looking up at her. Gracie sighs, shaking her head.

"I don't... I know what I said to you last night, but I don't want you to leave town." She says, dropping her arms to her side and looking down at me with teary eyes.

"This isn't about me and you, Gracie. This is about Alayna. She's an older sister and a daughter and a best friend." I tell her, shrugging my shoulders. "She's... amazing and beautiful and she doesn't deserve anything that I burdened her with." I told her.

I'll risk it all for Alayna. I'd steal the stars and the moon and I'd burn myself with the burning embers of the sun. I may never understand what a heart like hers sees in a heart like mine, but I'll always know why she was so easy to love.

She made me feel again. Self-harm was a way for me to feel something. I was numb. But, all it took for my heart to finally beat a little differently was a woman called Alayna Camila. Deep down, I want to be loved in a way that calms my soul. Maybe Alayna is it for me. When we first met, I had no idea how important she would be to me. But, as they say, two souls don't crash into each other by accident.

I look up at Gracie as her breath hitches and she bites her bottom lip. "How much do you need?" She asks, and a grin overtakes my gloomy face.