Saving Lexi

Chapter 6

Happy Reading :)

A few hours after drifting off into a fitful sleep, my alarm for school went off. I groaned.

My eyes shot to the floor where Melvin had set up a makeshift bed. It was empty, and the blankets were neatly folded and placed on my desk. 

In the daylight, it wasn't so scary being alone, but the hollow feeling in my chest still ached.

My biggest nightmare had happened last night, and I was all alone, just like I knew I would be. My house was robbed because there was no car in the driveway. The robbers would have opened my door and done whatever they wanted with me, because there was no one home to stop them.

Except, last night, someone had stopped them. 

Felix Tonelli had come to my rescue, nearly five minutes after I had texted Melvin asking for help. 911 had taken 11 minutes.

Another wave of nausea hit me as I thought of what they could have done in 11 minutes. 

I walked downstairs and felt the hairs on my neck stand up. There were noises coming from the front of the house. 

Are they back?  

Last night's fear resurfaced, and pure terror flooded through my body, turning my legs to jelly. I forced myself to keep walking. It was daylight, it couldn't be the thieves. I had seen them, bloody and bruised, being dragged out by Felix and Leo. 

When I walked to the front of the house, I saw who it was. 

A man in his fifties, with light brown hair, taping off the edges of a brand new window pane. A window repair man. I hurried out the front door.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Miss." He smiled warmly.

"I didn't call any window repair, did the cops send you?"

"No, Miss, no cops." 

"I can't, I can't pay you y-yet, I have to talk to my parents," I stammered, I didn't want to tell my parents what had happened, but if they saw a huge bill for a new window, I couldn't hide it. I began to panic. 

What if he only took cash? What if he didn't have a card machine? What if he sent a paper bill, and I would have to write a check? How the hell do you write a check? 

"Don't worry, little lady. It's all taken care of."

"What?"

Who sent this man here?

My phone buzzed at that moment, and I think I had my answer.

Melvin: We're picking you up. Be ready in ten.

*** 

"Did you hear they found the guys who have been robbing houses?"

I choked on a chip and began coughing.

"Jesus Christ, Lexi, can you chew a little slower?" Lydia pounded on my back and Ronnie handed me his soda.

"Sorry." I smiled weakly.

This morning had been a whirlwind of emotions. Melvin had left early so he didn't freak his parents out, but had Leo drive to my house to take me to school. Lydia was thrilled, and it wasn't suspicious because I was already spending the weekend at her house. 

I felt drained and not myself today, but blamed it on poor sleep. They bought it.

"Did they arrest the bastards?" Ronnie asked.

"They're dead." Lydia said, lowering her voice. "Car accident. Apparently, after another robbery they got a little too excited and sped into a ditch, then their car caught fire! They could only identify the guys by their teeth."