The Inevitable

Chapter 9: Bound by fear

I hated how much space Tyler still took up in my mind, even after everything. It was like no matter how hard I tried to distance myself, he was always there, a constant shadow lingering at the edges of my thoughts.

It had only been a couple of months, but in that short time, I'd developed feelings for him that I couldn't explain, feelings that defied logic. Every time I tried to push them away, they came rushing back, stronger than before. How was it possible to care so deeply about someone I barely knew?

But I also knew the truth. No matter how much I cared, no matter how badly I wanted things to be different, we could never be together. I was fooling myself to think otherwise. Tyler was part of a world I wanted nothing to do with—a dangerous world. And my parents would never accept him, not after everything they'd warned me about.

Deep down, I knew it would never work. But knowing didn't make it any easier.

One night, Tatum invited me over to her place for a sleepover. I needed the distraction, needed to stop thinking about Tyler for at least one night. We stayed up late, watching movies and talking about everything except the thing that weighed most heavily on my heart.

Around midnight, the sound of music drifted through the open window. There was a party happening down the street, the bass thumping through the quiet night air. I barely paid attention to it at first, but as the night wore on, the noise got louder, the crowd outside rowdier.

Tatum and I exchanged a glance, both of us shrugging it off. "Just some party people," she muttered, rolling her eyes as she switched off the TV.

But then, something changed.

The music was drowned out by the sound of yelling, followed by the sharp crack of glass breaking. We sat up straight, our eyes wide as the chaos outside grew louder. There were screams, frantic and high-pitched, and then—

Gunshots.

My heart lurched in my chest, and for a second, the world stood still. Tatum jumped up, rushing to the window, her face pale with fear. "Oh my God," she whispered. "What's happening?"

I couldn't move. The sound of gunfire reverberated in my head, my pulse pounding in my ears. It felt like everything was closing in, the walls, the air—everything.

"Tatum, what's going on?" I managed to choke out, my voice trembling.

"I don't know," she whispered, eyes wide with panic. "There's commotion down the street. We need to call someone."

We scrambled for our phones, our hands shaking as we dialed emergency services. My mind raced with fear, trying to make sense of what was happening. I had no idea who was involved, but a sick feeling settled in my stomach, like a heavy stone. Something about the chaos outside felt too close to the life I'd been trying to escape.

The hours after the shooting were a blur of sirens, flashing lights, and the low hum of police radios. Tatum's street was swarming with officers, and they weren't letting anyone leave. The party had turned into a nightmare, and I couldn't shake the feeling that somehow, Tyler might be involved.

But I couldn't let myself think about that. Not yet.

The next morning, we heard the news. Tyler had been at that party. And he'd been one of the people hurt in the gunfight.

My heart dropped into my stomach when I heard. I sat there, numb, not knowing how to process it. I hadn't known he was there, but hearing his name made everything real. This was the world he lived in—the world I had been so desperate to stay away from.

I called Aqeelah as soon as I could, my hands shaking as I waited for her to pick up. When she answered, her voice was tight, filled with worry.

"Aqeelah, is Tyler—" I couldn't even finish the sentence, my throat closing up.

"He's okay," she said quickly, but her voice wavered. "He got shot in the arm, but it's not life-threatening. He's... he's home now."

Relief and fear crashed into me at the same time. Tyler was hurt, but alive. It could have been worse. So much worse.

Without thinking, I found myself walking toward his house. I didn't know what I was going to say, or why I was even going. But my feet carried me there, as if some invisible force was pulling me toward him.

When I got to his house, Tyler was sitting on the porch, his arm bandaged, a haunted look in his eyes. He looked up as I approached, and for a moment, neither of us said anything.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside me. "Tyler," I started, my voice shaking. "This is exactly why we can't be together."

He looked at me, his expression unreadable. "What are you talking about?"

I gestured to his arm, to the aftermath of the chaos he'd just survived. "This. All of this. The shootings, the violence, the fear. This is why we can't be together. I can't live like this, Tyler. I won't."

His eyes darkened, a flash of anger crossing his face. "You think I asked for this? You think I wanted to get shot?"

"No, I don't," I said, my voice breaking. "But this is the life you've chosen. And I can't be a part of it. I can't spend every day wondering if you're going to get hurt—or worse."

He looked away, his jaw tightening. "I don't need you to lecture me about my life, Jayda."

"I'm not lecturing you," I said softly, trying to keep the tears at bay. "I'm just... I care about you, but I can't do this. I can't be with someone who's always one step away from danger. I'm scared, Tyler."

For a moment, he didn't respond. He just sat there, staring at the ground, his shoulders tense. I could see the conflict in his eyes, the same conflict that had been there the last time we talked.

"I thought we were past this," he said quietly, his voice laced with frustration.

"We're not," I whispered, shaking my head. "And we never will be."

The silence between us was thick, filled with all the things we weren't saying. I knew he was hurting, but I couldn't ignore the truth any longer. I couldn't keep pretending that we could make it work, not when the stakes were this high.

"I'm sorry," I said finally, my voice breaking. "But this has to end."

Tyler didn't say anything, and I didn't wait for him to. I turned and walked away, my heart shattering with every step. I knew this was the right choice, but it didn't make it hurt any less.