The Streets Higher Stakes

19. Revelation

"What do you mean you already know who was in the car?" I said, standing up and pulling her with me, feeling shocked. 

"I think I know who was in the car." She rephrased her statement. The others gathered around us, Jacob having wrapped his arm around Dakota to support her.

"Who was it?" Theo asked, his eyebrows scrunched up in confusion as mine were.

"I have to go home. That's the only way I'll know for sure." She said abruptly, turning around to Dakotas car, which still had the keys in it.

"Wait! I'll come with you." I said, taken back by her abruptness. That caused her to turn back around to me. She cupped my face, pressing her lips to mine. I was too surprised to react, for she broke away too quickly and got in the car. She gave me a small smile before she backed out and we watched her drive away.

"What the hell was that all about?" Paul asked, taking his eyes off of Trish disappearing into the distance.

"No idea. But she'll tell us everything, she always does." Dakota said. Her skin was starting to gain back colour and Jacob no longer had to hold her upright.

We all made our way into the bar and then up the stairs in the back. We all did our own things for awhile; changing, eat, practicing for the second last competition coming up, pretending that everything was okay. But we eventually all ended up in the makeshift living room.

"Did we really see that?" Theo said quietly after a moment of silence, looking defeated. 

"We did." Thayer answered as equally as quiet. The others didn't say much of anything. They didn't see what we did and they offered no words of comfort. What could they possibly say?

Memories took my attention then, the quiet voices of my friends becoming muted. I was back at the night I got shot. I heard the gunshots go off and I unconsciously touched my now healed wounds. They still ached at times or when I moved certain ways as they would for the rest of my life. I also saw the gun from tonight in my mind. I saw Amber fall, dead immediately. I remember how it felt to be on the end point of the gun and felt lucky to be alive. I would never forget how it felt to be on that end. I also would never forget seeing Amber fall. I froze up when seeing Zeke's gun and then again tonight.

"Cole? Are you okay? You look a little pale." Dakota's voice jarred me from my memories. They were all looking at me, anxiously, including Thayer.

"Yea I'm okay. Just a little shook up like everyone else." I said rubbing my eyes. They didn't say anything, which I took as an agreement on how they were feeling to.

"What are we going to do? Wiz is going to go fucking ballistic." Jacob whined, throwing his snap back off his head.

"We should wait for Trish." I answered, not wanting to plan something without her.

Thayer snorted, making me and the others look at him. " God knows how long she's going to be gone or if that asshole is going to help her."

"What asshole? Her father?" I questioned. They all quickly looked at me and then to one another, before Dakota spoke up. "That's none of our business. But she'll tell you. Hopefully." I blinked at them confused. They clearly knew her father and their relationship. I didn't know anything besides that she believes her mother is dead because of him. 

"Anyways. I think we should plan without her. If she doesn't like what we've come up with, she'll say so when she comes back." Theo says, stretching his arms above his head.

"We just saw someone get murdered. I think we all deserve a night off." Jacob put in, changing his mind from a few minutes ago.

"We can't just sit on our asses. We've done that for too long." Thayer argued with him.

"He's right Thayer. We've had a hell of a night. A hell of a new year actually." Dakota agreed.

"Whatever. But if she comes back and she doesn't like the fact that we haven't thought of anything, I'm blaming you guys." Thayer huffed, walking towards the stairs.

"There's the Thayer I know and love." Jacob joked, helping with the tension. We heard a faint 'fuck you' come up from the stairs, causing all of us to laugh. It felt good.

"Just relax until Trish gets back guys." Dakota said, putting her feet on Theo's lap. That's what we did. The Twins told me to come by their garage, now located at their parents house. They told me they had something to give me as a thank you. I told them they didn't need to get me anything but they insisted, saying they've been working on it hard lately.

I then glanced at the clock, watching the time go by. She had been gone for thirty minutes or so already.

"Come smoke with us Cole." Dakota sang a few minutes later. I didn't even notice them light a blunt up." You were fun the last time you smoked with us." She giggled, passing the blunt to Jacob.

"The clock isn't going to go any faster man." Theo added, waiting for the blunt next. I rolled my eyes at them, before putting my eyes back to the clock. I could hear them laughing at me, before carrying on as I remembered the first night I had ever smoked.

It was the night Trish and I got together. I suppose it was the blunt that gave me the extra push I needed to get her. I heard  loud and quick footsteps coming up the stairs, jarring me from my thoughts. Trish came into view, looking breathless before tossing Dakotas key to her and putting a piece of paper on the table in front of us.

"Babe are you okay?" I asked, getting up from where I was. She nodded, putting her head on my chest as I wrapped my arms around her. She felt cool against me, thanks to the outside air and the warmth in here. I could feel her chest moving up and down quickly against mine, as I held her.

"Trish who's this?" Theo asked, looking down at the piece of paper she had put down. I looked at it, seeing it was a picture of a man. He had to be in his late thirties, with a beard and tanned skin. He didn't look familiar to me at all.

"That's Martinez." She answered, as all their eyes snapped to her.

"Who's Martinez?" I asked quietly, the tension in the room now thick.

She looked at me sadly. " That's the man who murdered my mother."