Gangs Aren't My Style (A Black Death Novel)

Chapter 34 - A Language Lovelier than Speaking

Gangs Aren't My Style

Book I of the Black Death Trilogy

PART TWO: Memories That Don't Seem To Fade

Chapter 34 - A Language Lovelier Than Speaking

Ally stared up at the ceiling, her arm stretched out beside her. It had been two days since her brother left her there and he had only visited once. The metal around her wrist was beginning to chafe her skin and she had already used every tactic she knew of to pass the time as she lay in the silence of her room. However, the uneaten meals she was continually sending back with her brother's lackies seemed to be making a statement. A few minutes past her afternoon meal, he opened the door to her room but he did not walk in. He stood in the doorway, observing her with that same forlorn look on his face. The regret was clear, but he would not reverse a decision once he had ruled.

Instead, he seemed to have brought a proverbial peace offering. In the form of her cheating scum of an ex-boyfriend.

As the familiar dirty blonde head appeared over James' shoulder, Ally was jarringly reminded that her brother was unknowledgeable over the events that had ended her and Kyle's relationship. It would seem that Kyle had conveniently forgot to have that particular conversation with him.

Ally couldn't control the painful sob that raked her body. She had not prepared herself to see him again, had never considered having to talk through what happened that night. Everything hit her like a tidal wave and she found herself screaming at him hysterically, backing towards her headboard. "Don't come any closer, you cheater! You'll never touch me again!"

Her brother's face remained passive. Ally seethed, glaring at him for his disregard. "Aren't you going to do something? He cheated on me and you don't care?"

James sighed, then shook his head sadly. "You need to hear him out, Ally, that night was..."

She reeled back in disbelief. "So he did talk to you!" she sneered, clenching her fingers around the bedspread hard enough to tear the fabric. "Well I can assure you that whatever lies he told you were..."

"Ally." Her brother's voice was soft, but firm enough to make it known that he would not be ignored. "He didn't cheat on you."

"How can you know that!" she exclaimed in a rage, sitting up in the bed and pointing an accusing finger at Kyle as her now slightly longer locks fell around her shoulders in disarray. "I saw him!"

James shook his head in defeat. He backed out of the room with a long sigh. "Just give him a chance, Ally. The poor man deserves it after the suffering you put him through these past couple years."

"Nothing he has to say will change my mind, James. I know the truth."

He stared at her for a moment, conflicted. "He didn't cheat on you. I give you my word as a brother on that. He was crazy about you."

"Apparently not crazy enough."

James backed out of the room, giving Kyle a reassuring pat on the shoulder where he still stood just outside the room. "Come on, bro, let's give her some space. She needs time to adjust."

James had his head in his hands when Kyle entered his office nearly a week later. Lines of worry streaked across his forehead, displaying the increased stress as of late. He looked up only when the door closed, his eyes bleary from lack of sleep. "I didn't get a chance to thank you before, but thanks... for still caring and for coming."

He even sounded worn. Kyle smiled back hesitantly. "No problem, I left as soon as I got your message."

James nodded forlornly. "She needs you, man. And if not you, then somebody. I exhausted my welcome when I failed to protect her from that sicko, but someone has to convince her to stay. I can't lose her again."

Kyle smiled sadly. "I can't either. And that's why I'm ready to try this again. She's had five days to think about it, surely her curiosity will have won over by now."

James nodded, then pulled a single, silver key from his back pocket. Kyle regarded him strangely but accepted the offering nonetheless.

"It's a copy of the key to Ally's room," James explained. "I figured that your answer would be an unwavering yes."

Kyle understood what his friend meant. He stood from the chair adjacent that of his leader's and moved to exit the room. A weak proclamation from behind him stopped Kyle in his tracks. "You still love her."

He glanced back at James. "Yeah, I do."

"We will find a way to make this work," James promised, just as much for his own benefit as for his friend. "It has to work."

Ally cringed at the familiar sound of the door creaking open. She prepared herself for another battle of wits with her egotistical brother but he was not the one entering the room. Kyle.

Her heart still sped up just at the sight of him. Her palms became clammy and stars threatened to overtake her eyes, but she was no longer a naive teenager hopelessly in love. She was a grown woman, and she would not be misled so easily this time. "Whatever excuse you've come to feed me, I don't want to hear it."

He shut the door and then slowly approached her. "I'm not leaving this room until you have at least hear me out, Ally."

She glared at him. "So talk then, and let's get this over with."

He took no offense to her attitude, only gratitude for the fact that she was allowing him to speak. "The girl that night," Kyle began, running a hand through his hair in a giveaway nervous gesture.

Ally scoffed disbelievingly, "Hussy."

Kyle smiled despite himself. "She was drunk and I found her stumbling along as I was walking down the street. She tripped and was about to fall so I rushed to catch her. She was incapable of holding herself up and I wrapped an arm around her waist in way of support. I swear to you that I was only trying to be a gentleman, then the next thing I know, she was pressing herself against me and kissing me! I pushed her away as soon as I could but suddenly you were there, screeching to a halt in your little red sports car and screaming at me. I panicked. I knew you wouldn't believe me, so I made up a lame excuse. You of all people should know that I never was good at lying."

He could see on her face that she was weighing the events of the night in her head, deciding whether or not to believe him. "If I could go back in time and leave that girl on the sidewalk, I would. Ally, I have ached for you to come back every single day. I searched for you, but I couldn't find you. I thought you were dead."

She closed her eyes against the rampant tears.

"I won't tell you that I still love you," he stated. "That wouldn't be fair to you. But I will be here whoever you are ready to rediscover the bond between us."

Kyle tried to stop himself there but was powerless against the dim expression reflected in Ally's eyes when she glanced back up at him. "Do you still feel it? Or have I already lost you."

Ally did not want to give him hope, but she refused to lie to him after all that had happened. "Yes."

A tear escaped from her glassy eyes but Kyle only smiled. "Then forgive me. Allow me to spend the rest of my life making these past few years up to you. Allow me to fix this."

Ally sobbed quietly, raising the back of one hand to cover her mouth. "I don't know!"

He nodded in understanding. "I know you are confused, but you have to choose. No matter how long we wait, that night will forever remain the same... and I can do nothing beyond apologize for that for the rest of my days." He wiped a gentle finger over her cheek, brushing away the moisture that had settled there. "So, do you want me or not?"