Killing Me Softly - Teenage Assassin - aka Young Love Murder

KILLING ME SOFTLY - Teenage Assassin - Chapter 23

CHAPTER 23:

ANNABELLE'S POV:

May 30th Miami, FL

As I step off the plane at Miami International Airport, I glance around, half expecting the Feds to ambush me. Guess not.

Once I'm at baggage claim, I run into an ambush of another kind. My pain in the ass older brother. The baggage carousel still hasn't produced my luggage and when I hear from behind me, "Naughty Annie."

I whirl around, already knowing who it is. "Dammit Jacks! You are such a stalker!"

He has a pissed off grin on his face, "Didn't think I'd know what you were up to, did you?"

I turn away quickly, trying to hide my guilty look. Caught in the act! "I don't know what you're talking about."

He leans close behind me and says in my ear, "What the hell are you doing back in Miami, Annabelle?"

"I'm on vacation," I stubbornly refuse to admit the truth.

"You came to see your loverboy," he laughs mockingly.

"I just wanted to go to his graduation," I mumble pathetically.

"Somehow," he begins, "I don't think he wants you there."

"You don't know that!" I spin back around so that he can see my glare.

"For Christ's sake, Annie. The boy wants you dead."

Now I spin back around so that he doesn't see my pain, "He doesn't mean it."

Jackson says more gently, "His last email implied otherwise."

I throw back my elbow into his gut and hear the corresponding grunt, "Stop hacking into my email, asshole."

"Annie, if someone is threatening my baby sis, you better believe I'm going to know about it."

"So, I suppose you're going to accompany me to his graduation?" I ask in a disgruntled tone.

"You better believe it."

I grab my suitcase from the carousel and turn to face him, "You're going to have to disguise yourself."

"Annie, who taught everything you know?" He asks, eyebrows raised.

I roll my eyes, "Simon."

GABRIEL'S POV:

I can feel her eyes on me. I don't know how to explain it, but I know she's here. Watching me. What does she want from me? I know what I want from her. For her to lay down and die.

She still sends me email love letters. All lies. I think she just likes tormenting me. She's secretly gloating about what she did to me. What she did to my now dead father and my practically dead mother. I clench my fists, waiting for the principal to call my name, as I wait in line behind other graduates.

"Gabriel Thomas Sanchez," the principal announces as I walk up the steps and onto the stage. As I take my diploma from him, I glance out into the crowd, searching for her. Too many cameras flashing, blinds my view of the crowd.

I walk across the stage and down the opposite steps. Returning to my seat, I glance over at Max and see his satisfied grin. I should also feel elated at finally being done with high school. Kind of hard with a heavy heart. My father is dead, my mother is addicted to prescription pills and I'm planning to kill my first love.

The last graduate accepts his diploma and the principal presents the graduating class. Hats are thrown and cheers go up. I stand there, still searching for her in the crowd. The crowd is too thick.