3 am; joji miller

2.5

     We ended up leaning the seats back, trying to rest up. I couldn't sleep, but Joji dozed off again. We held hands on top of the center console.

     The sun started rising, and I had seen a few cars pass by, but none of them bothered to stop to see if we were all right. I peeked at the clock, which said 5:43. I decided I was gonna wake Joji up at 6, that way we could try and stop someone and get a ride.

     I just laid there, staring up at the roof of the car. Everything was silent, until I heard a little tap on my window. I looked over, and I saw someone I didn't expect to see. It was Zayn.

     George still wasn't awake, so I pulled my hand away from his and slipped out of the car quietly. Zayn gave me a questioning look, which I gave back. "What the hell are you doing here?" He asked, putting his hands in his jacket pockets.

     "I should be asking you the same thing. How'd you find us?" I asked. I looked to our left, seeing a car that I was guessing was his. It almost looked as if someone was laying in the backseat, but maybe I was just seeing things.

     He caught my attention. "Well, I heard yelling when I was walking home, so I went back to your hotel and asked the lady what room you were in. But I guess you guys checked in under his name," Zayn said nodding towards Joji.

     I could hear shuffling around from behind us. I guess Joji was waking up. It was a few moments, but sure enough, I heard the car door open and Joji came walking up beside me. "Hey, why didn't you wake me up? Who's this?" He asked, looking at Zayn with the same confused look that I had.

    "This is Zayn. He's my co-worker. I still don't know how he found us," I said. I tried sounding relieved, but honestly, something felt off about the whole situation.

     "Yeah, back to that," Zayn started again, "So, I went back outside of the hotel and I saw you guys dashing along the sidewalk, and then I saw you steal this car. Rose, are you alright? You had me really worried. I followed you because I wanted to make sure you were alright. I kinda lost you aways back, but I finally caught up I guess."

     Joji, I guess, had the same odd feeling I did. He put his arm around my waist. It felt like there was something in his hand.

      "So, can I give you guys a ride back to your hotel?" Zayn said, stepping a little closer to the two of us. Joji's arm tightened around my waist a little. Was he getting jealous?

     "No, I think we'll be okay. We're planning on going somewhere else," I said. Zayn shuffled uncomfortably in front of us.

     "Are you sure? I mean, I could just..." he began.

     "She said no. We're okay." Joji interrupted angrily.

     "Well, I didn't wanna have to do it this way but-"

Joji grabbed me and dove to the ground. I heard a gunshot, and the window of our stolen car break. I looked up to see Zayn holding a gun.

Joji jumped up and quickly disarmed Zayn. But that didn't stop Zayn. He began to throw punches. He hit Joji a couple of times before Joji finally hit back.

I stood up from the ground. Where I had been laying, there was a small pocket knife laying flat on the ground. I knew it felt like Joji had something in his hand. Before I could bend down to pick it up, I was grabbed from behind. I gasped and easily recognized the man. It was one of the ones that had taken me from the hospital that one day.

"Hello again sweetheart. Don't worry, as soon as Zayn finally gets George under control, we'll be headed out of here." He spoke in a slight whisper. His voice sounded cold, as if it could kill.

"Fuck you," I muttered, pulling my eyes towards George and Zayn. He had tackled Zayn onto the ground, continuing to punch him. Zayn got a couple more hits in, knocking George off of him. I got nervous.

I needed to do something, but I didn't know how I could. I remembered the knife on the ground. I thought a plan quickly. I began shuffling and moving around anxiously. "Would you cut it out?" The man said. I didn't stop. Finally, he turned me around to where I was facing him. "Stop!" He yelled in my face. I smiled deviously.

I quickly kneed him in his groin. He stumbled back in pain as I seized the knife, opening it and stabbing him quickly in the side, not thinking. He fell to the ground and I just stood and looked at him, my mouth hanging open.

"Rose!" Joji yelled from his place on the ground, still wrestling with Zayn. I quickly ran over and put my arms around Zayn, holding the knife to his throat.

"I don't want to kill you, but I will!" I said. I was so thankful that there weren't any cars coming by at the moment.

Zayn put his hands in the air and stood up. "I'm-I'm sorry Rose, I didn't want too," he said, beginning to cry. Joji grabbed the gun that Zayn had had and held it towards him. I guess that was my cue that I could move.

I walked to Joji. I could see the anger in his eyes. "Joji dont he-" I began, but Joji cut me off.

"Rose, don't believe his bullshit. I didn't know this was your 'coworker'. Bullshit! He works with Scar!" Joji said, cocking the pistol.

"But we don't have to kill him!" I said, "Joji, I killed that guy! I didn't know I was capable of that! Joji! I killed someone! I can't let anyone else die! Even if they are a piece of shit!"

"He tried to kill us Rose! If we let him go, then Scar will find us! He'll go back and tell him everything!" Joji continued.

"We don't have to let him go. He can come with us. Back to the states! Then we'll turn him in, and everyone else!"

"Rose, we don't have any evidence! How the hell are we gonna pull that off?" Joji yelled. Zayn was still crying where he was standing.

I just stood there. I was crying. I was completely hysterical. I killed someone.

"We're not killing him. And that's final!"

Joji sighed, which I took as a 'fine'. He strode over to Zayn. He put his arm on his shoulder and jerked his arm. "Come with us and stay quiet!" Joji said sternly and pulled him towards the car that Zayn had been in. I followed, still crying.
    
     Joji had pushed Zayn into the backseat, using the seatbelt to tie up his hands. Before I sat in the front seat, I glanced at the man laying on the ground. I quickly looked away and got in the car. Joji got in as well, started it and pulled off the side of the road. There were still no cars on the highway, which was very lucky for us.
     
     "Rose..." Joji began, but I cut him off.
   
     "Listen, I know what you're gonna say, but right now I don't wanna hear it. I just want to get out of here. I want to go back home," I said. Joji respected that, and didn't say anything else.
    
     It was self defense. That's all it was.
       
     Self defense.