Frozen Yogurt

14. What Now?

I'm not sure how long I stood there in my doorway in complete shock. Suddenly a million questions started flooding my brain like, "Who could have done this?" "Why did it have to be me?" and "Should I call the police?"
I didn't have answers to any of these questions but I reached for my phone in my pocket and instead of calling the police, like any sane person would, I dialed my best friend's number.

"Hello?", he answered groggily.
"Hey Jade, I'm sorry if I woke you."
"Nah don't worry about it Becca. Is everything okay?"
"Not exactly, do you mind coming over?"
"At almost 1 in the morning?", he asked while yawning.
"I kinda need you."
"Okay I'll be there in 20."

Jade and I became friends during high school and I can honestly say he's been a huge part of my life. Once he finished with school he left and moved to Dubai but lucky for me he's back in town visiting his family. While I waited, I started looking around my apartment to see if anything valuable was stolen. I still had my tv which was great and all my books which was even better except most of them were scattered around the floor in awkward angles. "What the hell happened here?"

I turn from my crouched position and see Jade standing in the doorway with his jaw just about touching the ground. "I meant what I said when I said I needed you."
"I thought it would be something like boy drama or family stuff not someone breaking into your apartment," he said making his way towards me trying not to step on anything.

We shared a hug and then he looked at me, checking for injuries. "Are you okay? Did you call the police?" 

"Relax, I'm fine. I wasn't here when whoever broke in and to answer your second question no, I didn't call the police." 

"Okay how about I deal with them and you go make us some coffee before we start cleaning up." "Okay," I said stepping carefully as if the floor was covered in eggshells. I turned when I reached the doorway, "Hey Jade?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you," I said and turned back around to begin scavenging for the coffee tin.
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"So I found the coffee, it was in a heap on the floor along with some broken mugs and dinner plates."
"What do you have there then?" he asked motioning to the two steaming, unbroken mugs in my hands.
"I found some tea bags laying on the counter, I hope that's okay."
"Yeah don't worry about it," he said with a smile as I handed him his mug.

We first cleared a space for the coffee table so we had somewhere to put our mugs then we cleared the couch and sank into it. "Do you have any idea who could have done this?" Jade asked looking at me with curious eyes over the rim of his mug. "I have a vague idea," I replied looking up at the ceiling praying a silent prayer it's not who I think it is.
"Who is it?"
"It's a long story," I said with a sigh.
"Well we have all day to clean up your apartment so I got time."
"Okay maybe we should finish this tea first before I spill the rest."

While we moved all my furniture back to its original place and dumped everything that was broken into a black bag, I started telling Jade the story of what happened with Him and Everleigh. Once we finished it was nearing 4am and I was exhausted.
"I should probably head out."
"No don't leave. You can't possibly drive now, I know you're tired."
"You're right."
"I know," I said with a smile, "You can take the floor in my room."
I didn't even bother changing out of my clothes and I gave Jade a pillow and a few blankets to make an impromptu bed for the night. Or should I say morning? As soon as I curled up in my blankets and my head sank into my pillow I was out.

"Where's my sister? You said she would be here!", I demanded from my sister's captors. "You think we were being honest?", they chuckled to themselves. "You're so naive, just like her.", one said with a sneer.

I could feel the tears rolling down my cheeks, "Please. Please don't hurt her. I'll give you whatever you want, just please bring her back to me." I begged and pleaded with them but they had had enough. One grabbed the case that held the money and the other pulled out a gun I hadn't even noticed before and aimed it at my head. The money was counted before the guy nodded and said, "Let's go, bring the girl."

"No no no. Where are you taking me? Please you can't do this!" I said trembling with fear in the hands of this thug.
"You wanted to see your sister didn't you?" I asked with a smirk. I started sobbing as I was dragged away from everything I knew. The only word that can describe what happened next was darkness.

My face was covered with a sack that made my skin crawl and when it was lifted I saw the light in the form of my baby sister. Safe and unharmed, for now.
"As much as this little reunion entertains me it's time to say goodbye." I didn't understand what was happening until I heard the sound of a gunshot. 

I woke up with a start, beads of sweat gathered on my forehead and my limbs tangled in the sheets of my bed. I tried to calm my breathing when I heard rustling coming from the floor and Jade's head popped up at the foot of my bed.
"Hey are you okay?" he asked with concern written in the crease on his forehead.
"Yeah it was just a bad dream," I replied.
"You're not okay," he said as he lifted himself off the floor and sat on the edge of my bed. He placed his hand on my cheek and wiped away the tears. I only realised then I had been crying.

Jade crawled in next to me and held me in his arms until the tears had stopped falling. "Do you wanna talk about it?"he asked softly while rubbing soothing circles on my back. I shivered at the thought of having to relive my nightmare, "Not really," I answered looking up at him.
"Get some rest then," he said kissing the top of my head as I felt my eyes grow heavy with exhaustion.

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I woke up the next morning to the sound of someone rummaging around my kitchen. The creak of the cupboard opening and the sounds of pots and pans clanging then a muffled "Ow". I got up and went to investigate.

"What are you doing?"
Jade nearly jumped at the sound of my voice, "Don't creep up on me like that, I could've died."
"Pssshh don't be so dramatic but seriously, what are you doing making so much noise?"
"I was trying to make you breakfast," he said as he turned and smiled sheepishly at me.
"Awwww, you know that would have been really sweet if you actually made the food," I said laughing.
"Well I would have made the food but you literally have nothing in your fridge."
"How about we get cleaned up and go out for breakfast," I said checking the clock on the wall. It was now 10:30 am so we would still be in time to have breakfast.
He conceded,"But you're paying."

Once we were all cleaned up, we sat down at a small diner. It was warm and cosy, similar to a typical 1960s American diner.
After we finished eating, I asked the question that has been on my mind since I woke up, "So, what do we do now?"