Marching Band: The Journey [EDITING]

30 - It's Over

*Emmaleigh's POV, from when Carson told her about his life*

"I need to tell you something." Carson breathes out, his hazel eyes getting misty before my own.

My heart starts picking up it's beat. What could possibly be so important that he talks to me after weeks unless... HE'S GOING TO BREAK UP WITH ME! My eyes widen and my palms start to sweat. What did I do to deserve this? Besides the weeks of non-communication, our relationship has been fine. Perfect, one could say. But I swallow my hurt and overpowering curiosity.

"What is it, Carson?" I ask kindly, melting at how his eyes go soft. Vulnerable.

"Emma," He starts, gathering my hands in his. My resolve starts to crumble when he calls me that. "I'm so sorry for keeping this from you. It was unfair and I consider myself unloyal for not telling you. My own insecurities got in the way of our trust."

When he pauses, I freeze. It sounds like he's been hiding a person...

A mistress? That would explain the unloyal. I start panicking at the thought of him with another girl. His hands roaming her body while her own explores his soft hair. The hair that I claimed as my stress reliever when he first kissed me. But then my thoughts wander even deeper into the darkness...

What if he's hiding a child!?

I feel like fainting...

"Emmaleigh, you are too bright for this world. I know you have your flaws, but they are nothing to the hell I live in. My mother is sick with cancer, bed ridden until she passes on. My sister and brother are in threat of being beaten everyday of their lives. My father is always a drunken mess. And my family doesn't have the money to get my mother the treatment she needs."

I stop thinking when I hear this. So, he's not hiding a mistress or secret child? His family. His father is a cruel man that deserves to be punished, or at least taught a lesson. His mother, weak and in bed, needs medical treatment and a better husband. His siblings need a stable environment to grow, to not live in fear.

And Carson. He needs this weight lifted from his sagging shoulders. He deserves happiness.

"You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I'm afraid to wake up in the morning until I remember you and your light. The only way I sleep at night is if I picture your radiant smile. I mean it in every sense of the word when I say I love you, Emmaleigh. And it breaks my heart to know I don't deserve you."

His shoulders sag in defeat as he drops his gaze to our interlocked hands. I smile weakly at the beautiful words he just spoke to me, ignoring the small gathering pools of tears in my eyes and focusing on the lock of his hair that fell. He's too precious for this world. When I pull my hands out of his is when his first tear falls. I use my right to force his chin up and my left to push his hair back into place.

"It's me who doesn't deserve you." I whisper softly, leaning in to peck his lips.

Our desperation seeps through and into each other. Eagerness causes our hands to go wild. My fingers play with his hair, mine. I push him back until he's leaning against the post and climb into his lap. When his hands travel down my legs, I shiver from the tingles only to be warmed by his close proximity. Everything heats up too fast and soon I wish we were in my room instead of on my front porch.

We pull away, gasping for air. However, he doesn't let me go far as he holds my head so our foreheads are resting against each other. It's sweet and connecting, but my hormones are craving for us to finish what we started.

"As much as I'd like to continue this," He mentions, playing with my bottom lip with his thumb. "But I think it's time I come clean to our friends."

I nod wordlessly. He goes inside to chat with my mom and grab my keys while I take my phone out. Angie is probably wondering where I am. And the food Diana got is probably getting cold. Not the food! Once the text is sent, Carson meets me at my car after we both bid my mother goodbye.

I ignore the hidden wink and smirk she sends me when Carson isn't looking.

-

I squeeze Carson's hand as he crouches next to me. We were currently hiding behind some bushes a few yards from his trailer. While his dad was out at a bar, being flooded by free drinks from Reese and Ethan, Angie and Tony helped move his family out and to Tony's house. They should be on their way back now. Once they got here, Reese and Ethan were instructed to help Carson's dad back.

It's been a few days since our week of senior pranks finally ended. Four to be exact. Every hour spent researching, snooping, and plotting. We found out Carson's dad did some jobs with drugs to finance his drinking problem. After some digging, we learned of a meeting going down. Which is why Carson and I were currently hiding.

A set of headlights swings by us, causing us to fall down further below their beam. I'm about to sigh in relief at the thought of Angie and Tony finally arriving when I notice it isn't Tony's truck. Carson stills besides me. My brows furrow in question. All my questions are answered when a stumbling man slides out of the driver's seat.

His light brown hair looks dark with grease, and I try not to notice the hollowness of his cheeks behind his patchy beard. If the man washed his hair, shaved, lost a hundred pounds and shrunk a few inches; he'd be a spitting image of Carson. Minus the eyes though. No one could possibly have the shade of hazel eyes Carson has, no matter what blood relation.

I can feel the blood drain from my face as a group of burly men emerge from the shadows. Since when have they been here?! Did they see Angie and Tony leave? Did they know of Carson and I crouching here? There were six of them, cornering Carson's father against his rusted pick-up. Each are menacing on their own, but together they're scaring the living shit out of the drunken mess and bad excuse of a father. Imagine the effect they're having on me! Most, or all, have beer bellies, messy hair, scratchy beards, tattoos, and sneers. It's not until another dark figure emerges that I feel like fainting.

This mystery man is easier on the eyes than his henchmen. His face is clean shaven, his ebony hair slicked back, and glare strong. There is no possible way he's ever experienced a beer belly in his life with how lean he is. Everything is concealed behind his fitted black suit. It's his easy smile that sends chills down my spine.

Mystery Shadow starts speaking in a low voice to Dead Beat. Whatever he said sobered the latter up. They exchanged some more words and judging from the look Mystery Shadow was serving, he was irritated. Dead Beat's voice got higher in pitch and volume as he attempted to consume his obvious anger. Mystery Shadow just shrugged and nodded his head once. His henchmen stepped forward, cornering Dead Beat even further against his truck. Before, he was standing two feet away from it. Now, he was flush against it.

I reach for my phone, hoping to record some of this since there is no sign of Angie and Tony. Once it's recording, I glance over Carson. His jaw is tense and a vein in his forehead is poking out. I place my hand over his clenched fist, trying to ease the tension out with the massaging movements of my thumb. He relaxes slightly, sending me a reassuring smile before focusing back on the meeting going down.

It seems like it's wrapping up and time is running out for this plan to work. If Angie and Tony don't get here soon, everything will be over. Dead Beat would charge into his trailer, expecting his terrified children and sick wife to be there to beat. What would he do when he realized they were gone? I physically shook, gripping my phone tighter in my hand.

Before my thoughts start spiraling and panic sets in, the area is suddenly filled with light and noise. The sign of freedom and safety. Well, at least for us. Red and blue lights flashed, reflecting off windows. Sirens blared, causing the thugs to crouch at the suddenness of it all. Carson and I visibly relaxed when police officers emerge with their weapons raised.

Relief floods through me and shines in Carson's eyes as an officer shouts, "Put your hands up! Get on your knees! On the ground, now!"

~~~

Enjoy!

~Lotus