Trust and Flirtation

Chapter 11

*June 26th, 2019...*

I lay on my bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"Ian?" My sister, Zoe asked, walking into my room.

I got up. "What time is it, Zoe?" I asked.

"Almost midnight," Zoe replied.

I lay back down on my bed. "What do you need, Zo?" I asked.

"Help," My sister replied. "I need help with homework."

I got back up, silently laughing. "Zoe Lawton, I thought you were old enough to do that on your own."

"Fine!" Zoe said, pouting. "Then I'll tell mom about you and Annika."

I got out of bed. "Fine, I'll help you."

"Thanks, Ian," Zoe said, hugging me.

*Present Day...*

I suddenly woke up with a throbbing headache. "Where the hell am I?" I wondered aloud.

"Relax, kid," I heard someone say.

I looked up and noticed my dad, Floyd Lawton step out from the shadows.

"Shit," I cursed. "You're still here? How did you even manage to bust out of prison."

My dad didn't answer.

"I need to be at a friend's house," I stated, noticing my dad's vacant expression.

I ran towards Awakening's apartment, which conveniently happened to be three blocks away and knocked on her apartment door. Getting no answer, I pulled out my phone and called Awakening.

"What do you want?" Awakening asked, answering her phone.

I sighed. "Where are you right now?" I asked.

"Where you left us. Why would we move?" Awakening said, anger in her voice.

"No shit," I muttered. "I need to talk to Mafia."

"She doesn't want to talk to you." Awakening told me.

I rolled my eyes. "I'll be right over." I hung up before Awakening could respond.

Retracing my steps, I found the old Hummer that I'd been using before the incident at my apartment. I got in and started the ignition.

The Hummer's engine came to life.

"Here I come," I thought to myself.

I drove all the way back to the woods where me and Mafia had left Awakening.

Upon arriving, I noticed Mafia and Awakening gathered around a small campfire.

"Hey," I said, slamming the door of the Hummer and walking towards the duo. "What's up?"

I went over and sat next to Awakening.

"What? Are you going to hit me or something?" I asked, noticing Awakening glaring at me.

"Well yes, among other things." Awakening replied, before punching me in the face. "Don't you fucking dare hurt her again."

"...Oh shit, she's fucking mad." Mafia told me.

I rolled my eyes. "No shit," I muttered.

"...Please don't shoot him, I don't think he knows..no you can't have my gun.. Honey no, don't do that.." Mafia pleaded.

I stopped. "Wait, what?" I asked.

"See, I told you, he doesn't know, please don't shoot him.." Mafia told Awakening.

My mind swam with a million thoughts. "What's going on?" I repeated.

"You really don't know?" Awakening asked me.

"Honey I told you, he doesn't know.." Mafia told Awakening.

"What the hell is going on here?" I asked. "I don't know anything."

I felt blood trickling down my face from nose. I rubbed it off and spit on the ground.

"You stabbed her!" Awakening yelled.

Suddenly, I felt a wave of pain as I was knocked to the ground, my mind full of memories that made no sense.

"Sara!" I yelled, noticing my girlfriend falling from when I stabbed her during training practice.

I woke up all of a sudden. I was lying a small tent that Awakening had probably set up.

"What the hell?" I asked, sitting up.

"Thank Mafia. I wouldn't have done this otherwise." Awakening said.

I forced a small grin, before remembering what happened before I came here. "How long was I out?" I asked.

"At least a few hours," Mafia replied from behind Awakening.

I nodded. "Nice shirt by the way," I said, pointing to Mafia's shirt. "I like the Dark Purple."

"It's meant to be dark blue. That's blood." Mafia told me.

I nodded. "Right." See you guys later.

With that, I took off with the Humvee.

I parked the Humvee at the downtown bar and called Awakening.

"Hello?" I began. "This is Ian."

No response on the other end.

I tried again calling Awakening again.

"Hello?" I asked.

This time, Awakening answered. "What is it?"

"Can you and Mafia meet me at the bar? I'm meeting with someone-" I paused. "Never mind. I need you two as backup."

"And what exactly are you doing that you need us as backup?" Awakening asked, annoyed.

I sighed. "Someone has information on Mafia. They think that they found a match to someone."

"And who is the supposed match?" Awakening asked.

I looked at the notes I'd written. "He says that it's a girl named Mary Hunter. Her family died about a decade ago." I paused. "The guy's crazy, though. Mary Hunter has been dead since then. Thought I check it out anyway." I responded.

"Mary Hunter? Well, I suppose she does sort of resemble Vanessa, Mary's late mom." Awakening told me.

"Thanks, Awakening," I said. "I'll run it through facial recognition. Meet me at the bar in half an hour."

"Sure." Awakening replied.

I hung up and headed inside the bar.