𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐬𝐭

seventeen |

[i highly recommend listening to
'wait' by 'm83']
—play on repeat—

seventeen - excruciating

m o m e n t s   l a t e r

h u n t e r

following jasmine to the garage, we pray the key is going to unlock it.

it slides in perfectly and the door soon opens.

i don't think i've ever been so happy to see the inside of a garage. there sits a pearlescent black mustang, one of the cars we were looking for.

"fuck yeah" kai says loudly.

jokingly, we clap and cheer like we've won something.

this is the best thing we've found in ages.

"right search it, let's go" river says walking over to the car.

although not unlocked, just yet, we can still see in the windows and look underneath.

nothing catching our eyes, kai decides he's going to pry open the trunk.

"yo, someone pass the crowbar" he says, pointing towards the neatly aligned tools on the wall.

caleb chucks one over, kai catching it; ready to see what's inside.

after a few moments he's opened the trunk. disappointment filling his eyes, we rush over to look at the empty space.

"what the hell?!" he shouts, smacking the car hard.

"hey, did you not listen to a word jasmine said earlier?" i say, walking straight in front of the open trunk.

"what?" kai asks confused.

"he's secretive," jasmine says nodding to me — to open the compartment.
"there's no way in hell there's actually a tire in there." with that i open the little compartment, usually storing a tire, to find something much more promising.

there sits a brief case with, what looks like, millions inside it.

excitement is laced through everyone.

"yo, what's that?" river asks pointing to something inside the case.

"car keys" i say in disbelief, looking at 4 sets of car keys.

i hate to admit it, but with jasmine i don't know whether we would've found any of this stuff. ( certainly not as easy anyway ).

getting everything out the trunk, there's suddenly a large noise coming from the house.

"the fucking hell is th–" jayden begins to question but she's silenced by kai hand covering her mouth and practically everyone telling her to be quiet.

"behind the car, now" kai signals for everyone to hide behind it, since the door is on the other side. we sit silently.

river crouches next to me, gripping my thigh tightly keeping me close.

louder noises erupt throughout the house, much closer to the door. without any warning, the door to the garage is opened. foot steps creep closer to the car—looking at the, now open trunk.

"no! no! no!" a mans voice echoes through the room, anger prominent with each word.

although we are keeping still, the man's footsteps begin to creep round the side of the car. everyone's eyes divert to the man, now starring at each and everyone of us.

stefan rodriguez.

"everyone out now!" he shouts, pulling a gun from out of his waist band of his suit pants.

we each take a step from behind the car, river pushes me behind him and i see him pull out a gun.

"jasmine?" rodriguez asks, beyond confused.

"what?" she asks bluntly, sassing the man.

his gun is still pointed towards us, going back and forth.

"daddy, just put the gun down" jasmine says.

"no, explain to me why you're here and how the hell you got in" he says angrily.

"you're not clever, daddy" she gives him a patronising smile.

"oh yeah?" he says with a grimacing smirk, "i am spontaneous, however"

confusion as to what the hell he means, is clear for everyone. but before we can even question him, he's locked eyes with caleb, pointing his gun directly at him. i feel my heart pound and my mouth become dry.

river lifts his gun in response to his actions, but it doesn't stop him. rodriguez pulls the trigger, releasing a loud bang to haunt my ears. this deafening bang is followed by a second and before i can run to caleb, river has shot rodriguez straight in the chest causing him to collapse.

i look over at caleb and see his chest bleeding. without hesitation, i rush over as he falls down. holding him in my arms, tears gush down my face along with jayden's.

"no! caleb stay awake. keep your eyes open. you're going to be okay." i say as i hold down his wound with my hand, hoping to stop some of the blood.

"you're so strong, cmon man you can't leave me yet" jayden cries into his neck.

this excruciating pain is indescribable. it's like none of this is really happening.

everyone's surrounding us and unaware of what to do.

"call 911!" i shout shaking my head as i hold his hand.

"no," caleb says, weakly squeezing my hand "just say goodbye" his words break me.

"no, no i can't" i sob louder.

"please, for me?" he tried to smile and it's just like its always been.

still struggling, jayden takes his other hand and speaks, "e-even though..it wasn't meant to end like this-s" her breath is shaky and she sniffles in between words, "i'll admire you and love you forever" she wipes away her tears as she looks into his eyes.

he mutters a simple "i love you" in response.

building up the courage to talk, i cup his face with my hand and look into his welling eyes, "you deserved n-none of this, yet you..fought and fought till the end" i hiccup on my own breath, "it goes without saying that i will never stop loving or missing you, but i know it's just going to be hard for a long time...until i see you again" i breath in heavily. "where ever that is, what ever time that is..i-i'll see you again" i cant help but let the tears continue to run down my cheeks.

he places his hand on mine, holding his face, and says "to another lifetime together".

i lean in and kiss his forehead, before i have to eventually close his eyes. the sheer sight breaks my heart, but i know he's going to a better place.

everything goes silent, no one wanting to make a single sound nor movement.

—

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