june
"how about pineapple on pizza?" i look at dev waiting for an answer.
dev scrunched his face up, shaking his head. "hell no, if you eating pineapple on pizza, you deserve to be locked up." he says while shoving a whole mouthful of chips in his mouth.
i giggle and roll my eyes playfully. "you're an idiot." i grab a pillow and hit his arm with it.
"not my fault you a weirdo who loves pineapple on pizza!" he protests. i laugh. i was gonna say something else but i was interrupted by gun shots.
dev and i froze. we looked at each other with worried expressions. "that sounded like it came from seven-eleven." i nod slowly and gulp. "do you think joeys in danger?"
he didn't say anything, he just got up from the bed and ran towards the door. i followed behind him.
joey
i fluttered my eyes open, i groaned as i touched my head. i had a massive headache about right now. i took a look around but everything was blurry. i must've blacked out or something because i was laying on the cold hard floor. i look by my side, furrowing my eyebrows as i saw another body next to me.
the store was quiet, all i could hear were sirens from the distance. i sat up from the floor. by now my vision was getting better. i looked around for the cashier but i couldn't find him. did he escape or what?
i look to my side again and widened my eyes when i realized who was on the floor. "tayler!" i shout, crawling over to him. he was laying on his side, i turned him around so he was laying down on his back.
i shook him uncontrollably. "come on, wake up man!" no response. "i can't lose you too, please!" still no response. i stopped after a couple of seconds. i didn't know what to do, i sat there staring at his body.
i swallowed the huge lump in my throat. i felt like crying like a damn baby. i can't believe i just lost another one of my best friends.
without taking my eyes off of tayler, i slowly stood up from the floor. "joey!" i shoot my head up and see dev and june run in. they stop in their tracks when they see taylers body on the ground. "is he-"
i interrupt with a nod. "he risked his own life to save me." a tear runs down my cheek. i wipe it away, staring down at tayler.
"fuck joey." june walks up to me and wraps her arms around me. i wrap mine around hers, i immediately sob into her shoulder.
-
we had to leave tayler a body in the store because the cops were close by and we didn't wanna get caught with it. we all immediately packed up our things and head to dev's friends house who can help us sneak across the border.
when we got there and when dev's friend caught a glimpse of me, he rejected us. he didn't wanna risk it all just to sneak a felon across the border, however he did allow us to sleep at his place.
dev slept on the couch while blake, devs friend gave me and june our own room. it was his daughters room, but she was away on a school trip so.
it was late at night and i couldn't get taylers dead body out of my head. the way he risked his life for me, it made me feel so guilty, why would he do that?
"look joey." june turns up the volume from the tv. i widened my eyes when i saw it was about the shooting earlier.
"a shooting has occurred around twelve through one at night. a young male, twenty one, named tayler holder and twenty five year old ricky drew, the cashier of the store were found dead after locals heard shots fired. we believe these two had a heated argument which occurred them to react violently. others believe that the most wanted criminal, joey birlem who is just eighteen years old was involved, seeing he appeared on the security cameras. please if you have any information about his whereabouts contact the police immediately, he is assumed to be armed and dangerous."
my heart dropped. they think i killed them? they think i'd kill my own best friend and a nobody? "joey-" june placed her hand on my shoulder but i shook it off.
"i need a glass of water." i mumble before getting up from the bed. i shut the door behind me and head downstairs. i walk into the kitchen and pour myself a glass of water.
i take a sip from it, thinking as i did. this was all too much, i'm tired of hiding and running away. i'm tired of losing everyone and seeing them drop dead, all because they helped me. i had enough of it. i didn't wanna lose anyone else including dev and june who was carrying my child.
then i thought for a moment. i had the craziest idea pop into my head. a thought that's been mentioned many times but i didn't think i'd be able to do it. i set my cup down and head into the living room.
i see dev laying there on his phone. he sets it down when his eyes land on me. "hey man, what's up?" he sits up.
"i need you to do me a favor." i sit down next to him.
he nods. "of course man, what is it?"
"i'm turning myself in and i need you to watch over june and my kid for me while i'm locked up." i blurt out.
he looks at me with his brows raised and his mouth wide open. "what?"
i nod. "i see the way you look at her dev. don't think i haven't. in the beginning i know you hated her, but now you've warmed up to her quite a lot." i smile. "i'm happy because of that, but now it's time for me to do the right thing and that's to turn myself in."
he shook his head. "no way joey, i'm not letting you turn yourself in! look we'll find another way to sneak you to mexico but don't-"
"it's too late dev, i already made up my mind and as much as it pains me, i have to do it. if not for june and my kid then for you man." a tear ran down my cheek. "i can't lose you too."
he stayed silent, i guess he didn't know what to say. his eyes were turning glossy, but eventually he agreed. "are you gonna tell june?"
"i don't want to, but i have to." i exhale deeply. "it's going to hurt her, but it's the right thing to do."
"when are you gonna do it?" he gulps. "turn yourself in i mean."
"right now. after i say goodbye to june and explain it to her." he nods. "i'll drive you."
"thank you dev." i hug him. "thank you for doing this for me."
after my talk with dev i head back upstairs. i walk into the room and see june laying on her side, sleeping. i smile as i watched her sleep peacefully. it killed me having to do this, but i had to do it for her and dev.
i crawl on the bed and lay on my side, admiring her as she slept. i leaned in and kissed her forehead lightly. "i love you so much juniper, i'll see you soon again baby i promise." i whisperer quietly.
i took my chain and hoodie off, laying them down next to her, just incase shit went down i wanted her to have something to remember me by. last minute i couldn't bring myself to wake her up and tell her, i want dev to do that so she'll be less mad, he agreed to do it.
dev drove me to the police station. we sat there in the car talking and saying our goodbyes to each other, even if it wasn't the last time i'd see him. i know it wouldn't be either.
"i'll visit you soon with june man." we both got out of the car and hugged each other.
"thank you dev." i pat his back. "i appreciate you for doing this." i pull away and smile. "i love you and tell june i love her too."
"i will man." we hug one last time. eventually we pull away.
i look over at the doors and take a deep breath. "here goes everything." i mumbled to myself. i walk inside the station slowly. i make my way to the front desk.
"how can i help you sir?" the lady asked as she glanced at me with a smile.
i hesitated before answering her. "i'm joey birlem, and i'm here to turn myself in."
