Gianna's Grit | ✓

XI: I Feel it Coming

GIANNA

I ignored the shiver that his words caused, as well as King's press for more questions.

He'd given me everything I needed to know. I now had all of the puzzle pieces. I just needed time to put them all together the correct way.

The man watched me throw on my coat and grab my purse before speaking, "You're leaving?"

I nodded, avoiding his eyes as I exited the office space, "I know everything that I need to now."

That, and I need to get as far away from you as possible before I do something really stupid.

King followed me out and stood a little too close as I locked the office door behind us. I kept my keys in my hand as we exited the building, his Tags following us a few steps behind.

I unlocked my car right before the keys were snatched from my hand, "What the hell?"

King sent me a look before tossing them to one of the Tags. He dragged me to his car, "You ride with me."

I snatched away from his tight grip, "I can walk on my own."

He unlocked the car and we both entered on our respective sides. King drove silently, and I wasn't really trying to start a conversation either..

Until I couldn't stop worrying, "Where is Kamari?"

King scoffed, "You always wanna hear about him, huh? Don't you ever get tired of worrying about him?"

I frowned, "He is my best friend."

The man nodded, his jaw clenched.

I slid my hand over his, "You both were my rocks."

King rolled to a stop and stared back at me for a few seconds, and I saw him relax a bit before his face hardened into his usual scowl. He snatched his hand away and clenched it into a fist, "You still left us."

I huffed, "we already had this conversation. We were both kids and I didn't have any control over leaving."

"It's not a conversation if you're not hearing what the other person says," King shot back.

It didn't take long for him to get riled up.

I crossed my arms over my chest, "I cried myself to sleep for three months after I learned aunt Georgia refused to let me contact you guys."

"Bullshit," he immediately growled, "you don't cry."

I scoffed, "everyone cries; I've seen you cry! Besides, I was a twelve year old girl without anyone!"

"You think it was easy for us back here?!" He yelled.

"I never said it was!" I yelled back. "You keep acting like private school was much better! It was an all-girls school! Those girls made my life hell everyday, and no one ever believed me because I was just seen as fresh meat to them!"

"So you got picked on for being the new kid," he scoffed before pulling up his shirt to reveal multiple gun wounds, "I almost die out here, Gianna, everyday!"

I eyed the wounds, "I can't control what happens to you when I'm two counties away, and I'm sorry you ever had to feel any sort of pain. I really am, Zion–"

"Don't call me that," he barked, "you don't get to call me by my name anymore!"

That did it. My tears finally broke through the dam I'd built. My emotions overtook me and I left the car as soon as we stopped. I jumped out with my purse and snatched the keys from the Tag, ignoring the calls of King.

He grabbed my shoulder and yanked me so that I turned around, but I fought against him until my cries became too powerful. I couldn't do anything but sob. King released me for a few seconds.

Then hands were on my arms, then my shoulders, then my face. Thumbs wiped away my tears before the grasp tightened. Lips were on mine before I could even register the feeling. Once I did, I melted into it because it just felt so right.

King backed away, dark eyes meeting mine as he said, "I waited for you, but you never came back."

My tears dried up as he kissed me again. No other words were said, and I was still caught up on his. I wanted to say that I was sorry; I never came back because I knew everything had changed. I began blubbering, everything coming out at once.

I knew that he had changed, and I was afraid to see it. I didn't want to see how everything had undoubtedly fallen apart back at home.

I barely registered his apologetic expression before I was kissed one last time.

Then his hands were gone. They slid off of my face and into his pockets, his eyes narrowing at something behind me.

I turned and saw aunt Georgia looking between us, scrutinizing me as always.

I didn't hear her words, but she rushed down the porch steps and grabbed me up by the arm. She dragged me into the house. I watched from over her shoulder as she gave King a murderous stare before slamming the door in his face. She locked both knobs before.. embracing me.

I was too emotionally exhausted to even think of returning it, my cries now dissolved into hiccups.

She gave me a glass of water and I numbly remember her scolding me for 'getting too close' to King. I stared at the locked door until she ushered me into my bedroom. My aunt left me with my regular pair of pajamas and closed the door behind her.

I rushed to my nearest window and opened it, only to find our street void of King. His car, his Tags, and the man himself had vanished just like that.

I coaxed myself into drinking the water and taking deep breaths of the open air.

Shots rang out and I quickly closed and locked my window, pulling down the blinds just in case.

I changed into my pajamas and slid under my comforter. I didn't sleep for almost an hour, which I spent staring at the ceiling.