Swept Off My Feet- Rini Fanfiction

So Much Has Happened

WARNING ~~ long chapter
*Nini*

"Stop, you're hurting him!" I yelled at the top of my lungs, trying to break free of Dylan's very string grasp on my shoulders.
Finn and Jayden, who supposedly were like Jaydens minions, held EJ up by the arms while Jayden continued to beat up EJ, mainly hitting him on his stomach.
"Stop!" I screeched again.
"Shut up," Dylan whispered sternly towards me.
Right as the three boys began advancing on EJ about ten minutes ago, I had texted Ricky to get his ass over here.
He still hasn't showed up.
I noticed EJ was getting tired and he might have been slipping out of consciousness.
"Please stop," I said again, giving up on fighting Dylan, who was twice my size.
Then I felt tears well up in my eyes and I knew this wasn't going to end well.

• Thirty minutes ago •

"I'm glad we're still doing this!" I told EJ as we ran together on our way to the beach.
EJ has been a really good friend to me lately and we've started to run more often.
Well, at least I have.
We now run together, giving each other motivation to do so daily.
"Me too!" He exclaimed. "I'm glad our history hasn't gotten in the way of our friendship now."
"Of course not!" I smiled.
We ran down to the beach, where we take our rest stop and catch our breath.
I looked at my phone which was tucked in my side pocket of my leggings.
"7:27 AM," I read aloud.
We didn't stay on the beach long.
EJ suggested we only take five minute breaks, or else we won't want to continue our run.
I looked out in the horizon and admired the huge glowing orb crawling it's way up the sky.
"We should head back," EJ said, looking at something towards the entrance of the beach and then back towards me.
"It hasn't been five minu-"
"I know!" He cut off, quickly. "Let's just head back."
"Are you okay?" I asked.
He nodded, looking back towards the entrance. 
We began walking back up the beach where we would continue our run.
That's when I heard a loud voice yell from across the beach.
"EJ Caswell!
I snapped my head in the direction of the voice.
EJ froze in his tracks.
I looked at him, wondering how someone knew his name while we were away from home.
"Let's just go," he said and we were about to start running when the person who called EJ, yelled again.
"EJ!"
I looked back and there were three teenage boys approaching the two of us.
EJ subtly pushed me further behind him.
The three boys came up to us, about five feet away.
The boy on the left had blonde hair, and looked really innocent, although the tattoos on his arms said otherwise.
The boy in the middle had black hair and darker skin, probably the one calling EJ's name.
The boy on the right also had pale blonde hair and blue eyes, and he reminded me of Seb for some reason.
"You remember me, don't you, Caswell?" The boy in the middle asked EJ.
EJ shook his head slightly.
"You don't?" The middle boy asked again.
"No," he said.
"Well maybe you remember Finn?" The middle boy asked, pointing towards the boy on the left.
EJ and I both looked over at Finn, who just looked at us sternly.
EJ shook his head again.
"I know you remember Dylan," the boy said, referring to the boy on the right.
EJ looked over at him and I saw in his facial expressions that he did in fact recognize him.
"You're Jayden McCruz," I blurted out, suddenly remembering the conversation Ricky and I had late at night last year about him.
Jayden was in our school freshman year and had a reputation for starting fights, getting suspended, making teachers lives miserable, etc.
He had been expelled three years ago from East High and his family moved to Sacramento.
Dylan was Jaydens cousin, I remembered that.
I didn't know who Finn was though.
"What do you want?' EJ swallowed.
"We're here to finish what you didn't," Dylan answered.
What did EJ start in the first place?
"It was three years ago," EJ breathed. "Let it go."
All three of them shook their heads in unison.
"Sorry, mate," the boy in the middle, Jayden said. "We saw you and your friends come here for a visit and we decided now was a perfect time."
Perfect time to do what? I thought.
"You live in Sacramento, Jayden," EJ said. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm staying with Finn for the summer. Seeing you was just an extreme lucky bonus," he smiled.
EJ tried to back up, but Jayden was quick and advanced in him, pulling in closer by his shirt.
I backed away from the both of them, texting Ricky.

Nini
sos.  please hurry

"Now are you going to give me my money?" Jayden asked, inches away from EJ's face.
Money?
"It was three years ago," EJ replied in a small voice.
Jayden loosened up on EJ's sweaty shirt and let go.
I let out a breath, thinking this was going to be over soon.
I was wrong.
Jayden quickly whipped his fist towards EJ and it connected with his jaw, making EJ fall back onto the sand.
"EJ!" I yelled and ran over to him, but was stopped by Dylan taking my by the arms and shoving me away from the two of them.
I noticed Finn was still standing there, unsure of what to do.
Jayden bent down beside EJ and punched him yet again.
I struggled against Dylan, but had no success.
Where the hell is Ricky??
Jayden used this as on opportunity to sit EJ up and with the help of Finn, they stood him up on his feet.
EJ's side of his face was bleeding.
"Now where's my money?" Jayden asked again.
"I don't have any money on me now!" EJ exclaimed.
Jayden punched EJ in the stomach as he and Finn held him upright.
"I'll ask again," Jayden said. "Where's my money?"
"It's back at the hotel," EJ said quietly, obviously hurting.
Jayden punched him yet again, this time harder and EJ let out a loud groan.
"Stop it!" I yelled.
Dylan shook my shoulders to prevent me from squirming around.
I turned my head to look at Dylan.
"What is he so mad about?" I asked, my voicing cracking.
"EJ Caswell didn't pay Jayden back for borrowing drugs," Dylan explained, not looking at me. "Four hundred dollars worth."
EJ did drugs?
I had so many questions and watching my ex boyfriend, now really good friend, getting beaten up in front of me was horrific.
EJ refused to talk, which led to him getting punched again.
"Stop, you're hurting him!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.
"Shut up," Dylan warned from behind me.
"He's gonna kill him!" I yelled.
"Nini!" I heard someone yell from the entrance of the beach, running up.
My whole body relaxed a little, knowing Ricky was here now.
"Let her go!" Ricky yelled, running up to Dylan and I and trying to pry Dylan off of me.
Dylan tried to keep a hold on me, but thankfully Ricky grabbed him and tossed him to the ground, freeing me.
I had to give credit to the countless times Ricky had gone to the gym to prep for lacrosse season the past few weeks.
He would always go home from the gym sweaty and sore, but went back the next day anyways.
Ricky crashed into my arms and I wrapped them around him.
"Are you okay?" He asked, worried.
"I'm fine," I said, pulling away.
I looked over at EJ who was one punch away from going unconscious.
"It's EJ we need to worry about!" I exclaimed.
Ricky got out his phone and dialed the police.
After a few moments, Ricky announced the police were coming, although that didn't stop the three boys.
"Ricky, go help EJ!" I told him, tears starting to run down my face.
"If I leave you, that guy will get you again, and I can't have that," Ricky said, facing me.
"The police are on their way."
I looked over at Dylan who sat in the sand, looking at the two of us.
Neither Finn nor Jayden punched EJ again.
They just kept threatening him.
Frustration, anger, and anxiety towards EJ got all bottled up and I broke down.
Ricky moved to stand right in front of me, wrapping his arms around my shoulders.
I did the same, and couldn't help but feel so worried about EJ and so terrible that we couldn't help him.
"It's almost over," Ricky reassured quietly, although the sound of EJ groaning in pain nearly drowned him out.