The Bodyguard

6

2 MONTHS LATER.

The feeling of the hot water rushing over my body gave me an ecstatic feeling. At that moment, I was happy, but not content. I was a bit frustrated at life for throwing spiked bottles at me continuously.

I come out of the shower, water dripping off my wet body. I planned on asking Benji for a loan, but thinking about it again, I was too embarrassed to do it. I couldn't bring myself to do it. I couldn't afford to wash my hair because there was no electricity— my bill was more than overdue.

I clean my body, heading to my mini cupboard. I take out my jeans, ready to get dressed. "Shit." I mutter, as sand begins to pour out from the jeans. I hadn't worn the jeans in a long tine and I'd forgot to wash it the last time I'd worn out. "How did I get so much sand into this?" I wonder, racking my brain. Then, it hits me. I was at the beach. I was at the beach! I drop the jeans on the floor and sprint to the living room. I pick up my phone. I search for "Fast Guard Jeanna", as those are the words I remember the random lady at the beach saying. The result pop up, and I'm beyond elated. I had the answer right in front of me, I had a job opportunity right in front of me, and I failed to remember.

"Oh, God." I cross my fingers, silently praying that everything falls into place. I sprint back to my room and begin to get ready.

****

Entering the elevator, I breathe out, somewhat nervous. Thankfully, the elevator is empty.

"You've gotta get this, Drea. Woah!" I breathe out, my fist in the air, cheering myself on. The elevator opens and I walk into a bright hallway decorated with black coral marbles. The name of the company, Fast Guard, is imprinted on the wall in bold italics. There's an attendant sitter behind a mahogany desk. She's dressed corporately, in a formal white checkered top and black skirt. I can see a woman walking down the hallway, dressed as similar as I am, in a black blazer and black palazzo pants.

"Hi. Good morning." I say to the attendant.

"Do you have an appointment?" She asks me in a rather uninterested tone. She continues, "Hm? Do you?"

"Jeanna. Jeanna told me to come here," I respond, looking around the room. It was too quiet, but I didn't find it weird.

"Huh? Jeanna?" The attendant asks, cackling. She bursts out laughing. "Really, Jeanna called you here?"

"Yes, she did." I cough, uncomfortable. I tuck my hair behind my ear, even though there are no loose strands. I continue, "Is there a problem?" At this point, I'm beginning to get a tad bit embarrassed. What if I'm in the wrong place? What if I didn't hear her, Jeanna, correctly? Oh, shit.

"Jeanna doesn't even work here. She's been, hospitalized."She responds, whispering. She continues, "Jeanna doesn't work here, sorry. If you wanna see Mr. Reynolds, you gotta book an appointment and state your reason for you know, the appointment."

****

It's a little after 10:00am, and I'm leaving the building, sad and dejected. I'd had high hopes, finally hoping that I'd get a solution for all my financial problems.

For almost my entire life, I'd had to work hard and repay a debt that I had no business with.

"Watch it!" A man yells at me, giving me a stern look. I compose myself, jerking myself out of my thoughts.

"Sorry." I murmur, raising my head up. I notice a group of men and women gathered. They were dressed in suites so it was safe to assume that they were bodyguards. I watch the angry man join them, his hand, massaging his temples.

"To the docks!" I hear someone yell amongst them, and in a split second, I see all of them running.

"The hell?" I mutter, wondering what the ruckus could be about.

**

I'm outside, trying to get a taxi but there's none in sight. I was used to wearing heels at work, but my legs were hurting— it'd been months since I last wore work heels.

"Hey!" I call out to a taxi that finally drives by and just as I'm about to cross over the road to meet him, I hear gunshots. I freeze. Immediately, my instincts kick in, and I duck for cover. The driver zooms off.
"Damn." I grumble, almost panicked. I wasn't armed. I try to scan the area, but I can't seem to locate where the gunshots are coming from, although I can tell they're close by. Thankfully, the roads are somewhat empty. The gunshots stop, then it dawns on me— it was probably where the bodyguards rushed off to. Something was probably happening. I tilt my head to corner, thinking of possible ways the situation could favor me.

"Think, Drea, think!" I get up, still scanning the area as I walk towards the direction the gunshots came from earlier. As I go farther, I can hear voices screaming. From the tone of the voices I can make out, it seems like an altercation or negotiation of some sort.

Slowly and steadily, I begin to approach what I presume to be the docks. I reach there. From behind a black Volkswagen, I can see a bit of what's going on. There are two yachts. The bodyguards are on one and I can see a group of teenagers on the other. I look closely again, squinting my eyes.

"They've probably been abducted." I say to myself, realizing the situation on ground.

"Get down. . ." Is the only thing I'm able to make out from the exchange between the abductors and the bodyguards. Soon after, I see the bodyguards get off their yacht. They are still armed, their guns pointed at the abductors. The teenagers are alighting the yacht too when I notice something strange. There's a small opening just beneath the hull of the yacht. It's almost like a window.

"Shit!" I get up and I sprint towards the kids to push them out of the way. "Duck!" I yell, rushing towards the line of teenagers a few feet away from me.

"Freeze!" I hear someone yell, but I ignore. As I'm running, I quickly jack a gun out of the hands of a bodyguard— thankfully there's no scuffle. I reach the kids just in time, "Duck!" I yell, as I point my aim towards the hull. I shoot.

Realization finally sets in on the bodyguards behind me, as they begin to charge towards the other yacht, shooting their guns.

"Come with me." We rush to a safer and shielded corner on the docks. I exhale, not quite believing what's just happened a few seconds ago.

"You- You saved us." A girl says, her voice shaky.

"Yeah. I did."

"Who are you?" Another asks me. He looks suspicious of me. I wouldn't blame him if he thought I was another kidnapper. I'm about to answer when a familiar voice speaks.

"Andrea Leister."