Chasing Stars ✔️

25.

"Maybe those aren't stars at all, but a map to get out of this place."  - Erin Van Vuren

She

"Are we still staring?" Jax's voice was only above a whisper.

Sabrina answered with a throaty noise. I dropped my eyes in time to see Jax sitting on the chair opposite to her, his body sliding down so he could lean his neck on the edge of the piece of furniture and look at the ceiling. That had to be uncomfortable, I thought, but I said nothing; my gaze refocusing at the white paint above my head.

I wasn't just staring. I was thinking about the predictable things in life; how if I had a glass in my hands and dropped it, I expected it to break.

"Your mother's body was found an hour ago."

In the back of my mind, I always knew I was going to hear those words. But as much as I was sure the glass would break, the sound still startled me, my body jerking away from the shatters. Matt's words... no matter how prepared I thought I was for them, it still shocked me. I could still feel the freezing sensation that took over my body, deeply rooted in my spine. What he said next, though... that was the unexpected, that's when the shards took on a life of their own, digging into my heart.

A high pitch sound cut through the silence. Sabrina shifted in her seat. "They are almost here."

I jumped from my bed walking past Jax and Sabrina, into the living room. Sienna sat on the couch, looking as John paced around with his cellphone in hand. They were quick to drive to St Patrick, so was Jake's father, who went straight to the police station with his lawyer. John wanted to be there as well, but Sienna reminded him criminology was not his specialty and he was too involved. That was the same reason Matt had given to excuse himself. I was still grateful he was the one telling me; I had to thank him later, I realized when almost an hour later, I had to endure being officially notified by the police.

"I made more coffee." Sienna walked the short distance to the kitchen, followed by Jax. He had sobered up by then, but the sun was already shining outside, and none of us had slept.

"Brian and Mr. Acardi are almost here," Sabrina repeated the news for her parent's sake.

It still took at least ten minutes of heavy silence before the doorbell rang. My head went spinning. I didn't know if I was ready to hear the news. Brian walked in, accompanied by a tall man. His tan skin and imposing figure were the only things I could connect to Jake. His eyes scanned the room, stopping on my face. My body sank a little further on the couch. The depth of his stare seemed to have the power to drain the little energy I had left.

"You're Alexa, I assume." He went straight to the point, and I wondered if any part of him was wishing we could have met under different circumstances, with Jake introducing us over a nice cup of tea.

I nodded, feeling ridiculous that my voice failed me.

"Your mother was trying to extort money from Jake. Today was payment day, but he got a little nervous and went to a bar first. He drank a little. Young people being young, there were a few punches throw around. As Jake knows how to hold his own, he eventually got out of the situation and carried on with his plan. When he arrived at the meeting point, he found that woman dead on the floor. Police arrived shortly after."

I felt my eyebrows get closer together. Something didn't make sense. What was it? Jake's father continued.

"Even though Jake doesn't have a record, they will hold him in custody until the autopsy is finished. It will prove that she was already dead. The problem is someone hit her good before she died. Jake was also a little ruffled up." his eyes refocused on me, his voice still holding the same nonchalant tone "As she hit you under the influence of drugs before, they are thinking she was high and had a confrontation with Jake."