In the middle

Chapter 17

I was sitting in my car with Taylor. 'Do you know where Karlos is?' I asked her for the hundredth time.
'I don't know! He's not at school, maybe his house!' Taylor tried.
We drove down the streets to Bel Air. Houses stood grand, it looked like where Taylor lived.

I pulled up outside his house, there was a red car in the driveway. 'Should we try?' Taylor asked. I had texted Hannah, she'd let me know if Karlos was at school.
Before we jumped out I saw the front door open. Karlos walked towards the red car and got in.
'DUCK!' Taylor said. We slid down in our chairs as his car reversed and drove past.

As we watched him drive away we couldn't see anyone following him. 'Where is Julian?' Taylor questioned. 'Maybe we should try the gym!' I took off down the street and back into the main part of town.
We got there five minutes later. His car parked outside.
'Jesus, should've checked here first.' Taylor mentioned. We jumped out of the car and walked inside.

Julian was in the ring boxing someone. He was hitting back hard too. No hesitation. 'Julian!' I called. He didn't listen, or maybe he hadn't heard.
'JULIAN!' Taylor called louder. His opponent timed out and pointed towards us. I walked over to the ring, he hadn't looked over. 'Julian can we talk?' I asked. He squeezed water from his bottle into his mouth.
The other guy jumped out of the ring.
'There is nothing to talk about. You told me not to shoot him, I didn't shoot him.' He responded.

'Taylor and I thought you went off to kill him! The way you took off.'
He walked over to me and leaned against the ropes. 'I'm just letting off steam, some guy beats the crap out of you and you tell me to ignore it! That's fucking bullshit. So excuse me if I need punch something out.' He argued. He went to turn around but I grabbed his ankle.
'Can we talk?' I pleaded. He didn't move for a moment. Taylor was looking in on the scene.
He jumped out of the ring and I followed him to the back.

He opened a locker and grabbed tape out. 'I'm sorry I told you not to hurt him but I didn't want you to meet his level.' I said.
'Maybe that's just who I am! Did you ever think about that?'
'No! Because I know that's not.'
'Well, you'd be wrong.'
'Why do you have to fight everyone?' I questioned.
'Because that's what I do! That's how I solve my problems, you don't like it, ignore it.'
'It's not that simple.' I said.
'Fine, it's not that simple.' He replied. He was starting to bug me.

He sat on the bench, I grabbed a cloth from the sink and washed it with water. I walked over and sat across from him.
'Here.' I said. I was dabbing the cloth across his face where blood and bruises met.
'You don't always have to fight for me. Not to brag but I did a good one on him too. You were shocked when you saw me, should have seen the other guy!' I joked. He didn't laugh.
He was searching my eyes, he always did that and I wondered if it was because he was trying to find something, something I didn't know about.

'I just don't want to see anyone hurt you.' He added, his voice lower and softer than before. 'I'm okay!' I swore. He sighed and buried his head into my chest. 'I'm sorry.' I said.
'For what?' He lifted his head back up.
'For assuming you went straight after Karlos.'
'I almost did, instead I came here though.' I leaned in and kissed him, his lips soft and warm. His hands on my shoulders, then they traveled to my face, where his thumbs felt the edge of my jaw.
This was nice, sweet. Perfect.

Hannah and I were hanging out. We had just watched a movie. 'Hey, so I talked to Taylor.' Hannah stopped in her tracks.
'What? Why?' She accused. 'Because it was time to mend things. It's not her fault she lied, she was just trying to keep us safe.' Hannah rolled her eyes.
'Zoie, you don't get it! That life is bad, dangerous. They literally sell drugs, they are a drug cartel.' She emphasised.

'It's not like I'm going to be apart of it. Hannah they have saved my ass more than once, doesn't that mean I should at least try to understand their side?'
'No! You don't owe them anything. Please don't tell me you kissed him!' She wined.
I bit my top lip, half smiling.
'Great!' She complained.
'I trust Julian.' I defended. 'Why? He lied to you and you trusted him back then too.'
'Well...'
'I don't get it. I'm just trying look out for you.' I did get where she was coming from but that was only one side.

'How about I take you to the warehouse and you can try to make up with Taylor!' I beg. She crossed her arms over her chest. 'Hannah, you were her friend too.' I remind. She looks away, I know she won't meet my eyes. 'She hasn't done anything to deserve this hate, she didn't choose this life. Plus her brothers made her swear she wouldn't tell.'
I still wasn't convincing her. 'Han please! I miss us.' She lifted her head.
'Fine 10 minutes that's it!' She gave in.

I pulled up in my usual spot and got out. Hannah was less inclined to this idea but I had to try, I missed us three hanging out. The good old days, it seemed crazy how quick the weeks were going.
I knocked on the green door. 'This isn't shady at all.' Hannah spoke. The door opened and there stood Ezra. He rolled his eyes when he saw us.
'We have a front door you know?!' He left the door open and walked away. I walked in, Hannah closing the door behind us.
I could feel her judgment.
'They are in the main warehouse.' He muttered. He was standing by two large brown boxes. 'I wonder what's in those.' She whispered sarcastically. Ezra looked up unamused.

'She won't snitch!' I swore.

We walked down the hall and through the door. I had never been in this area.
'Zoie! Hannah?' Taylor asked slightly confused. 'Hey, uh can we talk?' I asked. Taylor seemed worried. She was twisting her fingers around each other. 'Yeah! Sure.' She said. We followed her to a small dark room downstairs. I hadn't been in this room either. A whiteboard hung on the wall with nothing on it. A small desk and couch and that was it.
The room had smaller boxes lying around.
'Hannah wants to hear you side of the story.' I explained. Taylor jumped up to sit on the desk.

'I'm sorry.' She started. 'Look Hannah, I never meant to hurt you! I was trying to look out for you, both of you. I know how you feel about my family's business but I miss you.' Hannah seemed to soften, ever so slightly.
'It's all so messed up now.' Taylor went on. 'I would have told you but I couldn't. I still want to be friends.' Taylor pleaded.
Han was leaning against the opposite wall.
'I don't want to get involved, with any of this.' Hannah pointed outside to the main house.
'I know! And you won't, I don't know about Zoie but my brothers don't like conflict, they like to keep their circle small. I'm barley involved.' Taylor explained.

There was a long silence. 'So what's with all the shipments?' Hannah asked. Taylor shifted. 'Do you really wanna know?' She asked, Hannah didn't do anything's. She just waited for Taylor to reply. 'Okay, you know what? I'm not gonna tell you.' She smiled sheepishly.

'Can we be friends again?' Taylor questioned. I gave Hannah a sympathetic smile.
'Sure, fine! But last chance.' She argued.
'Yeah, of course.'

The door swung open and in walked Ezekiel. He stopped and rolled his eyes when he saw us three.
'Can you get your hormonal, teenage, girly, drama bullshit out of my warehouse!' He bickered. 'Fine.' Taylor said as we followed her out.