Lost in the Shadows

36

I woke up once again, but this time I woke up in a familiar scented room. I looked around the room noticing a new piece of art that Wes drew, I sat up wincing at the almost unbearably pain in my upper back. I pushed the pain as stood up to examine the drawing, I grabbed the picture with my pale hands as I admired the sketch with two people looking at each other I could tell they were in love by the way he drew the eyes, I could tell they absolutely adored one another. However, in the background they were surrounded by darkness, fire, and smoke. I couldn't help but fall in love with his interpretation of our love story.

I set the picture down and decided to walk downstairs to the faint sound of the boys talking. But before I could make it down the stairs I got a text message.

Mark: hope our little mess up doesn't effect our discussion on Friday.

Shivers ran down my back at his simple sentence. One of his men attempted murdering Wes, yet I took the bullet for him and my dad doesn't even show sympathy.

Me: see you then

I threw my phone back on the bed before making it out the room. I decided to keep the messages between me and only me, Wes would only flip out and he's already trying to ship me away to Georgia.

I slowly made it to the stairs trying to ignore the constant burning sting that pounded right by my spine. As I grabbed the railing of the stairs Wes quickly approached me offering to help, "You're supposed to be in bed," he instructed, but still helping me down the stairs as if he already knew I was going to argue with him.

"And miss all the fun," I chuckled as he lead me to the couch. He sat beside me as he continued to speak with the other boys on the opposite sofa.

"We're talking about how we can change the plan," Wes commented turning his head to me and then focusing his attention back on his friends. I just watched him in shock, I wanted to yell at him, but I wasn't mad. I knew that if the roles were switched, then I would be doing the same. That didn't mean it sucked any less though.

Wes noticed my staring and told the boys to give us some privacy before they walked out the house saying that they're going to get candy.

"You have something to say, I can tell," he casually commented turning his body to face me.

"Just let me go through with the plan," I softly spoke trying to reposition my back that steadily brought me discomfort.

"You're so stubborn," he groaned. "But you have to look at it from my eyes. You almost died yesterday, and now you're begging me to allow you to walk right into a man house who has murdered 142 of my people. I can't afford to lose you," he sighed taking my hands into his. "I saw you die in front of my eyes, you closed your eyes and wouldn't react to my words, my shakes, my kisses, you were just gone. And even though I was pissed that you took the fall for me and you were the one suffering instead of me, I couldn't be angry, because I thought that you were gone. I couldn't breath, I couldn't think, all I could feel was emptiness, and that didn't stop until you woke up. I don't want to feel that way ever again, and I love you too much to see you get hurt again. And maybe that's selfish, but I'm not letting you go through with the plan," he confessed as I just let him rant.

"I get that, I really do, but you can't just lock me up or ship me away when things get hard. You know that I'm the only person who can do this," I sighed as he just stared at me with his glossy blue ocean eyes. "After the plan on Friday I will come back to you alive, I can promise you that."

"You're hurt already," he said referring to hole in my back.

"I'll be fine," I said trying not to make any sudden movements.