Chapter 24

                                    

                                          



"Are you sure you're okay?" My father asked again, handing me a glass of water to swallow pain medication with. It's been two days since the Vasquez family reunion and I've spent ninety percent of those two days bedridden. The doctors patched me up and I burned the dress which was ruined due to the blood, but the pain from the bruise on my face still caused headaches.
                          
    But I was still better off than Lucas who has been asleep for the past forty-eight hours. The swelling on his eye had gone down, the cut on his forehead had scabbed over, but the bruising seemed to be getting darker. I couldn't continue to stare at his unconscious figure so I've spent the last two days laying on the bed in the guest bedroom. Hiding from all the questions and people who were waiting for Lucas to awaken.
                          
    "I'm fine, dad." I answered, swallowing the pills and praying that a nap was in my near future.
                          
    My father nodded cautiously and gave a half smile that I knew was hiding his real feelings, "Okay Jellybean, if you're sure. I'll be downstairs if you need me. Or want to talk."
                          
    I should have said something else, something to assure him that I was fine and none of this was his fault. But I didn't know what to say to him. How could I explain to my father that I was losing my mind here because one man was threatening the life of a boy I couldn't imagine my own life without?
                          
    Silence met my many thoughts, greeting me like an old friend. While I begged for sleep, my mind was too wired to fall under. Images of Lucas on the floor, chills from when Clint touched my leg, horrid memories from getting hit. All these things swirled in my mind like a never ending whirlpool, going around and around in a perpetual cycle. I wanted out but at the same time, I didn't. I wanted to stay with Lucas and Rico and the Vasquez family. But I couldn't picture myself living this life forever,
                          
    I was too cowardly to stay but not brave enough to leave.
                          
    Even if I was brave enough, I wouldn't leave. Where would I go? Back to Chicago and my mom? Of course not, there was nothing left for me there. I couldn't go with my father to Washington D.C, I'd only get in the way. Division seemed like the only place for me but even now, it felt like the town itself was trying to eject me by any means necessary. I couldn't live under these conditions and I wished that Lucas couldn't either. Because then we could leave together and find our own haven, away from the cartel and Clint.
                          
    But that was impossible as well, because Lucas was still infected with the drug our fathers created all those years ago. If we didn't find a cure, Lucas was going to die. Then I'd be alone, a shell of a girl who once thought she could conquer anything. But this decision to move to Florida was proving me wrong, I couldn't conquer the cartel or Clint or Lucas for that matter. My will to fight was draining, why fight when you knew you would lose?
                          
    The door opened again. I expected it to be my father or Mr. Vasquez, asking me to finally explain what happened. But I couldn't tell anyone, not while Lucas was unconscious just downstairs. I promised to explain everything as soon as Lucas woke up but I had to know that he was okay.
                          
    Imagine my astonishment when I saw that it was Lucas who was standing in the doorway, arms crossed, leaning casually against the frame. My heart skipped a beat when I saw the bruises dressing his bare chest but, oddly enough, I was becoming used to seeing him black and blue. It was becoming just a part of his everyday apparel.
                          
    "Glad to see you awake." I breathed out, the worry in my stomach finally easing at seeing Lucas stand on his own to feet. Sure he looked like he had just gone through hell, but I was getting better at ignoring certain things like that.
                          
    Lucas nodded and scratched at his chin, "Good to be awake I suppose. Especially since things seem to be falling apart around here." His eyes met mine, "Can you please tell me why you haven't told anyone what happened?"