I yelled in a loud voice, saying "Tell us, just anything and we will do it!"Then I noticed Kelvin motioning his right hand at the two thugs who stopped dragging us - loosing their grip on our shirts. So I crawled my way on the ground towards Andrew who was coughing and wincing in pain. "Now let's come to a mutual agreement shall we?" Kevin's voice broke out as he came forward and squatted in front of us as we sat side by side on the ground with my left arm around Andrew's shoulder. "Just anything, name it and let us go please" I begged in a frightened voice, gulping hard as I kept my gaze fixed on Kelvin who laughed contemptuously and raised himself to stand erect. Then the smile on his face vanished into a wicked smirk as he parted his lips and said. "If I ever see you anywhere near Chloe, I'll come after your friend or that pretty girl I saw on the video call. Do we have a deal?" "Ye--es" I managed to say with a nervous shake of my head - looking at Kelvin who signalled his tw
"So um... How's your mom?" Andrew's low voice broke out after a few minute of silence, trying to change the main subject of our discussion."She's fine" I chuckled with an awkward shake of my head before standing up from the sofa. "Look man, I need to um -- get going to work, maybe I'll stop by later in the evening" "Yea sure... You do your thing -- I'll be here till I get discharged" He replied, giving me a vigorous nod of his head as he spoke. Then I scoffed and turned to leave when Andrew called back to me again. "Hey Liam""Uh huh" I hummed lowly and turned around to face him. "Look man, I never really thanked you for saving me last night...and it's selfish of me. So thank you -- for having my back" Andrew heaved in a much remorseful voice that broadened the smile on my face. "You would have done the same for me bro. Now -- if you'll excuse me, I have some gardening to attend to" I replied, concluding my response with an amused laugh that also got Andrew laughing -- and witho
"Someone thinks he can make a fool of me""What do you mean?" I asked, gently dropping the mower on the floor with a nervous look on my face."Don't fu*king ask me to explain myself" Kelvin growled under his clenched teeth - pointing his right index finger at me as he took a step closer. "I thought I warned you to stay clear of Chloe? -- but it looks to me...""She only wanted to ask me if I was going to be working tomorrow which I told her no" I lied in interruption, trying to sound as convincing as possible while fixing my eyes on Kelvin who slowly lowered his right hand and scoffed."Don't forget, I'll be watching" Kelvin threatened in a low concluding voice, wearing a mischievous smirk on his face and patted me twice on my left shoulder before turning to leave.I heaved out a deep breath after he left. For a split second I thought he was going to confront me about my phone call with Andrew. But clearly, he had zero knowledge of that!'Make all the threat you want, soon -- this wil
So without warning, I moved forward with both hands clenched hard on the wooden stick and swung it hard, hitting him on the side of his face that got the guy wincing in pain. His other brother was quite furious at my sudden action and was about raising himself to come at me when Ramirez moved forward and slammed the butt of his gun hard on his forehead - sending the Jamaican guy crashing down on his knees.I turned my head to look at Andrew as I retreated two steps from the thugs. I could tell he was pleased by what I'd just done by the way he nodded at me with a brief smile. Then the smile on Andrew's face faded into a stern look as he moved forward with his right hand outstretched, pointing the gun at the two thugs who were groaning with an angry look on their faces. "Now where does your boy Kelvin normally frequent -- like a club or mall?" Andrew asked in a demanding voice.But all the Jamaican brothers did was laugh at Andrew's inquisition, as if was a joke. What even got me sta
"Um..." I gave out a low groan and rubbed my forehead with my right hand, making my final decision on what to say. "A man got shot beside me at the bar tonight, so his blood got splattered on my sweater?" I lied, turning my cowardly gaze to the side as if I was depressed by what I'd just said. "Oh dear!" Shelly gasped in a saddened voice and moved closer, turning my head to face her with both hands pressed against my cheeks. "I'm sure that must have been so terrifying for you to have witnessed" Her soft consoling whisper only woke the frightening images of tonight's attack. "Hm-mm" I hummed softly. Then I raised both my hands and curled my fingers around Shelly's wrist as her hands remained on my face. "I just want to um... Get changed and possibly, get some sleep. It's been -- a long night""Yeah, sure... You don't look to bright yourself, maybe some sleep could do." she agreed in a hasty whisper, pulling her hands from my face before stepping aside to give me some space.I forc
We dodged incoming passersby, running like our lives depended on it with our arms spread evenly apart, swaying front and back like a pendulum. We had no single clue as to where we were actually heading to; all we wanted was to be out of sight from the stranger who was gradually closing in on us. Then straight ahead, we saw a crowd of teenagers approaching our direction. They looked like high school students on excursion with an adult male, leading the way with his hands pointing occasionally at buildings. "Quick, there's a path on your left" Andrew notified me in short breaths and rocked me hard to the bending with his left shoulder as we entered and continued running. The path was a bit narrow with walls of tall storey buildings line up - making it rather impossible for me and Andrew to run side by side. So he took to my front and led the way."Andrew?... Hey, there's a -- wired fence in front of us. What -- will we do?" I called out in worry with my voice slightly breaking in shor
"Um.." I hesitated for a moment"Dad.. Liam and I want to see you and mom" Chloe informed before I could even make out the right words. 'what?!' I screamed in my head, looking briefly at Chloe from the corner of my eye as she casted a quick glance at me. "Okay, then let's go inside so your mom and I can hear what it is you have to tell us" Her dad turned and motioned for us to follow as he walked into the house. "Are you sure about this Chloe?" I used my left hand to clamp Chloe's right wrist in protest, bringing her steps to a abrupt halt. Then she turned halfway to face me and pulled her hand away from my grasp. "Let's just do this Liam... It's best if we tell them.""Right --" I mumbled, clearing my throat as I followed behind Chloe who led me Into the house and down to their large, elegantly furnished sitting room where we both sat on the same couch, facing her parents who sat side by side on the opposite couch. I couldn't help but rove my eyes in admiration, staring at the lar
I lowered myself very slowly to sit on the couch next to hers. "Aha, Liam... Why are you here and not at work?" Shelly inquired in a surprised tone the moment she noticed my presence on entering the palour from the corridor. Then she sat on the same couch as my mom."He just got fired" My mom blurted plainly, expressing her disappointment as she turned to face Shelly who casted a shocked look at me."Why were you fired Liam?" Shelly asked with my mom now returning her gaze back at me. "I got -- Chloe pregnant, and she's my boss's daughter" I confessed to my mom under clenched jaw with my head sagged in cowardice. "What!" My mom's loud exclaim rose my head up at an instant. She seemed very shocked and raged at the same time. Then, her expression turned to that of surprise curiousity when she noticed how reserved and quiet Shelly was; after all, it was no big news to her since I already told her this morning before leaving the house."So -- you knew about this too?" She turned her bo