Truth
***
The truth is one thing that is very difficult to say because of the uncertainty of the reaction of the person you are telling. Response to truth can either be good or bad but one thing is for sure, when the truth is revealed, it reduces the burden in one's heart. That is why there is a saying that " say the truth and the truth shall set you free".

****

Jimmy wasn't making any sort of movement and I was really scared. Even if the bullet met with his shoulder which wasn't a dangerous spot, he had lost too much blood.

"we can't just drive to the hospital, what are we going to tell them happened" Ricky asked still putting pressure on Jimmy's shoulder.

"what are we supposed to do, leave him to die" I yelled.  I was totally freaking out at this point. I have never seen anybody close to dying in my life and I wasn't planning on seeing one now.

"I'm not saying we should leave him to die, I'm just saying we should use another means" Ricky suggested.  Surprisingly, he was calm about the entire situation while the rest of us where totally worked.
"and how do you suppose we find another means" I asked
"don't worry I'll handle it" he said still looking focused on what he was doing. "how?" I asked again.

"well if you must know, Ginger my cousin knows how to take care of injuries. She wants to be a doctor like her mum so her mum gave her home lessons and they also have a pharmacy were we can get all the supplies we need" he explained.

"has she done something like this before... What are we going to tell her happened to Jimmy" I questioned.

"yes she has... and we are going to tell her the truth at least it's better for only one person to know than the entire hospital and even the police" he replied.

Soon after he called Ginger, she arrived in a black Sudan car. We had planned to meet at our usual spot in the beech.

After Ricky had talked to her for some minutes, she gestured towards her car for us to bring out the supplies.
After the tent was set up, I went in with Ginger and Ricky to give them a helping hand.

Within some minutes, she already removed the bullet and stop the bleeding. She seemed to know exactly what she was doing. After closing up the injury, they started blood transfusion from Ricky to Jimmy.  Ricky was the only one compatible because he is a universal donor.

Almost five hours passed before Jimmy finally regained consciousness. He really needed more rest time because he was looking really pale.

Jimmy said his parents weren't at home because they went on a business trip so we just dropped him off at home and Cody volunteered to stay with him for the night.

Today was really stressful and unexpected. The moment I got home,  I took a quick shower to wash the blood from my  body and went straight to bed without dinner. 
Who could eat after seeing so much blood.

****

The next day came sooner than expected. I didn't even get the time to sleep to my satisfaction. 
"acey mum's calling you" Sophie grinned.
"tell her I'll be down in some minutes" I instructed.
I quickly got ready and joined my family downstairs.

"I've noticed a certain change in your behavior for some time now" mum said still prepping the table for breakfast.

"what change" I asked defensively.
"I mean you've been coming home pretty late nowadays like yesterday"

"it's probably because of that boy" Chase smirked.
"what boy?" mum asked feeling more interested in the topic.

"No boy... I late for school" I sprinted out of the house. I guess that made me look more suspicious and of course and I knew that wasn't the last I was going to hear from mum.

****

As I walked through the hallway, Ricky just walked passed me. It was almost as if he didn't see me. I knew something was wrong with him for sure and the thought of not knowing was bothering me. It was clear that he didn't want to share what was happening to him with me, so I need to find a way to get through to him.

"Ricky" I yelled.
"ace what are you doing here... hmm... I mean this is school and you'll be here of course... what I want to say is that... never mind I'll see you later"  he fiddled.

"where are you off to" I asked.
"hmm... I... I just need to go" he stuttered as he walked away.  I wasn't planning to give up without a fight so I followed him. As he entered the drivers seat, I quickly opened the car and took the shotgun seat.

"what do you think you're doing" he yelled.
"I have some things to discuss with you and you haven't given me a chance so I thought I'll have to do it by force" I stated.

"can't it wait... I'm busy" he tried to give another excuse but of course I wasn't buying any of it.

"You have three choices. One, you listen to all I have to say. Two, you practically drag me out of your car and three, you carry me around in your car all day long" I smirked.

"you are so impossible... Fine what do you want to talk about" he asked turning off the ignition of the car.

"Well there are series of things I want to talk about so I'll just start by apologizing for yelling at you yesterday. It's just that I was really tensed"

"it's not your fault. No one was thinking rationally at the time. So what else do you want to ask me"

"how did you know something was about to happen when you warned me"

"Super hearing... I heard someone saying take the shot at the girl in a black shirt so I knew something was about to happen"

"well... thank you. The last question I'm about to ask you is something personal and I hope you trust me enough the way I trust you to open up to me"

"Okayyy...." he stressed his reply as if he wasn't sure of what I was talking about.

"you've been acting strange for the past few days. It seems you have something bothering you but you don't want to tell me. Is it that you don't consider me as a friend you could trust? You know recently, you've been the only one by my side anytime I was facing any difficulty so me not being able to help you during difficulties really hurts me. A problem shared is a problem half... " I got cut off by a knock on the drivers seat glass. It was a blond, tall girl and I must say she had a great figure.
The moment Ricky saw her, he looked shocked. We both came out of the car.

"hey babe" she said as she hugged Ricky. I didn't know Ricky had a girlfriend.
"hi" I blurted out waving my hand.
"babe, who is this" she said looking at me in a bitchy manner.
"hmm... She's  nobody let's just go" Ricky said as he opened the door to the shotgun seat for her to sit.

"ace I'll appreciate it if you stay out of my personal life from now on. It's not as if we are that close" he whispered before entering his car and drove off.

My heart sank. At this moment I was completely dumbfounded. Could I still be in my room dreaming or maybe I hit my head somewhere and all this is just an hallucination.

The rest of my day was completely ruined as I couldn't do anything except thinking of what Ricky said to me.

After I got home, I really had no appetite so I went straight to my room and locked myself in.
Ricky never told me he had a girlfriend. Was our friendship just something I made up in my little head. Some part of me didn't want believe that Ricky meant what he said but what to do, he did say it that I'm a nobody.

****

Two weeks had passed and I didn't speak to Ricky. Even at some occasions when we met, I just walked passed him as if I didn't know him. After all he said not to concern my self with his personal life.

"Ace I need to talk to you" Ricky called out but I just ignored him and went into the ladies room. What could he want from me now after all I'm a nobody. I couldn't bear to look at his face because it only reminds me of how much he hurt me.

I came out thinking he had already gone but he snatched my hands and pull me into an empty classroom. Was this like a thing for them, first they hurt you then they pull you into an empty classroom to make amends.

"let go of my hand... What do you want from a nobody" I said made sure to stress on the nobody part.

"I'm here to apologize for what I said to you before. I know it's not an excuse but I wasn't thinking straight at that time. As time passed, I knew I couldn't handle the fact that you were ignoring me that's why I'm here to beg for your forgiveness"

"I can't just say I forgive you except knowing why you behaved like that with me before"

"Fine. It began two years ago when my step father started beating my mum after which he would lock her up in the basement when he knows fully well she was claustrophobic. The beating had began to become too much so I decided to confront him.
But when I tried confront him, I didn't know had a gun. My mum shouted at the sight of the gun and the minute he got distracted, I took the gun from him.  I pointed it at him. At that time, I didn't know what I was doing. He tried to collect the gun from me but before I knew it, there was a gun shot. He fell on the floor bleeding and out of fear I dropped the the gun. As I was about running, he picked the gun and shot my in my leg. I still managed to escape from there and came to meet Ginger who fixed me. He died and I spent a year in juvenile detention center. While in there, my mum passed away also after which I came here. I didn't want to bring up the past, because I wanted a fresh start so I refused to tell you. Who would want to be friends with a murderer. I got scared of losing you so I ended up pushing you away. " he explained.

I was shocked to hear all what was going on with him and I wasn't able to be by his side but the thought of that girl still bothered so I just asked.
"what about that blond girl" I blurted out.

"You mean Jessica... We used to date until she cheated on me and we broke up and now she's threatening me that if we don't get back together, she's going to reveal my past. That's why  I had no option than to play by her rules"

I was happy that what I had thought about Ricky was wrong.
"I forgive you" I said hugging him.

That's a wrap for this chapter. My longest chapter yet.
Thanks for giving "in the midst"  a chance.
Love you'll