Temi POV

I look helplessly at the guns aimed at me. How did this turn into this?

My mind is spinning and I feel weak as I try to think of how the hell I ended up where I am right now.

"Temi, come with us and we would not hurt you," a guard aiming a gun at me says. He's standing a little distance in front of the other guards.

I don't believe him, but what other choice do I have but to go with them?

I'm about to comply when there's a loud crash and the roof caves in. I immediately duck as gunshots go off in every direction.

This is it, I think to myself.

I glance up and, to my surprise; I see I am surrounded. Not by the guards, but by a S.W.A.T team. They are in full gear and have their shields raised, forming a protective circle around me.

I feel myself go dizzy and swallow hard, trying to process everything. This does not feel real in the slightest.

"Miss Adeola," one of the men from the S.W.A. T team says, reaching a hand out to me, "you're safe now. We're going to get you out."

The shooting has stopped and from the corner of my eyes, I can see that the guards working under Katherine have surrendered. I look up again at the man standing in front of me. I'm not sure if I should trust him. After all, this might just be another ploy. Another way of manipulating me into giving them information that these people want from me.

I suddenly hear a helicopter and I look up to see a man dressed in a dark black suit lowered down into the room, till he's standing in front of me. His hair is gelled back, and he's wearing dark shades covering his eyes. He takes his shades off as he approaches me.

"Temi Adeola, you're safe now," the man says. "I'm Simon from the bodyguard agency Isa works with."

The mention of Isa's name simultaneously sends a panic and a calm through me.

"I-I don't know where she is," I say pathetically. "I think they got her."

My eyes are tearing up and I sound weak, pathetic. I feel dizzy and fall, but I'm caught instantly by the S.W.A. T officer standing close to me.

"You likely have a concussion," the man dressed in a suit tells me. "We're going to get you out of here and get you help."

"Isa," I whisper, but I'm not heard. I can barely even hear myself.

I am exhausted and tired. I want to cry, but I'm too weak to produce any tears. I don't care that I'm safe. I need to know that Isa is safe. I need to know that Isa is alive.

I want to stay awake and demand that I see Isa first, but my body can only hold on for so long, and I feel myself quickly slipping away.

I feel myself being attached to something and lifted. All the while, Isa is on my mind. I keep replaying my last few moments with her, the sound of bullets and the fear within me then. The fear within me now.

I open my eyes a crack, seeing the helicopter above me. The sun is shining and for a moment I wonder if I'm dead; I wonder if I'm being taken up to heaven. I wonder if I'll be with Grace.

I shut my eyes.

Even barely conscious, I'm able to recognize what an odd occurrence it is to see my mom. My eyes are half open and from the potent scent of antiseptics, I can tell I'm at the hospital.

Ironically enough, that's not the craziest thing. As usual, my mom is dressed in a classy business skirt-suit with her own bling to it. It's baby pink and her hair is in a perfect bob, hanging professionally around her face.

She's crying. My mom is crying.

I have never seen my mom cry in my entire life. I didn't think she could even do so. I had always just figured she was above such emotions.

Yet, here my mom is. Her perfectly applied makeup is messed up as tears roll down her cheeks.

"Oh Temi," my mom says, noticing I'm awake. She reaches out, cupping my face in her hands. Her hands are warm, which is a contrast to my skin, which feels freezing cold.

I want to talk but can't seem to. My throat is incredibly dry.

I scan my eyes through the room, till they settle on the man from earlier with the suit. Simon.

"Hello Temi Adeola, we took you to the hospital for treatment of your wounds. You were drugged too and have a mild concussion. It's essential that we have all that checked out too, but everything seems in order and the Doctor says you might get discharged later today."

It's hard to focus on what the man is saying to me, as my mom is currently sobbing beside me. She still keeps it classy and is crying silently, but I am hyper-aware of the continuous stream of tears rolling down her face.

"I've been a terrible mother," my mom suddenly says, shaking her head profusely, "I need to do better." She's not sobbing anymore, just shaking her head.

There's silence for a minute, during which Simon mumbles a few words and excuses himself from the hospital room.

My mom suddenly looks at me, making eye contact.

"I'm dropping out of the elections," she blurts. It's like a knee-jerk reaction and I sit up suddenly, with much pain.

"No, you're not." I manage to say, my voice is scratchy, and it hurts to talk. "You've been working towards this your whole life. I know how much this means to you."

My mom is shaking her head furiously.

"Temi, I almost lost you because of this. Is a fucking election really more important than the life of my daughter? Is it really worth putting your life in harm's way?"

I'm silent. I'm shocked and not sure how to respond.

"I need to give you more attention. It's what you deserve. Your best friend in the entire world died and I have barely been here for you. I'm sorry, Temilola. I hope it's not too late to repair our relationship."

My eyes feel prickly hearing these words from my mom. God knows how long I've waited and ached just to hear these very words. To be given some form of acknowledgment from my mother.

Tears are welling up in my eyes. My mom comes over, wrapping her arms around me. I can feel the tears from her face falling onto mine, but I don't care. Not right then.

I wish it didn't have to come to this for my mom to realize how much I need her. But I'm just so grateful right now and can't think of anything else.

Then I notice her. Isa. Standing in the room's corner, blending in with the shadows and just watching me.

My mom pulls away from me and I get a better view of Isa.

She's casually leaning against the wall. Her arm is bandaged up and in a sling, but despite that, I can make out the smirk on her face. She is looking directly at me.

"Temi, be careful," my mom says from beside me as I stand up from the hospital bed.

I ignore her completely and rush towards my Isa. My legs feel like they weigh a billion pounds, and I am still lightheaded. I trip over my own feet at a point, but of course, even with one arm, Isa catches me. My guardian angel through and through.

"Hey," I say pathetically. I'm not really sure what to say. There's so much going on in my head and running through my mind that nothing intelligent seems to come out at all.

"Hey," Isa responds, cocking her head slightly. She's looking right into my eyes, really looking at me in a way that nobody really does, "how are you feeling?"

I shake my head, trying to clear up the stream of nonsensical thoughts spinning around in my head.

"I thought I lost you," I say, and it sounds incredibly cheesy-even to me, but I can't help myself. "I heard bullets after I ran and I thought you- ."

I choke up then, unable to form the words I want. But Isa nods her head in understanding. Her warm eyes look at me.

"You know you can't get rid of me that easily, Temilola," Isa says. Her voice is quiet and light, but her tone is serious.

"Your arm?" I ask, "did you..."

"Get shot? Yes. Barely grazed me, to be honest. Nothing too serious."

I don't know what to say. I am leaning against Isa, still in the position of how she had caught me a few seconds ago, and I'm looking up at her, desperately trying to make sense of the sudden comfort and satisfaction that I feel just from her touch alone.

"I never should have left," Isa suddenly says, her voice serious. There isn't a hint of a joke in it, "I broke my promise to you and I'm sorry."

I don't know what to do, so I reach up and wrap my arms around Isa's neck. She instantly responds, wrapping her free arm around my waist.

"Just don't leave me again and you'll be forgiven," I say, taking in Isa's scent as I hug her.

"Deal," Isa responds.

For the first time in a while, I feel like I can breathe normally again.

"Do you have everything you need?" Isa asks.

"I think I do now," I say, putting my toothbrush into my suitcase. I look up at Isa leaning against my door frame, watching me pack.

She's dressed casually in gray sweatpants and a shirt, with a hand in her pocket.

"You shouldn't lean on your bad arm," I say, motioning to Isa's stance. She is currently supporting her weight with her arm that's still in a cast.

"Yes ma'am," Isa teases, readjusting.

I glare at her in response in order to disguise the smile that is threatening to form on my lips.

Isa sees right through me and smirks.

I am leaving for New York City to spend time with my mom for a week. It's the first step in our bonding experience. It sounds corny as hell, but I don't even care. I'm just grateful to ‌finally spend time with her.

When I get back, I have a couple more weeks of school before summer break.

"Where are you gonna be?" I ask.

"Right here. Waiting for you." Isa says, without skipping a beat. "I will be working on my art till you get back. It's weird not being a bodyguard anymore."

I nod my head, knowing what Isa means. Change is always a tricky thing.

Isa finally retired from her bodyguard job after the events of last week, to pursue her art full time and for us to be together in every and any capacity that we want.

"Your Uber should be here in a minute," Isa says, glancing down at the Uber app on her phone. "Let me help you with your stuff."

She walks a few steps towards me, then stops. We are standing, facing each other, with neither of us saying anything to the other.

Then I break the tension by reaching up and kissing Isa. Isa responds, kissing me softly. Her hands find their way to my waist and mine around her neck. I'm already on my tiptoes, but tug her closer to me still.

I feel myself grow hot from Isa's lips against mine and deepen the kiss, biting softly on Isa's lips. Instinctively, Isa pulls me closer till our buddies are fused against each other.

Then she pulls away.

"Let's take things slow," she says, "you've been through a lot." Isa pauses for a moment, her eyes seeming to darken slightly, "also, I won't be able to perform like I want to. It's my dominant hand that got shot, remember?"

My eyes widen once I realize the undertones of what it is she is saying, and I hit her lightly.

"Shut up before I put your other arm in a sling, too."

"That's more like it," Isa responds, laughing slightly, "now come on, the Uber is outside."

"I'll see you when I get back, then?" I ask.

Isa holds my eyes, smiling right at me:

"I'll be right here. I promise."