Kat | 9:57 pm | Hospital

When I woke up I couldn't feel my back. It was like numb. So probably they put morphine in my iv. I looked at the door as it opened. Jackson stepped in with some papers. He looked at me and smiled when he noticed I was awake. I gave him a small smile back.

Jackson: How are you feeling?

Me: Numb.

He sat in the chair beside my bed.

Jackson: What happened?

Me: Nothing. Dont worry about it.

Jackson: Kat.

Him saying my name gave me chills. The good kind of chills.

Me: Can I trust you?

Jackson: Yeah but first. I wanna show you something.

He came close to the bed and held up a paper. It was my grades. The grade that caused my injuries went back up to a 96. I sighed in relief.

Me: Thank God.

Jackson: Eh, you could thank me.

I gave him a grin.

Me: Thank you Jackson.

Jackson: Your welcome. Now what happened.

I looked into his captivating eyes.

Me: You have to tell me something deep. What I'm about to tell you isnt just something that can be blown over after its out.

He nodded.

Jackson: I killed my parents.

My eyes widened in shock but no freight.

Me: Im sorry what?

Jackson: I came home once to see my dad raping my sister and my mother videoing it.

Me: That's sick.

Jackson: Yeah it is.

Me: How are you living now?

Jackson: My sister and I live alone. We making it.

Me: That's good. How'd you kill them?

What? I like knowing how people die. It's weird yes but I like knowing how they die.

Jackson: Baseball bat. I smashed in my fathers skull and hit my mother once in the head. She seized and died.

Me: Damn.

Jackson: Your the only one who knows. You can't tell anyone.

I held out my pinky making him smile and connect pinkies then we kissed each others pinkies.

Me: My parents are strict on grades. Well, strict in general. Whenever my grade goes down lower than a B, each night I get thrown around and 10 lashes to my back with a hot metal rod. Hence my infected back.

I looked down as a tear escaped my eye. I felt fingers go under my chin and lift my chin. Jackson wiped my tear.

Jackson: Dont cry. Why wont you leave?

Me: And go where? The only family I have is my parents. I'm an only child.

Jackson: Stay with me.

Me: Dude, I'm just meeting you like yesterday.

He cracked a smile.

Jackson: You trust me. If you didn't you wouldn't have told me. Your obviously not scared of me because when I told you what I did you didnt have a trace of fear on your face.

Me: True but still I can't. My parents will call the police.

Jackson: Hm. Well we've got to figure something out right.

Me: Yeah but what.

Jackson: You only get the lashes when your grades go down, right?

Me: Yeah?

Jackson: I'll make sure it never goes down.

Me: How?

Jackson: Connections. Now get some sleep. I'll be back tomorrow to check on you.

He stood up and went towards the door.

Me: Hey Jackson?

He looked at me.

Me: Your pretty awesome.

He grinned.

Jackson: So are you.

I smiled as he disappeared out the door. I laid back and closed my eyes, getting ready to go back to sleep.

Camila | Home

I sighed and laid back against my fluffy pillows. My eyes drifted towards the flowers Lauren sent and I smiled.

Lauren was not at all what I expected. I expected her to be a ruthless low life who was addicted to drugs or something because thats what people of her kind is. Then she showed me she's nothing like her kind. She's different. She has her mean moments but she also has her nice moments.

I heard a knock at my window and looked towards it. I furrowed my eyebrows before getting up. I opened the curtains and looked out the window. I looked down and saw Lauren looking up.

This girl got me smiling and I dont even like girls like that. I opened the window.

Me: Around back.

She nodded and I quietly went downstairs. I opened the back door and she stood there with her hair in a messy but cute bun, sweatpants and a crop top.

Me: Be very quiet.

She nodded and closed and locked the door behind her.

I led her upstairs and into my room.

Me: What're you doing here?

She sat on my window seat and unzipped her bag. I locked the door behind us.

Lauren: Well, I usually come to the hospital to see you everyday but you were checked out. So I came here.

Me: How did you know where I lived?

Lauren: Coulda sworn I said on the card that came with the roses that I wasnt telling.

Me: You also called me your princess.

Lauren: Cause you are my princess.

Me: As of when?

Lauren: As of when I wrote your my princess now on that card.

I shook my head.

Me: Okay then.

Lauren: How long are you out of school for?

Me: A week. My stitches should heal by then.

She nodded.

Me: You never did tell me how old you were.

She handed me a bag from McDonald's. I got so excited that I hugged her.

Me: I am so hungry. My parents arent letting me eat regular food. Something about carbs. Or did they say gluten.

She laughed and returned the hug.

Lauren: Your welcome. You eat whatever the hell you want.

I grinned and laid on the bed. I began to eat my chicken nuggets.

Lauren: Im 19.

Me: I'm 17.

I grinned and she cracked a smile.

Me: Your mysterious.

Lauren: What you mean?

Me: The fact that this is a somewhat small town and I haven't seen you around at all is kind of weird.

Laren: I dont like to be seen.

She simply replied.

Me: Why?

Lauren: Reasons.

Me: What kind of reasons.

She shrugged.

Lauren: Maybe you'll find out sooner or later.

I playfully rolled my eyes as I began eating my fries.

Me: Thanks again for checking up on me and stuff.

Lauren: No problem.

Me: You work?

Lauren: Yeah.

I nodded.

Me: You make pretty good amount of money?

She shot me a confused look.

Lauren: Yeah, why?

I shrugged.

Me: Can't I be curious?

Lauren: I mean I guess.

I watched her get up and walk towards my dresser. It had my jewerly, my crossbody, my keys, some papers and some pictures on it along with a few water bottles. She looked at the pictures.

Lauren: Whose the brown headed girl. She looks kind of like you.

Me: That's Kat. People at school think we're sisters because we kind of look alike.

She smiled and picked up a picture that was taken years ago. It was a young me holding a first born Jonah. I had the biggest smile on my face.

Lauren: You were so happy.

Me: I always wanted a little sibling so I could look after them.

A tiny knock came to my door and I pushed Lauren in my walk in closet. I opened the door after hiding the empty food bags and Lauren's bag.

I opened the door to see a rubbing-eye Jonah.

I smiled.

Me: C'mon in.

He walked in and sat on my bed. I closed and locked the door. I turned towards Jonah.

Me: I have a surprise for you but you cant tell mom and dad. Okay? Can we keep a secret?

He nodded and we did our secret handshake that we do when we have secrets to tell each other.

Jonah maybe little but he's my bestfriend and I tell him nearly everything just like he tells me nearly everything.

Jonag: Promise.

I opened the closet door and Lauren walked out. Jonah's eyes widened and he ran to her. She grinned and picked him up.

Jonah: What're you doing here! It's late.

Lauren: I wanted to check on your sister but I have to go now.

He frowned.

Jonah: Why?

Lauren: Because it's late. I need rest just like you need rest.

Jonah: Can you at least wait until I fall asleep? I'm nearly there.

Lauren: Just for you but when you wake up I'll be gone. Okay?

He nodded and Lauren laid him in my bed and began rubbing his back.

Jonah: Can I see you again?

She nodded.

Lauren: You can see me tomorrow night.

Jonah: Can I call you sometime during the day?

Lauren: I'll leave my number with your sister.

Jonah: Okay.

His eyes fluttered closed and we heard his light snores. I looked at Lauren as she stood up and came towards me as I held out her bag. She grabbed it and slipped it onto her back.

Me: Be careful. It's night time.

Lauren: I will.

She wrote something down on a piece of paper that was on my dresser.

Lauren: Sleep tight.

She climbed out the window, hopped on a tree branch and slid down the tree.

Me: If you can do that why did I have to open the door?

Lauren: Cause I'm special.

I playfully rolled my eyes as I watched her walk down the street towards a motorcycle. I closed the window and got into bed with Jonah. I kissed his forehead and fell asleep.

-  -  -

Chapter 7