Heart without a Beat

Electra P.O.V

The cops questioned me, and everyone else at our table. There were a bunch of other kids that they asked too, but all they said was they hadn’t been paying attention. It was usual for Ada to fight. Nobody was surprised.

When we got back to Lyndon’s place we expected Ada to be up in her room playing Guitar Hero. It wouldn’t have been the first time. But she wasn’t. She wasn’t at anybodies house, in fact. And every time we called her cell phone it would ring 1 or 2 times then it would be rejected.

It was a first that Ada wouldn’t answer my calls and I had a feeling I’d really hurt her today. But that was too bad. She’d just have to suck it up. She hurt me, too. But wasn’t I her best friend? I was supposed to have followed her. Told her it was alright, that I was fine with it, even if I really wasn’t.

Now I had no idea where my friend was, and all I could hope was that she was still in the city. No. . .The state. Ada’s never run from the cops before. She always just takes her punishment. Now I was worried that she wasn’t gone on her own accord. Maybe she’d been walking down the road from the school and somebody had kidnapped her.

Who am I kidding? Nobody would fuck with Ada even if she hadn’t been an underground fighter. Her glares alone were enough to make you shit yourself. I can’t say I’d ever pooped my pants, but I can say that I’ve certainly heard stories, and I wasn’t sure all of them were lies. I believed it.

My phone rang, and I jumped to answer it.

“Ada?” I asked right away.

“Nope, tis’ Kellie. I was just gonna ask if you knew where she was. I heard she ditched out on school, and the cops.” Kellie, Drake’s younger sister, and Ada’s cousin said.

“Yeah she did. I don’t know where she is.” I sighed sadly.

“Well shit. This is bad. I don’t know. Where would she go?” She asked.

“I don’t know. We’re gonna go out looking now.” I informed her dejectedly.

“If she’s gone, she doesn’t wanna be found. That’s not surprising, so just don’t look for her.” Kellie ordered.

“Well shit I ain’t taking the wrap for this.” I growled.

“Nobody expected you to. You assumed that.” Kellie said disapprovingly.

Then the phone beeped and I looked to see that she’d hung up. I slammed my phone down and put my head in my hands. She was probably my only chance to finding Ada and I’d just pissed her off beyond repair. This was a grudge Kellie would never give up. I’d insulted her, her race, and most importantly her family. Now I was possibly in line to be the next person she jumped. Great.

Kellie’s P.O.V

After I hung up with Electra I nodded to myself in satisfaction as I dialed Drake’s number.

“Whaddup?” He answered on the first ring.

“Yeah, she believed it. I don’t think the cops will be at our doors any time soon, but just in case be prepared.” I replied.

“Alright. Thank you, Kellie, this means a lot to me.” He sighed.

“Aye, don’t thank me. She’s my cousin, too. Anything for her, nigga.” I said. “I’ll be there in a couple minutes. Laiken’s with me.” I added hanging up.

Laiken smiled in the driver’s seat and winked at me. He leaned over and placed a delicate kiss on my lips as he hid his car next to Drake’s. We climbed out and met each other behind the cars entangling our fingers as we began to walk.

“So who’s this mysterious cousin that I’ve never met?” He asked politely.

“You’ve met her. When we were younger you used to have a crush on her. Are you sure you don’t remember Ada?” I laughed.

“We’ll have to see, cause nobodies popping up in my head at the moment.” He laughed too.

Ada’s P.O.V

Duke LaForrest-someone I’d grown up with, and hadn’t talked to in 4 years-spun me in continuous circles making me dizzy, and nauseated.

“Duuuuuuke. Stooooooooooooop. I’m gonna throw up.” I complained trying to grab something that could hold me in place.

“Well, better hold it in.” He laughed spinning me faster.

“I’ll get him to stop you if you smoke this with us.” Dakota taunted holding up an unlit blunt.

I could barely see what it was because my head and the world were spinning, and the worst part was they were spinning in opposite directions.

“No! I don’t wanna do drugs.” I groaned. “Make him stop.” I added miserably, but I had to admit, I was having fun with them all.

“Nope.” She sighed lighting it and taking a couple hits.

Karmen taunted me, blowing the smoke at me as I spun.

“This is all it takes.” She said in a sing-song.

“Fine! I’ll take a couple hits!” I yelled.

“Alright Duke.” Dakota ordered.

He let me go, and wrapped an arm around my waist to hold me steady before I went spinning uncontrollably and fell on my face. He held me there until the world stopped spinning then passed me over to Dakota who passed me the blunt.

I looked at it regrettably for a second before taking a couple hits. Well this is only the first relapse, it won’t be hard to quit again. I thought as I took a couple more. I heard the door open and descending footsteps. Somebody turned the music off, and all eyes turned to me as they noticed Laiken Iversen standing there with Kellie.

Even I froze, and I wasn’t sure why. I wasn’t even sure how I recognized him, but I did. . .and he recognized me.

“Told ya you knew her.” Kellie said to Laiken.

“AdaLynn. Oh my god. . .it’s been-”

“Forever.” I finished standing.

I handed the joint to Kellie and wrapped my arms around him in a tight embrace as he did the same to me. I rested my head on his shoulder and he pressed a kiss to my temple. I took a deep breath, and breathed it out through my mouth to calm my frayed nerves.

He took my hand and led me to a vacant room where there was a couch, a bed, a stereo, a tv, a clock, a lamp, a book shelf full of pictures, an armchair, and a dresser covered in more pictures.

“Nobody sleeps in here right now, so we don’t have to worry about anyone getting mad.” Laiken informed me as he sat us on the couch.

Everyone could see us from the living room, but I didn’t close the door. We had nothing to hide. He was like my big brother.

“AdaLynn. . .Christ, where have you been?” He demanded.

“Recovering? Just basically staying away from here.” I summed up.

“Why? You know, not everyone here was happy to, you know, see you just disappear from our lives. Most of us were pissed.” He growled glaring right through me.

“I was pissed too. I was stabbed, shot at, jumped, kidnapped, and then I am the one who gets arrested, and guess where my family is? Not coming to save me. I was on my own, and I was the victim. . .of everything.” I ranted.

“That’s life, Ada. Get over it.” He growled.

“That’s your guys’ life, not mine. I wasn’t used to it. You guys said you would protect me, and you didn’t. That’s all I’m saying. I would say, no blood, no foul, but there was blood. All of it, mine.” I growled standing up.

“That was a long time ago, can we get over it please?” He asked.

“No. Mr. I’m-actually-real. I’m not a player, I love you.” I said snatching my hand away as I stood up.

“I didn’t mean it. Who believes that? Everyone uses that line to get in a girls pants.” Laiken shrugged.

“Well I believed it, asshole. That was my virginity.” I hissed in his face before slapping him hard.

“It was 4 years ago, skank. Forgive and forget.” He yelled as I walked away.

I stopped in my tracks and laughed to myself as I nodded. I looked over my shoulder and smirked at him.

“Oh, I did forgive and forget. Forgave myself for lowering myself to you, and I forgot you ever existed.” I said before continuing to walk out.

“Oh, nigga, damn.” Dakota crowed bumping fists with me.

She stood up and wrapped her arm around my shoulder laughing. I laughed too, as we swayed from side to side.

“‘Dis my favorite cousin right hur!” Dakota yelled pointing at me.

I don’t know where the camera came from, but as we blazed, and the night progressed I noticed that Kellie had abandoned Kellie, and picked my side. That’s my family. Hoes before bros. At the end of the night, or beginning, not sure, we started looking at pictures we’d taken, then we all tromped upstairs to upload them to our myspaces.

“Wait. . .what if somebody who’ll snitch on us looks at them?” I asked just before Jake clicked upload.

“Oh shit. . .I don’t know.” He said looking around panicked.

“I got it.” Kellie called from the back of the crowed, already toasted.

“What is it?” Karmen demanded.

“What is what?” Kellie asked looking at her trying to open her eyes wider.

“I’ll make a new one. You guys can be my friends.” I yelled wrapping one arm around Dukes waist because he was so tall, and the other over Dakota’s shoulders, cause she’s my bestest friend.

By the end of the night, I had 137 friends. When I woke up passed out on the floor the next morning, I couldn’t remember how I got there. I went into the computer room and saw Dan surfing the net.

“Whatcha doin?” I asked leaning over my shoulder.

“Your pretty fuckin’ popular.” He commented.

“How come?” I asked.

“Well I put up everything you wanted, and it seems more people remember than we thought. You have 240 friend requests and it’s been 9 hours.” He said.

“Are you sure? Is something wrong with your computer?” I demanded leaning closer to the screen.

“It’s no mistake. And you have 12 parties to attend tonight.” He laughed at my appalled look.

“Or. . .we could throw our own little pow-wow.” I smiled.

“Little? Everyone’s gonna be there. You have 74 comments saying, ‘Ada, hit me nigga.’ with a phone number, or ‘Lynn, my homie. It’s been a grip. Email with some dates nigga.’” Dan laughed again at my expense.

This time when I fell back onto my ass and just sat there.

“Let’s do it.” I said, suddenly excited.

“There’s the Native in you.” He winked clicking buttons, and typing a million different emails, or comments.

I felt really lonely all of a sudden, and I realized how different I was. I sat on the couch and wrapped my arms around my torso. I stared at my phone, sadly. I wished so much Electra, and everyone could be here. She wouldn’t approve though, and. . .who was I to put her in that position.