Give 'Em Hell, Kid

We didn’t speak a word to each other as we sat in the back seat of the car. My lip was still bleeding and my head was pounding so hard I was certain it was going to explode. My entire body was shivering with tremors as the seriousness of the situation we were in started to sink in. I started to question whether we had gone too far, if we had let mindless violence overtake what was right. Then I remembered Fran’s unconscious body and I felt justified. I didn’t even want to think about what they would have done to Lexi when they finished with Frank. I had a sudden image of Lexi being held down, screaming for help while they hurt her. I didn’t care what happened to me as long as I knew she was safe from harm. Then again, after bottling Johnston over the head maybe she wasn’t as helpless as I thought she was. Out of the corner of my eye I could see she was panicking. Her face was pale with a clear sheen of sweat; her chest was rising and falling rapidly while taking in loud deep breaths. She was scared, and the handcuffs prevented me from giving her the comfort she needed. Ray looked calm as he kept his eyes focused straight ahead but I knew it wasn’t how he felt. I could see the clogs ticking in his head, figuring out our options and what was likely to happen to us. Until Frank woke up and spoke to the cops we were screwed.

​​​Thinking of Frank led me to wonder how exactly he and Lexi ended up on that side of town. The likely answer was they were going to check out the comic book store like we were, but why hadn’t they responded to my text? Did they go to be alone? Suddenly I felt cold as the truth of the situation hit me. They were seeing each other. That was why she had ignored me. Maybe that was why she was so angry with me when I kissed her. Maybe my paranoia stemmed from truth rather than irrational jealousy. It all made sense to me now, and it hurt more than anything else I ever experienced. I had lost Lexi to one of my best friends, and there was nothing I could do about it. I had played all my cards, I had done everything I could think of to let her know how I felt and it hadn’t been enough. Any fear or panic I’d felt suddenly faded, and I was left with nothing but hurt and cold fury. For a split second, I regretted getting involved and helping Frank. He deserved what he got if he thought it was cool to steal Lexi away from me. Maybe karma was real after all I thought bitterly. Then I reminded myself that Frank was still my friend. Not a very good one apparently, but he was still one of the few people in the world that meant something to me. He was a douche bag, and an asshole, but he didn’t deserve to get his ass handed to him by Johnston. Plus, if I hadn’t been there Lexi would have suffered and in spite of the God awful pain she caused me right now I would never let anything bad happen to her. I would rather die than see her in pain.

​​​I stole another look at her, catching her watching me. I almost swore I heard a whimper from her, before she scooted closer to me by a fraction of an inch. I then felt her cuffed hands reach for mine, grasping my fingers and linking them. The action was a reminder of all the other innocent touches we shared that had meant something more to me and it made her betrayal hurt more, but I couldn’t refuse the comfort she so obviously needed. When we reached the station she wrenched her hand away from me, and we were escorted inside. We were separated and taken into different rooms for further questioning. Well, they called it further questioning, I called it making me repeat the story a million times until my voice went hoarse. I had asked for a phone call but they told me I had to wait, with sarcastic smirks that told me they were enjoying making me sweat. I gritted my teeth as they bombarded me with the same questions, hoping I would slip up or give any indication that I was lying. I had always believed that Cops were suppose to help people, that they were the good guys but the two officers who stared at me with condescension weren’t good guys. They were assholes who abused their power for their own amusement.

​​​Once Frank was okay, if[/] he was okay, the situation would hopefully be cleared up. Until then, I had no idea what was going to happen. My throbbing head ached even more when I thought about how my parents would react. Mikey had gone home before the cops came so surely they know what had happened by now? Were they waiting for me to come home, or did they realise by now that I was still in police custody? The interrogation was interrupted by a timid looking female cop, who rushed over to the cop who was in the middle of asking me question. She whispered in his ear and I saw his expressionless face drop a little. He stood up sharply.

​​​‘I’ll be back in one moment’ he barked, storming out of the room with a slam of the door.
I sat and waited patiently, being handcuffed and all meant I could do nothing else. I didn’t have to wait too long before the door opened again, this time the cop was followed by my father. I had never been so happy to see him as I was in that moment.

​​​‘You’re free to go’ the cop muttered, un-cuffing me with narrowed eyes.

​​​The unnervingly calm expression on my father’s face made me nervous. I was worried that I was in for a lecture when I got home. Even though we hadn’t done anything wrong I wouldn’t be surprised if I was still somehow responsible for what happened in my parents’ eyes. I stood up slowly, the pain in my ribs hindering my movements. I followed my father through the door and out of the holding area in silence. When we were buzzed out into the reception area I spotted Alexia with Mr Collins and Ray with his father.

​​​The moment Alexia saw me she sprinted towards me with alarming speed, slamming into my body painfully and wrapping her arms around my waist tightly. Ignoring the shooting pain I felt I responded by hugging her back, breathing in the scent of her shampoo. Having her so close to me, clinging onto me with desperation, made all the pain of the last few hours go away for a few glorious seconds.

​​​‘Are you okay?’ she asked with a choked breath.

​​​‘I’m fine. Have you heard any news about Frank?’

​​​‘Not much, only that he’s in ICU.’

​​​I released her, my cheeks flaming up when I saw the look on Mr Collins face. It was nothing short of murderous, and it was only through pure stubbornness that I met the gaze unflinchingly. Mr Collins had always scared me. He scared Alexia at times, and for good reason. He didn’t take any bullshit from anybody, and anybody who defied him would be put back in place very quickly. He radiated power and barely concealed anger.

​​​I turned my gaze to my father.

​​​‘Dad, I’m going to go see Frank’ I informed him. He nodded his consent, and I wondered if he was as concerned for Frank’s well being as I was.

​​​‘Dad, can I go?’ Ray asked, receiving a curt ‘go ahead’ from Mr Toro.

​​​‘I’m going with you’ Lexi stated.

​​​‘Alexia, we’re going home now.’ Mr Collins commanded.

​​​‘Dad, I’m not just going to sit at home while one of my best friends is in ICU.’

​​​‘Lexi you’ll do as you’re told. You can see him in the tomorrow.’

​​​‘No, I’m going to see him now. I’m not a child anymore Dad, I’ll be eighteen soon. You can’t keep telling me what to do!’

​​​I could only watch with extreme unease as father and daughter had a silent stare down in the middle of a police station. I didn’t know how Lexi could meet his hard eyes with such defiance; her body language matched his own as they both stood rigidly still.

​​​‘I’m warning you now Lexi, if you go there’ll be consequences.’ His voice was dangerously quiet and filled with an unspoken threat.

​​​‘Fine’ she snapped at him.

​​​‘C’mon, let’s go’ she ordered, grabbing my hand and dragging me away. Mr Collin’s gaze followed us as my Dad and Ray trailed behind us. My father gave Mr Collins a pointed look, as though to reassure him that he would make sure Lexi was safe. The drive was quiet as the three of us sat in the backseat, Lexi sitting close beside me and holding my hand tightly.

​​​We were shown to Frank’s room straight away when we reached ICU. I winced at the sight of him black and blue with IV’s stuck in his skinny arms. He looked so frail, and the sight of his mother sitting beside him with tears in her eyes made it even harder to see.

​​​‘How is he Linda?’ My Dad asked, his voice softer than normal.

​​​‘He’ll be okay, they just want to keep him in here overnight then they’ll transfer him tomorrow onto one of the wards…I just can’t believe someone would do this to my baby.’

​​​She burst into tears, her shoulders shaking as she covered her face with her hands. All we could do was stand there awkwardly as my Dad placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, reassuring her that everything would be alright. Lexi’s hand laced with mine as we watched the scene, resting her head on my shoulder as the tears fell silently down her cheeks.