A Daydream Away

Alex's POV

I think I like you.

I think.

I like.

You.

That's all that ran through my head as the door was shut with a resounding click.

God, what did I just get Jack into.

As soon as the door had shut, I bolted upwards and ran towards it, banging my fists angrily against the peeling blue paint.

"You son of a bitch!" I cried, "You son of a mother fucking whore, bring him back!"

A loud slam from the other side of the wood made me jump, the sound being followed by a gruff voice saying, "Quiet down in there, or you'll be next."

I felt bile rise to my throat as I began backing away. Too much was happening. I felt myself begin to slowly panic. Why did Jack have to say what he did before he was taken? Of all times to do it. Was that what he was going to tell me when he ran into the apartment?

Thinking about it, if that was what he ran into the apartment yelling about, I really wish all of this wouldn't have happened. Instead of walking in to me hogtied on the bed, he would have come in, confessed his feelings for me, and we probably would have had one of those romantic-yet-cliche kisses as seen in movies. I can just imagine the fireworks that would explode as we'd both come to the realization that we were meant for each other. We'd finally start the band, become famous, travel the world, and all while doing it with the one I adored most. Maybe, afterwards, once we were put down in the history books, we'd settle down, adopt some kids, or maybe a shit load of dogs, and grow old together. All while being perfectly safe from psychotic criminals.

Was I going a bit over board with thinking too far into the future? Of course I was. I was trying to make myself feel better.

After calming down slightly, I waited in silence for a moment, to hear whether the man would walk away or not. When no sound came, it led me to believe that I had a body guard outside. This also made me curious, though, because, if I was locked in here, why would they need someone to guard the door?

I quietly sat near the door for what felt like hours, hoping that I would hear footsteps that would signal the return of Jack. Instead, though, all I would hear would be someone greeting the guard as they passed by the door.

"Hey man," the guard suddenly said, probably to someone who stopped to chat with him, "What's the deal? Why's the boss takin' too long? He's normally, ya know, quicker. Something happen?"

"From what I've heard," the other guy, whose voice was relatively high, said, "Apparently, the kid blew chunks all over him, totally killed his boner."

Oh, thank goodness he is safe, then.

A laugh from the guard followed that statement. Once he calmed down, he said, "S'what he gets for bein' rough. The kid's probably got a concussion or some shit. I mean, if he was knocked out for a few days, the boss probably hit 'im pretty hard."

"Sounds likely," the other man chuckled, "What I don't get is, why all this for some kid? I mean, yeah he's good lookin' for a dude, but c'mon?"

This caught my attention. I knew why all of this happened, and I knew, for a fact, that these two were talking about me. It was clear that, with me leaving, it took a low blow to Ron's pride. I stayed quiet, though, wanting to know what the two outside thought.

"Maybe it's 'cause his pride took a beatin'. Everyone's too scared to run from him, but he did."

S'what I thought.

"Stupid move on the boss's if you ask me. Shoulda just let the kid free. Like, yeah, he could have squealed, but he didn't. Why not just take that as a win and move the fuck on?" the high pitched voice guy reasoned.

The guard simply stated, "Everything he does is pretty idiotic."

After that, a slew of laughter and other bullshitting commenced, mostly with them talking about how stupid and/or unlikeable their 'boss' is. So, from the way they were talking, it seemed like these guys weren't as loyal to Ron as I originally thought, which might end up serving in my favor. I just needed to talk to the guard and see what I could get out of him.

"Hey, hey man," I whispered through the door.

"Didn't I tell you to shut it?" he grumbled, but not with the same amount of menace in his voice as before.

"Yeah, and? What are you going to do? Tell your boss?" I said, a smirk growing on my face.

I heard everything he had said to the other man, I knew what he thought of that man, and I knew that his loyalty wasn't as strong as I first thought. And, as expected, I heard the guard sigh, probably connecting two and two together.

"The fuck do you want?

"Do you know who exactly that boy is, the one that he's got with him right now?

"Dunno, some twink he found with you? I don't fucking know. Why?

"What would you do if I told you that that kid is actually the owner of a rather successful bar?

Silence.

"And, he is really well known around town because of it. Like, very well known.

"... what's his name?"

"Jack Barakat."

I heard him practically hiss, "Shit. Fuck, I've been to that bar before. I know who that is. Awe man, and people are gonna know he's missin' if he's a big deal. I knew that this move was fuckin' stupid."

"How obvious is it going to be that he's missing?" I asked curiously.

"What do ya' mean how obvious," he whisper-yelled, "It's gonna be pretty fuckin' obvious, he's, like, fuckin' huge into charities and helpin' the community. If you're with 'im all the time, you ever notice how many people seem to know him?" he asked

"I... yeah, I guess." I replied, now taking it in. I was just exaggerating when I said he was very well known in the community. I didn't think it was actually true. I mean, I know people say hi to him almost all of the time, but I didn't know he gave back to the community, too. I guess that adds another reason to why I like him so much. So far, besides how childish he can be, he's done so much for others. From taking me in, to just now learning that he is a valued member in our town, to even sacrificing himself for me. He.. he's too good for me.

"Hey, what's your name, kid?" he said, interrupting my thoughts.

"It's, uh, Alex, you?" I said taken by surprise at ho non-hostile his question was.

"Danny. Sorry you're in this mess," he said, sounding... sympathetic?

He's... sorry?

"It's, uh, no problem? I, I'm sorry, man, I wasn't expecting an apology, especially from someone who works for him

"Ah, truthfully, not by choice," he laughed dryly.

"Then why?" I asked, more confused than before.

He sighed, probably not comfortable with spilling his life story to a stranger, a stranger that he was supposed to be guarding.

"Hey, man, don't worry, it's your shit, you don't gotta-" I was cut off by him telling me to shush.

After a moment, which I was suspected was filled with someone walking passed the door, he said, "I'm in debt to him, kind of like you, 'cept I wouldn't catch the customers eye's, he told me. See, my kid, she was in pain, man, and my girl and I didn't have the money to take her to the hospital. I had known Ron from previous drug related situations, and asked if he could front me some shit for my kid. Apparently, what he gave me was worth a shit load of money, and landed me this position of having to pay him back."

"What would he have done if you'd have said no?" I asked.

"He has a lot of influence, and a lot of people who would willingly do what he said. Dunno how he's done it, but he's got a lot of people payin' off debts due to similar situations."

"I'm sorry, man. Sorry this happened to you, and sorry I judged you so harshly," I apologized after a minute.

"Don't sweat it. I try to keep up the "bad guy" persona to hide why I'm here. And most people don't take the time to get to actually know me," he said, and I felt like I could hear a smile in his voice.

"Everyone deserves a second change," I said simply. I heard a hum of agreement come from Danny, and then we went back to sitting in silence.

All of the information that Danny had given to me gave me more reason to believe that, if I were to hatch an escape plan with him, he would be all in for it.

Now, all I had to do was wait in paranoia for Jack to be returned to me.