Semester in Space

Semester in Space 9

Chapter 9

Things feel so funny. I feel like there is no one that I can trust. I didn't immediately trust Bambi but I don't understand. Why the hell would Bambi set me up? I was on her side. I'm sitting here thinking that Pia would go behind my back and try to out me but it's actually Bambi. What the fuck was that about? I thought we had a deal. I pretend to be her little boyfriend and she keeps my secret.

I don't trust Bambi. It's the end of the school day and everyone is on their way to the dorms. The sky bridge is packed with students at that moment hustling past. I'm on my way to meet her to figure out what's going on but as I start walking immediately I find myself being pulled aside by Jax.

He grabs a hold of my shoulder.

“Hey...can I talk to you for a minute?”

When Jax looks at me I can tell Bambi is right down the hallway. She's talking to Chyna. She's probably giving Chyna some more marching orders for all that I know. The tide is definitely turning fast. Chyna went from following Pia and Bambi around to just following Bambi around. It's clear the past couple of days Pia hasn't exactly been the person that people head over to.

“Now?” I ask Jax.

“It's about that situation,” Jax states.

Shit. I'm shocked. I actually gave up on Jax wanting to talk about the whole journal situation. He has been sweeping it under the rug as though it meant nothing. Now he's standing here and all of a sudden, the last thing I give a fuck about is Bambi and Pia.

“Sure let's go back to the lab. It's private in there.”

Jax nods.

My heart is beating faster and faster. I can't believe Jax and I are really about to talk about what I wrote in that journal. I don't know how he feels about it. I mean he seemed turned off when he first saw the book but he jumped to my defense against Pia. Maybe he's not freaked out about it. Maybe there is some chance in hell that the chemistry I'm feeling with him isn't just my imagination.

I'm so nervous as we walk back.

My heart is beating unnaturally fast by the time we get to the lab. By the time, he closes the door on the empty lab and stands next to me I can feel a cold sweat drip down my back.

“I think we need to talk about it...the elephant in the room,” Jax states.

Fuck. It's happening. It's happening now.

“Yeah. Let's talk about it. I've been meaning to as well.”

“Great,” Jax states, “So I wanted to honestly apologize about the whole Mars situation. If I knew Pia had that planned I would have checked her a long time ago.”

Wait what? He wasn't talking about the fucking issue that I wanted to talk about. He was sitting here talking about some other shit. I thought he had finally wanted to pull me aside and talk about my crush on him.

“Jax. You brought me in here to talk about Mars?” I ask confused.

“Yeah. Of course. What did you think?”

Jax is really playing dumb right now. Maybe he just buried what I wrote in my journal to the back of his mind so deep that it got lost. He isn't going to address the real issue of sexuality right now. First, he avoids me and now he's just avoiding the topic. I consider being pushy for a minute. I consider really sitting there and just letting it all out, but what if he runs off again? What if Jax starts avoiding me all over again? That definitely isn't what I wanted.

So instead of being pushy I back down, I swallow my smile and force a smirk, “No yeah. Mars. Listen, Jax...it's cool.”

“So we good?”

We aren't good. We aren't close to being good. I was falling for this boy. Every moment I was around him I noticed something else I liked about him. Today was the way he'd lean forward, tilt his head slightly and pull at the front area of his pants when he's saying something serious. He is doing this now, playing with his belt buckle but staring me intently in my eyes. How can I be good when I'm falling in love with this man?

How can I be good with him if he's ignoring me?

“We're good,” I lie between my teeth and struggle to leave the room, “Listen. I got to go. I had to...uh...meet Bambi or whatever.”

I try to excuse myself. I try to walk out at that moment. Immediately I feel Jax grab my wrists before I leave. He doesn't yank but he secures his hands around my wrist in an aggressive way. It's so sexy how he is manhandling me right now. I feel weak in his arms.

I struggle to maintain a cool composure.

“Are you sure? You look like you're upset about something...” Jax states.

I can't even hide it. I can't even hide how hurt I am that he's ignoring what I wrote in the journal. Now is probably my opportunity. Hell..maybe it's some backhanded invitation from Jax to bring it up. I mean why would he want to pull me aside just to apologize for something that his ex-girlfriend did?

But what if I'm wrong? What if he really just wants to act like him reading my journal never happened?

“I'm good,” I respond.

There is tension. You could cut the tension with a knife. Jax's mouth is parted. He looks like he wants to say something. It looks like its right on the top of his tongue but he doesn't say it. He just closes his mouth.

And I walk out...

I spend my afternoon with Bambi. She is trying on dresses or something in her closet. Truthfully I could care less about what kinds of dresses she is trying on. I'm not thinking about that. I'm thinking about Jax. I'm thinking about the conversation we had...or lack thereof. What the fuck is going on between us? I'm losing myself with him and I can't seem to find it.

All of a sudden, the fact that I'm in space just seems so ironic to my personal life.

“What about this one?”

“Yeah...yeah...” I respond to her.

“You said that about the last three dresses,” Bambi responds.

She's right. I haven't really paid attention to anything. Bambi is honestly just one of those girls that looks good no matter what she wears. She prides herself on her appearance though but usually to me she looks the best with just a shirt and some regular jeans.

“I'm not good at this.”

“I thought you gays were supposed to be stylish or something.

“Guess I'm a bad gay. What is this all for again?”

“Uh...Jax's birthday. He didn't tell you?” Bambi asks.

“No...Fuck, when is it?”

“This weekend. I assumed he would have told you, especially since you two seem to be getting so close,” Bambi responds at that moment before adding something very weird, “We have to work on that...”

She bites her lower lip as she says it. It's clear she didn't mean to let that part slip up.

“Come again?” I ask her.

“Nothing...nothing...”

“Bambi,” I say getting up at that moment, “You just said I have to work on getting close to Jax. Why the fuck do you want me to work on getting close to Jax.”

“I just want everyone to stay friendly. You know,” Bambi smiles.

Her smile is as fake as her ass.

I'm getting annoyed because honestly a part of me was actually hoping Bambi wasn't as shady as Pia but right now it kind of feels like she may be on the same level. There is something so underhanded about what she's doing.

“Is that the same reason you stole my journal and gave it to Jax?” I ask her.

Bambi actually LOOKS like a deer right now. Her eyes get wide. She just stares out into space. At that moment, everything in her beautiful bedroom suite seems more interesting than the conversation. It takes a second for her to realize I'm not just going to drop it. She hesitates and then turns around. Her smiles is so faint at that moment but she struggles to somehow put on one as though she is innocent.

“Ok,” Bambi states at that moment, “I did it. I had Chyna steal your little journal.”

“I was blaming Pia. Why the fuck would you, do that Bambi...why the hell would you turn on me? We had a deal.”

“I'm not telling everyone your business. Only Jax.”

She is really saying this like this is better. Jax is probably one of the people I care most about on this spaceship. It isn't JUST Jax because Jax's opinion means the world to me. I can't believe I've been working with this chick the whole time pretending to be her boyfriend and now she was actually stabbing me in the fucking back.

“You sold me out? I had some personal shit in there.”

“Trust me, I know,” Bambi replied, “It's clear you have something for Jax. What am I---an idiot? Do I look like my name is Chyna. No. Of course I know you have something with Jax. But you weren't going to do anything about it. You weren't going to act. So I had to do it for you.”

“Wait what?”

Bambi crosses her arms, “Oh come on. What do you think I chose you for? I was in the backseat in Cali when you first met Jax. I saw the look you were giving him. So I decided it was about time to push Jax...”

Fuck. Shit was becoming clear all of a sudden.

“This was never about you needing a boyfriend. It was never about that was it?”

Bambi laughs.

She begins pacing around me looking at me up and down like I'm some sort of experiment to her. At that moment, I see the kind of woman that I'm dealing with. Bambi is a … master manipulator.

“Look at me. I have no trouble finding a man if I needed it. No. I needed a special kind of man. I needed a gay man,” Bambi has a cold smile etched on her face; “You see Jax and Pia have been flaunting their relationship in my fucking face. Jax turned me down. Me! Can you believe it? He turned down Bambi Hampton? And I thought then...this boy must be gay. He must be a homo. There's no way in hell. Then all of a sudden, he's dating my best friend Pia? Could you imagine how fucking upset I was? Could you imagine my embarrassment?”

Pia's eyes get dark at that moment.

All of a sudden, I realize what this is all about.

“Revenge...” I whisper my lips barely parting as the words leave my mouth.

“...is a dish best served cold,” Bambi adds at that moment.

“No one talks to Pia anymore. Isn't that enough?” I ask.

“No. Never enough. I want her obliterated. Not just her either. I want to make sure the people who embarrassed me never are able to show their faces again. Because when I saw the way you looked at him and saw the way Jax looked at you, I saw sparks. And hunny I know sparks---even if he doesn't know it yet.”

“Bambi he's straight.”

“Maybe. Maybe not. I took the chance. I changed your look. I brought you around him more. And I'm going to let fate play its course. He's going to fall in love with you. Pia is going to be completely crushed...and both their lives are going to fall apart. See, Mario. I have a plan. I'm going to DESTROY Jax and Pia. And you're going help me.”

She's evil. There's no other way to describe it. This entire time she's been plotting behind my back. This entire time she's been struggling to not only get at Pia but using me to get at Jax.

“I don't want anything to do with this. I don't want to hurt anyone...”

“Who said you had a choice?” Bambi asks me.

“I did,” I say standing up to her all of a sudden, “Bambi...I'm done with you. It's OVER between us.”

I storm out of the room at that moment. I can hear Bambi laughing behind me. She isn't taking me serious. It's clear enough that I've only been a puppet and I wasn't sure if she was entirely ready to cut the strings...

The days pass quickly until the weekend gets there. Jax doesn't tell me directly about the party that he's having for his birthday. Greg is throwing it for him and Greg literally goes out of his way to make sure that I am going to be there. He's asking me damn near every day if I'm going to be there. He even takes it upon himself to invite my friends.

By the time the party is coming around, I'm just nervous. I'm nervous mostly about Bambi. I have just cut her off completely and been avoiding her. I've been skipping out of lunch because I'm so scared to see her. It's not hard for my friends to realize that I've been acting strange.

“You want to talk about it?” Kaysha asks me.

“Not really. I made a necklace for Jax out of some asteroid material I found in the docking module.”

Kaysha smiles, “Oh my god...that is so gay...and literally the cutest thing I ever heard.”

“Don't encourage him,” Jae Jae responds, “Jax is straight. I don't want my friends reaching for the stars...no pun intended.”

I laugh, “That's one hell of a star.”

Kaysha smiles, “Boy. I'm with you. Hell if you have to be clearly obsessed with a straight boy, Jax Christopher is the guy to do it.”

“So you'll give him this necklace at the party?” I ask.

“Hell no she's not,” Jae Jae, responds, “If I have to deal with these people so do you. You can give him your little gift yourself. Besides you're the bridge that links everyone together. You do realize that right?”

I never thought of myself as being the bridge. I guess he's kind of right. As of now Jae Jae and Kaysha have been talking a lot with the Dollhouse. It kind of humanizes Greg, Chyna, Bambi and Jax. It makes it seem like they are approachable. Then there is me somewhere in the middle helping everyone along. Maybe I am the glue.

“Listen, if you don't go...I don't go,” Kaysha states, “I'm a ride or die. But listen. I really...REALLY want to go to this party. Not everyone gets an invite to one of Greg's legendary parties. I mean this could really put me on the scene once we get back to Earth.”

Its clear Kaysha wants to be up there so bad. Here I am once again not wanting to do something but doing it because of someone else.

“Whatever guys...” I explain.

The party is a small event. It wouldn't be a Dollhouse party if it wasn't exclusive. I mean they did expand a little bit because of me but old habits die hard. The theme of the party is a toga party which just works out fine for me. All I had to do was cut out some white fabric with scissors and make a toga. At least that's what Kaysha, Jae Jae and I thought we had to do. When we arrive and see the members of the dollhouse it's clear we are STILL under dressed.

Or actually...overdressed.

“Lord have mercy. I can die now, I’ve found my reason for living,” I hear Kaysha whisper to me.

I know EXACTLY what Kaysha is talking about. Jax and Greg are both shirtless. They have these mini couture looking pieces of fabric cut out. It barely covers their stuff. They have leather strings tying the front and back pieces together. The sides of their ass cheeks are completely exposed. The sex appeal is something through the fucking roof. I am beyond glad I was smart enough to wear two pairs of underwear.

Jax's body is hard. Rock solid hard and he's slathered with oil. He has some type of Laurel wreath. He is standing in the middle of the room getting attention from almost everyone as confident as ever. His little mini chiton skirt shows off powerful legs.

“You two have to be kidding me right now?” Jae Jae asks clearly embarrassed.

Kaysha and I are gawking but honestly, I think everyone else attracted to men is feeling the same way right now. I am in heaven right now. And honestly Jax is probably getting so much attention that he isn't even noticing us staring that hard.

Then there is Greg who hops up on the bar. He's pouring out shots into mouths directly and starting the party live. He could care less that he's not wearing any underwear. I can see DIRECTLY up his skirt at that moment. He has huge balls that are he's clearly wearing proudly.

“Hey...you guys made it,” Jax walks over to us, “You guys need anything?

Kaysha is star struck staring at Greg, “I think I need a shot.”

Jae Jae carefully grabs her arm at that moment, “Actually no you don't. Lets go sit over there, I think I see some people from my Geology class.”

Jax smiles as they walk away.

“Are those two...um...”

“Dating?” I ask, “I'm not sure. I think it's kind of clear that there is some sort of attraction there but they seem to be avoiding it...”

It isn't until the words come out of my mouth that I realize I'm talking less about Jae Jae and Kaysha and more about my feelings towards Jax. Jax might have caught it. He might not have caught it. It's always so hard to read Jax. He gives off an expression like he's thinking about something but instead he just opens his mouth and changes the subject completely to something odd like, “Let's go get some shots...”

And like an idiot I'm walking behind him, pretending like I'm not flattered that out of everyone in the room he walks over to me. I'm acting like I didn't want to follow him around the room everywhere.

“You're getting old buddy,” Greg is stating grabbing up Jax in the next minute.

The two start to wrestle. I am hardly paying attention to them as Bambi just walks into the room. She walks in with Chyna. They both have on some high fashion couture toga wrap dresses at that moment.

“Fucking stop it man.”

Greg looks over at me, “Mario... me and this boy go way back man. Best friends. Isn't that right buddy.”

“You guys may want to stop all that grabbing before someone starts to think something,” Bambi laughs walking over to us, “Right Mario?”

I ignore Bambi.

“How are you Chyna?”

“You want to know how I am?” Chyna asks.

It's clear she isn't used to being asked that question. Before she put herself above me but now that I was known for having dated Bambi Chyna was acting like I was some important person.

“No. He doesn't hunny. It's just a figure of speech,” Bambi quickly checks her, “No one care who you are. Why don't you go...I don't know...like...fix your hair or something. Over there. Quietly.”

“Oh my god...my hair...” Chyna states.

Chyna was a fucking idiot. She let these people talk to her any type of way and she was clearly just as blonde as they were. Here she was running to go fix her hair because Bambi made a comment about it.

“Is all that really necessary?” I ask Bambi, “You treat that girl like shit...”

“I don't like her hanging around my ex-boyfriend too much...” Bambi states.

“Ex?” Jax asks.

Bambi smiles at that moment, “Yeah, I haven't announced it to everyone. I got dumped today. First time it ever happened. Mario broke my heart...”

“You...got dumped...?” Greg asks.

He does not believe it. Hell Bambi wasn't telling them the whole story. She has this smirk on her face. What the fuck is she up to by telling people that we broke up our little fake relationship? Then I see her eyes. I see her eyes dart towards Jax.

Bambi is NO idiot. She is sitting there reading his expression and Jax seems...interested in something. He has a raised eyebrow.

“I'm sorry to hear that,” Jax states.

He isn't looking at Bambi as he says it. He's staring at me.

“It's ok. We really worked out better as friends you know,” Bambi says with this fake ass smile, “Besides...I kind of think he likes someone else and even though it hurts it's ok. I don't think I'm his type.”

Something is happening right now. Jax is staring at me. He's staring at me HARD. I mean he's not even attempting to look away.

“Since when are you not a guy's type?” Greg asks, “Mario I respect your decision man but my sister's a good lady. You're missing out...”

“Not everyone is for everyone else,” Jax surprisingly comes to my defense, “It's good the two of you are being mature about it.”

“But Mario was amazing in bed. Whoever has him after me is just...lucky. I'm so...jelly...”

She flips her hair at that moment and smiles. She's planting SEEDS. THIS GIRL is a master manipulator. She is planting seeds right in front of me. I can out her. I can sit there and tell everyone what she's up to but then I realize at that moment that maybe I'm not as good of a person as I think I am.

Because I'm letting her. What if...what if I want her to plant those seeds?

What if I want her have Jax looking at me in this new way that he's been avoiding looking at me for so long?

Greg laughs, “Damn Mario...why you look so serious? That's a compliment. You should be smiling.”

“I um...”

I'm overwhelmed.

“He's taking the break up hard,” Bambi states, “Jax...you just broke up with Pia right? Maybe you can talk to Mario about it. You know...give him a man's perspective.”

I'm letting this happen. I'm LETTING Bambi manipulate the fuck out of this situation and I'm letting her pull the strings.

And then I do something I open my mouth. I let her be my puppet, “Yeah, you mind having a heart to heart Jax. I know you been drinking and all but I mean, it'd help, if you're sober enough.”

“Hell yeah, bro...we're homies. I got your back,” Jax states at that moment, “C`mon let's go talk about it in my room for a second...”

Greg is looking at us weird. He's looking at us super weird but I don't give a fuck how Greg looks at me. Jax is leading me to his room at that moment. We are sitting in his perfectly perfect room and my heart is racing. Jax was staring so hard at me when Bambi told him that we broke up.

So here we are in the bedroom and I'm just as nervous as I always was. Jax is more confident for some reason now though. Maybe it's the alcohol.

“You ok man?” he asks me, “I mean, the whole Bambi situation. I definitely can relate to it man. People think just because a girl is pretty you're supposed to have chemistry with her. Sometimes the chemistry just isn't there.”

Jax's chest glistens in the artificial lighting. He makes his way towards the window. He leans up against the sun. At this moment, I'm looking at him with space in the background behind him. It's almost as though he's floating there. He stretches his muscular arms out and leans it behind his back. At that moment there is nothing so special in the world.

“I'll get over it,” I say quickly.

He laughs, “You sound like I did with Pia. I had no attachment. When I was done I was done. We aren't getting any younger you know?”

I smile, “I know...talking about age. I got you something.”

I go into my pocket at that moment and hand him the necklace I made.

“Oh my god...wow...”

“Happy birthday I guess,” I state, “I mean I know it's not much but...here...”

Jax doesn't touch it.

“Hey let me get some gloves and clean it off first...”

“Gloves?” I laugh at that moment, “What is it with you?”

It's at that moment I realize that Jax isn't laughing with me. He looks serious. He looks dead serious.

“Nothing...I...it's complicated.”

Jax is standing in front of a glass desk. I notice how he is looking at the glass desk. Something comes to my attention. I am noticing just how clean the glass is. It is damn near sparkling. Not a hint of dust is on this big glass desk.

“Come here...” I tell him.

Jax walks over to me at that moment. He seems hesitant. As he gets close enough to me I do the only thing that I can think of. I quickly run my fingers through his head and play with it a little bit. Jax has a fade haircut with soft waves in his hair. Each wave is in a perfect spot almost like he designed it in a art studio or something. When I touch his waves, Jax immediately jumps back and begins to freak the fuck out.

“FUCK! Yo...what the fuck man. Why the fuck did you do that?”

Jax is in front of a mirror in no time. He's struggling in front of a mirror. Jax begins to brush his hair over and over making sure his waves are perfectly in place. He is brushing so FUCKING hard. There is a panic in his eyes that I don't understand. I have this nervous laughter that rolls in the back of my mind at that moment.

“Do you have OCD Jax?” I ask him.

I'm joking when I ask it but I realize Jax still isn't laughing. He is very straightforward. Jax just stares at me at that moment and the next moment he just looks COMPLETELY defeated. It's like all the confidence he had is gone.

“Fuck I never told anyone about this...” he responds.

I feel fucked up all of a sudden, “Damn I didn't mean to get in your business or anything. I just thought it was weird that you're so clean and perfect all the time. I didn't know you actually had...”

“I guess its OCD,” Jax responds, “I just...have this obsession with things being perfect and clean. My image has always just been important to me. I don't know. I can't believe I'm talking to you about this right now.”

“Come here,” I repeat.

“Wait no...are you going to...”

“I am...”

“Mario...”

“Come here...”

Jax seems so hesitant but he walks over to me again. As he gets over to me I see him close his eyes. We are so close at that moment. We are really close. I don't know what comes over me but I feel myself rubbing my hands through his hair. I'm playing with his hair slowly and he's letting me. He's letting me do it.

He's breathing hard but soon he opens his eyes. Soon he realizes he isn't dead because I'm messing with his image.

He just stares back at me, “I have...NEVER...in my life let someone fuck with my hair...”

“And you still look good, I promise you,” I laugh, “Even with my disgusting hands having run through your hair...

“For some reason I didn't mind. My ocd is probably bigger than I'd like to admit,” Jax explains, “And truth is I find a lot of things disgusting. But you aren't one of them...”

Jax does something even stranger at that time. He grabs my hands. His hands are so firm and gentle in mine. He is looking me in my eyes right at that moment. Jax slowly and effortlessly places his hands in my hair. He guides me through his hand, holding my hands the entire time.

And we are close. We are so fucking close and my hands rubbing through his hair feels amazing. All of a sudden, I feel him leaning close to me.

Closer to me...his lips almost equal to mine.

There is a slight...natural pout. He is closing his eyes. I'm closing mine...

“MARIO!”

It's Kaysha. Fuck FUCK FUCK! NOT NOW! Kaysha is knocking hard on the door at that moment. I hadn't even noticed Jax had locked the door. Now why would Jax have locked the door. My heart is beating so fast at that moment and Jax is still looking at me even with Kaysha knocking hard on the door as though something serious is going down.

Jax walks towards the door. I could almost swear I hear him grunt “fuck” underneath his breath but I'm not 100 percent sure about that.

In the next moment Jax opens the door and Kaysha walks in.

“Mario you need to get out there quick...”

“What's wrong...”

“Someone's been telling...Dre stuff. He's drunk and he's out there going the fuck off.”

I'm so confused, “Dre?”

Of all people that is the last person that I expect to show up at this party? Who the fuck even let him in? Why the fuck was he crashing the party? Drunk at that?

“Someone put a battery in that boy's back and he's about to...he's about to...” Kaysha is saying.

“Spit it out Kaysha.”

Kaysha looks over at Jax. It's clear that Jax is the reason she is hesitating right now. However it seems like it's getting louder outside.

“He's about to out himself...” Kaysha tries to whisper to me but it is pretty clear that Jax is close enough to hear what she says.

Holy fuck. Dre cannot be that drunk but then I hear it. I hear the loud crash and I hear Dre running down the hallway like a fucking madman! It's clear that he is that drunk. It's clear that he's that drunk to hurt himself.

“Where the FUCK is he at?” Dre is saying, “WHERE the fuck...”

I look down the hall to see Dre. He storms towards me as soon as he sees me. Greg is right behind him. Luckily I grab Dre. Kaysha and I pull him into the room and lock the door before the others can follow in the room to see what Dre was going off about.

Dre is grabbing me. He's saying something that doesn't make sense. He's crying. He's so fucking drunk and turned up. It's almost like he's on something. What the fuck?

Dre is EMOTIONAL. He is looking at me with this crazy expression.

“Is it true?” Dre says, “ARE YOU FUCKING HIM!”

Dre is grabbing me. He puts me up against the wall at that moment.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” I ask.

“Yo...man, you're drunk and you need to fall back,” Jax states at that moment putting his hand on Dre's shoulder, “You're being aggressive and shit right now.”

That's when Dre turns around and he PUSHES Jax. He fucking pushes him.

“You been FUCKING my man!”

Kaysha and I look at each other. Jax looks over at me but I shrug not really understanding where Dre is coming from with this. What the fuck? When did I become Dre's man and WHO the fuck told him that I was fucking Jax?

I just am struggling, “Dre where did you get that from?”

“DON'T FUCKING MATTER,” Dre says at that moment, “I'm going to teach this pretty boy a fucking lesson.”

“Dre don't be stupid! DRE!”

It's too late. Dre charges at Jax. He hits Jax DEAD in the face. Jax trips a little bit and falls backward but doesn't fall to the ground. I'm struggling to get at Dre and hold him back but Dre's quickly wrestles his way out my arms to get back at Jax.

He CHARGES at Jax. Jax ducks his next punch and Jax lifts him. Jax tosses him at that moment and I just hear a loud shatter as Dre hits the glass desk behind Jax!

“Holy shit!” Kaysha is saying.

I run over to Dre at that moment. He's just lying there in a puddle of his own blood from the shattered glass table.

He's not moving. I'm struggling at that moment.

“He just came at me,” Jax is saying, “He just...came at me like...I didn't mean to toss him. I was just trying to get him away from me...”

I'm looking down at Dre...

My heart races. I look back at Jax and Kaysha.

“Guys...he's not breathing...”

To read the next chapter in advance go to www.crushedcrown.com