Chapter 19: Chapter 19

"I'll see you later right?" Eve asked hopefully maintaining eye contact with me.

"Ya, I'll text you," I told her.

"Ok see you later." She smiled sheepishly before she quickly gave me a quick peck on the lips before she left the room in a hurry with a flustered face.

"Awe you guys are so cute," Malcolm cooed.

"Oh shut up," I said trying to hide my smile.

"If you say so P.B now move over." He ordered making me roll my eyes but make space for him on the bed. We lay shoulder to shoulder with comfortable silence surrounding us before I broke it.

"Why did you say it was you?" I asked, looking up at his chiselled jaw dotted with little hairs.

"Because Anji was asking too many questions and she wasn't going to stop till she got answered," he said, shrugging his shoulders.

"But you would have thought of something better than that," I told him with a scowl.

"I know but that was the only idea I had on the spot," he said.

"You're an idiot, you know that now everyone thinks you're some kind of abusive guy or something." I was outraged at the thought as I clenched my fists remembering how Anji did a complete one-eighty after what Malcolm said. She went from admiring him to hating him in seconds and I knew that didn't only hurt me but him as well.

"I know I am but it doesn't matter what they think as long as we know the truth right?" He smiled nudging my shoulder with his playfully.

"Ya I suppose," I sadly said with my head hung low before I remembered what other stupid thing he did," Why the hell did you kiss me?" I asked outrageously, smacking his arm.

"Ow," he chuckled, rubbing his arm.

"Ow my ass, why did you kiss me?" I asked him angrily even though I wasn't that mad at him.

"It was just a distraction ok," he laughed as I smacked him again.

"A distraction he says?" I asked in shock," That was my first kiss you dumbass," I smacked him again.

"Oh, shit are you for real?" He asked in shock.

"Yes you dumbass," I pouted embarrassed by the look he was staring at me.

"Look I'm sorry P.B I didn't mean to do it ok I'm sorry," he sobered up.

"It's fine, just don't do it again," I said, crossing my arms sending him an icy glare.

"Yes ma'am," he smirked, pinching my cheek as if I were a child.

"Hands to yourself mister," I said slapping his arm away only to make him laugh louder.

Our little conversation was cut short as a nurse came to check up on my progress which meant Maclolcm had to leave the room.

"How are you feeling today?" The short petite nurse asked me.

"Much better thank you," I smiled slightly.

"I'm glad to hear that." She smiled getting back to checking my pulse then my blood pressure before writing down the readings. I let her do her thing without saying a word before she finished and unhooked the wire connected to my arm.

"Don't need this anymore." She smiled, placing it gently where it belonged before putting a small plaster where the needle came out of my arm. I hated needles, they always made me nauseous and uncomfortable.

"When can I leave?" I asked her softly.

"As soon as your doctor discharges you, which will be anytime now," she smiled kindly before leaving the room.

I sighed heavily, staring at the sky in wonder before the door opened again and my doctor came in. He did his daily check-up before advising me about my medications and to take care of my body, I merely nodded to everything he said before he left.

I was just glad I was going home soon and even better knowing that my dad and I had a little bit of a breakthrough. Every time I think about how I punched him I cringe so badly I had no idea what brought me into doing that but I'm sure we both won't ever forget that.

"Finally let's go." My dad sighed happily helping me get up since we were heading straight home. Turns out Grandma, Lila and Devontae we're going to spend a few days with us just to have some family time.

"Tell me about it." I chuckled holding onto his arm as support since my whole body was still in pain and it wasn't easy to walk with a burning stomach that didn't seem to give me a break of day.

We all headed out getting strange looks from patients in the hospital with how big and noisy our family was. I smiled at the wandering eyes not caring for their judgmental looks because, in the end, I loved my crazy family. We had to split up with the vehicle arrangement so Malcolm took his car, Lila drove grandma and Devontae and I drove with my dad.

"So what do you think of a weekend getaway to the beach?" My dad asked as we left the hospital.

"Can we afford that after my surgery?" I asked with a raised brow.

"Mhm we can make it work," he smiled but the worried crease on his face said otherwise.

"Tell the truth please, are we financially ok?" I asked him.

"Darling we may be a bit in debt with the bank for the house but that will be easily sorted, don't worry, ok I got people who can help us in that area. All you need to worry about is getting better ok?" He gently said, I gritted my teeth hating how he was talking to me like a child.

"Ok," I agree nevertheless if he didn't want to talk to me about what was going on then that was up to him but if he was thinking I would go down with him if things went sour then he had another thing coming.

Once we got home I couldn't be happier. I slowly got out of the car cringing with my stomach in pain, I walked to the front door waiting for my dad to unlock it as we waited for the others to arrive. Malcolm was the first to arrive and he followed me inside as my dad waited for Lila to arrive.

"Wow, nice crib." Malcolm praised looking around my house.

"Not as nice as Anji's though, right?" I asked with a raised brow.

"This is a dump compared to her house," he chuckled, making me roll my eyes at his comment.

"Touche." I smiled leading him to my room, I closed the door behind us and flopped on my bed inhaling the scent of the blankets slowly. I sighed happily, having missed my soft bed compared to the concrete bed in the hospital.

"Nice room." Malcolm looked around my room, checking out my cupboard drawers and closets.

"Mhm," I hummed rolling on my bed before getting into the covers, humming happily as I pulled the covers over my head loving the warmth it provided me.

"Don't suffocate in there. I prefer you alive," Malcolm joked sitting on the bed.

"Yes sir," I mumbled, closing my eyes as I let the darkness consume me.

I don't know how long I slept for but it felt like heaven. I had no dreams of any sort, I was just drifting through the darkness. When I woke up I felt so much better, I felt like I could climb a mountain and run a marathon. Malcolm was still on my bed playing cards with Devontae yelling and screaming with wide grins on their faces, it was a wonderful sight to wake up to.

"Hey guys," I greeted them both, they turned their attention to me.

"Hey P.B," Malcolm said with a wide smile.

"Hi Belle, how are you feeling?" Dev asked me.

"I'm feeling good thanks," I smiled kindly.

"That's good then, if you're hungry Lila made lunch," he excitedly said.

"Why don't you go fetch her share?" Malcolm suggested.

"Ok, be right back." Dev excitedly said jumping off the bed before running out of the room.

"That kid sure has crackhead energy," Malcolm chuckled, paying his full attention to me once more.

"He's a child, what do you expect," I smiled.

"True but on a more serious note I think we need to tell the cops about what happened at that party," he suggested with a straight face. My blood ran cold.

"We can't," I frantically said.

"Why not?" He asked with a raised brow.

"Because the cops won't do anything they'll most likely get another innocent person killed and let the criminals escape," I said, breathing heavily as sweat gathered on my forehead.

"Then what do you suggest?" He asked.

"We take the law into our own hands," I said with a suggestive look.

"No P.B, even for me that's outrageous," he said.

"Well it's either that or we spend the rest of our lives knowing my attackers roam free every day doing the same thing they did to me to other innocent girls and then who's fault would that be if we had the chance to catch them?" I asked with a raised brow hoping to guilt-trip him into agreeing even if it wasn't the nicest thing to do.

"It's fine I'll ask Peanut happy?" He rolled his eyes, Peanut was his go-to friend when he was still in a gang but they still talk and hang out since they created such a strong bond between them.

"Very," I smirked, creating a heart shape with my hands. He tried to hide his smile but I could tell he wanted to smile.

Devontae came into the room with a tray of my food which was stew and rice. The aroma tickled my nose, my mouth salivated as I licked my lips dying to sink my teeth into the juicy meat. I gratefully took the food not waiting a moment to devour everything on the plate only to nearly choke at how hot it was.

"Careful," Devontae chuckled lightly, handing me my glass of water before leaving the room.

"Don't mess on the bed," Malcolm warned me, noticing how my glass of water nearly fell on the bed.

"You don't have to tell me twice, my dad would kill me if he knew I was even eating on the bed," I chuckled deviously.

"Your secret is safe with me." He smirked, making a zipping motion with his fingers.

I couldn't understand Malcolm sometimes, he could be so sweet and funny then the next minute cold bloodied and ready to murder someone. I wasn't afraid of him, I was merely curious as to what was going on in that big brain of his. What I suggested was outrageous and downright out of the question, imagine me a weakling playing detective. It cracks me up just to think about it. I had no clue even where to begin accept Anji's friends but how would I even go about that?

That Darrin guy from that haunted party knew something with the way he was looking at me as if he knew me.

"Belle!" Malcolm called my name

"Ya, what?" I asked, snapping out of my daydream.

"You ok?" He asked me, worried.

"Ya, why?" I asked removing the spoon from my mouth.

"Nothing, it just looked like you weren't here," he said looking back on his phone with one last questionable look in my direction. I let him think what he wanted to as I finished my food getting up to take it to the kitchen.

"Thank you so much for lunch Lila," I thanked her.

"It's my absolute pleasure dear, are you feeling any better?" She asked me.

"I am a lot better." I smiled heading to the sink to wash the plate and glass I used.

"That's good to hear, don't worry about that leave it to me go rest up ok." She said handing me a drying cloth to dry my hands and took over in the kitchen. Lila was a kind woman honestly but when she tells you she's doing something don't get in her way unless you don't mind getting an ear full lecture or getting a smack of a lifetime. She cared so much for my family that I sometimes forget she isn't family.

***

Three months, that's how long it has been since that day I came back from the hospital. A Lot of things changed actually, one Malcolm and I were practically inseparable connected at the very hip. He even became my chauffeur picking me up every morning to go to school and always picking me up after school. If I didn't know any better I'd think he was in love with me or something along those lines but truth be told we just become so close I couldn't imagine life without him. Just going a day without him made me feel empty and bored to death because he made every day so fun and rewarding. The other thing was things between Eve and I were slowly building up.

I wouldn't say we were dating but we were almost there. We hang out more than often and even at school we sat together and if we weren't at the cafeteria during lunchtime you would find us making out in the corner of the library. Life was finally turning up for me and I was beyond happy, my dad and I were finally working things out and Devontae was finally at a school thanks to Lila and my dad pitching in to pay for his school.

The only thing that changed for the worse was Angelica, I knew she didn't like me but recently she was meaner and angrier at me like I was truly her enemy and for the life of me I couldn't figure out why she was acting this way. Perhaps it was because she thought I was finally over her. After all, I didn't pry on her much let alone look in her direction. Don't get me wrong my feelings for Anji didn't just disappear but it seemed I had enough room to love two people.

Well, I wasn't sure where things with Eve were going but none of us mentioned the girlfriend label so we left our relationship just the way it was with no label. But I was hoping to have something more with her but with the way she kept hiding our relationship, I felt like she was ashamed of me but I never brought that up. If she wanted things secret then I knew how much our relationship meant to her.