April.

This world belongs to people who have power. I rolled my eyes at the quote I'd read somewhere and continued to scroll down on the screen of my phone. It was, of course, a long time ago.

However now I fully understood what that quote meant. Power doesn't always have to be a superpower. There are many types of power. Money, Authority, Strength, and so on. I didn't have any of it. Neither was I strong enough to do something about the dire situation I was stuck in nor did I had money to deal with it. Money wouldn't solve this problem anyway.

I fidgeted with my fingers as I sat on one of the stools in front of the kitchen counter. This was the only place where the sound of ear bleeding music was cut off due to the closed door. It was Christmas. Leah had forcefully made me come to the party even after listening to everything that happened yesterday.

Dad was still held hostage at Uncle's house and Austin was in the ICU at that same building. Now I knew why that building had so many floors. He tortured people and then treated them in th same building. Thought of him made my skin shudder.

I sighed, rubbing my temple. The more I thought about it the more it ripped my heart apart. I had to save Austin. But to make sure nothing happens to him and dad I had to help Uncle in capturing him.

How can I possibly do that?

As my thoughts drifted to him, it became harder to breathe. Tears brimmed at the corner of my eyes. Christian, where are you? Where?! My mind screamed.

I clearly remembered what he'd said.

"I promise nothing will happen to me. I'll make sure of that, and I'll come to you as soon as it's over. Can you wait for me till then?"

I sobbed holding my head in my hands.

Christian.

Chris.

"Chris, where are you?" I cried out loud. alone at the kitchen counter. Finding no answers to any of my questions.

"Ap?"

I opened my eyes to see the blurred surrounding.

My jaw dropped as my eyes focused on Jayson who was eyeing me cautiously. My mind wasn't yet comfortable with the fact that Jayson had kissed me hence even his name being mentioned made me utterly uncomfortable. However, my heart had started to crumble and all I needed was a familiar comfort. Jayson was exactly that.

"Hey." He ruffled my hair.

I had blinked several times before it struck me that this was not a dream.

"Jay Jay.." my voice broke.

"April?" He stepped closer putting a few stands of hair behind my ear.

"Are you okay?"

That was it.

I lunged forward burying my face into his chest and wetting his shirt with my tears. When you're breaking from inside on the verge of collapsing and someone asks if you're okay. It helps to break the bridge and water floods out.

"I'm not okay!" I cried into his shirt my voice cracking with each sob.

"Ap," Jayson pushed my shoulders away and cupped my face pulling it closer."Look at me."

"Nothing is okay." I mumbled feeling the wet tears on my lips.

"Don't worry. Everything will be fine. I'm here now." He caressed my back with a familiar warmth. It made me squeeze his torso even more. I wasn't alone. I didn't want to be.

After my blast of emotions had subsided, we shifted from the kitchen to a room on the second floor for more privacy. Leah had joined us after she'd retuned from her drinking rampage. Her words still slurred because of the amount of alcohol resided in her system.

Jayson made her lie down as soon as we entered the room. I was so lost in my own stuff that I'd forgotten whose house it was.

"April. What are you going to do?" Leah was tilting her head at me from where she was lying. I sat across her on the bed while Jayson was sitting beside her.

"I have no idea." I mumbled.

"What do you mean? Why are you even hesitating? Austin and your dad will be killed!" She screeched. Okay, she wasn't drunk anymore. That was for sure.

"Leah if you're not going to help me just tell me so. I've had enough with your attitude towards Christian." I calmly stated. It was true. I thought maybe if I gave her time she'll come around. She'll understand me. Didn't she love someone too?

I'd accepted the fact that I was too deep into love with him. It was so subtly done by my heart that I didn't notice it before it was too late.

"Why are you mad at me for?" She scraighted up on the bed staring at me intensely.

"I'm tired of fighting with you over this Lee. Are you going to understand me or not? I really-" I paused feeling a lump forming in my throat.

"I need you right now. I really do Leah" And I broke down. Everything was breaking inside me. I didn't have enough control over my emotions anymore. Embarrassment consumed me as I tried to stop the flow of my tears by continuously wiping them with the back of my hands.

"I'm sorry but if you don't understand that I love him I can't count on you this time. It's serious Leah. He can actually die." I stopped talking as soon as the words left my mouth. Silent sobs kept flowing out of my mouth while my mind heavily focused on my own words. He can die. If I make even a single mistake, he might actually die. The thought of Christian dying made me my lungs unable to take a breath.

"Leah, stop being so stubborn. Stop acting tough when it's actually hurting you too." Jayson spoke which made me look at him and then at Leah.

"What do you mean?" I sniffed.

"You know Leah. She acts tough, but she's a softie." He sadly smiled at her.

No one said anything for th next few minutes. In my mind I knew Leah was incredibly kind girl. Why didn't I realise this before? She despised Christian with every cell in her body, but she never left my side. She didn't help enough, but she didn't leave me alone. Yet, I thought that I was all alone.

"She might never talk about Christian to you or avoid his topic around you but," Jayson paused looking at me warmly."When we used talk
over the phone about you, the only thing she talked about was how things are getting worse and worse for you or how she wished she could solve your every problem."

Leah sneaked a peek at me and avoided my eyes when I looked at her.

You kind idiot.

I lunged at her throwing my body on the bed beside her and before she could react clutched her into a side hug pressing my head into her stomach.

"April! You know my sides are ticklish! Oh my God!" She laughed out giggling. Her laughter getting out of her control.

We all began laughing. I felt my cheeks getting wet again, but I wiped then on her dress again. "You don't have to act tough around me!" I punched her shoulder and stumbled away lying on my back in the bed.

"I've been a bitch to you, haven't I? For a long time." Leah rolled over closer to me.

"Yeah." I muttered. "But that's okay because you are my bitch."

At that moment our eyes met and a silent minute passed before we lunged forward into each other's arms and bawled like babies. It made my heart relax, and I was so glad that I didn't have to fight with her anymore.

For a moment, it made me forget about the twisted situation I was in.

__END OF CHAPTER__