The Innocent Love of Jason McCann

Chapter 20

x Jovan x

Rain pounded on my head and face as I ran for my dear life. I ended up pulling Max back to my house. It was safer and...dry. I took her into my room through the window. She collapsed on the floor, soaking wet and breathing hard. I did the same.

"Are you going to tell me why in the world we were just running from those policeman!" I basically yell.

She shush's me. "Shut up. It's none of your business." She snaps.

"It is my business!" I snap back. "You dragged me into those bushes. I'm wet. We're in my room. I just freakin' met you. From the looks of things, you're a delinquent, and I'm pretty sure I'm breaking law here."

She frowns. "Yeah. That's all true."

"You're a deliquent!" I shriek. "I'm breaking law?!"

"Calm down!" She tells me. "I'll explain if you promise not to turn me into the police."

She stares back at me, her brown eyes pleading and innocent.

I sigh. "Fine. I won't."

She smiles and rinses her hair out, the water splashing onto my carpet. I pretend not to care.

"Well," She sits up straight, fiddling with the bottom of her wet shirt. "I kinda..." She pulls something of her pocket. A ring. Two rings. Three rings. They're all silver, a diamond sparkling upon each of them. The moonlight was no match for them.

"You robbed a jewlery store!" I bark. She slams her hand over my mouth.

"Shut up, for God's sake!" She orders. "I didn't steal. I borrowed. I mean, I will give back the money. I promise. I just need the rings. I need the money."

I look at her, unable to say anything else.

She sighs. "My little sister's in the hospital. She has cancer. They caught it early. They can stop it, get rid of it. But there's no money to pay for the surgery. My grandmother is all we have left and she's so old that she can barely leave the house anymore. It's my job to take care of them both. If I don't get the money, my sister could die. I'm not letting her die. Not her too." Max's voice fades and she bursts into tears. She's crying. A waterfall rushes down her face and onto my carpet.

My heart kinda thump-thumps and I can't help but gently wrap my arms around her and pull her into my chest. That's what anyone would do, right? Show sympathy?

We must have stayed like that for a long time because Max soon fell asleep, the tears dry on her face. I picked her up and placed her on my bed. Her cuddled into the mattress, her face soft and gentle. I smiled slightly and curled onto the floor. I didn't have anything to cover myself with and I wasn't going to risk going out into the hall in case Abbie was there.

I was still kinda wet but it didn't really bother me. Max's clothes were moist too but she didn't seem to notice. She slept on. My eyelids shut.

I found myself asleep too.

x Jason x

When I wake up the next morning, Taylor's buried into my chest, her breathing soft and gentle. She's still asleep. I smile and fiddle with a piece of her brown hair. She's so beautiful... I never thought I'd be here with her. I thought I'd be in jail for the rest of my life.

I yawn and untangle myself from Taylor. She stirs but doesn't wake up. I stumble out of the bed and gently open the room door, stepping out and towards the kitchen. Everyone else was asleep.

I snoop through the cabinets, my eyes landing on a box of pancake mix. Perfect. I'm not much of a chef but I sure can follow a few simple instructions.