Lessons || MJ

Lessons || Chapter 20

Author's Note: Guess who released the monster? Feedback is appreciated. 

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LESILIE – California

On a beautiful Saturday, Yvonne and I planned to shop again. Denise visiting drifted from our minds after a while and my hardworking attorney decided to treat us in this remarkable place. She snatched up the car keys of a Porsche, winking at me. I almost squealed like a child, but knocking on the door caught us both off guard. I didn't know what to think and stepped back. Yvonne soon addressed whoever stood behind this door. Neither of us expected company right now.

I peeked over to find Yvonne speaking to a well-dressed man. Sunglasses protected his eyes from the California brightness. My eyes nearly popped when she unexpected let this man walk through the home. I mentally scolded Yvonne until the man alongside her revealed a cop badge. L.A.P.D. My heart settled its pounding rhythm.

"Are you Leslie Edwards?" The officer questioned politely. One of the only cops who treated me with respect. A Black man. He refused to sit down for the time being, but I addressed him almost immediately. We shook hands and I soon noticed the calloused sensation under his fingers.

"Yes, sir." I balanced a smirk and grin on my face. Yvonne already walked toward the kitchen to retrieve beverages for all of us. "What is the problem?" For some reason, a lump immediately formed in my throat. I could only imagine what raced through his mind.

We all sat down at the kitchen table minutes later. Water for three of us. Yvonne drummed nails against the glass before the cop cleared his throat. He'd introduced himself as Marcus Franklin. An awkward silence fell between Franklin spoke up.

"I understand that someone is looking for you." Franklin answered. For once, I didn't cringe at the reason for coming here to begin with. I even refused to let Yvonne hold my hand. My eyes blanked in total concentration with the officer right across from us.

"Yes. Are you aware of a recent Pizza Parlor shooting? Calvin Smith was involved, sir." Despite nerves, I remained composed. Yvonne looked at me with subtle pride. None of us took any drinks of water for now, but my throat parched for obvious reasons.

"Yes, Ma'am." Officer Franklin answered politely. "I've been conscious of that national headline for a while, as has everyone else. And I have news for you."

Both Yvonne and I looked at him curiously, but feared nothing. For a moment, I trusted this cop further. His hands clasped together and he looked down before locking eyes with me again. Even Yvonne wouldn't breathe right now.

"What's going on?" my friend whispered. Frank sighed out while staring down at the wooden table around us. My eyes narrowed due to the length of his silence, but I refused to say anything or break his concentration.

"Someone bailed Calvin out, ladies." Franklin admitted. I nearly fainted right out of this, but somehow postured correctly. Only Yvonne paled in the name fear and I fought back the anger brewing inside of me. This nightmare couldn't be real.

"Who?" I lowered my voice.

In that moment, Franklin stood up from his place at the table and revealed the gun underneath his suit jacket. I folded both arms and just shook my head. Yvonne immediately began screaming. Her jet-black curls bounced almost furiously as she vomited manic but travel acquired Spanish from her lips. I ran down the hallway in search of my gun when blaring shots rang through the home.

Luckily, I slammed Yvonne's bedroom door and rushed into the bathroom. A revolver and its needed bullets hid in a black and lock-accessible chest. I quickly opened bottom cabinets with a pounding heart. The chest clicked opened with the magic of my own fingers. Shots rang once more, but I never cowered. The noise remained familiar after all these years of insanity. In way, I'd grown numb.

Finally armed, I rushed out with the gun in my hand. I kicked the bathroom door open to find the bedroom ransacked. Fuming, I ducked as carefully as possible and inspected under the bed first. My eyes nearly popped at the sight of a figure underneath.

A male.

"Who are you?!" I screamed through clenched teeth.

The gunshots finally paused. This sick accomplice to "Franklin" pointed a gun back in my face, but the voice that answered me brought the most frightening chill to my spine. The gun almost shook of my hand, but I refused to act dumb.

He cocked the gun right at me. There was very a little space between us when he scooted closer to me. My breathing longed to quicken, but I somehow allowed rage to still course though my heart. Under this bed, he propped the gun under my chin, sickly caressing my dimple with a free hand.

"Les, it's me. Cal." my ex revealed.

If only I could just shoot this monster in the face right now. He moved the gun away from my chin and scooted out from under the bed. I rose from bent knees and pointed my weapon in his path. A silence fell between us. We each pointed our guns in the same direction, both irate.

"Why?" I clenched my teeth once more. "Why go through all of this to kill me and end up another jail cell?"

"Baby, I'd kill anybody but you, mama. We haven't seen each other all this time and I missed you." His sick voice failed to reason with me. Our guns continued pointing.

"You're disgusting." I hissed. My hand finally stopped shaking the gun. Yet, my heart pounded furiously at this point.

"And you look prettier than ever. Is that Chanel, babe?" That monster chose the wrong time to flirt with somebody. His stance never changed from my own. We continued defending ourselves from each other.

"What do you want from me?" I spat.

"Your love. Wasn't that our plan?" An evil grin crept onto his previously immaculate face.

Not even seconds later, Franklin barged in, yanking Yvonne in by the arm. I remained frozen with the gun still in my hand, but a demand from my ex forced Marcus to toss Yvonne on the bed like a ragdoll. Her jet black curls spilled onto the covers in tangled ringlets.

I shot Calvin right in the leg.