As Long As You're Mine

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

Elle

BAM! I jolted up, stunned by the noise that had awoken me. Turning to face my clock, I read: 3:12 a.m. What the hell was Nick… or John… doing up this early? Actually, it’s probably Nick if anybody; he likes getting up at the strangest hours just to do random shit. John on the other hand, can’t wake up until 8:00 a.m., and even that’s pushing it.

      I reluctantly pushed aside my soft covers, and lugged myself out of bed. After skulking over to the door, I opened it up to nothing but the darkness of the hallway, and the dim lighting of various electronics coming from rooms. I slowly tiptoed across the short hall, and creaked Nick’s door open ever so slightly.

      “Nick!” I hissed quietly. No response. So he wasn’t in here. It’s totally-

      “Hey babe!” a groggy Nick said, standing in his doorway.

      “What the hell? First, never call me that in your life again, and second, where the fuck were you just now?”

      “I was actually checking my phone to see the Dodgers’ final score,” he said, making what I thought to be a stupid football reference… or maybe it was baseball?

      “Uh huh. Did you hear something from downstairs?” I asked somewhat accusingly.

      “Yeah, I thought that was you; wasn’t it?” he said, scratching the back of his head so his torso outstretched. Even in the blackness of night, I could still make out the toned lines of his stomach. Why the hell does this idiot have to have such a fit body?

      “So, if you’re not there, and I’m not there, and if John’s definitely not there, then who the hell is downstairs?” I asked, whispering to make sure the unknown person couldn’t hear.

      “A rapist? Murderer? Robber? Or worse! Rosie!” Nick joked, though his guesses were accurately frightening.

      “Do you have a bat in your room?”

      “No,” he yawned.

      “How the hell does someone who likes baseball as much as you, not have a freaking bat in their room?” I questioned. Nick is such an idiot.

      “I have twelve,” he sighed, disappearing into the shadowiness of his room. He returned a moment later, armed with two bats, and handed one to me. As soon as my fingers wrapped around it, and I was holding all its weight, I discovered it was metal- or, knowing Nick, some sort of high-tech aluminum.

      “What’s the plan?” I asked, reciting a line I’ve never had to use in my entire life before.

      “Go downstairs, and beat the shit out of whoever the fuck it is!” Nick said quietly.

      “What if it’s John?” I asked, concerned that we may be going into this a little too forcefully.

      “Then… stick to the plan!” he said. I rolled my eyes, not that Nick could see, but hoping that he was somehow receiving my brainwaves of adrenalin and annoyance.

      “Fine. You go first,” I urged, pushing him forward. He shrugged, and silently stepped down the hall, not making so much as a sound. I followed his lead, and mimicked his motions. We reached the stairs, and peered down to view two figures, looming in the distance.

      “When I count to three, we’re going to charge, and beat the shit out of those guys, got it?” Nick whispered huskily into my ear.

      “Yup,” I said, scared at what could potentially happen. We didn’t know who the hell these guys were. They could have guns! Or something worse than guns!