Affliction

s i x

{David}

My heart pounded against my chest like it was trying to escape. Silence circled the room. Liza stood there, gun drawn.

"Liza, you don't want to do that."

"Why wouldn't I? I just met you two days ago. You have no value to me." She stood with her shoulders broad, and her chest open.
"Liza, lower your gun," I gently pried, slowly reaching out.
She remained the same, stance separated and open. Her eyes were full of pure hatred, some of which was not meant for me.

Foot steps came down the hallway causing the majority of us to turn and look, including Liza.
Mr. Reynolds came into view.

"What the fuck is going on-"
His words were cut off by the loud shot of a gun, and he collapsed to the ground.
I looked back at Liza, who had now lowered her pistol.
Brooke let out a loud scream and rushed towards her father's side.
"You, you, you monster!"
She forced her gaze to Liza, pulling a gun.

I immediately stepped in-front of the smaller brown girl, causing Brooke's eyes to widen.
"David, move," she spoke.
"No." I stood my ground in front of Liza, receiving stares from multiple gang members.

Easily, one of them could have grabbed Liza. But I knew, all of them hated being here, and they had respect for her, knowing she had never stolen from the Reynolds gang.

"David, I don't want to shoot you."
"Then put the gun down." I backed up, knowing I was causing Liza to do the same.

"Let them take what they paid for and leave."

Brooke was stubborn, but even she, would falter to Liza's demand.

Anyone would falter to her.

One of the members brought in a large white brick, and placed it into Dallas' hands.

I turned around to look at the curly haired girl. I lowered my voice to a whisper, bringing my face closer to hers.
"Go, leave Liza. I promise, I'll find you."
She nodded slightly and pulled away from my stare.

She followed be hide Dallas as if she were a lost child and had no idea where she was going, stopping to look back at me before she exited.

"I'll find you," I mouthed. She looked down, and escaped out the door.

My hand dug through my hair as I turned back to Brooke, who had pulled her father into a room.
"You should have let me kill that bitch-"
"Don't call her that."

She slowly looked up at me, bring herself off her knees.
"Why are you defending her? She just shot my father, he could possibly die!"
"Her father is dead," I spat, giving her a full 'I don't give a shit' attitude.
"So?"
"So, she had every right to shoot your father."
"Why?!"
"Because your father shot hers."

Brooke looked down, ashamed, but already knowing what her dad had done.
"Must I remind you, you are built off of the Koshy family. Everything you have ever known was built off of the Koshy family. But your father was a very ungrateful man, and karma can be a bitch. So next time, I would think about who you point a gun at Brooke."

"She deserves it."

"Do you know what would've happened if you shot her? Not only her gang, but everyone in your gang would be after you. Don't you think they know where their money comes from? If you kill off their source of money, they will come back for you, not her. So once again, be careful with that gun sweetheart."

She left the room quietly after that, and I found myself back on my bed.
I pulled out my notebook form under my pillow, facing beauty once more.

I had only known Elizabeth Koshy for less than two days.
A damaged girl, broken, yet strong.
She was a caged bird. I knew she was much more than what she seemed.
On the outside, she was guarded. All walls were up. But if she would just let them down, she would be a totally different person.

But hell, she was perfect anyway.

I traced my finger over the picture, checking for imperfections along the drawing.
I erased where I had messed up a line, and fixed it carefully.

If I tried to do that in real life, find her imperfections, I would fail.

For there are none.