Resume (Sequel to Pause)

9

"Does the...does it hurt?" I asked.

"Not as much as you'd think. When I think about it a lot it hurts." He tells me. "Do you wanna see it?" He asked. I hesitated. Maybe I'd feel better if I saw it. I nodded. He pushed the covers off and revealed his torso. I got up so I could get a better look. He pulled back a bandage that covered up his skin that was sewn back together.

"Did the doctor say how bad it was?" I asked.

"Said that the bullet went in and out of my body without severely damaging anything. They had to stop internal bleeding alittle, but it was mainly sutures." He told me. I felt relieved. It was just mainly blood loss.

"I should probably get going." I said after awhile of talking.

"Okay. I'll text you when I'm told when I can get out of here." He says.

"Okay." I said. I stood and pressed a kiss to his lips. "I'll be by tomorrow." I tell him.

"I miss you already!" He called as I walked out. I smiled turning and blowing a kiss at him. I walked out if the hospital seeing my mom pulling up. I got into the car.

"How is he?" She asked.

"Good. The wound wasn't as severe as I thought. He's his usual self all things considered." I tell her.

"And you?" She asked.

"I'm just scared." I tell her the truth. "Someone shot at us. They could've killed either of us."

"It'll be okay sweetie. The police are working hard to find out who did this." She says. I wish that could've comforted me. I knew that it would be meaningless if they did find out anything. They let them go once. Without any real evidence against them they'd let them go a second time. I didn't see them and Shayne didn't either.

I had to talk to Joven tomorrow. Him and Ms. Slaughter if she was in school. I had to get answers.

I walked into school and made my way to Ms. Slaughters room again. She sat at her desk taking a sip of her coffee and scrolling on her phone. I knocked on her opened door and walked in. "Oh Damien. Is there anything I can help you with?" She asked turning her phone off and setting her coffee down. I shut the door.

"How are you?" I asked her. She looked a but caught off guard.

"Umm fine I guess." She says.

"Really? I'd think you'd be feeling guilty." I said.

"Guilty?" She forced a smile. "Guilty about what?" She asked with a laugh.

"A teenager was shot and you allowed it." I tell her.

"What are insinuating?" She asked.

"Listen, this will be easier for everyone if you just tell me who is after me." I tell her.

"After you? You're more troubled than I thought!" She laughed. I knew it wasn't genuine. I could see the nervousness in her eyes.

"You tried to scare me out of posting the video and then you had my boyfriend shot as a warning. I'm not stupid. You're not pulling the strings though. So who is?" I tell her.

"Pulling the strings? Damien you need to think about what you're saying. You're being totally irrational right now." She said.

"Am I? Or is that just what you want me to believe. I know the other contact you have. If you don't tell me I coukd easily get him to crumble." I say.

"Other contact? Who is it then?" She asked. She seemed confident that I didn't know.

"My friend. His uncle is in the government. He's a convenient spy but not a good one. I'll approach him if you don't tell me everything you know." I threaten. She hesitates.

"I don't know anything because I'm not a spy." She crossed her arms.

"Really? Cause you contradicted yourself when you asked me who the other contact is. If you're not a spy then how would you know if I'm lying or not." I could see her breaking the more I spoke.

"Okay. So I'vebeen spying on you. What do you want to know?" She asked.

"Who shot Shayne?" I asked.

"I don't know." She said promptly

"Yes you—"

"No I don't!" She rose her voice slightly. "I only spoke to him briefly when relaying messages. I don't know who he is." She told me.

I took a few deep breaths. I was getting nowhere. "What do you know?" I asked.

"He didn't intend on killing your friend at all. He's a great shooter from what he told me." She explained.

"So my suspicions were correct. He could kill me with one shot if he wanted to." I said.

"From what he said. He could do that and get away with it." She said.

"Anything else. Anything at all." I asked.

"He said his other contact owed him one." She said. Joven owed him something? I had to ask Shayne about that. I have my suspicions. It would be convenient of Joven to be a spy only if it was his uncle who was after me. I had to chill out though. These were mainly just wild accusations. Until I had a for sure on Joven I needed to stop my what ifs.

The bell rang and I walked out of her class and headed to my first period. I'd talk to Joven later today. I had to find a good time.

When lunch ended I looked at Joven. "Hey do you mind driving me to Shayne again?" I ask. "Yeah. I was actually gonna visit him today." He told me. "Cool. I'll see you later then." He said. "Yeah." I smiled and walked to my class. This gave me the opportunity to confront Joven. If I could get him to tell me anything it would make a difference. Thats what I was telling myself at least.

I met him outside and we got in the car. He turned up the music really loud and typed something on his phone. I couldn't see what it said, only that it was on his notes and long. After a few minutes he turned the phone to me, his eyes screamed how nervous he was.