Why This Life?

Chap 6 "Attack Pushes Change"

Jae's POV

Colby walked into the room. "Hey," I stated as I was curled in his bed. "I don't know how to process all of this."

"All of what?" Colby asked.

"You didn't know?" I asked.

"Know what?"

"Noah asked me to be in a relationship with him," I looked at Colby as I sat up.

"Oh, that."

"So, you knew?"

"Yeah, Mom and Dad walked to me about it yesterday asking me if I knew what you would say. I told them I didn't know. The one question you need to ask yourself: Do you love Noah?"

"I do, but I can't get into a relationship with Noah."

"You're twenty two, Jae. I respect your decision, but we're family here. Are you sure that's what you want?"

"Yeah," I nodded. I grabbed an envelope from my wallet and handed it to Colby. He started reading the letter in it. "That's why I can't be with Noah."

"You can't be with Noah because you're going into the FBI? Jae, you just left London months ago. Now, you're leaving again."

"This time it's for a legit job."

"You have to tell everyone," Colby replied as he handed me the envelope and the letters. "Promise me that you will."

"I promise," I nodded. I put the letter back in my wallet and laid down. "I'm going to sleep here in your room tonight. I just don't want to be alone."

"That's perfectly fine. You know I'm here for you."

"Yeah, I know," I replied. I eventually fell asleep. The next morning I woke up and took a shower. I got myself dressed and went downstairs to my family. "Good morning!"

"Well, Jae's very happy this morning," Mom smiled.

"What happened to the overwhelmed one that I talked to last night?" Noah asked.

"Oh, it's fine," I nodded. "There's a reason why I can't be with you Noah."

"Why?" Noah asked.

"That information will be disclosed tonight," I replied. "At midnight." As the day went through, Noah tried everything to get me to change my mind. As much as I wanted to be with him, I just couldn't. After dinner, I went with Colby to his room. Allie and Noah went to her room so she can help him with who knows what. Noelle and Ella were in Noelle's room doing TikTok. Mom and Dad were doing an online devotional group for parents in their room. "Colby, why does he want me to be with him so bad? He's never been like this before."

"Things are different," Colby replied. "He always had a thing for you."

"Yeah," I sighed as I got in bed. Colby sat on the floor looking at his whiteboard. "What are you going to do with that thing?"

"I don't know yet," Colby stated. "Maybe you can help me figure something out before you go to the FBI."

"Maybe," I smiled. I saw lights outside and didn't think anything of it. I heard motorcycles revving, but I thought it was neighbors. That was until I heard gunshots, and they were aimed directly at our house. "Get down!" Colby hit the floor and I rolled onto the ground. I grabbed my lockbox from under Colby's bed and got out a gun. "Stay here! Stay low!" I quickly crawled my way to Noelle's room. "Noelle! Ella! Get to Colby's room and stay low!"

"Okay!" Noelle shouted over the shots.

"Everything's going to be okay," I stated. I went to Allie's room and saw Noah and Allie laying in the floor covering their heads. "Guys, Colby's room. Stay low!" I managed to get downstairs without getting hit. I ran out the front door as the shooting subsided but the bikers were already driving away before I can get a shot in. "Damn it!" I walked out to the lawn and looked at the house. "Damn racers!" I walked back inside the house. "Is everyone okay?!" Everyone ran down the stairs. "Nobody's hurt?"