Addy sat on a wooden park bench, feeling the warmth of the sun against her back. She was contentedly reading an informational essay about the state of coffee consumption and its effects on the human body when a voice suddenly interrupted her.
"Hey Addy," Jake said, his voice pulling her out of her reverie. She looked up at him and was taken aback by his sheepish smile. It was the same smile he had the day before when they had gotten into a heated fight.
Addy had watched as he walked away in a fit of anger, and she had assumed she would never see him again. But here he was, standing in front of her with that same mischievous smile.
At first Addy was tempted to criticize him for his behavior the day before, but as she looked into his eyes, she could see something different; a vulnerability, a longing for something more than just a casual acquaintance.
Without realizing it, Addy began to feel a pang of sympathy for Jake. He was clearly struggling with something, and before she knew it, she found herself asking him what was wrong.
Jake took a deep breath, and then opened up to Addy about his life. He told her about growing up with a 'father that treated him like how a father shouldn't be with their kid.'
Addy listened intently as Jake spoke, and soon the compassion she was feeling for him grew even stronger. She ached for him, knowing that no one should have to live with such hardship. As Jake talked, her heart broke for him and she felt like she knew someone who could relate to some of the struggles he was facing.
Addy felt a sudden urge to comfort him, and so she reached out and gently touched his arm. She looked into his eyes, and she could see the pain he was trying to keep hidden.
"It's alright," she said softly. "It will get better. You'll see."
Jake nodded, and for the first time since he had started talking, she saw a glimmer of hope in his eyes. He knew that she understood what he was going through, and that she was there for him.
Addy felt a deep connection with Jake in that moment, and she realized that she no longer felt angry at him. Instead, she was filled with a newfound sense of empathy and understanding.
The two sat in silence for a few moments, until Jake finally broke the silence.
"Hey," he said. "Do you want to grab a cup of coffee?"
Addy smiled and nodded, and the two made their way to the nearby coffee shop. As they drank their coffee, Addy couldn't help but think about how coffee had been the catalyst to bringing them together.
In spite of all the negativity surrounding coffee consumption, it had managed to bring Addy and Jake together in a way nothing else could have. She couldn't help but feel grateful for the power that a simple cup of coffee had.
Jake nervously shifted his weight from foot to foot, his hands shaking as he set down the cup of coffee. His face was pale and strained as he spoke in a whisper. "Addy... You shouldn't be with Andrew... There's someone after you two..."
Confusion replaced Addy's contentment, her eyebrows furrowing in disbelief. "Who? No one can separate us."
He couldn't meet her gaze, guilt and sadness flashing across his features. He swallowed hard before continuing, his voice barely above a whisper. "Andrew's foster father... Don't tell him I said anything, but he's trying to find a way to keep you two apart... Be careful..."
Addy studied him closely, then finally asked, "How do you know him?"
Jake shook his head and looked away, avoiding her gaze. Memories of eight years spent doing something awful flitted across his mind, and he had to look away for fear she'd sense what was going on inside him. "That's for another time," he muttered. Addy noticed the tension in Jake's body and she knew he was keeping something from her. She didn't want to push him too hard, but she also knew that what he was hiding could be important.
"Jake, please," she said softly. "If you know something about Andrew's foster father, you have to tell me. It could be important."
Jake sighed, knowing that she was right. He took a deep breath and began to speak.
"I... work for him," he said slowly. "He's not a good man, Addy. He does things that... that I'm not proud of. And I know that he'll stop at nothing to keep Andrew away from you."
Addy's heart sank as she listened to Jake's words. She knew that Andrew's foster father had always been difficult, but she never imagined that he would go this far.
"What do we do?" she asked, the fear palpable in her voice.
Jake looked at her, his eyes full of determination. "We have to be smarter than him. We have to find a way to outsmart him and keep you and Andrew safe."
Addy nodded, feeling more determined than ever to protect her relationship with Andrew. She knew it wouldn't be easy, but she was willing to fight for what she wanted.
Together, Addy and Jake began to devise a plan, one that would keep them one step ahead of Andrew's foster father. It wasn't going to be easy, but they were willing to do whatever it took to protect their love.
As the night wore on, they discussed every possible scenario and outcome, each more terrifying than the last. But through it all, Addy remained steadfast, knowing that together they could overcome anything.
When they finally parted ways, Addy felt a renewed sense of hope. She knew it wouldn't be easy, but she also knew that with Jake by her side, she could face whatever lay ahead.
*
"Andrew!"
The boy who's name was Andrew turned to see his girlfriend running to him. He smiled and held his arms out, letting her run to his arms and kiss him lovingly. Andrew had no idea what was going on with her foster father, but Addy didn't plan to tell him just yet.
She didn't want to burden him with the weight of their troubles until they had a solid plan in place. Instead, she focused on savoring every moment they had together.
As they walked through the park, hand in hand, Addy couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding. She knew that their time together was limited, and that they would have to be careful from now on.
But when Andrew looked at her with those bright blue eyes and smiled, all of Addy's worries seemed to fade away.
They spent the afternoon together, talking and laughing and enjoying the sunshine. For a little while, it was easy to forget about the danger that was lurking just around the corner.
But as the sun began to set, Addy's thoughts drifted back to their plan. She knew that they needed to start putting it into action soon if they wanted to keep Andrew safe.
"Hey," Andrew said, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Are you okay?"
Addy nodded, but Andrew could tell something was still bothering her. He took her hand and pulled her close.
"Whatever it is, we'll face it together," he said, looking into her eyes.
Addy smiled, feeling grateful for having someone like Andrew in her life. She knew that he would do anything to protect her, just as she would do anything to protect him.
As they walked back to her house, Addy couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. She knew that her foster father was watching her every move, waiting for the right moment to strike.
But she was determined to stay one step ahead of him, just as she had promised Jake earlier that day.
When they reached her front door, Addy turned to Andrew and kissed him fiercely. She wanted him to know just how much he meant to her, and how much she needed him by her side.
*
They spent the rest of the day being together, but once they parted ways, she felt eyes on her as she was outside, watching him become invisible to the eye.
"I know your there... Mark."
Clapping could be heard from the bushes, and came a man, Mark. He chuckled with an awfully low voice, "Good job, Mrs. Bushroot," he exclaimed sarcastically. "You know why I'm here, right?"
She laughed, "Of course."
"Then let's make this easier for the two of us," from his belt he took out what seemed to be a Bodeo Model from 1889.
"Wow... That's a nice revolver, I thought those went extinct years ago," she smirked. She wasn't scared of death, only that she'd leave Andrew alone. But would Mark really shoot her?
The man let a large smirk overcome his face, "That makes this more fun." A gunshot took over her eardrums, though missed barely above her shoulder, skidding her skin. She could feel blood drip from the new wound, she didn't care.
Addy took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. She knew that she had to act fast if she wanted to survive this encounter. She looked around, scanning the area for any possible escape routes.
Mark was closing in on her, gun in hand. "You can't run forever, Addy," he sneered. "You know that."
But Addy wasn't going to give up just yet. She had one last trick up her sleeve.
With lightning-fast reflexes, she kicked Mark in the groin, causing him to stumble backwards in pain. As he gasped for air, Addy snatched the revolver from his hand and pointed it at his head.
"Looks like the tables have turned," she said with a smirk.
Mark's eyes widened in fear as he realized the danger he was in. "You wouldn't dare," he whispered.
Addy went to pull the trigger, but then she grew overwhelmed. Andrew really did care for his foster father, he would be hurt if she killed him of all people. As she let herself go off guard, it took a few moments before Mark could snatch the revolver out of her hand and kick her stomach down to the ground. A single bead of sweat rolled down the side of Mark's face. His arms hung stiffly at his sides as he glared toward Addy and Andrew. "You know what I'm here for," he said in a flat voice. He spoke of his plans to kill Addy and sell Andrew as a slave. The young woman struggled to comfort her sobbing friend; she knew that this was not how today would end.
The sound of a gunshot shattered the fragile peace that had cloaked them minutes before. Addy felt the world fall away into darkness as the loud pop echoed through her head.
She was dead.