"OMG... Is he actually there?" she asked in a shaky voice as I watched the door carefully. I silently hoped it would hold up against his violent banging. These mobile homes are just not as strong as regular houses.
I risked looking out the window next to the door, only to notice that it wasn't just Jesse standing there on my porch. He had two of his friends with him. Ruben and Curtis were both standing there one on each side of him. I gulped, knowing that this was not a friendly visit.
Knock...
KNOCK...
"Oh come on Makena, I'm just here to apologize to you." He growls towards the door. I bite my lip trying to keep quiet. "Stop being so dramatic, it was only a joke! I would never physically hurt you!" I roll my eyes up to the ceiling, like hell he'd not hurt me. I didn't believe him a little bit. "Really? I heard you locked your bolt, so I know you're in there. He slams his fist on the door, rattling the frame. "Makena, I'm sorry, okay?" His voice softened, and I could hear the desperation in it. I stayed silent, still not convinced.
Knock...
"Don't open that door! He has no right to be there, not after he threatened your life like that!" I hear Trinity say on the phone.
"Oh, trust me I won't open that door, but if he knocks it down I might not be able to ignore him, you know," I whispered, so he wouldn't hear me speak.
"My mom is calling the police..." she says.
"Okay." My stomach dropped; I felt a sense of dread as I continued to listen to him yell at me and bang on the door.
"So, what did the police say?" I inquired.
"They're finding an officer to respond, apparently there's a threat at one of the schools. So it might take some time." I hold my breath, listening to his insistent yelling at my door. "Do you want me to come down the hill to make them leave you alone?" she asks. "I can be there in ten!" she exclaimed.
"No, it's okay. With Ruben around, it's probably not a wise idea. You heard what he said over the phone. I am hoping they will give up soon." I shake my nerves away, as I peek out the window again. When I notice Ruben's glance moving, he turns towards the window, locking his eyes with mine. I quickly replace the curtain hoping he doesn't say or do anything.
"Shit!" I whispered.
"Jesse, she's in there! I just caught her looking out the window just now!" I heard a light tap on the window as he told him where I was. Once again, I looked through the peephole. The moment I decided to do something about my predicament, my body began to tremble.
"What? What's wrong?" She sounded really concerned.
"Oh, Ruben just caught me looking out the window! Now he really knows I'm here." I stood against the door, listening to them whisper. It was as if they didn't want me to hear what they were saying.
BANG...
BANG...
"Oh my God, Makena!" he growled at me, expressing his frustration."My only goal is to apologize. That's why I am here."
Breathing in deeply, "So say it, and then go!" I yell through the closed door.
"I will, but I want to tell you face to face! Please answer the door; I'm not here to hurt you!" He sounded so sure of himself, trying to order me around like that. It was just not going to happen, not this way. He had no right to demand anything from me. I was not going to let him control me like that. I had to stand up for myself.
"What! I'm not planning to open this door, Jesse! You should just take off!" I yell out again raising my voice loud enough for it to penetrate the closed and locked door. "You need to leave now," I insist, my voice firm and uncompromising.
BANG...
Knock...
I could hear him as he continued to bang and knock on the door some more, saying how I was being so unfair to him. He kept trying to tell me that I should let him apologize to me. But there was no way in hell I was willing to open that door. I had overheard a rumor about him that gave me chills. It was about him trying to force himself on some girl when she had been out with him at a party. Whether it was true or not didn't matter. I wasn't planning to give him the chance to do anything to me! Not with three of them standing on my front porch. Even if his apology was sincere, I didn't want to risk putting myself in a dangerous situation. I had to be strong and stand my ground.
I hear a car pull up to the house. I walk to the window facing the street. I watch as an officer gets out of his patrol car and motions for them to join him down near the street. I take a deep breath and prepare myself for what could be coming next.
I hear their heavy footsteps as they walk down the stairs away from my front porch, and watch as they walk slowly toward the officer. I notice as they exchange what looks to be a heavy conversation with the cop. Noticing Jesse glancing up toward where I was standing, I hurry and close the curtain hoping that he didn't see the movement. I couldn't tell if he had or not, but I pulled it back and continued to watch the exchange between the two parties. He seemed uncertain about what was being said as if the conversation was more complicated than just the usual police questioning.
I watch as the police officer eventually points at the car, observing as Curtis opens the doors and Jesse pulls out the keys and unlocks the trunk. My breath catches as I witness the cop pull out a shotgun from the trunk. I watch as he uncocks it and two huge shells fall out. OMG, the gun was loaded, ready for him to pull out to use at any time. I can't believe what I'm seeing. I'm scared and my heart is racing. I feel like I'm in a nightmare.
The officer pulls out a notepad and writes something down. After that, he places the gun back in the trunk unloaded and hands the shells to Jesse. It shocked me that after a few minutes. He just sent them on their way. What the hell? I couldn't believe that after all that, the officer was just letting them go. It was clear that something strange was taking place. It was like the officer had given them a warning, rather than enforcing the law - an unexpected twist of events that left me feeling unsettled and confused.
"Trin, I'll call you right back. The cop is walking up to my house right now!" I softly say into the receiver.
"Okay, please make sure that you do! You need to let me know everything that happens!" She answers quickly.
"I promise, bye!"
"Bye."
Knock...
I jumped when I heard the knock, but knowing who it was I opened the door.
"Yes?" I ask as I peer out the door.
"Hello, good afternoon ma'am. Are you Makena?" He asked me.
"Yes, I am."
"I am Officer David Frank, so I'm responding to a call one of your neighbors placed! When I arrived I noticed a few boys standing on your front porch. I took account of everything that happened here and am planning to file a complaint on your behalf. I asked those boys why they were here, and they told me everything! Now I am pretty sure they were telling me the truth because you can't just make up a story like that." He cleared his throat before moving on. "I told those boys that if they continued to harass you some more, then I'd be happy to arrest them. We take these kinds of complaints seriously nowadays." I watch as he reaches into his chest pocket, retrieving a business card. He holds it out to me, and I snatch it out of his fingers. "Now I must make you aware that one of them did have a gun in the trunk of their car. He told me that he had been shooting over the weekend and forgot that it was there. I was inclined to believe him as he didn't have it anywhere on his person. I took the shells out of the gun and put them back in the trunk. Please feel free to contact me should they harass you again. I told them I was giving you my card."
"Okay, thanks, officer!"
"Please do not hesitate to contact me about anything that involves these guys. I really take this seriously and I would not hesitate to arrest them." He said softly.
"I will, thanks again, Officer." I shake his hand, then watch as he walks to his car and drives away. I close my door and slide down it all the way to the floor taking deep breaths and trying to calm my thumping heart. As my breathing and heartbeat slowed, I decided to call Trinity back. I told her everything that had happened while the cop was there. Prior to speaking, I was too shocked to say anything.
"Oh my God, Mak! What happened? Are they gone?" She asked, sounding a bit frantic as she answered the phone.
I told her everything, from the gun to the cop who gave me his number. This was so I could call if I had any further problems with Jesse and his crew.
"My God, Makena, that is crazy! I can't believe he showed up at your door with a loaded gun in his trunk! Especially when he threatened your life just minutes before!" She shouted into the phone.
"Right!" I knew exactly what she meant. I was not looking forward to telling my mom about what had just happened. "Shit Trin, what am I supposed to do when I see him at school tomorrow?" I let out a frustrated growl.
I did not want to face him at school or anywhere else. He terrified me that much. He always seemed to be around. Heck, his locker was just down the hall from mine.
"I really don't think I can ever feel completely safe knowing that he is somewhere in the building."
"I know what you mean. Talk to your mom about it. Maybe you can switch schools or something."
I didn't want to do that, because all of my friends were there. I said farewell to Trin again and got started on my chores and homework. I wanted to have it all finished by the time my mother came home, so I could talk to her about things. I worked hard to get everything done so I could have a meaningful conversation with my mother, making this the appropriate opportunity to do so.