I regret that after Jackson walked me home, I didn't listen to him and invite him to my grandmother's for dinner, even though he was so insistent. He should have waited those two hours with me then. Together, we should go to the amusement park.
It was because of me that it came to this.... If I hadn't been so stubborn and finally agreed to let him meet my grandmother, things would have turned out very differently.
I am angry with myself.
It is seven o'clock. I am waiting for him at the agreed place. Occasionally, I glance at the white Mickey Mouse watch because I am annoyed that he is still not there. The darkest scenarios come into my thoughts as I realize that the boy is starting to be late.
This is the day when I have the worst premonition.
All around me are couples in love, families with children, or the little ones themselves, running straight to their parents, holding cotton candy in their hands.
Everyone seems happy and there's me. Alone, anxious, standing in the middle of the square, waiting for him.
Will he show up?
More minutes pass and he is still not there. Could it be that he has forgotten? That's impossible. We saw each other only two hours ago, and besides, he is the type of man who would never put another person out. I have managed to get to know him. He is trustworthy.
I lower my head and start playing with the fabric of my powder pink dress. I don't know what to do. Should I go from here and start looking for him, or stay a little longer hoping that he will show up late?
I press my lips together and glance at my watch again. It has just passed the fortieth minute since he was late. This is not normal. Something is wrong. I know it.
I run out into the street and anxiously look around me. Where should I go first to find him? I follow what my intuition tells me and run towards the tunnel. This is the first place that comes to mind, especially since you have to go through it to reach the amusement park.
I slow down my step and, breathing heavily, enter the tunnel. I am not fond of this place. At night, it's frightening to walk through here. It's dark and gloomy. Perfect for criminals who want to assault someone.
I become immobile with fear when I accidentally trip over someone's foot.
On the one hand, I'm relieved when I see that it's only a drunken man mumbling indistinct words under his breath, but on the other hand I'm terribly worried about Jackson. What if I can't find him? I'm sure I won't sleep that night.
This is the tenth time I've dialed his number. I would rather not be pushy, but this is really starting to get me out of balance. The worst part is the sound of the call, followed by the answering machine turning on and telling me to leave a message when I hear the tone, however, this time something changed.
I stop in mid-step and open my eyes wider when I hear the call answered, and a moment later his voice, which is full of distress.
- Alice?
I'm sure something has happened to him.
- Jackson? Where are you?
I'm afraid of his answer. I don't want to hear about the fact that currently he is lying somewhere in a deserted alley, struggling with terrible pain.
- I'm sorry I wasn't able to come to you at the appointed time.
- It's not relevant now. Tell me, where are you? - I squint my eyes as my attention is caught by my hand, which in the daylight is falling with the phone. I run to the end of the tunnel, and my heart rises to my throat when I finally find Jackson.
The boy half-conscious is leaning against the wall. He is so beaten up that I get weak at the sight of him. I can clearly see that he can't even move from this pain. He looks bad. Terrible.
I crouch in front of him and put my shaky hands to my mouth. I am in such shock that I don't know what I should do now.
- Alice," he says indistinctly when he finally notices me. I unlock the phone and dial the emergency number on the keypad to call an ambulance, but he puts a scratchy hand on my hand. - Don't. No ambulance.
- Are you crazy! - I yell at him, unable to bear the state he is in. - You need a doctor!
- This isn't the first time I've gotten a slap from them. It's simply the last warning. Next time they will kill me," he says. Despite the pain, his face is adorned with a forced smile.
- You are abnormal. Someone needs to watch you. You may have internal wounds. It doesn't look like a light beating.
- Just help me get home. I'll rest there.
- You don't need rest, you need treatment!
This is probably the first time Jackson seen me so upset. I'm angry with him, and I'm not going to hide it. Does he really want to ignore the state he is in? He requires a doctor, and he requires one immediately!
- You can be angry and never speak to me again, but I'm not going to let you come home in this condition. No way. Since I found you, I will take care of you.
This time I paid no attention to him and called an ambulance. Let him even bash on me, but he requires help.
*
I sit by the hospital bed on which Jackson sleeps and look with compassion at his bruised face. Fortunately, there are no fractures or worse injuries. He has bruised ribs and a slight concussion. Nevertheless, the boy needs to stay in the hospital for a while so that doctors can keep an eye on him.
- Thank you for claiming to be his guardian. Jackson doesn't have any family, and I couldn't leave him alone in this condition," I turn to my grandmother, who is sitting next to me. She catches my hand and smiles serenely.
- Your friends are my friends. Now we have to take good care of him.
I nod and squeeze her hand out of gratitude.
- Do you know who did this to him? The hospital will definitely call the police to make a statement.
- I think it was some random hooligans. We were supposed to meet at the amusement park, and he didn't make it.
I don't like to lie, but in this situation, I would rather not tell my grandmother the truth. How would it sound if I confessed to her that I befriended a boy who was being chased by usurers? It would probably be worse to add that I've known about everything all along.
I prefer to keep her out of it. It's better that she doesn't know that she's just helping a boy who is also pulling a threat on me.
- I'll go get some drinks for us. Stay with him," she says when she sees that I'm about to get up from my chair and do it for her. - It will be better if he sees you and not my wrinkled face when he wakes up. The poor guy will still think to himself that the mortal has come for him.
- Grandma, that was not cool," I say in an offended voice. - You look better than many twenty-something. Even he wants to go out with you! He keeps pestering me about having dinner at your place. - I point my finger at Jackson, at which she starts laughing.
- When he recovers, I will be pleased to prepare a delicious meal for him.
Grandma leaves the room, and I open my eyes wider in amazement when I notice that he is not sleeping at all. He is listening to what we are talking about.
- Are you okay?
- I didn't think you were so stubborn. I thought you would listen to me though and not send me to the hospital.
- I'm not a submissive person, especially when I see that someone needs my help.
- This time you won't get away with it. I was invited to dinner at your grandmother's. I maintain that she is a nice woman.
Furthermore, I roll my eyes at his words.
- Don't think about dinner but about recovering quickly. Be glad that apart from a concussion and bruised ribs, you didn't suffer worse. - I tighten my lips in anger. - Will you continue to make fun of your situation? They could have killed you today!
- But the stupid always gets lucky, so I got away with it again. You see... destiny wants me to continue to live because you appeared before me, my angel.
- Are you in such a state and have the strength to joke?
- I have become immune to pain and suffering.
I sigh with resignation.
- The hospital will call the police. What will you tell them?
- Lie, of course. I don't want the police to get involved. - He crouches as he feels pain in his ribs when he moves. - I'm the best at lying.
Grandma returns to the room. Her face beams when she sees that Jackson has managed to wake up.
- Boy, how are you feeling?
- Thank you for your help. You are both beautiful and good. - I furrow my eyebrows as he starts his games again. - Alice, you have a wonderful mother," he turns to me.
Grandma starts giggling.
- Oh, how cute you are. I am her grandmother.
- Really? I would never have thought it in my life. You look so young and radiant. Alice probably inherited her beauty for you.
Well... it's true. In lying, he is the reliable one. He charms my grandmother so much that she has already lost her head for him.
- What kind of hooligans dared to touch that handsome face? - My grandmother leans over Jackson and starts stroking him like a child, and he looks at me with such a look that I'm sure he's letting me know that my grandmother is already his.
I only shake my head at this sight. I'm not going to interfere. If he's so eager to gain dinners at my grandmother's house, let him continue to pander.
*
It's been a long time since I was as happy as I am today. The last day of school and the smell of the start of summer vacation is something that every child and teenager rather loves. Including me.
Enough of dealing with the red-headed monkey and her stupid boyfriend, who thinks that two plus two is a quadrilateral.
It's a great feeling when one wakes up in the morning with the thought that one can lounge around all day without doing anything. Something amazing if you're a slacker like me.
- Oh - I pout quietly when, upon entering the house, I notice men's shoes at the door. What is my surprise when it turns out that their owner is Jackson.
The boy is sitting amused at the dining room table, chatting cheerfully with my grandmother. He still has wounds on his face and doesn't look good, but back in the hospital that day, my grandmother had completely lost her head for him.
Apparently, when he recovered, he was immediately invited to the dinner he had long dreamed of.
- Alice, are you there yet? That's fantastic. I'll finish dinner and come back to you with a delicious meal," Grandma speaks up as I approach the table.
In response, I smile at her and nod.
- How are you feeling? - I turn to Jackson.
- I'm fine. I'm not so sore anymore. I'm slowly recovering.
- That's the most important thing. You got hit pretty hard by them. Have they been quiet again since then?
- They are never quiet. I have until the end of the week to give them the cash because they threatened me that now it was only a light scratch and next time I will die in real agony.
I put my hands to my mouth, being horrified by his words.
- You should give them the money. Don't be stubborn. Your life is at stake here.
- If your grandmother's dinner tastes delicious, I will clear my debt. Who would want to lose their lives to never taste a delicious meal again?
- You can still joke about it? It stopped being funny. I was really horrified when I last saw you.
- That means you are worried about me. You like me, don't you? - His openness is wonderful, but it often makes me blush.
- If you want to lose your life because you are stubborn, then realize in the end that this is the most idiotic idea. Occasionally, it's worth being submissive.