Chapter Three

"Leah put this together." I give him the other sandwich. "I need one." I eat slowly because I felt sick after a few bites. I down the water. "Can I have more water?" Ares goes to refill my ice water. "Those guys aren't talking so I'll be back." Hunter sits and Ares leaves. I throw up the food I ate. I hit the button for the nurse. Doctor Bailey walks in. He is forty-five years old. He has olive skin, brown hair, brown eyes, and 5'10. "Aliah thank god you're awake." He checks my vitals and blood pressure. "You have some body guard. He wouldn't leave you're side until you woke up. He threaten to have my job if you didn't wake up." I giggle. He feels my forehead. "The IV is done. Maybe you can eat now. I'll have some soup delivered." I nod. I drink the rest of my water. He removes the IV. I lay back down. Hunter looks at me.

I yawn. "Tell him to hold the soup." I yawn again. Hunter takes off. I close my eyes. I hear slight whispering. "She's resting sir don't worry." I open my eyes to see Ares covered in blood. "Watch over her I'll be back." Dr. Bailey watches him go. He sees me. "Can I walk?" Bailey smiles. "Of course tomorrow. Today you rest." He takes my cup and refills it. Hunter rolls at my feet. I drink my water. An hour passes. Ares comes back and flops on a chair. He wears a sleeveless shirt with shorts and shoes.

"Did you eat?" I sip my water. "Yeah." He glares and walks over to me. "Don't lie to me." We lock eyes. "I'm not hungry but I need more water." I flash him a smile. He stares at me. "I can walk." He stops my legs from moving. "I got it." He gets it and sips some. I roll my eyes. "Ronni sent them." I laugh. "Of course she sent them." Leah comes in with soups. I glance at Ares. "I bought you soup." She sets three different kinds of soups in front of me. "I decided we will start training everyday after school when you are cleared." I look at Ares. "I been done with training for a while now." Ares rolls his eyes. "Sorry princess but you're parents ordered it and they will be back next week." I glare at him. Hunter wags his tail. I eat some chicken noodle soup. It tasted better than yesterday. Ares hands me a sprite. I drink half of it.

After a day I was cleared to be in my room. It'll take a few days for the stitches to fall out. I was in crutches. I was allowed at school now. I hopple down the the stairs. "I told Bailey to bring a wheel chair." Ares picks me up. "You can put me down." He carries me to the car. "You been ignoring me." We was in our school uniforms. "I haven't ate breakfast." Santiago was driving. "McDonald's?" I glance at Santiago. "Okay." I cross my arms. So yeah I haven't want to see Ares. I hate training. We pull up to McDonald's. Santiago orders mine then looks at Ares. He just got an hash brown and a large Dr. Pepper. I sip my drink and eat my McGriddle and hash brown. We get close to the school. "Remember to stay close to me." I roll my eyes. "I can walk." He shuts my door when I open it. "I already messed up Aliah."

"Just stay close to me." He gets out and waits for me. Everyone stares at us. I walk inside. "Aliah! Are you alright!?" My friends hugs me even Jinx. "I'm fine." Claudia and Mateo stares at Ares. "Don't mind him." I turn the corner to see Kage and Ronni on his lap. She had hickeys all over her. Rhett and Travon looked sad. They never liked Ronni. "He's a dick." I smile at Claudia. "It's fine Claudia I'm over him." She hugs me and Mateo studies me. "See ya Kage." Rhett and Travon heads our way. "Oh my god Aliah! Are you okay?"

Rhett and Travon races to me. "I'm good just using these for now." They see Ares and keep there distance. "We don't like Ronni he's making us like her." I hug them both. "Youns still my bros?" They laugh and hug me back. "Always he's just a bigger dick now." I smile and they carry me to class. Ares had my crutches. "See you at lunch." They take off play fighting. Ares sits beside me now. Kage and Ronni walks in and freeze. I see Ares turn dangerous. Ronni glares and pulls Kage in for a kiss. "You nasty people are blocking our way so move." Jinx pulls them apart. Claudia right behind her. "No one wants to see that." Mateo walks behind them. Ronni get mad and pushes him. I stand up but Ares was already there. Ronni backs up a little. Kage curls his fist. "Try to be nice for once."

Kage glances at me but I watch Ares. "He was in my way." Ares helps Mateo up. Ronni scoffs. "Let's go babe." She makes him sit down and climbs into his lap. I look at Ares. "Thank you." He looks at me. "Anything for you." Claudia nudges me. Jinx giggles. "Welcome back Aliah. Mr. Agnello glad to see you show up again." Cauley wears a suit and tie. I look at Ares. He side glances at me. "Mr. Alvin I would love for you to have respect for yourself and others." Ronni gets me. "You never said that when Aliah was on his lap." I roll my eyes. Cauley gives her a look. "He likes her better. She's not a home wrecker." Everyone laughs. Ronni flips her hair. "No one likes you Mateo you're a nerd with no girlfriend." Cauley huffs and sighs. Ares stops me. He gets up. "At least he didn't sleep with someone's girlfriend unlike you."

"You are a home wrecker. I feel sorry for anyone being around you." She slaps him. Everyone gasps. I slide over a desk and push her into Kage. "Hands off home wrecker." Kage holds on to her. "Don't Ronni." She settles into his lap. "Of course you're jealous." I try not to laugh. "Of what my left-overs. Enjoy. I know I did." I examine Ares' face. His jaw was tense. "Hey. Relax." He looks at me. He picks me up and checks my foot. Kage had his fists curled. "Ronni please exit my class. Go to the office." Ronni storms out.

Cauley comes over. "Go to the nurse. Take Aliah. I send the work like I been doing for the past few days." Cauley hands us a book. Ares stands up. "I can carry Aliah while Ares carries their books." A muscle ticks in Ares' jaw. "I can managed." I take my crutches. Ares picks me up. We get to the nurse's office. Regean is forty-two years old. She has olive skin, short shoulder length brown hair, brown eyes, and 5'7. "She's okay nothing ripped." She scans Ares face. "Ice it down." Ronni was in Baken's office. He hasn't gotten fired yet. Ares decided to wait on mom and dad. I go to my chair. Renae looks at me. "So Ares is doing your job now?" I giggle. "No he has class I can managed." Ares has a ice bag on his cheek. "I hate this school!" Ronni storms out. "Keep walking." Ares glares at her.

"It's not like you'll have her. Kage had to wait on her to be ready." I laugh and she glances at me. "Exactly he waited for ME not you." Ares rolls his eyes. "He is mine now." I wave her bye. "Okay enjoy my left-overs. I'm sure they taste good." She growls and leaves. "Mr. Agnello I like to apologize for Miss Villins slapping you." Ares nods. We spend till lunch in the office doing school work. Ares picks me up and sets me down at a table. "Santiago is bring us something." Claudia, Jinx, and Mateo comes up. They were staring at Ares. "Are you not eating? I can go get you something." Jinx stands up quick. "She has Wendy's coming no worries." We all look at Ares. He leaves and comes back with food. He sits mine in front of me. He also sits a strawberry lemonade down too. He sits besides me. We all eat in silence.

"So is your parents hosting the Grande Ball?" I drop my burger. I bite my lip. "That's in a month but they still out of town." I get a chicken nugget. I dip it in sweet and sour sauce. Ares has a bowl of chili with cheese. He crushes his crackers up. He also had a chicken sandwich and fries. We lock eyes. He smiles and goes back to eating. "Don't your uncle host it then?" My cousin Trey is in college. He is twenty-one years old. He has black skin, curly black hair, brown eyes, and 5'8. My uncle retired too but my cousin didn't join either.

But he was trained like I was. "My parents should be back soon." My uncle Gary Hutton he is forty-three years old. He has brown skin, black hair, brown eyes, and 5'10. "I'm done but keep my drink. I have to pee." Ares nods. I get up and go to the bathroom. "You have him now Ronni. Let it go." Ronni has a friend. "Kage still loves her. She's a threat. I need to get rid of that body guard of hers." She has Kage. What is her problem. I hear them exit. I flush and wash my hands. Ares leans against the wall with my drink. "Here." He stops himself. "Sorry." I roll my eyes. "You're making me use crutches. I can walk." I put pressure on my foot and lose my balance. Ares catches me but drops my drink. "Yeah no." He picks me up and sets me on a bench. He checks my foot. The rest of the school day he made me sit in the office doing school work.

While he does my office runs. "He's quite helpful." I was reading a book. He comes back and sits beside me. "You done both our papers." I don't stop reading. " I was bored and they were both different so I did them." Santiago comes early. Ares packs our stuff. I wait in the car when I see a limo pull up. A guy with two guards gets out. He has brown skin, black hair with purple highlights, brown eyes, and 5'7. Ares freezes. The guy just smirks at him. Santiago comes and Ares runs to us. "Who's that?" Ares fists curls up. "Someone I used to know." He looks at the window. We arrive home and Ares runs to his room. "Santiago find out who that boy is." I get to the steps. I use my injured foot to make it up the steps. I begin walking again. I pour me some water. Hunter was outside playing. Ares was no where to be seen.

His room was dark. "Ma'am his name is Apollo West he is in the Mafia. Ares was hired to take them out but failed." I run up to his room. I knock. "Ares?" No answer. I open it and find he is gone. "He left." I run and Hunter follows. It started to rain. I hop in my sports car. I look for him. I take a road that is a back road to another city. I spot him but I see another car stalking him. I speed and hit the van from behind. Ares stops walking. The back doors open and a man in a suit fires at gun at me. I lean my sear back.

He runs out of bullets. I had two guns in my dash board. I open my door and aim. Ares sees me. "Aliah!" I toss him a gun. He shoots any man coming my way. "How did you?" I hug him. "Please don't go." He pushes me when a bullet flies pass us. "Boss will be interested that you have a lover." I freeze. I see a dagger in Ares' shoe. I swipe it and throw. It landed in the guy's throat. "What lover?" He goes down. Ares pulls me into the car. He drives. "They were the ones I was suppose to kill but I was attacked before I could finish the job." We go into town. He stops at a gas station. "Stay." He gets out. I turn on the heat. He comes back with Gatorade and some snacks. "Are you okay?" I nod and take a chewy bar. We go back home. Leah runs to me with a towel. "Take care of Ares first." I head up to my room. I take a shower. I lay in bed.

"Aliah? It's time for dinner." I groan and roll over. I hear my door open. "Aliah." I wave him bye. "You need to eat." I roll over and look at Ares. "Tell Leah I'll eat later." He crosses his arms. He has on at-shirt with shorts and shoes. I had on a oversize shirt. "She prepared pot roast." I smile. She makes sure to make it like my mom does. I miss my parents. "Okay." I get out of bed and put my hair in a bun. We eat in silence. Hunter eats beside then Ares. "His name is Apollo so tomorrow at school you have to not know me so he don't target you." I look at Ares. "Okay but tomorrow I'll deal with Ronni." I bite into a carrot. Ares nods. We finish dinner. I go to my library. I get a book and sit on my couch. "Aliah?" Ares comes in. He hands me a dagger. "Keep this with you at all times." It was pretty. "Thank you."

He smiles and leaves. I wake up before my latent goes off. It was five-thirty a.m. School don't start till eight am. Hunter was still snoring at the foot of the bed. I change into a sports bra and shorts. I put my hair up. Hunter was still snoring so I shut the door ajar. I go to the gym. Before I do, I do my stretches. I do a split when the doors open. "You're up early." Ares walks in with no shirt with shorts and shoes. Great I forgot shoes. "Yeah." He watches me. He goes to the punching bag. He bandaged his knuckles.

I finish stretching. I practice some moves with my dagger. "I see why Leah said no one lands a blow on you." I giggle. "Hand to hand combat isn't bad it's just I love to sai fight with my dad. Combat I can lose unless you make me mad." Ares chuckles. "Come I can teach you better combat skills." We roll into the ring. He goes over the basic like how to catch a fist and what to do with it. He teaches me how to read my opponent's movements. We over it five times. We practice for an hour. "Not bad." He hands me some water. I check the time six-thirty am. "I see you around." I go shower. I play Only Me by Alejandro Lema. I rock out to it. I dry off and put on my uniform. I brush my hair and teeth. Hunter licks my hand. It was seven-thirty am. I go downstairs. "Ares already left. He said it'll be smart to take different cars."

Santiago opens me door. He drops me off at school. "Why did you come by yourself?" I look at Claudia and Jinx. "He's giving me space." We go to my locker. I open it to McDonald's. "Ooh someone has a secret admirer." I see Ares turning the corner. I see Apollo with Kage, Rhett, and Travon. They were laughing. Ronni runs up to them. Kage just looks at her. Apollo stops them. "Who are you?" He flashes her a smile. She scoffs. "I'm Kage's girlfriend." Apollo just laughs. Kage rolls his eyes. "Just chill Ronni. I see you later." They walk away. "That's what you get whore." Jinx laughs. Some girls walk pass Ronni. She pulls one by her hair. "Hey!" She slaps the other. "Who you calling whore. I'm a freaking queen." She punches the one she had by the hair. "Miss Villins! My office now!!" She walks off.

The girls were crying now. "I see youns later." I go in the office. I go behind the desk to grab a cherry blow-pop or two. "God!!" Ronni walks out. She spots me. "Goodie I can finally deal with you." I roll my eyes. "I can really break you're jaw now. I just recorded that and my charge will be self defense and you'll be in jail." I push pass her. I wasn't hungry. So I go see my friend Ezra Alvera he is seventeen years old. He has brown skin, black hair, brown eyes, and 5'7. I walk in his class. "Hey gorgeous." We do a hand-shake.

"Here I'm not hungry but I'm keeping the drink." He smiles. "Hola Bonita." I lock eyes with Ronal Valle he is seventeen years old. He has dark olive skin, curly black hair, brown eyes, and 5'7. Damon Figgs he is seventeen years old. He has brown skin, black hair, brown eyes, and 5'7. "Hey guys." First bell rings. "Bye." I walk to first block slowly. Ares stands when I walk in. "Aliah glad you're better." Apollo stands up. "Hello I'm Apollo West." I walk to my seat but Apollo just smirks. Ares was still next to me. Ronni ignore Apollo. Kage looks at me. "Okay let's go on to The Civil War." I look over my notes I was ahead of them. I look on the Civil War notes. Mr. Cauley goes on. I get some paper out and start doodling. Ares stares at Apollo. I was busy doodling that Ares was watching me. "Did you eat?" I glance at Ares. "Uhhh yeah."

I sip my drink. He studies me. He sits a McGriddle in front of me. "You missed this." I stare at him. He smiles. "I didn't put it in the bag just three hash browns." He opens the McGriddle for me. I take a bite and continued doodling. I see Apollo whispering to Kage. I get half way done eating. "Get in a group of four please. You're assignment is to make a poster of the Civil War Times." Ronni runs to Kage. Claudia, Jinx, and Mateo looks at me. Ares just sits there. "Ares you can join Kage, Ronni, and Apollo." I stop breathing. I turn to Ares. His jaw was tense. "He can take my place." I go sit next to Kage. Ronni glares at me. "Finally someone pretty." I crinkle my nose at Apollo. He leans so close to me. "You're so pretty." I look him up and down. "Not interested." Kage was staring too. "Hey!" Ronni smacks him.

"Ronni please stop. I told you I don't like you." She looked hurt. She slaps him. "Then suck my dick Alvin." She storms off. "Miss Villins." I look at Kage. "Whoa man." Apollo was laughing. "It's rude to laugh." He looks at me.