Janet's

"Alive."

That was like the 'go' without an 'on your mark' and 'get set.'

I didn't mind. I was already beyond my mark and all set.

I just ran. Bolted outside the room to the outside of the police station where the air was filled with the ambulance and police van sirens. Officers were walking around, talking to each other.

All of them were like colourful lines in my peripheral vision while I was running towards ambulance.

I dodged the cars, bumped into police officers on my way, mumbled my apologies and continued to run.

I had this new found energy within me and I was feeling a new kind of restless. I did not know of any words that could describe how I felt.

I reach the van doors and I freeze when I see him, getting bandaged on his previously bruised side. My legs feel like jelly because of excitement and the running and my lungs may just come out any minute.

I feel tears prick my eyes and just then he turns to look at me.

And he smiles again.

That's when I lose it.

"You're smiling? How dare you! How can you smile when I've been crying my lungs out you-" I saw all this while walking towards him and before picking up the pillow, "you prick! You fucking scared me! Don't you ever do that again, I swear I'm going to kill you myself," I say after swinging the pillow at his head.

He chuckles.

He fucking chuckled.

"Do I look like a clown? You think I'm cracking a fucking joke," I saw, tears in my eyes.

When he finally sees me crying, his smile disappears and he just stares at me.

He holds his hand out for me to take and just fold my hands on my chest, resisting the urge to take it.

"Don't be such a baby, I'm hurt and you should comfort me," he says sadly, with a fake pout. That's when I notice all the damage done to his face. There were cuts near his eyebrow, his cheek and on his jaw. He cuts my inspection off.

"Are you going to just stand and stare or kiss them for me, just like in the movies?" he says while wiggling his eyebrows and I narrow my eyes at him.

"When did you become so...friendly and fun and alive?" I ask and he sighs, his hand still in the air.

"Ever since the danger of getting my loved ones killed stopped hanging over my head, I'm happy, don't you want to make the most of it?" he asks and I just look away.

He gets up a little and pulls me with his hanging hand and I jerk ahead, straight onto him.

"Janet, I want to tell you about who that man was-" he starts and I cut him off.

"I know. Aunt Darla just told me. There's a lot I still don't know and a lot of questions that I still have but I don't want to think about all that right now-" this time he cuts me off.

"I prefer we get it out of mind and our way."

Our way.

"Why did you not leave when I gave you the option at the park?" I ask. Though Andrew did mention the deal but that wasn't good enough.

"Well because I realised you're the niece of the woman who put Harry behind bars and Kiara was her own daughter. When I heard about Trevor, I figured something was not right with that guy. Also, I knew after me, your aunt would be Harry's next victim. I figured unity against a common enemy is better than division. So I decided to stay," he replied and I nod, slightly disappointed. I don't know what I was expecting and the reason for my disappointment.

I shake my head.

"What deal did you have with Kiara and Jason?" I ask and he smiles.

"Well, with Kiara it was that I'd be her boyfriend and in exchange she would keep an eye on you, take care of you, pay attention where you are and everything more than she already does. Jason I helped with Kiara in exchange of him taking good care and protecting Kiara, from Trevor and others," he says and I shake my head in disbelief.

"And I was already Jason's bodyguard, which you already knew," I say, joining the last link.

"Exactly," he says with a half smile.

"You took care of all our safety huh?" I say and he nods.

"Also, little heads up, Kiara already knows that you dance and that you're involved with girl gang," he says cautiously and my jaw touches the floor.

"What?" I say my heart in my throat.

"Yeah, she does. She knows for a while. She thinks it's cute," he says and I feel like I'm going to faint.

"No, you won't faint," he says and chuckles and I want to react but I'm too shocked.

Can this day get crazier?

"Janet, you can think about Kiara later. Right now, I need to ask you this, since we're at it, where do we stand?" he asks and his question takes me by surprise.

Wait, this is too much for my human heart to handle.

"Steven I never cared about all this and I still don't. What matters is this," I say, placing my finger on his chest, where his heart is, feeling it beat loudly, "and that is not all that bad."

"Not all that bad! It's fucking awesome!" he cries and I smirk.

"Maybe, So, that leaves us wherever you want us to be," I say and he pulls me closer when he suddenly narrows his eyes.

"You haven't checked your pockets all evening?" he asks and I narrow my eyes.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, I was busy getting kidnapped and then crying for you," I retort and he pulls something out of there.

It's a folded piece of cartridge paper. I raise my eyebrow at it.

"What is this?" I say and snatch the paper from him and unfolding it.

I open it and my jaw touches the floor.

It was a pencil sketch of me dancing, the very day that he got to know my secret.

"You sat and sketched me that day?" I ask and he shakes his head.

"I drew this out of memory," he says which surprises me even more.

"Uh-um, Tha-" I stammer and am about to thank him when he shuts me up.

"Don't. You don't have to say anything, especially not thank you. By the way, you forgot to read the message below," he says and I read.

This picture has never left my head and it is this moment that drew me in, towards you. This picture, for me, describes Janet.
Don't ever stop dancing ❤

I just stare at the note, my breath stuck in my throat, a smile creeping up on my face.

"So you admit you're attracted to me?" I tease, now that the ball was in my court.

"More than you know," he says and in lightning speed he stands up, holds my wrist and pulls me towards him before caging me in.

My entire body is alert and I blink at him twice.

There goes the ball.

In Andrew's room it was dark and so it wasn't a problem. But this room, it's well lit and it's dangerous since my body is not under my complete control anymore.

"So now that you're my girlfriend, I hope-" I cut him off.

"What?! When did that happen?" I say and he shrugs."Just now."

"No, it did not happen. I'm not your girlfriend. I don't remember saying yes and I am not drunk," I retort and he raises his eyebrows.

"So you don't want to be my girlfriend?" he says and bends down, his eyes suddenly serious.

"No- I mean Yes, I want to be but what the hell Steven, and you're supposed to ask me out properly. This is not fair okay?" I crib and he just smirks.

"You're back to cribbing like a baby, but you are my baby. I don't need to ask anyone, mainly because I already know your answer and I just confirmed it as well," he says and I'm about to say something when-

"Ahem ahem," I turn to see Kiara standing there with a smile along with Jason who's rolling his tongue in his mouth to control his laughter.

"Well well, what do we have here, the love birds and keeper of mighty secrets," she says and that's when I remember.

"Kiara about that-" I start and she shushes me.

"All that we can do later, for now, we all have one final deal to make," she says and smiles at Jason.

"Yes, you'll have to promise me that you'll will accept me for who I am and nothing else," Jason says and stretches his hand forward.

Kiara keeps her hand in his before putting forth her part of the deal."Promise me that you will always tell me the truth, even if you think it's going to hurt me. Promise me you'll never break my trust," she says, looking at the three of us meaningfully and a little longer at Steven.

They both turn towards me then."Promise me that you will share all your problems with me and you will let me stand by you and help you through them and vice versa," I say and look at Steven.

"Promise me that you will overlook my mistakes, forgive me and give me a chance to become a better person. Promise me that you will have faith in me when no one else does," he says and we both place our hands on Kiara's and Jason's joint ones.

"So we have a deal?" Kiara says and the three of us nod.

"Deal."

And just that way, we told each other what we should have maybe done in the few weeks that passed and what we should do in the future.

And I'm sure, that after today, after this, we will be able to get through almost anything.

We have a deal after all and everyone knows that we stay true to our word.

*****************

An epilogue may or may not come.

But this is the end of the story. Whatever happens from now on is up to your imagination :)

Thank you for joining me on this journey. You guys are highly appreciated and have a special place in my heart.

I hope you guys had fun.