Intertwine (Book 3)

Chapter Fourteen

ANIYAH_

"I'm tired." I pressed before I rolled over in my bed.

"That's good." Jess rubbed my arm, massaging and pressing at my tender muscles that begged for another ice pack. "That mean your muscles are getting that good workout."

"Who made you a gym coach suddenly?" I shoved her away.

"Oh shut up and get dressed."

I looked at her, watching as she shuffled through my closet before she pulled a t-shirt and a pair of leggings. She tossed them onto my bed before she pulled out a pair of my workout sneakers.

"I don't feel like going." I sobbed.

"You cannot stop because you feel a little burn in those arms."

She gave me a light nudge against my arm. With such tender arms, a light nudge could feel like a ton of bricks being forced against my body.

"b***h do not do that again." I yelped, rubbing my arms vigorously.

“I will wait for you downstairs. I will give you twenty minutes. If you do not appear within twenty-two minutes, I will be back for your ass. Clear?"

I mumbled a few words.

"Got it?"

"I got it."

She shot me a few more dirty looks before she stepped out of my bedroom...

"I'm thinking you should find yourself another friend." I spoke before I took a seat on the staircase. I laced up my workout sneakers.

“Who would give you so much joy?" Jess toyed as she leaned against the door frame. "Besides, you need the training."

“I don’t know. I think I’m pretty athletic already."

"Can you do a split?"

"No."

"Then you're not athletic yet."

“What?" My hands now on my hips. "What does doing a split have to do with anything?"

"A lot now get your ass in the car." Jess shoved me out the door and into the car.

I sat in the passenger seat; my eyes narrow as I waited for Jess to start of the car and pulled out of the driveway.

We kept the music off and the windows cracked just far enough for me to hear the wind whistle pass our ears. It eased me, comforted me, and reminded me of a calmer time.

I began to chuckle. Finding nothing funny, Jess looked over at me.

"What's funny?" She questioned me.

“I remember my mom used to drive us to the mall. She would drive so slow that you would say we were better off getting on the bus."

“I remember. Then she would stay in the slow lane and I would say how I wanted to step on the gas for her."

I laughed out loud as I reminisced about the funny yet memorable past we shared. It was another shared moment I would never forget.

"Some things I would never forget, ones I shared with you guys. My mother knew, I knew, you guys were better family then actual blood relatives." Jess sighed.

"I know."

Our friendship had blossomed to something much more. Family was what we considered each other, even when blood did not tie us together.

"Do you think about her a lot?" I had to ask her, wondering how often her mother crossed her mind.

Her hands tightened around the steering wheel.

"I try not to. I try my best to create those smiling memories; however tears always appear." She shook her head. "It hurts. It hurt when I think of her so much."

I slouched down into my chair. Just like Jess, I could not stop thinking about my mother. I couldn't stop thinking about my father. I could not stop thinking about Jess’s mother. The old life.

“I know jess.” I felt her pain, her love, her need and desire to see and feel someone she loved so much. Someone she missed so much. “I know."...

Jess pulled into the parking lot of the Avalanche gym before she shifted the vehicle into park.

“I think today we should try combat. You know the boxing arenas today."

"You want me to fight with tender, swollen arms?" I pulled off my seatbelt before I opened up the car door.

"I mean I think you can still handle yourself." Jess followed me out of the car and met me at the rear of the car.

Waiting for her to pop the trunk, I stood there.

"Look, you know what I want here. I want you to kick Carl's head off."

"You're crazy." I grunted.

"I'm insane." She corrected me.

She opened the trunk before she reached for our duffle bags. I watched her, eyeing as she tussled with my large yet delicate duffle bag that carried my personal items.

"Wait-" I tried to interject.

"I think a few moves that Maya taught you would help."

"Um my bag-"

"Make him believe that you are a damsel in distress but show him that crazy warrior."

Jess continued to talk as she tossed my bag over her shoulder. Words continued to spew from her mouth. With my attention on my bag, I never even realized what she had said to me.

"What the f**k is in this bag?" Jess tossed the bag into the trunk of the car.

"My things." Jess unzipped the bag and opened it. Her eyes now wide, she stared at the content within my bag.

"Are you serious?" She looked around. "You packed this s**t in your duffle bag?"

"Safe keeping."

"Safe keeping?" She zipped up the bag before she shoved it into my arms. “A stake? A cross? A jar of holy water."

"Better safe than sorry." I tossed the bag over my shoulder before I walked away.

"Safe? How is that safe? You are walking around like a secret Buffy the Vampire Slayer." She stressed it as she followed me toward the front entrance of the gym. "Aniyah the damn vampire slayer."

"Oh relax." I opened the door.

"Why do you have it..." She lowered her voice to a whisper in hopes to keep our conversation private. "Here?"

"Look." I pulled her to the side. "I've lost enough. Do you think I'm going to walk around unprepared?"

Jess sighed.

"they have kidnapped me; I have lost love and battled the unbelievable. Deep down if I lose another, I'm going to go crazy." I shoved her into the direction of the receptionist. "And if I come across one of those blood lovers, I'm going to do great harm."

I must have creeped Jess out with the smile that appeared on my face. A grin that most would find unsettling.

"Fine just...keep it well hidden Buffy." She teased, her eyes rolling in annoyance before she walked away.