Chapter Twenty-Two

Narrated in third person:

Penelope looked at the two signs he had on his neck, irrationally she wanted to touch them all, those were the most beautiful signs she had ever seen. What was strange! He smiled, moving closer to her.

As hard as it was for both of them there, as small as it was they felt something for the other, which was inexplicable. Because neither of them could explain it.

David's hands sweated, thinking to himself if he should risk it, and step forward and go towards the pink lips that he at that moment longed to kiss, but he wouldn't do that.

Penelope closed her eyes about to kiss a stranger, she pulled him by his shirt, feeling their warm lips on hers. He deepened the kiss, surprised it was audible the rapid heartbeat that both their hearts emitted, composing a song.

He leaned closer to her, his hands roaming around her waist, intensifying the kiss by nibbling on her lips, she shivered, smiling throughout the kiss completely as their hands roamed through her hair. And the world seemed to stop in a break, in a kind of peace.

And they continued kissing for quite some time when he stopped the kisses with little kisses, his brown eyes sparkling in the sunlight, a beach had never been so romantic for Penelope.

Their faces were so close together that they could feel the warm, rapid breath on their cheeks, it hadn't been just any kiss and she knew it.

She blinked a lot. His hands were still tangled in her hair, stroking the back of her neck, for him it wasn't just any kiss either, it was noticeable in the way he looked at her.

- Is this really real?

Her heart did a double back flip before she could say something that interrupted her speech.

- Penelope Martinez?

A thin hysterical voice interrupted them both, what sounded like a fan approached and knelt down next to them waving her huge pink hair, approaching them in a rush with paper, her hands trembling.

The two had no time to assimilate that incredible kiss, but it certainly hadn't gone unnoticed their hearts were radiant, but David was red.

Penelope took the paper, David looked to the side two men were approaching, he squeezed his eyes shut, they looked like cabinets so strong.

When one of the men not-so-discreetly reached into his waistband for a gun, David quickly grabbed his and shouted.

- He has a gun, get down!

I shouted, warning the girl next to me who ran away, David caught my mother running behind a car and the people playing volleyball ran away without understanding.

- I'll cover you, you'll have to run to your car.

I put both hands around my head and nodded, I had to run but felt powerless to do so. One of the shots missed the rearview mirror.

One of the men approached, David quickly shot him in the shoulder, but he kept walking towards us, he shot again telling me to run.

He ducked and dropped the gun, I ran trying to understand where the adrenaline was coming from, I pulled every breath I could to run to the car.

I ran out in an unsteady way, my hair stuck to my pale skin when I saw that two goons were shooting, I protected myself with my hands over me screaming.

David stopped in front of me calling my name, everything seemed to be in slow motion, I screamed even more feeling blood splashing on my clothes.

Suddenly everything had turned into a nightmare.

David had stayed in front of me, so the shot that was for me hit him, in his shoulder, he staggered, I grabbed his hand and looking for strength where I didn't have I helped him to get in the car while he also shot, we got in and I closed the door shaking.

At least we were safe there, the car was armored, its eyes were wide open, my hair stood on end.

The shots continued, but the windows were toast, they didn't suffer any scratches, but they made the car shake, I put my hands to my ears, that noise was frightening.

I screamed with my hands on the steering wheel, I backed the car up and drove down the road, crouched down with David in the back seat and gritted my teeth.

He groaned in pain with his hand on his shoulder, I hated to see blood so I avoided looking in the rearview mirror, I looked at the dashboard to check for fuel, I sighed with relief the tank was full.

David placed his blood-stained hands from pressing the bullets into his right shoulder.

- Oh my God! Are you all right?

- Don't worry, I'll manage. - He blurted out, frowning in pain. - Just drive.

I looked up feeling my legs shaking, we were flying, David could see that I was shaking with fear even sitting behind him trying to calm me down as a policeman.

It was all my fault, his sticks were in his bloody leg, he had been hit there too, I felt terrible, no car was following us, I took a deep breath even so I drove fast.

David called for backup, on his cell phone. I was impressed how calm he seemed, even in a situation like this.

- Drive to New York, to the police station? - She shook her head hyperventilating and her arms opened, feeling the glass.

- But what about you? David you are badly hurt, we have to get you to the hospital.

I couldn't control how pale I trembled clutching the steering wheel, I stopped to realize that I wasn't safe, something inside my heart heaved as I realized how absurd this situation was.

David was talking on his cell phone, he seemed to be stunned, taking in all the terrible things that had happened by now.

- Please come soon, I need to get her out of this. - He scratched his forehead, so pale.

I blinked a lot, I obviously had no idea what it was all about, who was behind it all was ruthless. And apparently I was the target as well.

He turned off his cell phone, stood up, and moved to the front seat next to me.

I took a deep breath. - We have enough fuel to get us back!

- Thank God. - He pursed his lips together, gritting his jaw in pain as he shifted in his seat. - But, we are not going to the hospital, stop on road fifty-two, there will be a helicopter waiting for us... We have to get you to safety!

David fainted the instant he spoke, I shouted the call. I put my feet up and accelerated the car, the traffic was clear but I knew we would hit traffic later.

- David, wake up, there. - Bite my lips. - David.

He opened his eyes quickly. - It's okay, don't mind me. Just look at the road.

- Don't mind you? You just got shot for me and you want me not to care? I'm freaking out here.

My hand rested irrationally on his leg, his brown eyes looked up at me, the slightly strong sunlight streamed in through the damaged front window of the car, getting between us and further brightening his eyes, and I felt a significant tremor.

After all, what had gotten into me? What did that man have to disarm me. I thought to myself how much I would like to hide my face in the curve of your neck and forget for a few seconds how heavy existing weighs.

He paused thoughtfully, I withdrew my hand clumsily. - I did what any policeman would do.

I put my head down, when we reached the road several policemen were waiting for us. And as we flew, I looked through the glass at the city, I noticed the passage, the people that looked like ants seen from that height, the noise of the propellers, I looked at the breaking waves wanting to feel peace, but I couldn't, not yet.

Breathing, inhaling and exhaling, I took his hand. I just needed a shower, to be with my family, but being honest with myself I felt a chill in my stomach and uncertainty coursing through my body.

I just want an end to all of this.