A deafening bang rang through the auditorium. Principal Duncan jerked as a bullet ripped through his chest.
Then Screams erupted more louder, from everyone who was in the auditorium including the teachers and the guards.
Jax watched in horror as blood pooled beneath Duncan. His vision blurred with rage and panic.
On the other hand, Callahan just smiled.
While the other students, scattered like birds outside, a wave of panic crashed through the school as a single gunshot pierced the air. That was when Callahan had shot Principal Duncan.
BANG. BANG. BANG.
The sound of three more gunshots ripped the afternoon and everything outside froze.
Grace caught her breath in her throat and the world slowed. The blood drained from her face as her heart pounded violently against her ribs, "Oh my God...Jax."
Her knees almost buckled.
"Grace!" Maya called her.
"Was that a gunshot?!" Amber asked in shock and frustration.
More students outside paused in terror as some clutched their mouths, tears threatening to fall from their eyes.
Inside the school bus that had just pulled up, Rowan and Theo stiffened. They heard the shots and their bodies became rigid. They were just coming back from a friendly basketball match outside school. Only to be met with despair.
"Did you hear that? Rowan asked.
"The hell is going on," Theo scanned the scene.
They saw students sprawled out across the campus grounds, as some hid, while others ran.
Then their instincts kicked in. Without further hesitation, Rowan and Theo bolted from the bus, sprinting towards the school.
Grace's entire body trembled as a sickening fear sank in her stomach. She knew something happened to Jax. She turned on her heel and ran for the auditorium.
"Grace, wait!" Amber called out on her but she didn't stop. Tears blurred her vision, her mind in a storm of panic.
"Shit, let's go after her," Her friends had no choice but to follow, their own fear growing as they pushed past terrified students.
But in Grace's head, nothing mattered except for one thing, Jax.
The heavy scent of gunpowder and blood hanged in the air and the scene was a wreck.
Jax's father laid on the ground as he bled out, his chest soaked in red. Jax was on top of Callahan, his hands wrapped tightly around his throat, squeezing, his knuckles white with rage.
Callahan's face turned purple, his body jerking violently as he clawed at Jax's grip. Jax's eyes burned red and his teeth clenched so hard they could have shattered.
His father's blood was on his hands, literally and figuratively.
He could hear the ragged gasps from the man who had abandoned him, and yet as he watched him, fading away like that, he ached. More than he ever thought it would.
Grace, Rowan, Theo, Maya and Amber had raced inside. The other guards, teachers and students, had already ran once Jax's father intervened when Callahan pointed the gun at Jax. His father attacked Callahan from behind. But while Jax and his father were fighting to get the gun off from Callahan, he shoved Jax's father with his legs and shot him three times.
While the security guards ran, they called the police, once they reached outside.
They all froze. "Oh my god," Grace staggered.
Her tears threatened to fall as she took in the horrifying scene.
"His dad..." Amber whispered in shock.
"Shit, Jax is going to kill him." Maya rambled.
Jax didn't even hear them, his grip tightened around Callahan's throat, while his father and Principal Duncan bled.
Callahan gagged, kicking his feet weakly, as his face lost color. Rowan and Theo exchanged a glance.
They knew that look from Jax's eyes. It was pure and uncontrollable rage. And if they didn't stop him now, he would end Callahan.
"Jax, let go, man!"
They ran to him.
His entire body trembled as his rage blinded him. Then Grace moved too.
She dropped to her knees beside him, and grabbed his arm, "Jax...please," she pleaded softly.
Then he finally stirred and his breath was ragged, and his arms were shaking. Grace cupped his face, forcing him to meet her eyes, "Don't do this. This isn't you."
For the first time since his father got shot, Jax saw her, her tears and her fear and the pain in her eyes that mirrored his own. His finger slackened.
Callahan gagged for air, coughing violently, with an expression that he for sure knew Jax was going to kill him this time.
Jax slowly pulled back as his chest heaved, his entire body shaking. His hands were coated in blood, his father's blood.
He looked over, and he saw his father's eyes dulling, his body going still.
Amber and Maya called for an Ambulance.
Jax's face twisted in agony. A single painful sob ripped from his throat as he clutched his hair. Rowan and Theo quickly retsrained Callahan, who was too weak to fight back, as the distant sounds of sirens filled the air.
But all Jax could do was to stare at his father's lifeless body.
hat to say. Because what could they say?
Jax didn't love his father and he spent most of his life hating him. But now that he stood there, looking at the coffin slowly being lowered into the ground, he ached in his heart.
A finality he wasn't ready for.
---
FLASHBACK
A week ago, Callahan and Derrick were exposed. All their lies, manipulation and crimes were laid bare for the world to see.
Callahan was dragged away in cuffs, his face twisted in pure humiliation as reporters swarmed him.
Derrick had been caught before he escaped, his usual smugness replaced by pure terror.
His father's grand plan to take over the school was all gone. His reputation? Destroyed. And now, the media was tearing them apart.
---
PRESENT
The priest finished his sermon, as the last words echoed in the quiet air.
People stepped forward to throw flowers into the grave as Jax stayed put. He didn't move. Not until he felt a soft hand slip into his. Grace.
He looked at her but she didn't say anything. She was there for him. So were Rowan, Theo, Maya and Amber.
All of them stood by him, despite everything and this made Jax didn't feel like he was alone.
---
The rhythmic beeping of monitors filled the quiet hospital room as Principal Duncan laid on the bed, propped up slightly, his complexion pale but improving. A thick bandage was wrapped around his chest, a reminder of the bullet that nearly ended his life.
Across from him, Grace and Jax were sitted, their expression a mix of relief and tension.
"Didn't think I'd see you two so soon," Duncan joked weakly, offering a small smile. His voice was hoarse but strong enough to carry.
Jax then crossed his arms, "Didn't think we'd be visiting a principal who got shot at school, but here we are."
Grace elbowed Jax lightly, shaking her head, "We just wanted to check in and see how you're doing."
Duncan exhaled, shifting slightly in bed. "I'll be fine. I just need time to heal. The doctors say I got lucky."
"More like miraculously lucky," Grace muttered, still shaken by everything that happened.
Jax glanced toward the window, his voice quieter, "So...the school?"
Duncan's expression darkened slightly, but he nodded. "For now, the Board of Trustees has assigned an interim chair to run things. They're still deciding if I'll return as principal once I recover."
Grace frowned, "But this wasn't your fault."
Duncan chuckled dryly. "Doesn't matter. Callahan made sure my leadership was questioned before everything unraveled. The Board is cautious now."
Then Jax scoffed. "Yeah, well, they should be more worried about keeping psychos out of the staff positions instead."
Duncan smirked slightly. "Couldn't agree more."
A knock on the door interrupted them. A nurse stepped in. "Alright kids, Mr. Duncan needs his rest."
Grace and Jax stood, sharing a glance before turning to Duncan.
"Take care," Grace said gently.
Duncan nodded, watching as they headed towards the door. Just as Jax reached the exit, Duncan called out, "Jax."
Jax paused turning slightly.
Duncan gave him a knowing look. "For what it's worth...you're not as reckless as people think."
Jax snorted. "Yeah? Don't get used to it."
With that, he and Grace stepped out, leaving Duncan and the nurse chuckling softly to himself.
---
Along the tree-lined pathway, the world felt different, quieter and softer. Jax and Grace walked side by side, their steps unhurried just after they left the hospital. To them, it felt like there were no chaos chasing them down and no danger lurked in the background. Just the sound of their footsteps and the distant laughter of children in the park ahead.
Jax exhaled stretching his arms behind his head. "You ever get that weird feeling? Like when things finally calm down, it almost feels too calm?"
Grace chuckled, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Like the universe is just waiting to throw the next disaster at us?"
"Exactly," Jax smirked, glancing sideways at her. "But hey, maybe we finally caught a break."
Their fingers brushed ever so slightly as they walked, a featherlight touch, yet it was enough to send a small jolt through both of them. Neither of them pulled away and they didn't also acknowledged it. But suddenly every nerve in their hands was hyper aware.
Grace swallowed, focusing on the pavement ahead, "It's weird, isn't it?"
"What?" Jax asked with a low voice.
"This...feeling," She hesitated, then continued, "Like we'r waiting for something, but we don't know what."
Jax exhaled a quiet laugh, shoving his hands into his pockets, a weak attempt to resist the magnetic pull between them. He tilted his head toward her, his voice dropping to something deeper.
"Maybe we do know," he said. "Maybe we're just too stubborn to admit it."
Grace's heart pounded, then she looked up at him, and for the briefest moment, his eyes caught hers in a way that felt like a slow burning fuse ready to explode. There was a connection there, a tension thick enough to choke on.
The distance between them felt smaller now, like the universe itself was pushing them closer.
Jax smirked, his tone teasing, but there was something genuine underneath, "I mean, it's kinda funny when you think about it...how much we've been through together."
Grace quirked an eyebrow, "What's funny about that?"
Jax shrugged. "I don't know. Just that through all of it, there's one thing that's never changed."
"And what's that?" asked Grace.
He leaned in slightly, just enough to make her breath hitch, "I always end up right here," he murmured, "With you."
Then Grace thought he was actually going to say it. Her lips parted as her chest tightened.
But then just as quickly, Jax pulled back with that infuriatingly charming smirk, stuffing his hands even deeper into his pockets.
"Anyway," he said, casually, like he didn't just set her entire world on fire, "we should probably head back before your friends send a search party."
Grace blinked realizing she had been holding her breath. She exhaled sharply rolling her eyes, but the warmth on her face betrayed her.
"Right," she muttered, shaking her head with a small smile.
And as they continued walking, the space between them felt smaller than before, even as neither of them said another word about it.