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I lay there panting at the bottom of the hill, staring up at the two tilting cars and seeing Noah stand there with outstretched arms, pushing the car back onto level ground.

There's a loud crash as Mr. Travels propels himself sideways and lands hard on his arm as the car he was in just a few seconds ago comes tumbling down the hill, almost bumping into Delilah.

She jumps away at the last second, rolling onto her back and billowing the dust she kicked up into the air.

I gasp and look around her, where the pocket knife lays on the ground from where she threw it earlier. She coughs and shakes her head, too blinded by the dirt to notice it sitting just inches away from her fingers.

She can still get her hands on that thing and hurt me...

I get to my feet and get on my knees, moving forward on my elbows to prevent myself from inhaling any of the dirt. Delilah finally flaps her hands in front of her face and see's me making my way towards her. I freeze and watch as her eyes shift down to look at what I'm heading for.

With a massive surge of effort, she leans forward and reaches for the knife. I grind my teeth together and make a move to smack her hand away, but there's no need.

As soon as her fingers curl around the smooth, metal handle of the blade, a shoe smacks down on the sharper end. I trace the boot up to peer into Noah's face.

He flips the blade up-side-down and sticks it in his pocket, then he pushes Delilah flat on the ground. His normally stoic and sweet expression is angry, and his eyes, usually dark and clouded are brimming with rage.

I see Astrix skid down the slope and run to join us. She grabs onto Noah's elbow, as if reminding him to control his temper, then crouches down next to me and helps me up.

"Oh my god...Oaklyn, are you okay? Tell me you're okay! Is anything hurt? Did she-"

"No."

I cut her off and shakily get to my feet. Noah is quick to lean down and help me up. As soon as our eyes meet, I quickly avert my gaze, and then just as quickly pull it back.

This is Noah. I know him.

I don't want things to be awkward between us. I don't want to throw away our seven years of friendship just for some weird encounter and silly childhood crush.

I purse my lips and give both him and Astrix a short smile.

"I'm completely okay, all thanks to you...But...Jack!"

I cover my mouth and then gesture to the opposite side of the clearing under the rut, right next to the boulder where Delilah stabbed him.

There's a trail of dark red, and then Jack's curled up form. He cradles his injured arm but doesn't let out even the tiniest squeak of pain.

Noah signals the police and ambulances, and a paramedic team rushes down the slope. I run to him first, bending down and lightly grabbing his uninjured shoulder.

He looks up at me and kisses the side of my face, gently skimming his fingers through my hair.

"You're all right?"

I gape at him. The boy just got stabbed in the arm and he wants to know if I'm all right?

I kiss him back and irritably hit the ground. "Forget about me, what about you!?"

He smiles, even as a woman in a white suit hastily covers his arm in gauze. There's not a trace of pain on his face as his eyes are focused on me.

"I'm never better than when you're right next to me."

He winks and I want to scream.

"This is not the time or place for your flirtatious ways, Jack!"

He laughs. I tug my eyebrows in.

"It's not funny!"

He responds with another kiss, and when we, unfortunately, release, he looks up and meets Noah's gaze.

Noah scratches his neck and stares down at us, cheeks red, clearly embarrassed.

"Um...Hey man, we should get you to the hospital."

Astrix nods. "Go with the paramedics, they'll drive you in the ambulance."

I agree with them and together we all help Jack to his feet and goad him into the trunk of the big, red vehicle. Before he goes in, I insist to come with him and make sure that he'll really be all right, but the proctor pushes me off and tells me it would be best if I just went home after everything that happened.

I turn around to the side of the road, next to the alleyway and see the blaring sirens pull away. Delilah is handcuffed and being shoved into the back of one of the vehicles.

The cop cars drive away in front of me and I catch her eye through the glass. We stare at each other for a full two seconds, neither one of us daring to look away. Then the police turn the corner and I can no longer see her. Hopefully...I'll never see her again.

Mr. Travels boards the second cop car, and he vigorously refuses to have had anything to do with the case. He refuses to have known anything about Delilah or what had just transpired.

Pure bullshit.

"Don't worry. We'll be doing a very thorough investigation. If it turns out you have no ties...Then great. We'll let you loose."

I see Mr. Travels visibly go pale. Turns out I didn't need to say a word about the family tie. The police will figure that out all by themselves.

I turn to Astrix and give her a big hug, pulling her in as hard as I can. Then I reach up and plant a soft kiss on Noah's cheek.

"How did you guys know?"

Astrix's cheeks are tinged with a blood-blush. Strands of hair escape her ponytail and whisk in front of her face. She brushes them back and looks at me with a radiant smile.

"Noah showed up for the court case later on, and I was in the crowd, so we tailed your car and saw Delilah behind you. We were there when she cornered you, and that's when Noah called the police."

Noah nods. "It's a good thing we did too. Otherwise...That guy in the car would have told the court there was a freeway accident or something."

He pauses. "Hey...Who exactly was that guy in the car?"

Astrix and I both share a look and crack identical and inappropriate smiles, taking into account the circumstances.

"It's a long story."

"Yeah...Longer than my hair extensions at the spa," Astrix laughs, patting the hood of her now dented cherry car.

"Take a seat."