Rewritten (Unwritten Book 2) (32 page)

He looks around and sees Paul approaching from behind him. Turning around he points the gun at Paul. “Back up! You aren’t part of this mess. Don’t make me kill you, too.”

“Hey, let’s all calm down,” Detective O’Brien says.

“Calm down! Excuse me?” Jack yells, moving the gun back to Detective O’Brien. “Why aren’t you arresting him? Why are you meeting here instead of the police station? You saw those tapes months ago. Am I the only one who thinks that someone needs to go down for Jacquelyn’s murder?”

“Jack, if you truly saw the tapes you saw that Charlie didn’t shoot her intentionally,” Detective O’Brien interjects.

“But he was involved. There was obviously something going on. He’s responsible and I’m going to make it right. Jacquelyn deserves at least that!”

Jack raises the gun up to eye level, pointing it directly at me. “I will make it right,” he says as he pulls the trigger.

My entire life flashes before my eyes. My parents. Growing up in Vacaville. Everything I’ve been through to be where I am now. Allison. Lyric. My entire world.

I hear screams as I hit the floor, hard. I can’t see anything. All I hear is a man yelling, and a girl screaming but everything’s black.

It takes me a second to come to when I feel someone moving over me. I realize that Paul landed on top of me, covering my entire upper half with his own.

“Fuck me!” I hear Paul yell as he sits up and my eyes adjust to the scene around me.

I hit my head pretty hard when Paul tackled me to the ground but other than that, I’m not hit. I sit up, turning to Paul who’s gripping his arm. Nichole is wrapped around him, screaming at the top of her lungs for someone to call 911.

I turn to my left to see Detective O’Brien kneeling on top of Jack, with his hands handcuffed behind his back, talking on his phone.

Shaking my head once more I try to get up but am still a little dazed. On the second attempt I reach out to Paul.

“You ok man?”

Paul looks at his arm that’s covered in blood, sighing he looks up to the sky saying a silent
thank you,
then looks at me, “Yeah, I think it just nicked my arm.”

He looks at Nichole who is wrapped around him, hugging him as tears spill down her face.

She pulls back from him saying, “What the fuck Paul! You could have been killed!”

“Hey, better me than him. Charlie is my boy. I’d do anything for him. And Lyric needs him. I was raised without a father. There was no way I was going to let that happen to Lyric.”

I stand up, walking closer to Paul and kneeling down. “You saved my life.”

He looks up at me with a small smile, “Don’t get all sappy on me bro.”

I reach out to pat his back, “Thanks man. I owe you everything.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, don’t mention it. Just get me to a doctor before I bleed all over my clothes here.” He’s trying to joke but I can’t help it.

I reach out, grabbing him a manly hug, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he says returning my one arm hug.

I look up and see sirens approaching us. “Come on, let’s get you up. Help is here.”

I glance at Detective O’Brien who is walking Jack to the back of a waiting cop car. I nod and with a small smile he nods back.

Thankfully the bullet just grazed Paul’s arm so he needed nothing more than a bandage to stop the bleeding. Paul and Nichole are sitting at the back of the ambulance with Nichole wrapped up in Paul’s arms. I pull out my phone to call Allison to fill her in about everything that just happened. As the phone rings I turn my attention to Paul and Nichole and watch their interaction. I watch as Nichole says, “I love you,” to Paul and they kiss in a moment they feel that no one else is witnessing.

I can’t help but smile. Knowing that feeling and so happy that Paul has found that love as well.

“C
harlie, I know it’s Unwritten Law and I normally wouldn’t miss them for the world but do you really think we should go? I mean, Lyric is only three weeks old and we are heading to Vacaville in a couple of days for this Fiesta Days thing you keep talking about.”

“Allison,” Charlie grabs my hand pulling me in close. “There is no way we’re missing this show. This is where we started. I’m forever in debt to this band. Without them, I would have never met you.”

I smile, “Ok, if you put it that way,” I tease.

“Besides, you know your mom is dying to watch Lyric for us. She’ll be here any minute.”

“Ok, give me a minute, I’ll go get dressed.”

“Hey,” he grabs my arm turning me around and pulling me in close. “Will you wear the same outfit? The black Unwritten Law tank top with the red heart?”

I laugh, “Wouldn’t dream of anything else,” as I lean up to kiss him sweetly.

Paul, Nichole and Sonia meet at our place before we head out to Slims for the Unwritten Law concert.

Grabbing a drink at the bar, we all toast to Lyric and how grateful we are that everything turned out ok.

The lights go dim as the band takes the stage. Charlie and I engulf ourselves in their music as we dance and sing every song at the top of our lungs, enjoying being there with each other.

Charlie turns to me, talking in my ear so I can hear him over the band, “I’ll be right back. Just heading to the bathroom real quick.”

I smile and nod then go back to singing
Starships and Apocalypse
.

When the song finishes the lights go dim and Scott, the lead singer, walks to the microphone as a single light points down on him. “What’s up San Francisco?” The crowd yells in response. “Ok, ok, thank you, thank you… we have a special surprise tonight.” The crowd yells again even louder. “Sorry mother fuckers, it’s not for you. It’s for a special someone, a special girl in the crowd.” The girls in the crowd scream wildly as Scott smiles a sexy smile turning to the dark corner off the stage.

An acoustic guitar starts to play the intro to
Rest of My Life
as Charlie walks out on stage playing the guitar. My eyes go huge as he meets Scott in the middle of the stage as Scott begins to sing.

I gasp as I stare in awe at him on the stage, covering my mouth as tears well up in my eyes. Sonia joins me on my left and Nichole on my right. I look to both of them as they smile from ear to ear. “How did he…?” I say, looking to both of them.

They laugh; pushing me through the crowd so we’re next to the stage.

I watch as Charlie picks at the strings of his guitar, looking straight down to me as Scott sings about not wanting his girl to leave for the rest of his life.

Emotions flow through me as tears slowly work their way down my cheek. I can’t take my eyes off the man I love, singing one of my favorite songs next to my favorite band. I almost want to pinch myself this moment feels so unreal. My heart is pounding so hard and my hands are starting to shake.

Nichole wraps her arm around me, pulling me in, kissing my cheek. I look at her and am shocked to see her eyes filled with tears as well.

Charlie plays the end of the song in the same acoustic guitar riff that started it while looking directly into my eyes. The crowd yells as Charlie looks at Scott who nods to Charlie, backing up so Charlie is center stage.

He removes the guitar from around his shoulder and hands it to Scott mouthing,
Thanks man,
before grabbing a box from his back pocket.

My heart sinks to the ground as I see the light teal box that he’s pulled out from his pocket. He looks at me and slowly gets down on one knee. I feel my legs go limp and Nicole and Sonia grab my arms, steadying me to my feet as Charlie opens the box revealing a stunning carat diamond surrounded by a ton of little diamonds bringing out an antique look.

I grab my mouth as tears fall down my face. The crowd is so loud I can’t hear him but see him mouth, “
Will you marry me?”

I slowly lower my hands, revealing my huge smile as I shake my head
yes
with tears rolling down my face.

Charlie jumps off the stage and picks me up, swinging me around before kissing me with so much love and intensity I forget everyone around us. He holds me tightly to him, resting our foreheads together asking, “How did I get so lucky to find you?”

“I was sent to you. I’m your savior, remember?”

Charlie laughs before kissing me again like he never wants to let me go. I’ve never been so happy and I feel like I never want to let him go either.

A
llison’s laying in bed staring at her hand with her engagement ring wrapped around her little finger. Life couldn’t get any better. I come back to bed after making sure Lyric was back asleep and wrap my arms around Allison, pulling her into me.