Chapter Fourteen
The next few days pass without incident. I have managed to keep all contact with my family to a minimum and have just enjoyed spending time with Drake and Dylan. The threat of the fight is still looming and the subject has remained off limits. Every time we ask Dylan about it he closes up and refuses to discuss it. Both Drake and I know that he could get badly hurt and we try to talk him out of it at every opportunity.
I know that he is training for it though as Drake told me that he gets up really early and heads for the gym. He also works out after work and I am worried that he isn't getting enough sleep.
Marius on the other hand needs no training, although working out at the gym is part of his daily routine. My father has a state of the art gym installed at the house and my brothers take full advantage of it.
As the day approaches both Drake and Dylan are becoming increasingly worried.
One lunch time I look up and see Layla coming through the door. I haven't seen here since she worked the shift and I smile at her warmly.
"Hi Layla, it's good to see you again." She smiles and her face lights up. She certainly is beautiful and has a wholesome innocent quality about her which makes you instantly warm to her. I feel curious about her relationship with Marius. He never says two words and yet when I saw them together he obviously adores her. Maybe she is the chink in his armour. "Hi Scarlett, it's good to see you too. Um is Dylan around?" Nodding towards the office I wipe my hands on a towel and open the door and shout. "Dylan, visitor."
He comes out and instantly his face lights up as he sees who it is. They move along the bar and soon their heads are together and I can see her speaking animatedly to him. He doesn't look too pleased and then she puts her hand on his arm and it looks as if she is pleading with him. I am distracted by a customer and when I next look up she has gone.
Dylan comes over to me and I can tell he is upset. "What's up Dylan are you ok?"
He looks down and sighs heavily. "Layla tried to talk me out of the fight. She said that I haven't got a hope of winning and that Marius is determined to keep his unbeaten record. She said that she was worried for me and that my family couldn't afford to lose another member and this place would suffer if I was injured."
Reaching out I squeeze his arm. "You know that she's right don't you Dylan? There must be another way to raise the money." His eyes look weary and looking up he looks broken. "I don't know what else to do Scarlett; I've run out of ideas. I want for Drake to go to college so badly. He shouldn't have to give up his dream for this place. The trouble is if I sell up we will have nothing left after the debts are paid."
Suddenly I have an idea but I am not sure that he is going to like it so decide to keep it to myself. I smile at him reassuringly. "Listen Dylan, you must do what you think best, things will work out I just know they will. Go with your gut instinct as that is normally never wrong. You only get one life and it is up to you to make the most of it. Listen to what people are telling you and then either do as they say or go with what your heart is telling you. Sometimes they are the same thing, only you know that."
Dylan looks at me with a stunned expression. "How old are you Scarlett?" he says jokingly. I punch him on his arm playfully and he laughs. Then to my surprise he hugs me. "Drake's a lucky guy, you know that?" Laughing I nod but add, "No, I'm the lucky one."
At the end of my shift I walk with Drake to his grandparent's house. This is now becoming our routine and I am growing to love the place as much as he does. Most of the time spent there is just making out with him. Seeing him all day and not being able to be close is torture for us both. It is only in these few snatched hours that we can talk and really get to know each other.
I watch him as he plays his guitar and sings me a song that he has just finished writing. As I watch him play I am mesmerised. His voice is so soulful and he looks at me with such love as he sings. I am not used to seeing emotion and it makes me want to guard what we have with my life.
He stops and places the guitar on the floor. Reaching out he pulls me into his arms. "I love you Scarlett, I just wish that I could take you to the finest places and buy you the best of everything. All you do is work and I feel bad that I am not treating you right."
I stop him talking by kissing him. Pulling away I smile at him happily. "I have all of those things already Drake and they mean nothing to me. All I want is here with you and this means more to me than going out and having things bought for me. Money can't buy what we have and what you give me is more than I ever thought I'd get from anyone. I love you too Drake, you are everything that I need."
We spend the rest of the evening cuddling up on the couch and just hanging out. Reluctantly though I soon have to leave. I don't want to give my father any excuse to take away my bike so decide that I should at least put in an appearance at breakfast.