Chapter 17 - Shayne's Story And Liz's Decision

"SHAYNE!!!" liz said his name loudly as he stood infront of her face to face. " why are you here...what hell is goin on?" Liz asked looking around at everyone. Mr king took a deep breath and begins to walk into the house. "come back inside I will tell you everything my dear." Liz follows him inside along with the others. The hall was a mess there was four men dead on the ground. A few of Mr kings men was wounded and there was blood everywhere. Liz stopped and looked at Josh who held her hand. "comeon angel be strong...I know it's too much but let's hear him out okay." She holds on to him as they both walk over to the sofa and sit. Mr king turns to his guards. " lock the gate...make sure no one enters or leaves....and you get them some medical treatment." He said to the other men. He then walks over to a chair and sits turning to face Liz who was breathing rapidly again. "Drake get her some water please." Drake goes into the kitchen and returns with a glass of water for liz. She takes it and drinks a little." Thank you...I feel better now." She said to Drake. "alright I will try to explain this as fast as I could for you my dear. "You see...the day my wife died along with our baby...I needed someone to take care of Josh and Ace because I wasn't always at home...I was always busy with work and I use to come back late. To put it simply...I got remarried. My second wife and I had a son...that's Shayne....she was sick with leukemia and died when he was 14 years old...so Josh and Ace took care of him and taught him.eventually he learned everything...we told him all about you too." He said looking at liz who stared at shayne.

"Okay...so then how did Shayne end up with Mr Mendez?" She asked sternly. Mr king and Shayne looked at each other as Shayne began to talk.

"I was a friend of their sons, coincidentally his name was Shayne too...we use to hang out alot...after school...I never met them and they never really knew who my parents was....actually they also adopted him...he wasn't their real son.anyway oneday we were riding our bikes and he got into a terrible accident he fell and his faced got smashed into the rocks by the cove..

I saw him die and I called my dad." He said pointing to Mr king. Liz looked at shayne. " please continue." She insisted. Mr king began the rest of the story. " This was my plan."

he said as he lit a ciggar. " I got in contact with a lot of my doctor friends and made them convinced frank and his wife that he was their son Shayne....the doctors told them his face was badly damaged and they had to do a facial surgery...so that's why he looked like this. at first they were both skeptic about the idea and eventually they began to belive it was true and he was their son...so I told him to stay with them and keep an eye on you at you school...it wasn't his intention to join but he had too because your life was in danger." He stopped and looked at liz.

" How was my life in danger?" She asked.

" we found out someone in your school was trying to have you killed. But what we don't know is why...so Shayne went to your school and became friends with you and Lance and his girlfriend Courtney...." Liz looks up at Lance who nodded in agreement. " Wait....so Lance knew everything?" She asked looking at Josh. "Yes my angel...I told him to keep an eye on you...he is my best friend afterall and I trust him completely." She looked at Lance who winked at her. " all these years you were my guard." She wept.

Mr king looked at her. " You shouldn't cry my dear...all of them were protecting you...what I didn't plan on was you meeting Josh...I never expected that....but I'm glad it all happened because your safer here than anywhere else...it's what Don and Tracy would say if they were here." He said closing his eyes. Liz leaned forward and rested her head on her hands. "is there anything else I should know?" She asked raising her head looking around at everyone. Mr king puffed his ciggar." No that's everything?" He said.

" this is too much for me to process rightnow... I need to be alone for a while....may I be excused I need to go somewhere and just be alone." She said to everyone. "The safest place for you is here liz." Ace said as he stands to his feet along with Josh. "I really don't think you should go anywhere after all that's happen lizzy" He said about to hold her hand. "I can't be here rightnow...why don't you understand...I want to be alone Josh." She said angrily. "I don't know how to feel or what too feel...all of this just happened so fast...it's too much." Mr King looks at liz.her body was pale and her close tattered. He knew what happened in the last few hours was alot. He felt sorry for her. "Go." He said as everyone stared at him.

"what!" Liz exclaimed. "You want me to go?" She asked. "Yes you should.. what you've been through was much more than I could bear....you can go somewhere if you want...just take your phone and this." He places a gun on the coffee table. Liz looked at the gun then to him. "It's for your protection..." He said.

"I don't think I should take the gun...besides I won't need it where I'm going." She picks up the phone from the table. "Very well then you can go but you must take someone with you...I really don't want you going out alone my dear." She looked at him and shrugged. "Okay I will take someone..." she looked at everyone and sighed.

"I choose you." She said pointing to Drake who was suprised and shocked. "Me!" He stammered pointing to himself.

"WHAT!!!" Josh, Ace, Lance and Shayne exclaimed loudly. "Your choosing him?...I'm your friend lizzy. Shayne said.

"Mee too...I would've brought Courtney along if you chose me." Lance added.

"I'm your brother...I would protect you with my life." Ace said sadly.

"And I'm your boyfriend...you can trust me you know that...I'd never let you get hurt." He said closing his eyes.

Liz rolled her eyes and looked at them. Mr king laughs. "after listening to the four of you I think Drake should go with Elizabeth." He looked at Drake who was stunned by the decision.

"I agree...besides I don't know anything about him...it would be nice to get to know him. "Liz said winking at the four guys infront of her. They were all angry because she chose Drake. Josh was very angry he looks at her and fakes a smile. Mr king stood up and walks over to Drake and places his hand on his shoulder. "Keep her safe and call me if you end up in trouble okay." Drake nods and stares him dead in his eyes. "I will."

Liz turns to Drake and looks at him. " we will leave in 1hour?" She asked. " uuhh sure that's plenty of time." He said as Josh gave him a death stare. "Great...thank you Mr King...may I please be excused to my room?" She asked. "Of course my dear this is your house too...you don't need to ask permission." She smile and begins to walk away.

He turns to the others who just door there.

"Alright everyone...you all can get some rest....I've got some paper work to do....I will see you all later." He leaves and heads to his office. Josh looks at the others. "I need a beer." He says.

"And a showered too" Ace adds. "Hey what do you say we go back to the club and have a drink." Josh looks at his watch and then to Ace. "Why not we can leave as soon as liz does." Ace chuckled. "Your jealous aren't you?" Josh blushes scratching the back of his head smiling. " I'm not...it's just she is my...I mean I love her like....she makes me feel so....uuuhhh it's so hard to explain this!" Shayne and Lance laughs loudly as they joined them. "You really have it bad Josh...I've never seen this side of you." He said as they all reached the hall way leading to their rooms. "What side?...it's just...never mind." They all laughed at him. Liz is your first love...of course you would feel like this...it's exactly how I feel about Courtney." Lance said opening the guestroom door. "Can we just go get dressed and go to the club and have a beer...I have enough problems...my girlfriend is going on a date with another guy." He said sadly.

"ITS NOT A DATE!!!!" They yelled at him as he leans against his door. He sighed and waited until they all went into their rooms. He quickly sneaks away to liz's room and knocks on the door.

"It's open." She answers. Josh smiled.