To be Loved is to be Changed

"Watch out!" Mencia's urgent yell barely reached my ears before I felt a violent impact at the back of my head. It jolted my senses, snapping me out of intoxication."Oouch!" I screamed as Mencia seized the man by his hair, revealing his baldness as she yanked off his fake hair. She expertly twisted his arm and fired a shot under his chin, blood splattering onto her face.I couldn't comprehend how she pulled off such a move.

The surroundings intensified as we realized different men were closing in on the building. The door locked, trapping us with other ominous figures in the bar. Another woman emerged, armed with a knife, her arm bearing an X-shaped tattoo. "Get your hands off me!" I screamed, desperately shoving her away. Mencia swiftly intervened,snatching the knife and slitting the woman's throat.

"Nia,you have to take action yourself,"she emphasized, breathing heavily. Fear gripped me, and I responded with a shaky, "Okay."

I admitted, "I don't even know how to throw a punch, and I'm used to Juan always saving me in situations like this."

In the bar, panic spread, and some people sought refuge by hiding under tables. Mencia, resolute, declared, "We need to leave now. Break the glass," her breaths coming in ragged gasps.

I seized a chair, attempting to smash the glass, but nothing happened. Disappointment clouded Mencia's expression. She took matters into her own hands, grabbing the chair and shattering the glass.

Stepping outside, a rush of fresh air greeted us, but suddenly, I doubled over, clutching my stomach. Before Mencia could react, I vomited, and regrettably, she bore the brunt of it. The acrid smell engulfed us, but she didn't abandon me.

"Eeww, you're so disgusting. I wonder what Juan even sees in you," she quipped, grabbing my hands as we started running. "Where exactly are we running to, and why are they after us?" My words hung in the tense air as we continued the desperate escape.

With over six menacing figures tailing us, the tension hung thick in the air. Suddenly, a car screeched to a halt. "Get in now," Mencia urged, her urgency pushing me into the vehicle.

Just as she attempted to join me, two of the pursuing men closed in. One clamped onto her, and another seized her other arm. Panic surged through me, and I couldn't bear to leave Mencia at their mercy.

"Mencia, no!" I screamed, the desperation echoing in my voice. She fought against their grip, but the adversary was overpoweringly strong.

Unable to stand idly, I made a swift decision. I hopped out of the car, clutching the pocket knife in my trembling hand. With determined steps, I approached the struggle. In a bold move, I aimed for the assailant holding Mencia and thrust the knife into his eyeball.

A horrifying scream pierced the air as the man recoiled in agony. Seizing the opportunity, I grabbed Mencia, and together, we hurried back into the car. The engine roared to life, and we sped away from the scene.

My heart raced in my chest, pounding like a drum in the tense silence. "Thank you," she whispered.

Amid the adrenaline-fueled chaos, I demanded answers, my voice desperate and shaky. "Who are those men, and why are they after us?"

We glanced back, only to confirm that they were relentless in their pursuit—two motorcycles and a car, shadows on our tail.

"Gustavo, whatever happens, do not stop the car," Mencia instructed, her tone a mixture of urgency and fear. The echoes of gunfire erupted, bullets piercing through the air like a deadly symphony. In that perilous moment, only a miracle could spare us.

"Mencia, I know you hate me. You promised to explain everything to me; I would love to know now. Who are those after me? Did you know it was going to happen?"

"They all work for X," she admitted. "X is the most feared man in SanCasas. He owns an organization, an occult. He initiates people into his occult, and I have no idea why he sent them after you. But if he catches us, we're dead meat," she warned.

As her words hung in the air, an ominous explosion echoed behind us. The pursuing car burst into flames, but the threat persisted—over six motorcycles now joined the relentless chase.

Suddenly three gunshots rang in the air like a sinister signal, each echoing with a haunting familiarity. "Stop the car!" she yelled. The chilling realization dawned upon us – the trio of shots was a distinct signature, a signal unmistakably belonging to Juan's men,the elchupadores.

We brought the car to a sudden halt and hastily exited. The motorcycles screeched to a stop, bullets piercing the air. Emerging from the darkness was Juan, holding his helmet in his arm. He swiftly aimed to eliminate the last of X's men, instructing his own to secure one of them.

His chest heaved, revealing an unusual vulnerability. Fright etched across his face as he locked eyes with Mencia, unleashing a torrent of anger.

"How dare you!" he bellowed at Mencia. "How dare you try to hurt Nia!" The intensity of his rage was palpable.

"If anything had happened to her, I would have made your life hell," he threatened

"But, Juan," she attempted to speak, her voice was barely audible over his seething anger.

His fury boiled over, and he hurled the helmet right in front of her.I intervened, placing a gentle hand on Juan's arm, attempting to quell the storm within him.

"It's fine, Juan," I reassured, feeling the tension radiating from him. Mencia, now visibly frightened, began to explain herself.

"I'm not trying to hurt Nia," she pleaded, tears welling in her eyes, seeking absolution from Juan.

His anger persisted as he maintained a piercing gaze. "Tell me who's trying to hurt her, if not you," he demanded.

"X!" she yelled, and as the word left her lips, Juan's demeanor transformed. The anger that had gripped him moments ago dissipated, replaced by an unsettling fear.

"I know about the journal," I confessed to Juan, determination lacing my voice. "I know everything, Juan.Everything you've been keeping from me."

"I'm just trying to protect you, Nia," he uttered. Overwhelmed by conflicting emotions, I embraced him, burying my face in the refuge of his chest. Tears welled up, my heart weighed down by a heavy burden.

"I want to go back to LA, Juan. I want to go home," I confessed, my plea permeating the tense atmosphere.

"Home isn't a place; it's where I am. And right now, you're coming home with me, whether you like it or not," he asserted, his declaration of possessiveness met with my resistance.

"No, I'm not," I asserted, pulling away. "Please, take me back to LA. Help me find Sofia. I'm going back with Matt tonight. I'm tired of everything happening, tired of everyone I care about getting hurt because of me. First, my mom, then Sofia, then Diego. What if anything happens to you, Juan? You're always trying to protect me. I don't need protection from anybody."

"Nia, mi amorcita," Juan began, his tone softened. "When I say I love you, I mean I'll stand in the line of fire, face the shadows, and conquer the demons just to keep you safe." He gently tucked my hair behind my ear as I dropped my head, overwhelmed by his words.

"But I don't love you, Juan. I don't," I declared boldly, right in front of everyone. It was a lie, a desperate plea to make him stay away from me. "I'll go back to LA, Juan."

"You're just saying this to keep hurting me, Nia," Juan responded with a mix of frustration and determination. "You keep trying to make me pull away from you, but I'm never giving up on you."

"Just let her be, Juan," Matt's voice interjected from behind. "She said she doesn't love you. We heard her. She's ready to go back to California with me."

He started laughing maniacally, patting Matt on the shoulder. "Matthew, oh Matthew, thinking you could just waltz back into her life. You're playing with fire, and you're going to get burned," he said as his eyes turned ominously dark. He grabbed my hands fiercely, "You're not leaving me, Nia. I would never give up on you, not now, not ever. You're mine, and that's not a choice," his fingers tracing my facial features in a possessive manner.

"I'm not yours. This isn't love, Juan. You're just a possessive person," I retorted, firm in my decision. "I said I'm done with you." Attempting to break free, I started to walk away, but he pulled me back.

"Stop getting in my way, Juan. Stop getting in my way!" I yelled, frustration and anger boiling over. "What's wrong with you, mi amor? You're really not going to leave me like this. Pull yourself together. Tell me what your problem is. I'll do whatever you want. I'll find Sofia. I'll protect you. Please stop playing with my feelings," he pleaded, desperation etched on his face.

"You want to know what my problem is?" I asked as he nodded earnestly. "It's you, Juan. You keep making everything a mess," I continued, tears stinging my eyes. "I said I don't love you. Why are you trying to force me to be part of your life?" I yelled at him, frustration and confusion evident in my voice.

"You know I would never do this to you, Nia. You're taking advantage of the soft spot I have for you. I changed for you, Nia. You can't leave me like this," he pleaded, his voice cracking with desperation.

"Juan Lauredo,it's over. Goodbye," I declared, my resolve firm. Matt, Mencia, and I hopped into the car and zoomed off. Glancing back, I saw Juan on his knees, screaming in anguish. The pain in my heart was unbearable. I had made a decision, and now I had to live by it. Tears streamed uncontrollably down my face.