Chapter 53– Restless Bonds
Jake sat frozen, Alex's words still echoing in his head.
He… got Elena's number?
For some reason, that shook him more than the bruises still throbbing across his body.
Before he could gather his thoughts, the door opened again. Alya peeked in, carrying a glass of water. Lisa followed a step behind, her arms folded, as if daring Alya to move closer than necessary.
"You should drink this," Alya said softly, placing the glass on the bedside table. Her eyes lingered on Jake's bandaged arms with deep worry.
Lisa, however, stayed standing, her gaze steady but her voice sharper. "Jake… you can't just keep getting yourself hurt like this. Do you even realize what you put everyone through?"
Jake opened his mouth, but no words came. Alya quickly defended him. "He risked everything to save me. If it wasn't for Jake, I—" Her voice cracked, and she gripped his hand tightly.
Lisa flinched at the gesture, her chest tightening again. "And what about Jacob? What about me?" Her voice trembled despite her attempt to stay strong.
Jake sighed, running a hand over his face. "I… don't even know what to say to either of you right now."
The tension in the room grew heavier until suddenly—
"Yo, hero!" Marcus's booming voice filled the doorway. Behind him were Lisa's brother Jacob, Elena, and a couple of other gym members who had helped in the fight.
"Glad to see you're alive," Marcus grinned. "You scared half the gym last night."
Elena's gaze lingered on Jake, a mix of relief and quiet pride in her eyes. But then she glanced around the room—first at Alya holding Jake's hand, then at Lisa standing stiffly near the wall—and her brow furrowed in confusion.
"Uh… did we walk in at a bad time?"
Marcus laughed, completely oblivious to the awkward atmosphere. "Always! It's Jake we're talking about."
Jake groaned. "Not helping…"
But before the chaos could spiral again, Jacob stepped forward. His face was unusually serious.
"We need to talk. About what comes next. Kram's gone, but his gang isn't. Some of them slipped through last night. And word is—they're not happy about what happened."
The mood in the room shifted instantly. The laughter and awkwardness drained away, leaving only tension and unease.
Alex suddenly reappeared in the doorway, his smirk replaced with a rare look of seriousness. "He's right. This isn't over. Kram might be locked up, but gangs like his… they don't just vanish. Someone will try to fill the void."
Jake leaned back against the bed, exhaustion washing over him. He had barely survived the last battle—now another storm was already on the horizon.
Alya squeezed his hand tighter, her voice firm. "Then we'll face it together. Right?"
Lisa's eyes softened for just a second, then hardened again. "Yeah. But this time, Jake isn't throwing himself in alone."
Marcus cracked his knuckles, grinning. "Good. I was getting bored anyway."
Alex, leaning against the frame, glanced at Jake. His smirk returned just slightly.
"And besides… I've got a personal reason to stick around now."
Elena looked at him in confusion, not realizing the weight of what he'd just implied.
Jake, however, felt his eye twitch. Of all the times, Alex…
The infirmary filled with voices—arguments, plans, laughter—but Jake barely heard them. His gaze drifted to the ceiling again, the same thought echoing in his mind.
Two girls pulling at me, a gang coming back for revenge, and now Alex with my sister's number…
He groaned.
"My life's a mess."