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“Is there some soup for me?” he asks, slamming his fist over the counter.
Both Bella and I are flushed with terror. This shouldn’t be happening. Guns are not allowed in here and the police outside should have taken care of it. But while Bella serves him soup and smiles with docility, I look at him from the corner of my eye and launch him a wary glance.
“Where did you get the gun?” I ask casually, downing the remainder of my soup.
“It’s my work tool.” The kid holds onto the gun tightly. “Big Teddy gave it to me in person!”
Bella’s eyes are the size of dinner plates, and she calls me close to her to warn me. “Big Teddy is one of the biggest drug dealers in San Francisco,” she whispers. “Liv, don’t mess with this boy!”
“Don’t mess with me… What do you mean, lady?” The boy tosses his half-full bowl to the floor with a loud crash. “I’m no thug! I’m just…”
I place my bowl over the counter, and I almost pee my pants when I see him pointing his gun straight at me.
“I’m just a hand of God,” he says, aiming down the barrel of his gun. “And Big Teddy is that God!”
He cocks his gun. I have my hands up, face contorted in a snarl of fear, completely paralyzed with horror.
I hear someone screaming, “Get the children out of here!” and I don’t even hear the footsteps approaching me cautiously from behind, and then stopping a yard or so away from me.
“Simon?” It’s Alex’s voice, careful, but imperative. “What are you doing?”
Simon looks from me to Alex, and then to Bella. The gun shakes in his hand and his eyes waiver, showing us he’s not so sure about what he’s doing anymore.
“Just showing this girl who is boss, sir!” he says, still not lowering the gun.
Alex takes a few steps forward and places himself between me and Simon, and directly in front of the gun’s barrel.
Whatever he's doing, it requires either bravery or a fair amount of stupidity, much like my own foolishness in engaging with this guy in the first place.
However, I do feel a huge sense of relief standing behind Alex’s protective stance, and in that moment, I feel like everything is going to be okay.
From the corner of my eye, I watch with relief as Bella quietly leaves the kitchen and slowly heads outside.
“How about you drop it, huh, Simon?”
The calm in Alex’s voice is enviable, and I know I’m in good hands.
“There are children in here. You don’t want to give them a bad example.”
The boy uncocks the gun, which is a good sign, but I still wince in panic and struggle to keep control of my senses.
Finally, after seconds that feel like days, Simon places the gun in Alex’s outstretched hand. In an expert maneuver, Alex removes the gun’s magazine clip and places each part in a different pocket of his jacket.
“Freeze!” We all turn to see the police officers entering the room, and Bella, standing still right behind them, sighing with relief.
“What…?!” Simon exclaims, indignant and fearful.
He turns to Bella. “You rat!”
He tries to run, but Alex holds him back with ease, putting him in a headlock and dragging him to the officers.
“You are going to talk to the cops first,” Alex says, very firm and manly. “What you did has no excuses, Simon!”
And my heart skips a beat. This man just stepped in front of a gun for me, and all I’ve been giving him is my disdain.
I’m confused and getting increasingly desperate.
How the hell am I supposed to feel about Alex?
