Chapter 10 part 1

Matias

"Do any of you have your phones on you?" Lexi asked to the room.

Matias almost never brought his phone to work, he didn't have anyone who would need to text him and if anything big happened he'd find out from someone else pretty soon anyways.

The mother and one of the three teenagers raised their hands.

"Damn bro, what a bad time to be grounded right? Another teenager nudged the third one and they laughed under their breath. Damn teenagers think this shit is a joke.

The person who caused all of this had left now and the outside was surrounded by police and the news. They had told everyone to stay inside the building they were already in, which was annoying, but made sense nonetheless.

Both the mother and the teenager pulled out their phones.

"This is great! We can't really see the tv from here but we definitely need to keep up with the news" Lexi beamed. Matias wasn't sure why she didn't have her phone since she couldn't seem to be away from it for a day, but he didn't question it.

"Oh no.." the mother said after a moment, "I'm so sorry, I forgot it was broken pretty bad just today" her voice was quiet and regretful.

She held up her phone exposing the shattered screen that you could no longer even see through. Why would she even bring that trash with her after breaking it? Better question, how the hell did the break it that bad?

"Hey it's okay, no stress" Lexi assured her. She turned to the teenage boy.

"Awh damnit man, my phone just died" the teenager complained.

Matias rolled his eyes. Teenagers really got on his nerves, especially ones like these ones. He bit his lip and tried to hide the annoyed expression on his face.

"So.. we don't have a phone? At all?" Lexi glanced around the room before the last bit of hope fell from her face.

"It's not the end of the world, Lexi. You're just going to have to wait to see the news. I'm sure the police here will update us if anything happens." Matias said casually.

He leaned up against the wall so he was facing everyone else, but he kept his eyes down. Even though he wasn't looking, he could feel Lexi's sad eyes on him.

"I believe I left my phone on that table" the old man said, pointing a finger out the door.

Matias leaned over and looked through the doors small window.

"Yep, you did" Matias confirmed.

Lexi smacked him on the arm making him look down at her.

"That was so rude!" She fussed at him and then turned to the old man "I'm so sorry about him, he isn't much of a people person. He really doesn't mean to be impolite" She might as well have been begging the man for forgiveness.

It may not seem like it, but Lexi cared what other people thought about her. She cared a lot. She was always loud and obnoxious but the second she thinks a stranger is getting a bad impression of her she'll become the kindest girl you'll ever meet.

"Oh it's really no bother dear, my wife was the same way. Always saying things and not realizing how rude they may have come off to other people" The man chuckled.

Matias sighed deeply, "I'll get the phone"

"What?" Lexi asked a bit louder than necessary.

"It's no bother. It's just on that table, I'll grab it" Matias said casually

"What?" She repeated "The police told us to stay inside" she protested, though she obviously wanted Matias to get the phone.

"That is inside.. technically. Just because the window by it is broken doesn't mean it's not part of the shop"

Matias glanced back out at the hero, or rather Samuel, who was obviously stressed out by the combination of cops and reporters around him.

"Fine, but he quick! If that person comes back I don't want you out there!" Lexi instructed strictly.

"Yes mam" Matias mocked before opening the door.

His side still hurt like hell from all the standing he's been doing today, but there was no chance he could take a sitting break.

He walked over to the table and grabbed the phone. He wasn't sure why everyone had to make a big deal out of this. I mean, sure, there was a lot of damage, but all of the hiding away is pretty pointless.

Matias glanced up and unexpectedly met the eyes of Samuel, though the rest of his face was covered by his mask. He straightened his posture and gulped louder than he would've liked. They looked right at each other for a long moment before Matias came to his senses. He took the phone and made his way back to where everyone else was.

Before he could even shut the door behind him Lexi was clung to his side.

"Thank you, Matias" she said with he cheek mushed into his shoulder.

"Would you get off of me and let me give the man his phone" Matias lightly pushed her off with his other arm.

Unluckily for Matias, Lexi had managed to grab onto the shot in his arm and put lots of pressure on the stab in his lower torso. She finally let go of him when the man pulled up the news which displayed the interview happening just outside.

Matias didn't pay any attention to the interview as he leaned onto a shelf for support. His arm hurt more it had since he was shot, but it couldn't even compare to the pain he felt in his torso. He could feel the blood pulsing through the area and he suppressed a cough.

"Are you alright?" The mother asked Matias, catching him off guard.

"Mhm" Matias managed, not willed enough to talk.

He made sure his face remained calm but his body language must've given him away.

"Are you sure? You seem in pain" the mother insisted, walking away from her child and towards Matias.

"It's really nothing" Matias said as loud as he could, which was still incredibly quiet.

Now Lexi and the elderly man had looked up from the phone to look at him.

"Matias, you good?" Lexi asked, taking a step towards him.

"Yes." Matias choked before doubling over and falling into a coughing fit.

His wound ached and his throat grew dry and scratchy. He begged himself to stop coughing but his body wouldn't listen. He could hardly breathe as each short winded cough was back to back. His elbow was held close to his mouth and he felt a thick warm substance come out of his mouth and land on his elbow with every few coughs.

"Matias!" Lexi shouted as if that would help the situation at all.

"Yo what the hell" one of the ignorant teens mumbled.

Matias felt a hand on his back as the coughs slowed to a stop. He finally opened his eyes, which he hadn't realized he'd squeezed shut. He fixed his posture only a bit and glanced down at his inner elbow. It was coated in a layer of deep, red, blood.

"Oh dear"

"Are you okay? Matias?"

"Should we get the police outside?"

"Holy shit"

"Is he good"

Everyone in the room managed to get their two cents in. Even the little boy opened his mouth for the first time to let out a quiet 'ew'.

Matias help up a dismissive hand. He didn't trust his voice enough to talk without coughing up a fit again. Lexi was now standing by Matias's side, though he didn't see or hear her get over there. Her hand was still on his back in an attempt to comfort him.

"Let's go back here" Lexi gestured to the back corner of the room. There was a large shelf-cart in the middle of the room so the others wouldn't be able to see them for the most part. Matias was in no place to object so he allowed Lexi to lead him back.

"The hell was that? Are you okay?" Lexi questioned, buckets of worry carrying through her voice.

Matias nodded his head only a bit.

"Shit dude, you scared the hell out of me!" Lexi seemed like she was going to playfully hit Matias, but retracted her arm quickly before reaching him.

"Do you need water? Anything?"

Matias didn't appreciate the baby treatment, but he didn't like the pain he was in very much either. He simply shook his head and slid himself down the wall, sitting on the floor.

"Can I get you something? Anything?" Lexi asked desperately.

Matias shook his head again.

"All right Matias" Lexi became serious and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I know you don't like getting help from others and that you're going to be stubborn no matter what I say or suggest," she took a deep breath "but you're either going to let me help or I'm going to get some cops out there to have a look at you" she stared down at him expectantly.

"And I know how you feel about medical care" she added.

She was wrong. She didn't know how he felt about medical care. Sure, she knew that he avoided it all costs, but she didn't know why.

She looked down at Matias with her arms still crossed. Matias really didn't want her help or for her to be there right now, but he couldn't have her getting the cops.

"water" he said quietly in a raspy voice.

"Water? Alright, give me one second!" She perked up and bounded to the other corner where they had a cold water machine for the workers.

She filled a white foam cup to the very top and steadily held it as she brought it back to Matias. She stared at him like a worried mother as he sipped on the water.

"You can go back now" Matias said when he trusted himself enough to talk.

"What? Not with you like this I can't!" Lexi said dramatically.

"I'm fine Lexi, I'd prefer it if you were with the others right now" he assured.

A wave of silence passed through them.

"Fine. But the first time I hear a cough I'm coming back here" she said sternly.

"Yeah" was all Matias said before Lexi walked back to the other side of the back room.

Matias lifted his shirt and checked the still unwrapped wound. The look of it was a bit anticlimactic. There was no big gash or large area of scabbing, it was just a small hole which didn't even look to be that deep.

The wound wasn't, and probably wouldn't be for a while, scabbed over. It looked like it could just be an inconvenient injury by a one-inch blade. Though Matias knew that wasn't the case.

He ran his fingertips around the area, putting no pressure at all. How long would it be before he would be able to do things like normal? Would the pain coming from it every fully stop?

Matias pulled his shirt down and ignored every thought of the injury. Somehow, all he wanted to think about right now was Samuel. Does he know who that person is? Not to mention that he was pretty sure Samuel didn't want to appear as the hero this soon.

Matias laid his head back and stared up at the ceiling. He wanted to leave and go see Samuel, but at the same time he just wanted Samuel to get out of his head.

Ever since he met Samuel all of his emotions were odd and confusing. He started second guessing everything and thinking 'would Samuel he okay with this?' before making any decisions.

Before he never did any of those things. Matias always was sure of his feelings and decisions. He didn't care what others thought of him, so why was he so concerned about Samuels opinion?

Hell, it wasn't even just thinking about Samuel when he wasn't there. It was also while they were together. It's like Matias becomes a whole new person. When he's around Samuel his heart gets fast and his stomach becomes tingly. Not to mention he starts sweating a bit for no particular reason.

He, oddly enough, wanted to keep thinking about Samuel but he was forced to change his minds path when the police outside started taking on megaphones.

"We will escort every one of you one by one out of the buildings. Please stay calm and be patient. Once we escort you out we will have to ask a few questions, but then you will be free to go home. However we do suggest that nobody use their cars. The few cars that were on this road have been broken and unless your car is elsewhere and you will not have to drive through this area, then we advise you simply walk." They dragged on the explanation, which Matias noticed they do quite often.

A female officer with dark skin and long hair entered into the outside bit of the shop and Lexi immediately opened up the back door upon seeing her.

Matias slowly made his way off the floor. His wound ached more with each movement, but if the police found out he was hurt it'd waste a whole lot of his time.

When he was finally off the ground he made his way to the rest of the group, who were practically cheering as the officer made her way over. Lexi held the door wide open as if she wasn't allowed to cross the doorway before the officer reached them.

"Alrighty, are you all clear on what's going on?" The officer asked when she got there, holding the door open to relieve Lexi's arm.

Everyone nodded.

"Okay then," she clapped he hands together "let's get you out of here then"

Everyone else in the room seemed to straighten their posture as if they were going to do anything significant. They were in that room for no longer than an hour, but being able to leave it was more than relieving.

"Somebody please carry the kid" The officer gestured to the small child and the mother picked him up in record speed.

"Alright, please step out slowly one-by-one. Watch your step" She continued to instruct.

She backed away from the door to let them out. Lexi left first, standing right in front of the officer. Next was the mother holding her son, who seemed close to tears. Then went the three teenagers, who were no longer being immature. The old man stuffed his phone into his front pocket and followed slowly.

Matias sighed and walked incredibly slow behind him. He couldn't deny how much he wanted to see Samuel, but now he was nowhere to be found. The cameras were now pointed at the people exiting the buildings, including the coffee shop.

He immediately pointed his head to the floor, knowing they'd probably zoom in on people's faces. The floor was covered in glass, especially near the window, making them have to walk around it.

They finally made it out of the shop and onto the street. She shop was pretty small, but between the glass everywhere and walking behind the old man who couldn't be younger than eighty, it took a while.

Even when they got outside the side walls had a layer of glass on them as well, so everyone walked towards the center of the road to avoid it.

"Okay, so I will get each of you one by one to talk to alone. We may, or may not, need to talk to all of you so please be as patient as possible" the officer announced to our group.

She pointed to the mother and walked away from the group to talk to her.

While they were talking Lexi had came to stand next to Matias. She remained silent for over a minute just looking up at Matias, who didn't return her stare.

"What happened in there? You coughed up some blood" Lexi questioned

Matias couldn't say he was surprised that she asked, but the question still made him want to jump out of his skin.

"It was nothing" Matias said, still not looking back at her.

"Matias don't give me that! Are you hurt? I won't make you go to the hospital if you just tell me" Lexi prodded.

Matias really appreciated Lexi, but her nosiness really didn't have a limit. He rummaged his brain for a half decent excuse.

"I.. got beaten up" Matias immediately cringed at his awful explanation.

"What?! By who? When?" Lexi questioned

"I was just walking home when some dudes attacked me. They hit my stomach pretty hard" Matias continued with his humiliating story.

"You have to go to the police, Matias!" Lexi shouted.

"Would you lower your voice" Matias hissed back "it's fine"

Lexi tried to protest but the officer tapped her on the shoulder.

"Are you two the only ones who were working when the attack happened?"

"Ah, yes! We were" Lexi stuttered anxiously.

Lexi would be the type to be nervous in this situation. It wasn't like they had done anything wrong, they shouldn't be nervous. However, Matias was nervous for a much more valid reason. For multiple valid reasons.

"Alright well I'll just let you two know that this shop, along with every other in this road, will be shut down for the time being. I don't know for how long nor do I know if you will still be paid, but you will be notified when she shop will open again"

Matias suppressed a groan. The owner wouldn't be the type to let them go unpaid, but he probably had no way of actually paying them. The shops business is complicated since it started as family owned.

"As for questioning, all the officers say that everyone has said the same thing so unless you have anything that anyone else may not have seen, then you're free to go."

Matias and Lexi looked at each other briefly.

"So I guess that's it?" Lexi asked more than startled

"Yep" Matias said coldly, though he wasn't trying to be harsh.

He turned away from Lexi and started walking away. He had to walk down the trashed road to get to where he was going, making him sign. It was a good thing Lexi didn't know where he lived, because he wasn't going towards his house.

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A bit of a boring chapter sorry!