The Seven Day Gangster

Chapter 7

Some guy had ordered takeout from this nearby Chinese restaurant so late in the evening everyone gathered around to pile their plates high with steaming food.

I was really uncomfortable eating around so many people I didn’t know, so I quickly grabbed a small carton of Mongolian Beef that was half-empty and hurriedly walked out the room. No one seemed to give me a second glance; I guess new faces weren’t that uncommon and they hadn’t been told who I was and what was going on. Either way, I was glad to be able to quietly slip away, unnoticed.

I took the carton and ducked into an adjoining room, which was dimly lit by a small lamp in the corner. Then sliding down the wall, I began eating quietly, trying not to feel as pathetic as I looked.

“Wow, do you realize how sad you look?” I looked up and saw Sam staring at me, half amused and half pitying. “If you wanted someone to eat next to, you could have just asked me instead of having to be all alone.”

I smiled and patted the ground next to me. “Thanks. I wasn’t comfortable in there. I mean, I didn’t know there were so many people here.”

Sam sat down next to me and laughed; it surprised me how comfortable that sound was, as I had heard it so often already in one day. “No, a lot of those guys aren’t part of us. Most of them just stay around here doing side crap for us or just to hang out in general. I guess a lot of them want to join so they stick around doing whatever Nathan wants so he’ll like them.”

 I nodded. “So Nathan’s like the boss here?”

Sam shrugged. “More or less. I mean, this is his house and he pretty much calls all the shots around here. So yeah, he’s like the leader.”

“Then why is he like never around? Why did you guys have to bring me here, why did you have to show me around, why does he never hang around the other people here?”

Sam held up his hands. “Whoa, calm down there. I didn’t know you liked him so much; it’s not my fault Nathan can’t be everywhere at once,” he said, sounding a little offended.

I turned red. “No, no. That’s not what I meant at all! I’m sorry, it came out completely wrong,” I stammered out, feeling really bad all of a sudden. “Let me rephrase that. I meant, why do you guys have to do everything for him? It’s like he just stays cooped up in his room with a bunch of girls following behind.”

Sam smiled. “Sorry, I know you didn’t mean to sound like that. No, it’s just that Nathan’s busy meeting up with Mike and all.”

“Mike,” I said, surprised. “The guy who’s trying to kidnap me?”

Sam’s face went a little pale. He nodded quickly then resumed eating his plate, which I couldn’t help but notice, was filled almost entirely with noodles.

“Why would he want to meet with Mike?”

Sam shrugged, clearly uneasy on this subject. “I really don’t know, Arianna. It’s not my place to say what’s going on between gangs—” He stopped abruptly.

“Because it’s not my business?” I finished, trying to say it lightly even though I felt a little rejected.

“You got that right princess.”

Sam and I both looked at the door in a start. Nathan was standing there, looking a little annoyed for some reason, with a takeout box in his hand.

“Sam, let’s not chat it up so much with her in the future,” he said smoothly, sending a small glare with his words. “Gang business needs to stay as gang business and nothing more.”