Gangster Protection Program

Chapter 1 * The Call

Julie

Facing a crowd without bringing knowledge is the least thing I wanted to happen in my highschool life as an honor student. With these ruthless words I hear again,I feel like I wanna shed some tears,but if I do that,I'll just get more humiliation to myself. But it was too late.

After stuttering and shaming myself alone infront,I ran away holding my mouth to stop myself from barfing. I rush immediately to the ladies room and finally threw up,then I hear the bell ring. I hated to,but I already started weeping. I felt like I disappointed the people who laid their trust and expectations on me. Being a constant honor student and usually in top 2,makes me feel more inspired to study but at the same time,makes me feel anxious whenever I encounter this situation.

As I step out of the room,Jesse and Cody awaits,with worry stuck on their faces and felt sorry for me. Presently,I force a smile at them and we walk to the canteen. Passing by Austin's gang,they laugh at me like I was a comedy show or some kind of clown.

"Hey Julie!" A guy calls me out. "Did you clean your dirt?! We don't want any germs near us,you know?" They jeer.

"We thought you were the best in speeches,Ms. President!" A friend of him adds up and they burst out laughing together.

Austin high fives with his guys and smirks at me.

Sometimes this thought comes into my head. I pity myself for crushing over this guy in the past. All he has is looks and sex appeal.

"Ignorance." Jesse says scornfully,stopping herself from getting to them. "That's all that you need." She says as she glares at them.

"But sometimes they also need a little fist bump." Cody adds. "On their face." He too,glares at them.

Despite all these criticsm around me,I'm so lucky to have these two idiots beside me. Aside from my dad,they stood there as protectors or perhaps,second parents. They're like a gun and a bullet,ready to shoot whoever comes in their way.

They continue to burst out laughing,keeping on talking about what happened earlier during our debate in class as we get in the cafeteria.

This inconvenience is because I forgot to study the topic and worked too much on baking and hanging out with dad. It's just that because he's really getting busy in work and I get busy in school that we scarcely spend time with eachother.

"That Austin is really getting on my nerves,you know?" Cody says furiously as we settle down on the table. "Julie,you know me." He gazes at me as he warns me with a serious look on his face. "I'm capable of hurting someone."

"We're capable of hurting someone." Jesse adds.

I look at them as I sigh deeply. "Well," I say. "we wouldn't wanna get there."

They give eachother the 'as always' look',considering that I always tell them not to take vengeance out of them. It's not the best way. It's not the right way.

* * * * * * *

Cody stops the car infont of our house. Jesse asks me for one last time if I was gonna be okay. I assured the both of them that I will be,and they bid me goodbye as Cody drives away.

As I turned around,I see dad who just came out from the house. He greets me with a warm hug and grins at me.

"I've been waiting for you!" He says enthusiastically. "I can't wait to show you this." Dad grabs my hand and we head to the woods.

Yes,the woods. We live near it,just across the river. It has a little bridge so we can cross over whenever we want to. It sounds dangerous but it's not that bad. Some scare us that big foot lives among us but do we really need to believe in that story?