The Arden Gang

Prologue

I was five when my dad started dabbling in the stock market. We were a wealthy family, living in a 6 bed-room bungalow in the upper class city of Wisconsin. My dad owned the company 'Hale group' which was in charge of many of the huge ships in the US. He dabbled greatly in the stock market and earned great money, until one day it crashed. He had to close down the whole company where he was left jobless. Our bungalow and BMWs were taken away from us, and we had to move into a two storey house in the quiet part of the country.

I was 7 then, and had barely started my first year at Heatherfield Elementary school, a school for the rich. My dad, wanting to gain back his wealth, went to illegal gambling sites and soon accumulated a huge amount of debts. Loansharks started knocking our doors and one night, while mom and I were deep in sleep, he ran off. Just like that. He took a suitcase of clothes with him, as well as his passport and even the money mom had kept for my school fees.

I was almost expelled, however, mom went down to meet the principal, Mr. Vander, begging him to keep me and to give us extra time to pay the school fees. The principal told her that she should consider transferring me to a less well known school, because it would be cheaper.

"I want her to have a good life. To go to a good school, and next time grow up to be a useful person, someone who can make a difference. I want her to be able to proudly tell the people who laugh at her, that 'hey, my dad ran away, but I'm still a great person.'" She had said.

The principal was touched by those two sentences, so he allowed me to continue in this school. My mom held on to the laundry shop we owned downtown before dad's company closed down, which was how she was able to pay for my school fees. 

I thanked mom by studying hard, and coming in first in the level every year. I was given cash awards which I took home to her. She was very proud of me I could see. 

And in this school, I met The Arden Gang.