The Gang Leader's Son

chapter 6

Upon arriving home, my mother and Michael were on the couch, stuffing cherries into each other’s mouths. Somehow, Xander had managed to pack me a suitcase which I had found unnecessary, and set it by the door when we opened it. “Sweetie, how are you feeling?” Mom got up and touched my forehead. “Oh, you’re burning up.” I wondered why she was playing the good mother act. 

Xander interrupted my mother, who wouldn’t stop fussing over me. “Mrs. Newberry, I think I can handle taking her up to her room.” He promised, saving my butt as he lead me up the stairs, Michael glaring daggers into my back. 

We made it to the safety of my room and shut the door. “Thanks…for….uh saving me back there.” I told him, jerking my thumb towards the direction of downstairs. 

Xander flopped on my bed, the springs bouncing back in response. “No problem, Kit-Kat.” He smirked. 

“When are you going to stop calling me that?” I asked, shoving all of my clothes from the suitcase into my drawers, making sure everything was proper and in order; neat, how I liked it. I felt that things had to be perfect. A clean room is a happy room, right? 

Xander chuckled. “I’ll never stop calling you that. You’ll always be Kit-Kat.” I groaned, rolled my eyes, and went over to open my window. “You know it’s like, fifty degrees outside, right?” He looked at me as if I came from Mars. 

“I know that, idiot. I feel warm.” I tell him, feeling my own forehead. Warily, I made my way over to the bed as well and climbed in underneath the blankets, Xander following me. 

I laughed. “Who said you could get in my bed?” 

“Me.” He laughed. 

You’re supposed to feel hatred towards him, I remind myself, biting my bottom lip. “So, what’s you’re favorite kind of weapon?” 

I looked over at Xander, his perfectly aligned jaw set in a rare pose. As if he was thoughtful. “What?” I blurted it out before I could stop myself. What was he talking about? 

“I said, if you could choose any weapon to kill someone with, what would it be?” 

I sat up in bed, rubbing my eyes. “Xander, I don’t plan on killing you’re dad. I won’t do it. I won’t risk going to jail for the rest of my life for murder. Besides, it would leave my mom all alone and that’s just wrong.” I shrug. 

“Even if she treats you like shit?” Xander reminded me, cocking one eyebrow, leaving an odd silence lingering in the room. 

I thought about this. “Even if she doesn’t treat me the best.” I corrected him. 

“Okay, well, you have to kill him, Kat, or he’s just going to murder you or your mom or both and then steal all your stuff, moving on to the next house.” His words not only offended me, but they frightened me. Was that really Michael’s plan? After everything he bought my mom? It seemed like a gang member might be loaded, depending on the type of gang. 

I chewed on my lip some more, tasting the metallic taste of blood. 

“I-I can’t kill someone, Xander. It doesn’t run in my family.” I try to make light of the situation, nervous laughter following my words.

Xander sighed, putting his arms behind his head on my pillow. “It didn’t run in mine either, Kat.” I tried not to acknowledge the fact that he had just called me Kat. Right then, I knew that this was coming on to be a serious conversation.

“If you don’t mind, then how did you become a gang member?” I question, gripping onto my blankets, my palms sweaty. He was hesitant. “What?” I wonder curiously. I smile. “Did you rob a bank, steal a pack of Wrigley’s gum?” I laughed, until I saw his look of seriousness.