The Consequence

Chapter Twenty-One

       She scrunched her face up, "You laughed." 

       I thought about it, then smiled. "I did, didn't I?"  

******

   The front door went with a bang, followed by loads of laughing. "Yeah well, it should get better tomorrow. Have you seen the party?" A boy's voice I didn't recognise spoke.

   "Yeah, my suit is ironed and cleaned upstairs." Zak replied, their voices stayed in the living room and where was this suit? My old room. Git. 

   "You are hitting some of them up aren't you?"

      "Do you think I'd be going to this party if I wasn't? Hell, we're supposed to bring them back to his house, sell them some coke, make a profit, shag them and tell them to fuck off. Standard Saturday night, eh?" They both laughed while Lexi pulled a face at me. I mirrored her.

   "Why aren't we in the kitchen anyway?"

      "My brother and sister are in there." Zak responded, his voice monotone with a hint of annoyance. Good, the little prick. All I was trying to do was help him and he couldn't even accept that.

   "Your brother? I haven't met him, have I?"

      Before I knew it, Zak was stood there with this blonde lad, he was a couple of inches shorter than Zak but was more broad in the shoulders. Probably around the same age but I didn't see him yesterday when I chased after Zak. 

   "It's you?" The boy asked, his eyes wide. He pointed at me and then looked at Zak, "That is your brother? Are you kidding me?" Lexi shoot her laptop lid, looking at the conversation with more concentration than she had given me for the past two hours. Typical.

   I stood up, towering above him. "I'd put that finger down before I snap it." If someone had dared to that to Stanley, he'd have his fingers snapped in seconds. Hell, if he met me three years ago, I'd have done the same. What happened to respect? Why did kids nowadays think it was acceptable to do whatever the fuck they wanted with no consequences? 

   He did as I said straight away, both arms going straight to his side. I smirked, "So, how do you know me?"

   His eyes stayed on Zak, "How did I not know this? You used to walk down my street all of the time and everyone just ran away from you. Nobody would give you any grief and you'd always get what you want. It was amazing. You were younger than what I am now and I'd always wanted to be you."

   I frowned, "It isn't all it is cracked up to be."

      "But now you are back, aren't you?" His brown eyes were hopeful. 

      "Which street did you live on?"

      "Green Farm Lane, the one down on Horncliffe. You know, the one-"

      "I know it." I cut him off. It was a long ass street though, it had about three hundred houses on it. At one end was Reed Estate which was notorious and at the other end was Upton Estate. They used to cause riots so I started protection rings down there and before long, the area became quiet. The police actually thanked me. 

   Didn't shake my hand, but they acknowledged what I'd done which was smart. "Which end?"

   "Reed." I nodded. "So, you're Jamie Redding?"

      "That's me. If you were smart, you'd keep quiet. I'm not going to be round long." He looked to Zak again who just shrugged his shoulders.