Marked

Chapter 1 (EDITED)

I'm not normal. I've never been normal. Well, not since the incident that killed my mom, dad, and my seventeen-year-old brother. That happened when I was seven. So, foster care took me and I was in eight foster homes till I went to juvie when I was thirteen, for grand theft auto and arson. Not technically my fault though.But I got out after four years and was placed with Linda. Linda is my foster mom, I've been with her for a three months, she has short blond hair and hazel eyes, she is thirty-five. She owns Divine, her fancy, rich people only, restaurant. And Lux condos, where I live. So does Linda but on different floors. No matter how hard Linda tries to change me to a social, rich, classy, nice girl, it doesn't work. The best she could do is for me to sing at Divine sometimes, other than that I work at The Tavern, a bar, where my best friend Sky works. Where I was on my way, until I saw some random guy hitting this girl an alleyway and beat the living crap out of him. Unfortunately, there was a cop who just saw me beating the crap out of the guy and not the guy hitting the girl, who already run-off. So, now I'm in holding, waiting for Linda, my foster mom, to bail me out once again.

I drum my fingers on the cold steel bars. This wasn't my first time here. I think maybe it was my fourth or fifth time. I would have been in jail if it wants for Linda and her connections.

"Will you knock that off!" I hear a growl from behind me. I whip my head back to see my jail mate. He was big and his muscles bulge with tattoos. I have to admit, he was scary looking, but looks can be deceiving. I slowly creep my lips into a sweet sarcastic smile and say,

" Sorry, does that annoy you?" I asked with faux care.

"Yes," he growled

I smirked and continued to thrum my fingers on the cell bars, this time louder.

" I said to knock it off," he grunts.

"I heard, I just didn't care," I sneered. He lets out a deep growl when we both hear the click of the lock and the grunt of the guard.

"Ryder," he demands

" That's me," I smile to the guard. He gives a look clear look, come here now. So I turn my attention to tattoo guy.

"Well, it was fun while it lasted. Let's do this again," I mocked with a sarcastic grin. Tattoo guy flips me the bird and I give him a mock sad face. I slip past the door, the guard opened, and wave goodbye when the door is slammed closed. The guard drags me down to the waiting area, where a very angry Linda is waiting. The guard pushes me toward her. Rude. I know I'm in deep trouble when she puts on her, are you out of your mind, disapproving look.

" What. Were. You. Thinking." She seethes.

" Well-," I start. But like always, I'm cut off.

" What did you do? Why can't you stay out of trouble? Do I need to get someone to escort you to work? Aspen?Aspen? Aspen, are you even listening to me?" She lectures.

" Hmm?" I murmur. Droning out right about, why can't you stay out of trouble? She sighs.

" Let's just go to the car, the taxi is waiting," Linda orders. I nod and follow her out. Feeling refreshed when the cold fall air, of New York City, hits my skin. I duck into the cab and buckle myself in.

" I'll drop you off at work, and I want you to take a cab home so you don't get into more trouble." She states.

"There is always the walk to the taxi to my room," I murmur and stare out the window ignoring Linda.

I grumble a goodbye to Linda when I climb out of the car. I walk down the little staircase and enter the bar. The smell of alcohol burned my nose and I quickly scurried around the bar counter and slipped on an apron.