Three Gangs and a Silver Sin

Chapter 1, Bigger brawl

"Please, Amby!" Lynch begs from upstairs.

I want to smile - the real kind of smile. It's been a while... But instead I get up from my desk with a sigh and trudge upstairs.

We're all still in Blake's house for the time being. Even though Owen's house is bigger, we're all just accustomed to this place. I'm still deciding whether I should buy my own gang house or not.

When I get upstairs, Lynch is looking at the mirror - on his knees and only wearing pants while holding up two identical grey shirts.

"I don't know which one to wear," the fifteen-year-old boy complains. His usually wild curly hair is looking particularly droopy.

"They are literally the same shirt," I point out and step closer with a small smile. Lynch has been the only one that still treats me like I'm the same. Like I still have paint on my clothes and gold in my hair.

Even though that girl is long gone...

"No! Look, look, this one is darker! I have to know which one, because Blake's finally allowing me to go back to school and I have to look good when I make my grand entrance," Lynch explains.

I step even closer, slide down next to him and hold the shirts right to my face. I'm a painter, or at least I was, you'd think I'd be able to see if one was darker.

"Lynch, this is the same shirt," I say again.

"Okay, but which one makes my hair look better?" my friend asks and stands up - revealing a lean body that surprisingly looks a little bigger from the last time I saw Lynch. Someone's growing up.

Lynch pulls on the first shirt, struts up and down his room and then pulls it off before doing the same with the other shirt. When he's done parading, he looks back at me with his big, goofy smile.

I blink.

Lynch smiles.

I blink again.

Lynch smiles some more.

"It's the same bloody sh-"

"Just pick a damn shirt, Amby," Lynch interrupts me.

"The one you have on makes your hair look fabulous," I sigh.

"Really?" Lynch asks with hopeful eyes - even his hair is gaining some life at the news. Usually I'd feel my heart going all warm at the sight. Especially since a few months ago, poor Lynch lost all his hair after the shooing at the Northern ball.

But it's not my heart beating in my chest. It's my uncle's...

Lynch hooks his arm into mine and leads me downstairs with a bounce to his step. He forgot to put his shoes on, but I want to see him realize that so I keep quiet. When we get to the kitchen, most of the inner-gang are eating their very intimidating, gang-approved bowl of Frootloops.

I sit down next to Sean and stare at him. The driver of the group looks back at me before he can bring the spoon to his mouth. I keep staring. He stares right back.

"Dammit," Sean mutters and drops his spoon into his bowl before pushing it to me.

"Yay!" I say and start munching while Sean gets himself another bawl. I've been doing this for a while now.

When I look up, the twins are smiling a me from the other side of the kitchen island. They have Frootloops in their teeth. I manage to smile back. Even though it's not the kind of smile I crave.

"Where's Owen?" I ask the guys, because I already know Blake's in the entertainment room as always.

"Probably still in the shower," one of the twins, Ryan, answers.