Hierarchy

XIII

I turn back to see the expectant eyes of the gang, "Just people from school."

She nods slowly, "I forget you're only 18! Little Kicker is all grown."

"Kicker?" Jude questions and I nearly roll my eyes, I'm tired of his questions.

"You Guys haven't seen her in a fight?" Amy responds

"She's on parole." Quinton fills in, "Though there has been some close calls."

"Close calls?" Amy asks looking at me and I just shake my head in response as if to say don't ask, "You know all you have to do is call and I'll sort it out."

"Jesus, I thought she was joking." Quinton utters, "You Guys really know people who murder people?"

Amy laughs a little, "Do they not know what you went in for?"

"They know what I did but not who." I fill in

"Which she was supposed to answer before we got side tracked." Jude mentions

"Little boy, that type of information puts you in a body bag." Amy tells him, "You don't want to mess with anything Kicker used to be involved in."

"Told you to stay out of it," Vivian sings lightly

Amy's manager started calling her name and she replied that she'll be there in a minute, "Call me sometime, Kicker. I'll get anything you need sorted."

With that she disappeared and I sat back down in my seat surrounded by people who's eyes looked even more interested that before.

"You gonna tell us how you know her?" Quinton asks

"Prison." I replied reaching forward and spinning the bottle. It landed on Jude and the game continued without any other serious questions.

Time passed and I received a message from my Mom to come home so I started to put my jacket on.

"Did you take your car here?" Caleb asks and I shake my head, "Come on, I'll take you home."

"You don't have to do that." I say but he's already making Quinton move so he can get out so I just accept that it's happening.

I say my goodbyes to everyone before making my way to Caleb's car. His car looks so clean that I almost don't want to sit in it and make it dirty but I swallow my nerves and sit down regardless.

We start off the journey in silence but I realise that I never gave him my address. "Oh turn left-"

"I know the way to your house Regina." He tells me, "I used to take Ethan home all the time."

I forget sometimes how close him and my brother are but I'm glad Ethan had someone on his side when I wasn't here.

"Why are you driving me home?" I ask honestly because I'm confused what he's playing at.

"It's late." Was his response, "Plus I wanted to talk to you."

"We could talk on Monday at school." I inform him and shakes his head

"Too many eyes." He says

"So what did you want to talk about?" I ask as he slows down at a red light

"I don't know what Jude's playing at with all the questions about what you did but you don't need to feel like you have to answer them." He tells me and before I could reply he starts again, "If he or Kayla starts making you feel uncomfortable all you gotta do is give me a sign and I'll put an end to it."

I pause for a second not really understanding what he's trying to say, "Why?"

"Cause I don't want you to have to refer back to anything you used to be involved in to deal with it. They're not that important that you should risk your life and freedom over them."

I don't understand why he cares what I do but it's nice to feel like you have someone in your corner.

The car starts up again and we stay in silence as I try to wrap my brain over what he just said.

He parks in front of my house and I turn to look at him once more, "Why are you helping me?"

"I see something in you Regina, why shouldn't I help you?".