{Nico}
"Was that really a good idea? Just leaving like that..."
"You could have stayed behind. No one forced you to come out with us." I told Sera as I looked out the window. The new driver was taking us to the mall since I wanted to be anywhere other than at home.
Once Max saw my face, he wanted to go up and beat Eli up. I dragged him out of the house without saying a word to my father or Naomi. Of course, she made a scene thinking I had punched Eli. I knew that Eli was trying to bait me into hitting him so I would get punished. I didn't fall for his trick after falling for it many times in the past.
Sera appeared worried and asked many questions. She even insisted that I clean up my busted lip but I ignored her. I didn't want to spend even another second there. Besides, I didn't know whether Sera was even actually worried about me. It had seemed like she just wanted to go and check up on Eli. Like, she assumed I had left him half dead in the hallway or shot a bullet through him.
"Seriously. Quit bitching or go back." Max agreed.
"Hey, I'm still older than you, you little shit."
"Oh, I'm scared." He pretended to shake with fear and then he shook his head and looked away. "You wanted to go upstairs and make sure Eli was alright. Obviously you don't trust Nico as much as he thought you did."
"Is this about my loyalty to you two again?"
I tried tuning them out but it was difficult when Max was next to me in the back seat and Sera was in front in the passenger seat. I had left the house because I didn't feel like arguing with anyone. I just wanted some peace and quiet though I guess bringing max and Sera wasn't a good idea if I really wanted to be left alone. They often fought with each other over very meaningless topics. I didn't know how they weren't exhausted yet of being so annoying.
Max laughed and said, "If you know then stop playing dumb. It's clear as rain that you're siding with Elisha and the wicked witch. I'm sure you came along just to keep tabs on Nico."
"Don't be an idiot. I'm not-"
"Really? Then why did you back down so easily when Elisha approached you? You never back down."
"That reminds me," I said looking at her through the rear view mirror, "why did Elisha ask if you were keeping me out of trouble. It sounded like you two talk frequently." Sera moved uncomfortably in her seat and bit her lip. She looked unsure of how to answer so I sighed softly and looked out the window again. "Never mind."
"Nico! Don't let her off the hook so easily! You're too soft on her! Break her down and force the truth out! What if she is a spy-"
"Max. Enough." I said forcefully but kept my eyes on the scenery moving past us. I didn't want to think about the possibility of Sera betraying me for Eli. Perhaps it was wishful thinking on my part but I hoped it was just a simple misunderstanding. I didn't want to know the truth so I kept my back to it, as stupid as it seemed. "Sera knows what would happen if she were to be spying on us for Eli. He's no longer apart of Delacroix. Things much worse than death would be awaiting her if she fed Eli information about me."
Max scoffed. He was always so quick to jump to conclusions without thinking properly. It was way too early to tell if Sera was working for Eli. If she was, I wouldn't forgive her. The conversation died down and the car was silent.
There was also an issue of the new driver. He was quiet but looked troublesome. He looked young, possibly mid-twenties. Even if he wasn't working for Eli there was a possibility of him working for another group. Like I've mentioned previously, many groups wish to get rid of us simply because we hold more power. I've been receiving many death threats since I was announced the next successor. It wasn't anything new to me and even if they were threats, I didn't feel threatened by them. They were all talk.
George, my previous driver, was a cheerful old man. I trusted him with my problems when I couldn't talk to anyone else. The fact that he retired so suddenly without even a warning bothered me. Naomi hired the new driver specifically. It was all too suspicious. I really wanted to go look for George at a later time for reassurance that there was no foul play involved and he left on his own accord.
"Sera." I finally spoke up, "When do I have free next?"
"Hold on." she said looking through her bag. She pulled out a small notebook and flipped through the pages. "Next week."
"Good" I responded. Sera looked at me questionably. She wanted to know why I asked but I shook my head. I was being careful about what I said around the new driver.
We turned into the mall's parking lot and I had to check twice to see if my eyes weren't playing tricks with me. Mikhail was walking towards the mall with his friends from last time.
"Drop us off here." I told the driver. He stopped and did as he was told, "Don't wait up. I don't know how long I'll be. I'll send for you when I want to go home" he said something along 'yes, sir' but I wasn't sure because I nearly jumped out of the car to catch up to Mikhail. I heard the complaints of Sera and Max as they opened their car door and chased after me.
{Dylan}
"Stop worrying!" Dylan told his best friend, Mikhail, who had a troubled look on his face for the past thirty minutes.
"We left my dad in charge of the shop." He said annoyed, "You really think it's still going to be standing by the time we get back?"
"Of course. Don't underestimate your dad." Dan said jumping into the conversation.
"Don't overestimate him, either." Mikhail said. He shoved his hair out of his eyes. He was letting his hair grow out too much again. Dylan always worried about Mikhail's health because he never watched himself properly. Dylan knew al too well that Mikhail would never ask someone for help, which is why he always showed up uninvited to his home and checks up on him. The idiot would probably fall with a fever and not tell anyone.
Dylan reached over Mikhail's shoulders and hugged him tightly as they walked. Dylan was a few inches taller than Mikhail so he could see perfectly over his head. "Just relax and have some fun, Love. You deserve it." He said with a small smile. It wasn't anything odd for Dylan to call anyone love. He said it often, many times without thinking.
Dan nodded enthusiastically in agreement, "Yes! You need time for yourself."
"I'm not by myself. Kind of defeats the purpose of 'time for myslef', no?" Mikhail, oh so helpfully, pointed out.
Dylan shook his head but kept his arms over Mikhail. Sometimes his best friend took things way too seriously. He wouldn't trade him for the world, though. Mikhail was the first to actually befriend him when they were younger. Well, technically, Dylan was playing volleyball during gym with a couple other kids and accidentally hit the ball to Mikhail's head and when he rushed over feeling guilty and about to apologize. Mikhail threw the ball out the open window in anger. When Mikhail was younger he was angered very easily. As time went on he learned to control his anger. Since that day, he started hanging around him despite kids and teachers around him telling him that Mikhail was a monster.
He didn't believe some thing so ridiculous. Even if he was young. Eventually, them hanging out became the normal and they became close.
"Smart ass." Dan scoffed. "Just relax and- oh, hotties at one o'clock.
Dylan and Mikhail both turned heir heads in the direction that Dan had pointed out. He smirked softly as he saw Nico, Seraphina, and Max coming their way.
Max was wearing an oversized jacket again and he held a scowl on his face. He wasn't looking towards their direction. His head was facing to the right side as if he found something more interesting to look at. Dylan couldn't shake the feeling that he knew max or at least like he met him once before.
"We should go-" Mikhail said and grabbed onto Dan's hand as he was about to make a run for it.
"Go where?" Nico asked with a small grin as he stood with such confidence. Dylan had to admit that he was a very good looking guy. Unlike Max, Nico wore clothes that fit him perfectly. He came out of his thoughts as Nico looked at Dylan's arms wrapped around Mikhail and then at Dylan's eyes.
Feeling intimidated, he let go and coughed softly, "We should talk inside. It's freezing outside." He could hear Seraphina on the other side talking softly with Dan. He couldn't make out what she was saying but he figured Seraphina didn't look like a bad influence so he wouldn't step in. Sure, she was comfortable as hell in her body but that didn't make her a bad person.
They walked inside with Seraphina and Dan flirting. Mikhail turned down everything Nico told him. It looked like they were having a small fight, but Dylan knew Mikhail better. He turned around as everyone stepped inside the mall and saw Max talking to some guy smoking outside. He was standing provocatively over the man's leg. The guy placed his hand over Max's cheeks and started going down slowly.
Dylan looked closely and disgust was evident behind Max's smirking stare. feeling disgusted by the scene in front of him, he ran over as quick as he could. The man's hand was reaching Max's lower back as Dylan grabbed onto Max and pulled him back against his chest. He put a protective arm over his shoulder and across Max's chest.
"Hey! What are you-" Max yelled out but stopped as he saw Dylan's arm around him.
"Why don't you go somewhere else before I call the cops." Dylan said holding his ground. He was a decent fighter so he figured if things came down to it then he would be able to at least protect Max.
"We were just having a bit of fun, is all." The man said leaning back as he puffed out air from his mouth. "Why don't you get lost, huh? Don't tell me you got feelings for the little whore?"
Dylan felt Max tense up under his arm. Dylan looked at the man and said, "Seriously, get lost. He's a minor, you disgusting old man. Is this really worth going to jail for?" He asked as the man dropped his cigarette in shock and stood up in a panic.
"Hey. You said you were eighteen." He directed it to Max.
Max just shrugged and said, "You wouldn't have paid for me otherwise."
"Damn straight I wouldn't have." He told Max. He looked at Dylan and said, "Hey, we didn't do nothin' so there's no need to call the cops, okay?"
"Get out of here before I decide to call them." Dylan said. The man nodded as he grabbed his things and ran off into the parking lot in a hurry. "What were you thinking?" He asked looking down at Max as he kept his hold on him.
"Let go of me!" He shoved out of Dylan's arms. "What the fuck were you thinking?!" He shouted at him. "That dirty man would have paid better than my usual price!"
"Price? Do you-"
"Yes, I sell myself. Jeez, you're a dumbass." He said in irritation.
Dylan kind of froze in his spot hearing that such a young kid could be selling his body. At first, it was genuine shock and then grew into anger. "Why the hell would you sell your body! Don't you know of the dangers! They could have some disease!"
"I'm not sure if you're aware of this yet, but that's why they made condoms for a reason."
Dylan grabbed onto his shoulders and looked into his eyes fiercely, "Stop doing that. You don't need to resort to something so filthy."
Dylan thought he saw his eyes soften but before he knew it, Max was back. "Don't fucking touch me so casually. Unless, you're willing to buy me." He said anger in his voice and face.
"Sorry, I won't touch you again but do your parents know-"
"Stop concerning yourself with my life. You're just some stranger to me. Don't come talk to me again. I hate guys like you the most." He said and walked off into the mall. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and stepped inside the mall.
Dylan watched with shock as max disappeared inside. He suddenly wanted to know more about Max.
Why he was selling himself. Did the others know? Did it ever get dangerous?
He wanted to know more yet he felt sick even thinking about it. He couldn't believe a kid was even capable of such things. He wondered if his parents knew what he was doing or not.
He wanted to help Max. To build his confidence up and convince him that selling his own body was not right. He wanted to be the one to fix the poor kid.