"We're all in the same game; just different levels. Dealing with the same hell; just different devils."
~ Unknown
...♛...
"You're what?"
"He's enrolling me and my friends into school," I repeat for Dean.
"You're not serious? Nick is everywhere and the school has security, but it's not enough to keep you safe."
"We don't even know what Nick wants. If I don't live normally and give him a chance to come out of hiding, then we'll never find out."
"And Cole, Kai, Amelia, Dakota and I will be with her throughout the day making sure she's safe," Alec adds. "Not to mention all of her other friends."
"Okay," Dean sighs heavily.
"And the deal?" I question.
"After the meeting I had with everyone this morning, we came to the decision of taking your deal. Once Nick is dealt with, Kai will lead all the businesses with fifty-five percent of the shares and we will get the other forty-five. Here are the terms and conditions of the deal. I have already signed the papers. All I need is for you and Kai to sign them so that the deal can officially be set."
"Okay," I reply. The papers are first in Kai's hand and I watch as he looks over the first page. He plays with the pen in his hand nervously. "You'll get the papers back by tonight, we'd like to read them over thoroughly."
"That's fine by us," Vincent answers. He then nods in approval to Anthony. Anthony gets up opening a suitcase.
"All of you are now enrolled at Los Angeles High School. All of your phone's are constantly being tracked and all of you will have your own cars to go wherever you'd like," he says as he throws car keys at each one of us. We all catch them with ease and smile. "You answer your phone's, no matter what, and make sure to inform one of us of your location at all times. Whether it's a football game you're going to or the club downtown, inform at least one of us."
He then walks around handing us a booklet of
papers.
"These are your schedules for the next three months. You'll wake up at five every morning and go on a six mile run with me. Then you'll go to school and until five, you'll be free to do whatever you want. From five to eight, on Mondays and Wednesdays, you'll have physical training. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we'll be working on your mental stability and Saturdays will be test days. The two winners of test days will sit out on Sundays during the eight hour teaching sessions."
"If you skip even one training for an invalid reason, you'll automatically be put into the Sunday's training session. You miss more than one and your instructor is free to choose whatever punishment they find suitable. Your instructors will vary depending on their availability, but they'll all either be me, Dean, Zeke, Felix, Lane, Calliste or Graham. Any questions?"
"Who do we talk to if we can't make it to one of the days?" Amelia asks.
"Anyone you're comfortable talking to, just make sure it gets to one of the instructors."
"Okay."
"Oh, and these are your new credit cards," he says as he hands them out. They all have a limit of eighty thousand dollars per week and all transactions will be monitored. We realize that all of you are more than capable of paying for your own purchases, but this is our way of showing gratitude. We encourage you to use these and I think that's all for now," he says as he takes his seat.
Everyone turns their attention back to my father.
"Then everything is done here. When the papers are signed, we'll be merging The White Dragons and The Black Killers meaning that Kai and I will be working together regarding all matters and not just Nick. Kai will be co-owner and everything that goes through me, will now go through him as well."
"Cole, Alec, Amelia and Dakota are all a part of our team and no one will be treated with disrespect. Every one of you, in this room, needs to put their differences aside and get to know each other. Make one mistake on the field because you couldn't work together, then keep in mind that the consequences will be severe."
He gets up from his seat.
"Kai, if it's not much to ask, I'd like you to deliver me the signed papers yourself. I think a small one to one conversation is due."
"Sure," Kai bobs his head as he shakes my father's hand.
Anthony's phone rings and he picks it up. The call is brief and few words are spoken.
"They just caught Rylan on the borders of town, trying to skip. He's refusing to cooperate and they're calling us in," Anthony informs. "Lane, I want you to come with me."
"Who's Rylan?" I ask not being able to hold myself back.
"Sign the papers and you'll find out," Dean replies.
"That's fair," I reply holding back any hostility I want to show. "I forgot that we're just business partners now."
I scoot my chair back and look at everyone around the table before my eyes land on Anthony.
"I'll be at the school."
"Take someone with you," Anthony advises.
"I'm taking all of the crap in my mind with me. That should be enough," I retort before turning around and leaving the room.
With the car keys in my hand, I head outside to where the cars are parked. I press the lock button and follow the sound to a silver Mclaren. It's known to be in the world's top ten fastest cars.
I feel the exterior and determine that the car has been customized for our lifestyle considering the bullet proof glass and the thumb accessible door handle. Impressed, I unlock the car and take a seat. I'm not a car junkie, but the velvet interior with neon, blue lights makes me smile with excitement.
I twist the key turning on the ignition and the roar of the engine makes my heart skip a beat. With the shift of the gear and pressure on the pedal, the car starts to move and I make my way through the streets I never thought I'd ever see again.
Once I reach the busy parts of town, the traffic moves slowly and it takes almost an hour to reach the high school.
I park the car in the parking, away from another car that is shaking hysterically. When I exit, I hear faint grunting and moaning in the distance. Saving myself from the sounds, I walk to the back of the school, onto the soccer field.
Past the soccer field, on the football field, I see a crowd of people cheering on a game. The lights that shine on the football field are strong and lighten the large field. The deeper I walk onto the field, the louder the cheering gets.
There's students lingering on the ends of the field in groups; some smoking and drinking while others carelessly gossip paying no attention to the game whatsoever. As I stand alone in the middle of the field, I take a seat and lie down on my back just like I used to do when Dean would make me go to one of his football games when we were younger.
The grass is cold and pokes my skin through the thin fabric of the flannel I'm wearing. Forgetting about that, I let my body carelessly drift in the thoughts of my mind as I stare at the night's empty sky.
Not going to lie, I was hoping I'd find a star tonight just so I could pretend that it's my mother watching from above. Since I don't, I watch the clouds move, revealing the crescent moon.
The last few days have been nothing but restless and the next few months will be nothing less.
My family is one of a kind. We stand up for each other no matter what. But we have limits and they'll surely bet tested.
However, I have full faith in my father. He's a man of his word and he'll do this right.
As far as everything else goes, I guess I'll get to live a little without constantly worrying about getting caught. Nick will always be around and when he comes knocking, I'll welcome him with open arms. No more hiding and no more being scared. I've lost so much of my life wanting to be someone else and wanting to fix everything that I've missed having fun.
My innocence is something I'll never get back, but that doesn't mean I've lost everything. I have people to do the hard stuff for me now. People who will fight to protect me like before, but this time it's not at the cost of my freedom. I have both security and freedom and I plan to use that to my advantage.
My part doesn't start until Nick comes and I hope that's not any time soon.
I want to live freely.
As I stare up at the clouds, Kai's figure blocks the view. His eyes examine my current position as if this is the first time he's seen me.
"We need to talk," he says holding up the papers my father handed him.
I turn my face to the side and sigh heavily as I rub my eyes before sitting up. I bring my knees up and stare at the football game past the wired fences. He takes a seat next to me, but I keep my attention forward as my mind implodes with questions.
Since he's been conscious, this is the first time he has willingly come to talk to me. I obviously tried talking to him while he was healing, but I was never successful. I eventually just left him to be.
For someone who has been forced into the deal, he's being quite cooperative and I have to keep him like that.
If he doesn't sign the papers, nothing will go the way we've planned.
"Did you sign them?" I question keeping my head forward.
After a while, when I don't get an answer, I finally build up the strength to turn my head and make eye contact with him. His eyes dark with curiosity, his tongue darts out licking his bottom lip.
"I'm doing this for Luciano," he says.
"Who are you trying to convince?" I question taking the papers out of his hands. I take the pen attached to the top of the papers and sign them. As I flip through the papers, I make sure his signature is everywhere it needs to be before I put mine down. "Congratulations, Kai Black. You are co-owner of The White Dragons."
He takes the papers from my hand and rolls them up so that they fit in his.
"What? No thank you?"
"We all know you didn't do this for me," he scoffs confidently as he gets up on his feet.
"You know, when you're actually ready to talk, I'll be here," I state getting up on my feet. "I'm not one to run away from my emotions, so when you realize what you've lost, don't hold back. But until then, we're business partners, so you might want to stop looking at me like I've killed your kid. He's still alive and no one knows about him. It'll stay that way as long as you don't fuck up. I got you this deal. I can take it away from you in a split second if I come to know that your siding with Nick just because I betrayed you."
His teeth grit, I see the sides of his jaw flex in anger. His thick eyebrows sink lower as his eyes bore into mine deepening in rage at my words.
He takes a challenging step forward.
"Summer White, the daughter of Xavier White, and sole daughter of the White house. That's who you are. The girl who was kidnapped and tortured by Nick Black and the daughter of the gang who lost everything for her, but could never get her back."
"Don't you ever forget that it's not you, who brought yourself up. It was me. I brought you up. You are here today because I made you realize your worth or else you'd still be cutting your wrists and hiding under the protection of a fake identity, suppressing your true potential under fear. The confidence you have today, is because of me. So don't you ever, tell me what or what not to do."
"You are my business partner. One mistake on your behalf and don't you dare think that I will back down because of your family. You put yourself in this position, so don't make it personal. What I have today, is not because of you, but what you have today, is because of me. Do you understand?"
The words don't sink in.
I listen only to reply, not to understand or comprehend. I know that if I do, it'll fucking hurt.
So once he's done, I reply very simple.
"Don't threaten me again, because I'm not afraid of killing your son, with my own bare hands, just to get my point across to you."
"I will kill you," he grits grabbing my arm and pulling me close. His chest on mine, his face is inches away taunting me. His lips, ripe, all I want is to taste them on mine.
I close my eyes and breathe, forgetting how much this proximity is actually bothering me.
Then, I open my eyes and look at him with no emotions.
"Get in line Kai, but until it's your turn, try to find a way to dethrone your brother," I correct. "Then solely run the black market of this country alongside my father all because I'm keeping your son safe and alive. So before you make this any worse, let go of me."
His grip tightens to the extent where I have to hide my pain under anger, but within seconds, he lets go and takes a step back. His head thrown down, I watch his fists clench.
"Get a drink, shower or have sex if you have to, but do whatever that needs to be done so that you can gather yourself. You're gaining everything you've always wanted, but all you can think about is going back. How pathetic is that? You're a leader, so start acting like one," I advise.
Kai still standing there with a stiff figure and showing no sighs of reacting, I turn around to walk away, but accidentally bum into one of the football players.
"I'm so sorry," I apologize as the player drops his helmet and turns around. At first, I don't recognize the familiar blue eyes, but when I dig deeper into my mind, I connect the darker complexion and the tattooed neck to the same man I saw at the party.
"It's you," he tilts his head.
My eyes work their way past him to the group of football players and cheerleaders.
"It is," I smile bringing my attention back to him. "Hey, I never caught your name last time."
"Donte," he smiles displaying his white teeth.
"Donte Jackson?" my eyebrows furrow as I word the name of my childhood friend.
"Yeah," he smiles. "How... how'd you know?"
My eyes lighten in astonishment and a smile grows on my face. The same Donte that used to be chubby and could hardly get a girl other than me to talk to him is now mother fucking eye candy.
"I'm Summer White," I smile hoping that he realizes who I am. His lips seal and the ends dip down as he thinks about my response.
"Kai Black," his eyes zone past me to Kai. The change in his aura is instant. His shoulders broaden and his eyes become a dominant shade blue. The moon creates a dark shadow under his jaw defining his feature.
Before he can walk past me, I step in front with my hand held in between us.
"What are you doing?"
Without answering, his eyes drop down to me and switch between us until realization hits him.
"You're April Salvatore," he accuses. "You're working with Kai Black."
"Donte-"
"Don't you dare make excuses, what are you doing here?" His voice is deep with warning riling me up.
God, why does my presence just seem to aggravate everyone? I haven't even done anything wrong!
"Calm the fuck down, Donte Jackson. I'm Summer White and that is Kai Black, but we're not here to cause a scene. This is my hometown and this is my school. I don't need your permission to be here and so I warn you to not start anything, because I will not hold Kai back if you are to initiate it. Do you understand?" I speak with warning written all over my eyes.
He takes his gaze off of Kai and takes a step away from me.
"How is this your hometown?"
"I'm Summer White, my father Is Xavier White. I'm sure you can connect the dots."
"Summer's dead," he scoffs causing me to roll my eyes.
"Yeah, yeah like I haven't heard that one, but hey, how's Caroline? Did she ever forgive you for giving her herpes?" I smirk. A chain of 'Oohs' is echoes from his friends behind him and all of them try to suppress their laugh when he gives them a deadly glare.
Silently, he takes my arm and pulls me to the side where our backs face everyone else.
"Summer promised that she'd never tell anyone," he harshly whispers in my ear.
I smile.
"But like you said, I'm not Summer, so I didn't promise you anything."
"This still doesn't make any sense," he growls.
"It doesn't have to," I laugh. "But I'll see you at school tomorrow."
I turn around and start to walk to the parking. When I glance back, I notice that Kai is no longer there ,so I continue walking on.
"Summer?"
"Yeah?" I stop.
"There's a party tonight at my lake house. Come if you want, Jane would love to catch up with you."
"Some other time, but Don, her name's Jackie," I correct him catching his trick. With that, I walk to the parking lot and step into my car heading home.
Tomorrow is the first day back in the life of Summer Regina White.
A/N:
Ivy: How was the chapter?