-•PRESLEY•-
Never in a million years did I imagine that I would be part of a gang. An actual gang with violence and guns and knives and all things bad. The leader, Nathan, didn't exactly give me much of a choice. It took every ounce of strength and courage to look into his razor sharp green eyed gaze.
When I first saw him, I was instantly terrified. He wore these tiny diamond studs on his ears and his hands were covered in tattoos, his knuckles looked like they'd been cut too many times. His hair was nothing like I had ever seen. It was black but the darkest shade that ever existed, almost like black had evolved into it's richest form.
As much as I feared him, when he talked, I almost wanted to comply with whatever he asked. Almost. When he offered to give me a place to stay, money that I could use for college and protection from Robert's fatal wrath, there was nothing more I could ask for. If this gang, my gang now—according to Nathan—, needed my help, then I would do it. I would help them because they would help me back.
"Did my brother do that to your face?," Haley asked, glancing at my cut cheek. She was leading me to the dining hall before I could start healing the gang. Her eye color, along with her hair color, were identical to her brother's but her eyes seemed lighter, like she didn't carry as much of a burden.
I shook my head. "No," I answered quietly.
"Then who?," she asked. "Do you want me to go after them? Have you seen me with a knife? I'm amazing!"
A small giggle escaped my lips. "I just...ran into something, that's all."
She gave me a skeptical brow. "Did your wrist also run into something?," she asked, eyeing the reddish blemish on my wrist.
Don't ask more. Don't ask more. Please don't ask more.
It seemed silly but I felt that if I talked about Robert, then it would summon him. I needed to avoid that at all costs.
She sighed when I didn't answer. "I guess I shouldn't press, I'm sorry. I'm just really glad you're here helping my friends," she said, smiling gratefully. "I just know that me and you are going to be good friends too."
I smiled softly, grateful for at least some kindness in the last twenty-four hours.
"Haley?," I asked, peering at her with wide eyes.
"What is it?," she answered, looking concerned.
"Do you...do you know who the K Blades are? Your brother—he seemed to get really mad when I told him about a green truck that was following me yesterday morning. He said that some K Blades people wanted me," I stated quietly, wary of who these K Blades were.
Haley's expression turned troubled, then her expression softened when she turned to me. "Don't worry about it, Presley. Nathan's going to take care of it, okay? It's nothing."
I didn't quite believe her but one thing I did believe to be true was that Nathan would take care of it. I had only known him for a short while but he seemed to be a determined person. That's one of the reasons I didn't want to cross him, because he'd probably be determined to kill me.
"Okay, so lucky for you, my lovely new friend, today is pasta day. Time to load up on carbs, Presley," she said excitedly. "So I personally recommend the chicken fettuccine Alfredo, but you can pick from five different pastas-''
"Who the hell is this kid? He doesn't look like he went through initiation yet," a boy with the broadest shoulders I've ever seen growled. He looked less like a boy and more like a man. He probably is a man.
He approached me with a menacingly look. When he cracked his knuckles, my breath caught in my throat. No, no, no. He looked like he could have crushed me.
I began to retract my steps hastily and ready myself to escape the dining hall. Don't start crying, Presley. Don't cry. Don't cry.
As I backed up, a hard surface startled me and I jumped. When I turned around, I realized with fright that it was Nathan that I ran into. He wasn't looking at me though, his sharp jaw was set in an irritated line. A scowl was directed to the big person in front of me.
"I thought I told you to help Kyle rewire the engines. Want to explain to me what you're doing here?," Nathan asked, approaching him with a relaxed saunter.
Haley gave me a worried glance. The broad shouldered boy gave Nathan a smug smirk.
"Relax, boss, we finished early. Now who the hell is this kid? He barely looks fourteen. Doesn't even look jumped in to me," the broad shouldered boy stated cooly.
Fourteen? "Seventeen," I muttered quietly to Haley.
The broad shouldered boy snapped his meaty head towards me. "What the fuck did you say, punk? You correcting me?," he asked, taking a dangerous step in my direction again.
I shook my head frantically, willing tears not to spill.
Nathan pushed him, hard. The expression on his face meant business. "You know who he is? He's in my gang now. He's one of us. One day he might even save your sorry life, Kevin. Don't start," Nathan snarled.
Kevin seemed to retract a little at the look that Nathan gave him. "All right, but if he's part of the Creeds now, he should get an initiation. Just like the rest of us," Kevin said, giving me a murderous face that made me shrink a tiny bit next to Haley.
No. No. No. Initiation? Like getting jumped in? Oh lord, like in the movies where the person being jumped in ends up bleeding out on the floor.
Nathan turned to me, his face scanning mine. I silently willed him to not consider this. I agreed to his terms willingly, I had nowhere else to go. He didn't have to doubt my loyalty. His forest green eyes remained absolutely unreadable. He turned back to Kevin.
"I didn't bring him here to fight. He's here to heal. He doesn't need to be beaten bloody, understand?," Nathan looked almost impassive but his tattooed hands were clenched tightly.
Kevin reluctantly nodded but not before sending me a nasty glower.
I almost jumped for joy. I had already been a punching bag for Robert for four years, I didn't really have much interest in being one for legitimate gang members.
"If you ever question me again, I think I'll have to pay young Layla a visit, don't you think?," Nathan asked. It was his turn to smirk.
Kevin's expression turned pained. "Nate, no. Okay, I'm sorry, I was out of line just...just leave her out of this."
Nathan didn't answer, just turned away breezily, jaw set in a sharp line. He didn't spare me another glance, just told Haley to get me to the infirmary as soon as possible.
Kevin scowled in my direction one last time then stormed out of the dining hall.
"Presley, you can let go of me now," Haley said, smiling down on my hand that gripped her arm.
Great. Lord, how pathetic can I get?
"Oh, I'm sorry," I murmured, releasing my grasp on her arm. I just...," I trailed off, fishing for an excuse for my cowardice.
Haley chuckled. "Don't worry about it, Pres. Let's get you something to eat before you snap like a twig."
"But Nathan said I had to go to the infirmary-,"
She waved me off. "You can't work your magic if you have no energy," she pointed out.
I sighed. "I...Okay, I guess you're right," I complied reluctantly. I hoped that Nathan wasn't bothered by this. If I was being honest, I was glad to finally have a full meal that wasn't microwave cafeteria lunch. My stomach growled persistently with the smell of deliciously creamy pasta. Haley grinned at me.
It was time for something new.
•••••••••••••••••••••••
In the infirmary room, about ten people filled the cots. The beds looked like professional equipment straight out of the hospital. These had to cost at least a couple thousand dollars each.
Half of the patients appeared to be sleeping, or unconscious. That would change soon. As soon as I got their diagnosis, I would be able to create a formula to speed up the healing process. They would be up and on their feet in less than a day, I just needed my materials.
I hadn't been around the entire gang facility but I was counting on them having a garden with lots of greens, I would need a lot of them to create the elixirs. Most importantly, I was hoping they had beet root. Beet root was the main ingredient to speed up the recovery process. It made the body stronger when mixed with plenty of greens and a dash of standard medicine.
Haley and a boy named Alvin accompanied me to the infirmary. Alvin had dark brown hair with a tan complexion. I noticed that he liked to make Haley laugh.
"So, do you practice witchcraft or something?," Alvin asked when we sat next to the first patients bed. An IV seemed to be haphazardly injected in a vein in the patient's arm. That would have to be fixed.
The patient had a stab wound, I mentally noted that I had to be extra careful with him, even the slightest jostle could make him bleed to death.
I gave Alvin a vexed expression. "There's no such thing. I use mostly natural ingredients, methods that most people are scared to try," I said quietly, mindful of the patients.
"Oh, I see. You're a risk taker," he winked.
Haley nudged his arm. "Leave him alone. Let him work."
"Is there a garden here? I think I might need some things from there," I said, biting my lip, busying myself with adjusting the IV so that it flowed correctly into the patients body.
"Garden? This isn't preschool, kid," Alvin cackled.
"What do you need from the garden?," a rough voice sounded through the infirmary. Nathan entered, arms crossed.
"Well, I think I might need some beet root and maybe some kale," I explained softly, not wanting to disturb the sleeping patient beside me. "There's already general medicine here, all I need are those things."
"Wait, we have a garden? No one told me!," Alvin exclaimed, bewilderment displayed all over his face.
The patient beside us started to stir. "Please try to be quiet. I don't want them awake until I have something to make them better," I said, willing him to understand.
"Ally knows everything about the garden, I'll tell her to get the stuff you need," Nathan said, voice low.
I smiled as an answer, he didn't. Nathan turned around the way he went, phone to his ear, possibly contacting this Ally girl.
As I went through the infirmary adjusting every patients IV wire, I found myself wishing Nathan would smile more. He looked too young to be carrying the world on his shoulders. It seemed unfair. I shook the thought off and waited for Ally to come back with my supplies.
Here in the infirmary, I felt oddly comfortable and safe. I was completely out of Robert's reach doing something that I was good at. It almost seemed like a dream, gang or not.