The car ride was silent after Pierce refused to answer my questions of where we were going. I couldn't help but worry that Aster was going to get a call any minute now saying that I had skipped school and left early, and I knew where that argument would go and let's just say I'm not winning it.
Scrolling mindlessly through my social media, I saw pictures of all my old friends from Washington, when I came to a picture of my ex boyfriend Cayde and his new shiny girl toy. Cayde Matthews was my boyfriend for a little over a year, he was my first everything and on the football team at my old High School, you could say he was mister popular. So we dated from my sophomore year till our junior year before we broke up after one we were at a party and he disappeared from our friend group. Later I found him having sex with another girl in the upstairs bedroom.
Cayde was my first heartbreak, I couldn't get out bed for days and the fact the entire high school knew Cayde Matthews had cheated on me was not helping the circumstances. My dad was clueless as well as there was no book on 'How to help your heartbroken 16 year old daughter that just got cheated on.'
I locked my phone screen, and Pierce pulled down a back road before soon pulling into a driveway. The house was an old Victorian styled mansion but had been in bad shape. It was two or three floors with a white wooden fence that wrapped around it. The house was white but stained from the outside environment, giving the house an even more rundown appearance. The windows were a clear glass and I could see through to the dark rooms.
Pierce parked the car and headed up the wooden front porch, making the stairs creek as he walked up them. In fear of where I was and not knowing what was about to happen I got out of the car, slamming the door shut and following after Pierce.
Before Pierce reached the front door, he turned around to face me and pointed to the car "Stay in the car Ambrosia."
A women with medium length brown hair and green eyes exited from the house. She was probably about her forties, very thin and It looked like she had not slept as the bags under her eyes were very prominent. She was extremely beautiful and reminded me a lot of Juniper when it came to facial structure. She was wearing plain blue denim jeans with an oversize black sweater.
"Pierce I didn't know you were coming home so early-" She started but soon stopped when her eyes flickered to mine and her eyes lit up "You must be Aspen!"
"Ambrosia. Car Now." Pierce demanded again, making the women roll her eyes and give him a slight tap on the shoulder. She walked towards me, and stuck her hand out "I'm Mrs. Gunner, but please just call me Devon- makes me feel young."
"Hi..I'm Aspen, but you apparently already know that." I trailed off, glancing over at Pierce who looked to be purely frustrated as it had been written all over his face. "Mom, please." Pierce begged in an aggravated tone.
"Oh Pierce knock it off. I was just introducing myself." Mrs. Gunner wave him off before turning back to me "Please come in. I can make you guys a pot of coffee."
She turned around and headed towards the inside of the house, I followed slowly behind her and face Pierce once I had reached the front wooden porch. "Stay as quiet as possible." Pierce warned, his eyes shooting me a glare before he walked into the house, letting the screen door swing shut behind him.
I entered the house which brought us into the front entrance where a wooden grand staircase led to the upstairs with a red patterned carpet laying on top of it. To the right was what I could only assume was the kitchen and to the left had been the living room. The wallpaper on the walls was starting to peel off and the carpet had needed vacuumed.
"Would you like cream sweetie? I always like to ask, Pierce takes his straight black which I think is so bizarre, it's so bitter." Mrs. Gunner asked, snapping me out of my thoughts and the examination of the house. I nodded in response and looked at Pierce.
"Is this your house?" I asked Pierce, shocked that people were living in these conditions. Pierce clenched his jaw and slightly nodded and I could tell he had felt embarrassed.
"Yeah. Why?" Pierce snapped at me with a defensive tone.
"I just thought-" I started, but Pierce soon cut me off "You just thought what? That I was some rich kid who's parents live in a multi-millionaire home. Sorry to break to Ambrosio, but not everyone has your daddy's money."
"Excuse me? You don't even know how much my dad makes-" I started to defend myself but once again Pierce cut me off "I've seen your house in Washington Ambrosia, you may not be millionaires but you sure as hell aren't poor. "
"Well if Crestmont makes as much money as you guys put out whats the excuse then." I snapped back immediately. The minute the comment left my mouth I felt slightly guilty but Pierce was the one to throw my family's money in my face as if my dad didn't work his ass off to get where he is.
"You better watch what you say Ambrosia because I have no fucking problem beating the shit out of you again. And because you're so fucking noisy, if you must know Xander and Archer are the ones that harvest the money, Xander won't let our parents see a glimpse of the money which leaves us all in this shit hole while he lives in his fucking perfect house." Pierce gritted back at me.
I was confused as to how Archer and Xander got to keep all the money if they all did their part when it came to the gang. I mean after all they were all involved in the three famous gang categories; drugs, racing, and pimping. As well as to what Pierce meant when he said Xander won't let their parents see the money.
Before I could even ask I heard footsteps run down the grand spiral staircase where I saw a little girl about the age off 12 run down. She was very tall for her age and super skinny. She had long caramel hair that had gone down to her lower back and the same green eyes that Mrs. Gunner had herself.
"Pierce!" She cheered, approaching closer to us. "Why aren't you in school?" Pierce narrowed his eyes at her in response, making her cheerful expression turn into a smirk.
"I have a stomach ache." She whispered, giving a subtle wink before bending over and clutching her stomach in pain before dropping to the ground "OH MY! MY Femur! I think I just might die, the pain- I can't bare it!"
I chuckled at her dramatic reenactment for her ever so convincing stomach ache. "Your Femur is in your thigh dipshit." Pierce rolled his eyes at her, helping her up from the ground. She stood up straight and crossed her arms, a smirk tugging at her lips "So Pierce are you going to introduce me to your knew girlfriend or am I going to stand here making awkward eye contact during this break of silence."
"Girlfriend my ass." Pierce scoffed a laugh out and the little girl looked at me then at Pierce "You're right. She's out of your league."
A smile appeared on my lips as I gave Pierce a look of pure amusement but Pierce's face did not show the same expression of amusement.
"I'm Reese." She introduced herself "Aka the smartest, most good-looking, funniest Gunner."
"Yeah also twelve and the biggest smart ass." Pierce pointed out to her. Mrs. Gunner came from the kitchen with two cups of coffee before handing them to Pierce and I.
"Pierce don't make the poor girl stand!" Mrs. Gunner argued before she led us all into the living room. The living room matched the rest of the house. The matching couches that were sprawled around the room had all been set up with a glass coffee table in the middle and a TV stand not far from it. I had taken a seat on the couch next to Pierce as Mrs. Gunner and Reese sat across on the other couch.
"So Aspen, I've heard so much about you." Mrs. Gunner spoke cheerfully, leading my reaction to surprise as I glanced over to Pierce in shock. Was Pierce actually acknowledging my existence outside of when he was with me?
Cause we're apparently not even on a first name basis, but his mom and I am.
"Yeah not from me." Pierce murmured, sinking back into his seat as he stared ahead at the dark black TV screen.
"You're such a liar!" Reese rolled her eyes "I heard you and Juniper arguing over who was taking to her to the party on Saturday."
"The party?" I questioned confused as to what Reese had been talking about. "Reese can you ever shut the fuck up?" Pierce's tone was pure annoyance, obviously mad Reese had outed him.
"Pierce! She's 12, watch your language!" Mrs. Gunner broke into Pierce's glares and Reese's smirk that was plastered across her face.
"Yeah watch your fucking language." Reese smirked back "And why would I ever shut up? My snitching is one of my best qualities."
"Reese! Room. Now!" Mrs. Gunner shouted, making Pierce send her a look of Ha-ha-I-win and Reese rolled her eyes in response before pushing herself up from the couch and heading towards the staircase.
"I'm so sorry about that Aspen..My kids behaviors are questionable at some points-" Mrs. Gunner glanced over at Pierce, shooting him a look "But yes Juniper and Pierce's 18th birthday this Saturday that Archer is hosting at his mansion. Juniper and Pierce were arguing over who would be taking you this weekend-"
Opening my mouth to speak I was soon stopped when I heard the door swing open and slam shut, revealing a man who appeared to be his 40's. The resemblance between Pierce and him was not deniable. The man had the same piercing gray eyes, his brown hair was soft and styled back. Both his arms had sleeves of tattoos of different things, and some even approaching the bottom of his neck. He was over 6 foot, and had an athletic build. He was dressed in dark wash denim jeans and a black t-shirt.
"Devon there wasn't any of the-" He stopped speaking as he had entered the living room "Pierce. What are you doing home?"
Pierce stood up from the couch, standing up straight and tall. I could feel the tension in his body from here, I couldn't think of the word to use to describe how he seemed to feel. Not intimidation but almost a fear.
"Had some shit to get, before the meeting. Preparing for the race tomorrow." Pierce explained stern. The man's jaw was clenched as he shifted his eyes from Pierce to me. His gaze made my skin crawl, making me uncomfortably shift in my seat.
"And who is this?" The man's eyes stayed on me, his tone was very testing as he started to approach me.
"Don't touch her." Pierce stepped in front of my body, blocking him from me. The room had been dead silent. The silence that makes you so uneasy that you think something is about to jump out and get you in minute, and at this point I was hoping that would happen.
"What? Possessive much? Shame it seems you really have moved on from Mercury." The guy let out a chuckle before turning his eyes back to me "What's your name, sweetheart?"
"Aspen."
"Aspen..ah, must be the new Ambrosia in town. You're the one Xander had told me about." The man, who I could only assume at this point was Pierce's dad due to such similar looks started to walk towards me "Pierce's new toy- we'll maybe he'd let me when he's done with you-"
Before he could finish his comment, Pierce immediately shoved him, pushing him back a couple feet. I couldn't see Pierce's face but I could feel the anger radiating off his body. Mrs. Gunner shared the same tenseness as I did as she sat across the room, silent.
"You do not touch me!" Mr. Gunner screamed in rage, pointing his finger in Pierce's face while his other hand was clenched into a fist. His face was a light shade of red as well as a few of his veins becoming more prominent along with his teeth clenched.
"I said don't fucking touch her you prick!" Pierce shouted back, and I was in shock of how Pierce was acting so protective or me because a few weeks ago he was the one who choked me outside the school cafeteria. I looked over at Mrs. Gunner, hoping to get her attention but sadly failing.
Mr. Gunner began to raise his fist, my eyes widened and my response. "No!" I yelled, shooting up from my own seat but it had all gone so fast. Mr. Gunner's fist went into straight contact to Pierce's face, making Pierce turn his head with the punch.
My heart sunk and my stomach turned. Any type of safety I had felt was long gone at this point. For once I felt bad for Pierce, he had just gotten hit for what? Because of me? Guilt came over me even though I know I didn't do anything.
Or did I? Everything was all so confusing and with no one to give me answers it kept me running in circle. What was Mr. Gunner's personal vendetta against me? Why was he going to hurt Pierce over me? And why was Pierce suddenly so overprotective.
The questions ran though my head but I soon snapped out of it as Mrs. Gunner shot up from her own seat "Vance!" she yelled at Mr. Gunner; her husband. She pulled him away from Pierce, as his face still had an abundance of anger. I couldn't believe what had just happened and how Mrs. Gunner went for her husband and not her own son.
"Pierce-" I breathed, walking up to him and grabbing his face in my hands to examine the damage done. I couldn't believe at what I had witness, as it was technically child abuse.
There was no real damage done, except for the bloody nose he had and a slightly busted lip where it was split open slightly in the top corner. The hit was hard and I expected more damage that what had been done, but was grateful that it wasn't.
Pierce's expression was numb but also a look of defeat. He looked embarrassed but you could see the numbness in my face. "It's no use Aspen." He pushed my hands away from his face.
I was taken back for a second as I blinked repeatedly at me "You just called me Aspen.."
Although it was my name, it was not to Pierce as he's only ever called me Ambrosia. It was a small thing but for some reason it stuck with me more than you'd' think.
"That is your name isn't it." He muttered under his breath. I stared at him, not knowing what to say or do next while he avoided eye-contact. Pierce then grabbed my wrist before starting to pull me up the the spiral staircase that creaked almost every step you took. After leading me up two floors he took me down a long hallway and opened a wooden door towards the end.
We entered a room that had been made entirely out of wood, different from your typical plywood. The ceilings had been arched in the four corners before flattening in the middle. The windows had been covered by black curtains but the sun managed to shine through slightly as there were no blinds. The floor was covered with a torn up rug that didn't cover the entire hardwood floor. His bed sat against the one wall, the dark navy and white sheets all messy on the bed.
"I need a cigarette." Pierce mumbled, before pulling out a carton of cigarettes and lighting it before taking in a deep inhale. He sat down on the bed, and I examined over the room. Which had not been what I expected.
Maybe naked girls on posters, perfectly folded laundry that his mom did for him, and a huge house. Pierce screamed rich player who's mommy does everything for him, but that just wasn't the case. I didn't know everything but just from what I was seeing-he didn't have it easy.
"Are you ok?" I asked concerned and made my eyes meet him. He kept away eye contact and ignored my concern. Typical as I would expect, as Pierce did put on his Bad Boy persona and wouldn't let anyone see him vulnerable.
"Pierce." I forced myself to speak up "What was that about? Does your dad hit you?"
What do you do in these type of situations? No one ever really knows what to do till you watch it happen, and with the type of person I am, I was going to let the guilt eat away at me.
Pierce scoffed, still refusing to look at me. He let out an exhale of cigarette smoke and the sun peaking through the window hit his face. I repeated his name again, knowing that I was probably pushing my limits at this point but I needed answers and needed to know if he was ok.
"What Ambrosia?!" He finally snapped, his eyes turning dark as they met mine "What?! You didn't want to see that? Didn't expect for my 'daddy' to hit me? My life isn't perfect enough for you, huh?"
He continued to go off yelling at me, obviously angered and annoyed. I let him though, I knew he had a million emotions all built up inside that he had just had to get out. I knew I was not going to get the closure that I wanted either but had known there was something much bigger behind the story.
"Pierce, it's ok to be vulnerable." I sighed, seeing he was frustrated and wanted no one to see him like this, not breaking down his bad boy persona. He rolled his eyes in response to me before grabbing old ripped up t-shirt that had been laying on the ground and dabbing up the blood from his nose and lip.
Pierce walked over to his desk before putting a key in and unlocking it to pull out a stash of cash as well as a bunch of folded up papers and putting it on the inside pocket of his leather jacket. He slammed the drawer shut, before looking over to me.
"Can we go now." Pierce said more as a statement than a question. He soon walked out of the room, the door staying open behind him. I stood their for a moment alone, taking in everything that had just happened. I thought about what my next move was about to be but surely didn't have a clear one.
And of course Pierce is going to make this so much more difficult and act like none of this happened. Pulling my phone out I scrolled through my contacts before clicking on Junipers.
Me: You have to help me.
Sighing, I pressed send and placed my phone in the back pockets of my jeans before swiftly heading out of Pierce's room, shutting the door behind me.
* * * * * * *
A://N Sorry for no update last week, I was super busy with school. And this week is my second week of college. (Definitely stressed out)
THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO: @KARS04S
Tried to write a longer chapter for you guys, and as I said before updates are still Thursdays but be patient with me if I miss a week because I am balancing school and work right now!
So what did you guys think of this chapter? you got to meet Mr. and Mrs. Gunner (Vance + Devon)
Answer for Dedication:
Thoughts on Mrs. Gunner??
Thoughts on Reese (the youngest gunner sibling)
Thoughts on Mr. Gunner??
What do you think the interaction between Mr. Gunner and Pierce was about?
Why do you think of Pierce being suddenly protective and what it's about?
Favorite moment of this chapter?
See you guys next week!
~Ash