Chapter 1

Darling.

"I couldn't give a shit Adam…Good-bye!" I yelled out the door as I snatched my keys off of the counter and hooked them on the loops of my jeans. Adams pounding feet were getting closer making my escape to happen much faster. Without a second thought I rushed out of the house ran a block and a half stopping about 10 meters from the Quik-E Mart. I huffed as I stepped out of the humid summer air and into sweet, God sent cold air. I let go of the thick glass door and stomped over to the candy rack picked up a Twix and moved on to the line of sodas to catch a Sprite. I breathed in some freezing air that flowed out of the fridge before closing the refreshing air. Without looking I turned on my heel only to come to an abrupt stop to keep me from ramming into a lean back.

"Gah!" I squealed as I skidded to the side only just barely skimming the guys hairy arm. "I'm sorry, I didn't look before I turned." I said without looking up to somewhat hide my embarrassed face.

"Fucking klutzy bitch." he muttered loud enough for me to hear him. I looked up angrily, annoyed that this stranger would try to get in fight with my because of an arm touch. I opened up my mouth to talk but my voice was replaced by a smooth, calm male one.

"I'm sorry, but I'm sure that you weren't talking referring to my friend were you?" I looked up ready to growl at the poor sucker who was attempting to get into my fights. I bit my tongue and internally screamed at myself for thinking to bitch out this guy. Standing tall, Anthony glared over at the man with his threatening outer appearance. His tattooed arms were crossed over his lean chest which was covered by a simple white tee-shirt. I glanced over to the man who looked like he was calculating his chances to make it away from Anthony without getting his face beat in. I smirked at the fact.

"Nah man." he lifted his hands as a peace offering, but Anthony didn't relax his muscle one bit until he was out of the little store. I took the liberty to immaturely stick my tongue at his back.

"Mature." Anthony rolled his eyes at me while walking to the cashier.

"Thanks Tony, but honestly I think I would've done a better job bitching him out." I sighed.

"Yes but he has one thing of a million things you don't have. Real muscles." he lifted up my upper arms swinging it above me. Yeah so I was kind of scrawny, so what/

"Yeah, yeah. I'm a girl, act like one blah, blah, blah." I pulled my arm back making it instantly miss the casual touch. "I got it the first million time you told me."

"Obviously not since you continue to act like your invincible." he stopped. "Which is bull shit on a stick." he pulled out his wallet and swiped my snacks from my hand and tossed them to the cashier who was clearly gawking at him. Oddly enough, the cashier was a guy. Okay, so he gets hit on by both sexes and I barely get hit on by one? Not cool.

"Oh yeah?" I challenged while parting out different purchases. He was so not going to pay for my food. Nuh-uh not this time.

"Uh yeah honey." he said and he swatted my hand off of the food and told the cashier that he was paying for it all. Dammit.

"What do you think your doing? Either way what makes you so confident?" I pushed on his arm.

"Buying this? Don't fight it cause your not gonna win." the cashier handed us the food in a plastic bag with "Thank you" written across over it multiple time.

"I could have paid for it myself." I swallowed my pride and remembered my manners. "And thank you Tony." I pecked him on the cheek as I pulled out my soda.

"mmhmm." he popped the Cheetos bag open and stuffed his face with cheese. I whimpered as I attempted-and failed- to snap open the lid on the can. Anthony sighed and did it for me. "Hey Darling?"

"Hmm?"

"Did you have another fight with Adam?" I chocked on my Twix knowing that he had heard my shrieks through the thin apartment walls. Oh, did I mention Anthony was my next door neighbor? Well he is.

"Yeah. Adam was being an as about paying his half of this months rent. His pot habits are getting really old, really fast. Its ridiculous." I said exasperated by my room mates idiocy. Anthony had already heard this story one too many times but he still seemed to care about my issues. Another thing about Anthony, he's my next door neighbor for a reason. See Tony, unlike me, had the money to buy a nice condo near the beach and closer to his job but he was stuck with the idea of taking care of me. Anthony is my older brothers best friend, my best friend, who's one major focus was making sure I was fed, clothed, and sheltered. So instead of getting himself a nice place he life in the same shame of an apartment as I do. He deserves better.

Anthony sighed. He had heard me complain about Adams constant drug spree and worried that he wasn't safe to be around but honestly, the guy was harmless. "Darling I really think you should just kick that kid out."

"I didn't listen the first billion times you told me, I wont listen the next billion times you tell me. Sorry Anthony." Sometimes I wondered why he didn't just live with me and we could share the damn rent but I never was able to built up the guts to ask him the reason. Honestly speaking I would love living with this kid but I really don't think he shares the same feeling. So yeah I kinda have a crush on him so what? Living with him could also possibly affect my virtues. "Well at least I wont listen until I A) find a willing roommate." Anthony's eyebrow twitched slightly at that. " or B) I move out. Not much picking on either field if you ask me but whatever." I sighed and took another snap at the Twix bar.

"Darling Please." he begged. "I'll pay for his half of the rent. I'll pay for yours too if you let me!" another thing about Anthony he was pretty loaded since his dad worked as a CEO in a major corporation. He usually didn't like taking money from his dad but I guess I was driving him to an extreme. " Hell Darling, if you need I'll look for a roommate for you. But please, for my sanity, kick Adam out." he said while gripping the sides of my shoulders as a desperate gesture. I felt bad honestly but I refused to be so cold hearted.

"Tony, please don't do that it makes me feel like the bitch. Its just I feel bad for kicking the poor guy out on the street while he's having his… issues with drugs. One more month, that's it." I sighed.

Anthony huffed and pulled his arms around his chest making him look like a tatted up 5 year old. It was beyond adorable but I could never dare say that aloud. "Fine. But I will be around more often to make sure that he is getting his stuff packed and he better be ready the day he has to leave or else I'll drag his ass out." Tony's face was so serious, Adams safety actually began to worry me.

"Yipes Anthony, if you keep that face up Adam wont regret moving." I teased while pinching his cheek which I knew he hated. Tony, over all, had a really cute baby face, not the type of baby face that was ridiculous and you just wanted to shout "Grow up already" at but the type with big round eyes and soft pale skin that most, unluckily, grow out of. "I Gotta go, my last class of the day is about to start and I'm about ready to skip it and chat with you for the rest of my afternoon." I stated. He smiled widely exposing his pearly whites.

"You know I was thinking the same except I'm actually headed to the shop right now and I think Mason will chop my balls off if I miss another day this month. I'm sure your teachers don't appreciate it much that you miss their class so often so be with me so I'll cut them some slack. Plus I don't want you to fail your class. Human Geography correct?"

"I don't think you'd fend well without your buddies would you buddy." he chuckled. " And yeah, it's a major pain in the ass but I'll manage. Call me later 'kay?" I asked while tip-toeing my way up to his perfect nose and planting a soft kiss on it.

"Gotcha. Good luck Darling." he pulled me to his chest and then let go with a wave.

~0~

Class was a major drag. My professor rambled on and on about the affects of shanty towns, yes I understand that it is her job but I really just wanted to shoot my brains off and only hope that bits of it land Professor Langer and Mary Jean who kept on trying to talk to me today. Cold, I know but I was about to lose it. All I wanted to do at the moment was to head home to my apartment and hope that Adam hadn't filled up the whole place with his god awful smoke. Unless you're the one who is taking a drag out of those little joints, the smoke of pot was close to the smell of a toned down skunk. In other words I'd either join his today or make my way to Anthony's room and sleep there for the night. Its not like I hadn't done either of those options before but tonight I was not in the mood to put up with choices, all I was up for was sweet, sweet sleep. I trudged down the dark halls that led to my door and roughly threw the door open making it hit the door leading to Tony's room. I hoped he wouldn't come in here freaking out, which he has done before. "Adam? You home?" I screeched from the top of my lungs making sure in whatever daze he might be, he would hear me. I knew for a fact that he was home considering I could smell the lit pot and I could see the tops of Corona bottles scattered across the counter top and even on the floor. That and also I could hear whispering, banging and laughing coming from his room which was closed. So he wasn't alone. Great, just what I needed, his dumbass friends to make more noise. Tony's apartment it was. I sighed and pulled out my phone dialed Tony's number, pressing the call button.

"Dar, Get me a beer!" I heard Adam call from the room.

"Get your own fucking beer. I'm sleeping at Anthony's, Adam." I paused to consider what I was about to do but decided to do it right now. "Oh Adam? Pack your stuff. You have one month to get the hell out of here. If you don't do it by then Anthony offered to throw you out with his own hands." I informed loudly while my phone continued to ring for Anthony's number, hoping that he was caught off guard since for one he was high and probably drunk out of his mind and two, because he had his stoner friends over. It took a moment for the angry thuds to come closer. Not only his but his buddies too. The usual stoner trio, Jackson, Federico, and Samuel. Their eyes tinged with red and glazed. Adam was fuming, who had obviously had a drag and a drink too many.

"What the hell do you mean, your kicking me out?!"

Tony finally picked up. "Tony, hold on." I spoke into the phone, then turned to Adam with a blank face. " I mean, get out in a month, at most, or Tony will do it for you! Oh take your friends with you. I don't want to have them around anymore." I sighed at began to talk into the phone.

"Fuck you bitch!" was all I hear before I felt a fist pounding onto my cheek, causing me to drop my phone. His friends were all in guffaws besides Federico who's behavior when he was high was always scared and paranoid, he just looked like he was going to cry. My hand flew to my face and I looked straight at Adam who looked possessed. I knew he was out of his senses at the moment due to the drugs and alcohol in his system but h had never been a violent type when he was high or wasted. His fist neared my face once again, aiming for my mouth but in attempt to defend myself I moved my head down which caused his fist to touch my eyes. An excruciating pain shot through me as I yelled in pain. That was when my reasoning came back to me and I reacted by connecting my fist to his jaw like Anthony had taught me making a popping noise. I was pretty sure my fist was more banged up than his jaw but at the moment I couldn't feel it, all I felt was the adrenalin rushing throughout my body. Adam looked shocked but not hurt. If anything, I just made him madder. "You really shouldn't have done that Dar." he said in a menacing voice, while tugging on my shirt. I pulled back making sure he wouldn't have much chance to grip any part of me again.

"Don't fucking touch me. Get out of here right now!" I shouted on the top of my lungs making sure I got my point across.

"Dar, I've always thought you were really pretty you know that? Hell I don't have to behave now, so why the fuck not try out the pretty little body of yours?" he chuckled and his friends licked their lips in a hungry manner. Fear shot though me like a bullet. I heard "And she's feisty." form one of the other guys but I didn't dare take a look away from Adam, any chance for me to avoid him was I chance I would take. Sadly enough I was greatly outnumbered by all guys who were really mad, drunk, and high at the moment. I was damn sure that Samuel was on his heroine trip right now too so this was not going to go over well.

"Oh, please you wouldn't dare." I myself was surprised at how calm I sounded.

"Actually Darling, I think we're pretty sure of what we want to do right now. It would be you." Said Jackson with a sickening smile.

I backed up into a wall cursing myself for feeling so scared at the moment. I looked around me to look for anything, anything at all that could spare me a few minutes, seconds even. Nothing. All I was left with was wits and my relatively muscled limbs. Federico was still cowering in the corner. My skin crawled at the thought that all he going to do was watch as I get attacked. I looked up at Jackson who was the most eager out of the three to get close to me, he wore a devilish grin as he ran his hand over my still clothed sides I began thrashing, throwing punches at the air, only landing a few on my attackers. Just those few hits aggravated the boys, that they opted in one of the tying me down. I think they chose Samuel to do the job but I was too focused on getting loose to really be sure. My screams were fading to whispers as my voice was beginning to wear down.

"Darling your making this more difficult than its suppose to be." Adam growled against my mostly exposed chest, the only thing really giving me any cover on my chest was by bra which was probably going to be gone in a few seconds by the way this was going. I gasped as my attackers hands wandered to certain areas, and thrashed my legs ineffectively. My cheeks were drowned in tears which were being licked away by rotten tongues. My jeans quickly became invisible as did my bra and I tried to avoid their touches as much as possible. Any touch would send a gagging feeling in my throat.

I took shallow breaths as my mouth finally had a chance to be my its lonesome. The guys began to argue to would be first since they thought it was ridiculous to have a foursome on the living room wall. As frightened as I was I still had some hope that the boys would come to their senses. Its not like they needed to force a girl to get laid, all of them were relatively good looking but I guess that was never good enough for them.

"Darling the least you could do is look a little bit aroused." Samuel growled as he neared me. Apparently they had decided he was going to be the first one. I shook my head fiercely finding some defiance in me behind all my fright.

"Shame, this is only going to hurt you." he smirked.

Its not like I was a virgin, because I surely I wasn't, but this scared me shitless. I knew how this worked but he was using a very rough manner and I winced every time he thrust himself into me. After he was satisfied he slapped me hard on the face giving me a disgusted look.

"That was a shitty lay." he breathed. I glared at him through my tears.

"My turn." Adam said sweetly. I began to shiver and tried once again to scream but my voice was nonexistent and my lower half hurt with any harsh movement I made.

Adams hand wrapped around my hips and he began to ready himself. That would be the time when my savior came.

Harsh pounding shook the front door and I prayed it was Anthony.

"Open this fucking door this second or I will fucking open it myself!" the guys looked at each other and started laughing thinking of this as a game, probably because the drugs were still the once who were making sense in their heads.

"Who the fuck are you?" Samuel said through the door. Tony didn't thinks, he just acted. The door flew open hitting Federico straight in the face.

"I should be asking that. I would advise you not to move, because one way or another I am going to kill all of you. He looked at Samuel and Federico. The moved his sight a little bit farther to look at Adam and me, instantly realizing what was going on. Without hesitation, he rushed to my side and started pounding Adams face without having any mercy. I sat on the floor staring at Anthony's violent form, something I had only seen once before. I no longer felt bad for Adams face instead I slightly smiled at his pain. Yes, that was sick but I didn't care too much at the moment.

"Get off of him man!" shouted Jackson. Tony didn't take that too well. He brought Jackson down and kindly gave him the great beating Adam had just received, I was sure they would ever be the same. Adam was a bloody mess, he gripped his neck as if he couldn't breath, I didn't realize that Anthony had tried to strangle him.

I attempted to try call after Tony but my voice wouldn't allow it. All heard beside the grunts coming from Jackson and Adam was heavy thudding coming from down the hall. Black dots were plaguing my vision and I slowly felt the floor come closer to my face. Everything became a complete blur as blackness swallowed me.