SA Gangs AU
Abeke smiled happily as she skipped out of the store. She had finally found the perfect gift for her sister. It had cost all of her allowance but she was finally able to buy it today. It was a jewel antelope necklace.
Abeke and her sister didn't have the best relationship and she wanted to make sure that Soama knew she cared. Abeke walked down the street focusing on how to get home. She had never been in this part of town, she usually walked home from school on a different path but she had gone on a detour to get Soama's birthday present.
Abeke thought she was pretty close to a familiar street when a boy started following her. Abeke glanced back and quickened her pace a bit. She was considering crossing the street to get away from him when she saw another guy ahead of her just standing there, arms crossed. It almost seemed like he was waiting for her. Abeke shook her head, she was just being paranoid; there was no way this was actually happening. He was probably just waiting for his friend behind her and she just happened to be on the same street.
Abeke kept walking, sure of this explanation and was prepared to keep walking past the boy, but as she did he grabbed her arm. "Hey! Let go of me!" She screamed as she ripped her arm away and started running. She ran as fast as she could, street signs and buildings blurring next to her. She risked a glance behind her and saw that they were chasing her. She quickly turned down an alleyway hoping to lose them but she stopped, heart pounding, as she realized it was a dead end.
She whirled around hoping to get out but it was too late, the boys were already blocking the exit, leering at her. Abeke made a last effort to escape charging at them and at the last minute ducking down and swinging her leg to knock them over but the boy laughed as he jumped and kicked her in the side. Abeke moaned as she went down. "Give us your money and whatever you got from that fancy schmancy store. We saw you leave so don't tell me you don't have anything."
"The watch too." The other boy added. Abeke trembled as she slowly reached for the clasp on her watch and the wallet in her pocket.
"Shane! Let her go!" A new voice announced and Abeke turned to see a blond boy staring at them from the entrance to the alley. The boys standing over Abeke turned.
"Or what?" He dared and his partner just crossed his arms and nodded. Abeke gasped when she heard a low rumbling growl. A large gray dog was stalking up towards them from behind the blond boy. Abeke knew she should feel scared but the dog's presence calmed her. She watched as the dog started barking and running up to Shane and the other boy. The blond boy was also coming up with a wooden baseball bat. The big dog jumped at one of the guys, biting his arm and the blond boy hit Shane with the bat. Abeke quickly joined in, striking the boy like her dad had taught her. The two boys fought back and managed a few hits on the boy trying to save her, but whenever they tried to hit Abeke her rescuer blocked it or motioned at his dog and the dog would attack before they could do anything to Abeke.
After what seemed like forever but was only actually a few minutes, the two boys ran off with the dog chasing them. Abeke sighed with relief, sinking to the ground. The blond boy, panting, sat down beside her. He let out a low whistle and his dog reappeared, slowly walking up to them. He licked the boy's face and surprised Abeke by licking her as well.
"Thank you." She said to the boy. She still couldn't believe what had just happened, but she was glad that this boy had been there to save her. Abeke grabbed her wallet and watch off the ground and slowly put it back on her wrist. She tried not to move too much, her side still hurt from where the boy had kicked her. She winced and the boy was immediately at her side.
"Where does it hurt?" He asked, his voice soft and gentle. Abeke pulled up her shirt and showed him the dark bruise already forming on her skin.
"You know," Abeke started, "You just saved me from those guys and I don't even know your name."
The boy laughed before replying, "You were almost mugged by those guys and you're already getting over it? You're so brave. I'm Conor." He smiled at her and let her shirt fall back down. "You'll be fine, you should probably ice it when you get back home but it should be back to normal in a couple of weeks."
"My name's Abeke." She told him as she looked into his light blue eyes. She gasped, "Are you okay?" She stared in disbelief, not sure how she hadn't seen his black eye before.
"I'll be okay, I get into scrapes like this all the time." He sent her a reassuring smile.
"Oh, so you rescue all the girls then?" Abeke teased and he grinned again before letting the smile fall off his face.
"You should be more careful, we're lucky Shane didn't have everyone with him today." Conor's dog growled at the mention of Shane and Abeke petted him, rubbing her hand across his back trying to calm him. "I'm surprised you're not scared of Briggan. Most people take one look and run."
Abeke just smiled. "But he's so sweet." Briggan turned and licked her face, covering her in slobber. Abeke flinched back away from him before laughing. Briggan gave a happy yip when he saw his friend and the girl smile and laugh again.
"It's not just him they're scared of." Conor tells her quietly as he averts his eyes and stares down at his dog.
Abeke stops smiling and looks back at her rescuer. "What's wrong Conor?" She asked as she reached out and touched his arm.
He looks up at her eyes filled with regret and sadness. "My best friend Rollan and I, we used to be a part of Shane's gang. Rollan has no parents, he was practically raised with them. My family needed money to pay the bills so I joined. I didn't truly realize what I would have to do for it. I left a few weeks later and Rollan wanted to turn his life around so he came with me. All the people here remember when they look at me is that I was part of that gang and I just see the fear in their eyes." A tear leaked out of his eye and traveled down his face and Abeke scooted closer and took his hand.
"That's not what I see when I look at you. I see a guy who wanted to help his family no matter the cost but had the strength to stop hurting people to do it. I see a someone who saved me without even knowing my name. You're strong and brave." Abeke assured him and he heard the truth in her voice.
He smiled at her before standing with Briggan beside him. He offered his hand and Abeke took it, letting him pull her up. "You should go home before Shane comes back. He doesn't take being losing very well."
Abeke nodded before asking the question that had been running through her head the entire time they'd been talking. "Will I see you again?"
"I don't know but I sure hope so." He smiled at her fondly before continuing. "Although hopefully it won't be in these circumstances again." They laughed and he walked her home as they talked the whole way there. Abeke was reluctant to leave when they finally reached her house and knelt to rub the adorable dog. He licked her face before she stood up again.
"Thank you again." She told him with a smile and her face flushed as she made a quick decision. She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. She was happy to see the blush on his face as well.
"Goodbye Abeke, stay safe." He waited with Briggan as she walked up to her front door. When she reached it she turned one last time to wave goodbye and grinned when he waved back. She quickly opened the door and walked inside, shutting the door behind her. She then slid to the floor, sitting down, overwhelmed with all that had happened in the last few hours.
She felt her face heat again as she thought of Conor again. He was cute and kind. Abeke shook herself out of it and got up, joining her family and going back to the way things had been before. But she knew that everything was different now and that she would see Conor again. She just knew it.
A/N: So... what do you think? I'm not sure if i'm going to continue so let me know if you want me to keep going with this story. Again all credit for the prompt for this goes to Mistystar123. And if I do decide to continue feel free to review or pm me with ideas, i'm still playing with the plot in my head and I'll definitely try to incorporate any ideas you have. Anyways hope you enjoyed. :)