Chapter 1:
"Alison come on." I looked down from the balcony and I see Rock holding a girl's wrist. I grinned, put down my sketch book and looked at them. This was going to be good. "I'm sorry baby. I wouldn't do it anymore."
"Have you said that to the other three?" she asked pulling her wrist away.
"I promise I'll stay true." Right; like that would happen.
"And you promised you wouldn't smoke, drink or do drugs either."
"I never did drugs baby." What about the other two things she mentioned Rock? Good luck trying to get the alcohol out of your breathe and the weed out of your pocket. Damn he doesn't know anything about girls. I know more about them and I'm a guy. I looked at the girl and saw she smacked Rock in the face them walked off. I couldn't help but laugh. Rock looked up and saw me. He was pissed. He walked to the door down below and entered. You could hear him storming up from the bottom level, five levels under me. I was at the top level which was the 6th floor. Then he slammed opened the door. Everyone in the room looked at him as he entered.
"What's wrong Rock?" Sean asked. He was the guy you could talk to if you have a problem. When he has a problem though, stay clear of him. The rage of a 16 was wild. I laughed, remembering when I was 16. It wasn't that long ago but it seems like it. He had black hair with red strips and blue eyes. He was a smart kid and still is at times. His parents think we turned his mind over to the bad side of life. We did nothing. It was his choice.
"Pretty boy let me get dumped," he said pointing to me. I don't know how I got that nickname. Rock was a clam guy who loved to hit on broads. Everyday he comes in telling us about some new broad of his. He especially loves blondes. At the DX once, he hit on a girl and her boyfriend was working there! I shook my head at that memory. His hair was funny. He had half bleached and the other half black. Reminds me of a cow if the bleached spots were white. He has hazel eyes.
"It wasn't my business," I answered and went back to sketching.
"So how did she find out?" Nick asked.
"I don't know," he answered as he sighed and sat down. "Deal me in." I looked over and saw the guys dealt him in. We may not looked like it but we're the toughest gang in this city. We pretty much own the town. Well, they do. I just happened to be the younger brother of the leader. Life may seem easy for us in a way. We own this whole apartment thanks to me and Shadow, which is not his real name. This real name is Michael but we call him Shadow because he hides himself in the shadows and sometimes doesn't talk much. I said sometimes. He's 18, going on 19 next week. We're going to throw him a birthday party if I ever finish this book. He has surprising bleach blonde hair and blue eyes.
I worked for a fashion company and they ask me to design clothes. I get about $500 dollars for one book. Yes, I know that seems like a lot for one little sketch book with maybe a hundred pages. Since we're on the topic of me, my real name is Anastasia. Yes, that's a girl's name and I hate it. As for a nickname, I liked being called Sai. My mother wanted a girl so bad but she got stuck with two boys. Then as I grew up, my body was weird. I have to wear girl clothes because boy's clothes will not fit me. Guy's clothes are way too big. People love making fun of me for wearing girl clothes. And the sad part is they can't tell if I'm a guy or girl. I got off the balcony and went into the bathroom. I had long dark red hair and blue eyes. I was 17 and one of the people that worked in this gang. Shadow was the other person.
"Hey Anastasia, going to grow a beard so people can tell you're a guy?" Mark asked. He was the one who likes talking back a lot. It's because of his mouth his parents kicked him out of the house and now he lives here with us. I think he has a job but I don't know. He never talks about it. He is best friends with Two-Bit Matthews, who is coming over later. Double trouble and they're both 18! I went over to him and smacked him in the head and ran back to the balcony. I could hear him complaining I mess up his previous brown hair. He had brown eyes to go with his hair. I closed the door and sat on the railing again, near my colored pencils. I continued my outfit design. I had to turn in a book every six months. I was designing the fall and winter clothes now. It's weird a guy is deigning clothes. Oh well.
"Hey Sai." I turned around and see my brother, Willow. He too has a girl name but he can easily say call him Will. Plus Willow sounds like a guy's name too. My brother was tough. He was 19; he took great care of me and kept this gang organized. He ran away from home when he was 16. After that, I was abused my both our parents. He came back and saved me though. I'm not mad at him. I see why he ran away. He had black hair like our dad. I didn't looked like neither of our parents. He came and sat down next to see and looked at what I was drawing. He was the toughest one in the group but he cared for me unlike some of them in there. "Looks good kid," he said. He liked my drawings. In fact, he encourages me to keep drawing and he supports me. I know; sounds more like a soft brother than a hard ass leader.
"Thanks," I said as I sent it down and took out a weed from my pocket. I offered my brother one and he took it. He lit both of ours and we began smoke. "It's due next month and I have only four more to design. I have to finish this one. I'm trying to finish it so I can have the money for Shadow's party."
"You know I'm proud of you kid," he said as he put his hand on my head. "Ignore those losers in there. Don't rush. We have some money left to get him a cake and a couple presents."
"I know. Thanks Will."
"Anytime kid."
"How cute," someone said. "Two lovers confessing their love." We looked down and saw about seven guys down there.
"Gang, we have company," my brother said getting rid of his weed and going to get the gang. He said that in his leader voice so that meant business. I packed up my stuff, went inside and put it away. I looked in the mirror and saw I looked like a girl. Oh well. I went back outside, grabbed the fire pool and swung down to the ground. Just as I landed, the gang came. "State your business," my brother said getting in front of me.
"We were looking for a new town and we think we found it," someone said.
"Anastasia, go back in the house," my brother said. He only acted like I was a girl in front of people like this.
"Why not let her stay?" the leader, I think, asked. "We want to get to know her." My body shook at the thought. I nod to my brother and went back into our apartments. I went to the second level and came out onto the balcony. I counted the guys and saw there were only six. Where is the other one?
"Will, their only six guys," I said. "One's missing."
"No I'm not." Someone wrapped their arms around my waist and put both my hands behind my back. I could tell he had some struggle. I fought back against him but one wrong move and I could kill myself.
"Leave her out of this," my brother said. "This is between our gangs and not her."
"She's with you so she's in it," the leader said. "Bring her down Fang." The guy nod and dragged me to the door. I kicked him right in the private area and ran. I ran to the balcony and jumped off. Shadow caught me.
"Thanks," I said.
"Anytime," he said. Did I mention, I think he has a crush on me? Well now you know. I looked up and saw the Fang guy jumped off to but he landed on his feet near his gang. My eyes widened. He was good.
"Go back to the city you came from!" Rock yelled. "This is our territory!"
"Not anymore," the leader said. Rock growled. "We'll see you losers around," the leader said. Then they walked away. I saw everyone was about to go after them until Will stopped them.
"Let's return inside," he said. Then he looked at everyone. "Now." Everyone headed inside. I looked back in the direction the gang left. One of their members, something about that person makes me chill. He wrapped his arm around my waist! Yuck and we're both guys. "Anastasia, come on." My brother only called me that when he was serious. I turned around and ran back inside. My door shut the main door behind me and locked it. I went to the top floor and everyone was quiet. I walk past everyone, grabbed my coloring stuff and went to my room. We each had our own apartment since we owned the whole building. This was a cheap building because they were going to destroy it and it had rats. We got the rats out and they didn't tear it down so we got to keep it. I shut my door behind me and sighed. Today was a weird. Everything happened so fast. I heard a knock on my door. I bet it's Will, coming to see I'm okay.
"It's opened Will," I said.
"Sorry to disappoint you but I'm not Will." The door opened and Shadow came in.
"Oh; sorry Shadow," I said as I opened my book. "Stay at the door."
"Why?"
"Because you're my model now so don't move." He sighed and stood up straight. I usually used him as a model because no one else would do it. Shadow will almost do anything for me. We're close friends. After thirty minutes I finished. "You can move." He collapsed onto the floor. He always did that after I asked him to hold still.
"About damn time." He cursed but he couldn't help it. I never took it the negative way. He stood up, came over to me and looked at the drawing. "Damn kid, that's good."
"Thanks Shadow."
"You okay?"
"Yea; why wouldn't I be?"
"Because of those guys."
"I'm perfectly fine Shadow. Thanks." Next thing I knew he kissed me head.
"Welcome. You know I worry about you even though it may not seem like it."
"I know Shadow; I know." I would have never guessed what happened the next day at school.
