A/N: Okay, so this is a rewrite of my old, crappy story They Were Just Kids, It was pretty crap, so I'm rewriting it with some new ideas.
Chapter 1
Where we come from, there are 3 groups. The poor, the rich, and the really rich. The poor live in falling down houses or on the streets, have to steal their next meal, and spend most of their time trying not to get killed by the really rich. The really rich usually have celebrities or the next Bill Gates as parents. They've gotten so completely bored that they've recently taken to jumping, beating, and occasionally killing the poor. The police don't care; to them it's just another dead kid on the corner. The Ritchie Riches have huge houses and enough money to import and new shirt from Italy every time one of their brand new shirts gets dirty. They have something like 3 cars each and no sense at all of where their money comes from.
Then there's us. The rich. We don't have so much money that we spend it uselessly, but we can live comfortably. We live in fairly nice houses that are paid for by our teacher, lawyer, and doctor parents. We've got nice clothes and nice cars, but we've learned that money only brings trouble.
Everyone usually sticks to their groups of friends. Groups of 12-13 teens who have grown up together and have each others backs. Our group has 12; 6 boys and 6 girls. We girls have know each other for forever, and we've know the guys for a while. The guys usually join the group when they start dating one of us, but we went to a small school, so we all were close.
I've know Rory for forever, considering he's my 17 year old, older brother. He has black hair while I have copper colored and he has grey eyes while I have green eyes. He has an eyebrow ring and a tongue ring while I have a bellybutton ring and a nose ring. We're both about 5'7, 5'8. We even have the same tattoo on our left shoulder blades. It's the Chinese character for honor.
Rory's dating Amy, a girl I've known since I was born. She's a fiery red head with blue eyes. She has the least amount of piercings (she has one hole in each ear while I have 4 in each ear plus my other two) but she has a black dragon coiled around her arm. She's 15.
We're all good friends, but the best of friends are Antoinette and Lily. Antoinette's just a tiny thing at the age of 15. She's already graduated because of some advanced placement thing, and she's the only one in our crew who doesn't fight. She's got brown hair and hazel eyes and tries to keep us all in line. Lily, on the other side of the spectrum, is an albino. She has white blond hair and violet eyes. Don't point out the fact that she's an albino. The last person who did ended up with a broken arm. She and Tasha are the oldest.
Tasha and I have known each other since I was born and she was 5, because our mothers were best friends. She's a tad boy crazy, even at 21. She has blond hair and brown eyes with 2 ear piercings.
Last but not least is Emery. She's got black hair highlighted with red and hazel eyes. She's got a lip ring and ear piercings. She tattooed the Chinese character for faith on the inside of her left wrist. Her boyfriend Stephen has the character for hope on the inside of his right wrist. He has reddish-brownish long shaggy hair with a lip piercing.
Cameron is Stephen's little brother, and he's Antoinette's boyfriend. He's 17 with brown hair and brown eyes. He doesn't have any tattoos because he's allergic to something in the needles.
Tony is dating Lily. He's the oldest guy at the age of 24. He has brown hair and grey eyes with an eyebrow piercing. He got a job as a cop last year, and he's trying to make a difference. They were hesitant at first to hire a 24 year old, but he's trying to snag as many rich kids as he can. His best friend Brent is dating Tasha. Brent has black hair and black hair with one of his ears pierced.
All the girls love their boyfriends but my boyfriend and I have been going out longest. I know time has nothing to do with anything, but I feel we have a connection because of it.
"Angel, you okay?" I hadn't realized I was staring.
"Yeah Ty, I'm fine." He flashed me his grin and returned his attention to driving his black Tahoe with slipping on the slick roads. Angel. He always called me that. He told me once that he would call me that even if my name wasn't Angela. He said I was his angel.
Ty's 18, with black hair and brown eyes. He has a bit of stubble on his chin. His shaggy hair covers most of his scarred forehead. He is perfection embodied. Do I love Ty? With my whole heart. Do I think he's the one? Maybe. We have a connection, and when he holds me in his arms it's like clicking the last 2 puzzle pieces together. Perfection.
Alas, in our world, nothing could stay perfect for long.
We were on our way to one of the clubs downtown. We all were meeting there. On our way there we saw plenty of kids getting beat up.
We finally got to Charlie's and Ty pulled in beside Rory's motorcycle. He looked over at me.
"Ready?" I smoothed the netting sleeves of my t-shirt and nodded. We exited the car and joined hands. There were some crazy people in our neighborhood, and Emery tipped us of on how joining hands kept most of them away.
As we entered the club, the thumping bass and wailing guitars surrounded us. I spotted Lily's blinding white blond hair and Amy's fiery red hair on the dance floor. Charlie is a good friend of ours so he didn't care that 5 of us (Antoinette, Amy, Cameron, Rory and I) are underage.
"There's your brother," Ty pointed to the bar. I looked and spotted his almost midnight blue black hair next to Charlie's almost fluorescent orange hair. Ty pulled on my hand and lead me to the table where Emery and Stephen sat. Stephen stood up when he saw us coming.
"Hey man," he said as he shook Ty's hand. He nodded at me as I sat in the chair that had Rory's leather jacket hanging on the back.
"Tony here yet?" Emery shook her head.
"He got stuck with a late shift tonight. We picked Lily up cuz her sister took the car." I nodded just as Rory placed the drinks on the table and sat heavily in my lap.
"Oops," he said. "Looks like someone's sitting in my seat." Rory laughed.
"Get off me you geek!" I laughed as I pushed and punched his back, trying to move him to no avail. He wasn't even putting his full weight on me, and I wasn't hitting him that hard. We stuck together. We had to.
"Whoa, she's feisty today Ty, watch out." I felt my face heat up. They were constantly teasing us like that. Emery reached over and pushed him off me. I flashed her a grateful smile. She nodded, knowing exactly what was bothering me. Emery is just like that. She gets what everyone is feeling without being told.
"Greetings pals and gals." I hadn't even realized Cam and Antoinette had sauntered up.
"Hey guys!" Antoinette yelled over the loud music. Amy and Lily joined us from the dance floor. Amy picked up her Coke and took a long draught.
"How long have y'all been here?" she asked, wiping her mouth with the back of her sleeve.
"A few minutes," Ty answered shortly, still visibly pissed at Rory's comment. I shooed everyone away, then walked behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist. I stood on my tiptoes and kissed the back of his neck.
"Calm down," I whispered in his ear. I laid my head on his back, listening to his heartbeats. Even in our designer hell, we could have a few minutes of peace.
I stayed like that until I felt his heartbeat slow, and his muscles relax. I moved to his side and he wrapped his arm around my shoulders, and kissed my temple. I noticed my brother across the floor talking to the DJ. The incomprehensible rap song that was playing cut off and the DJ picked up his microphone.
"This next song goes out to all couples fighting to stay together in our crazy world." The opening beats of Chris Brown's 'With You' started thumping through the speakers.
"It's our song," Ty whispered. I remembered all the special moments this song had played through during our relationship. When he first asked me out, my cell phone rang and this song was my ring tone.
I need you boo, (oh)
I gotta see you boo (hey)
And there're hearts all over the
world tonight,
Said the hearts all over the world tonight
I need you boo, (oh)
I gotta see you boo (hey)
And there're hearts all over the
world tonight,
Said the hearts all over the world tonight
On our first date, this
song played when we walked in.[Verse 1]
Hey!
Little mama,
Ooh, you're a stunner
Hot little figure,
Yes,
you're a winner
And I'm so glad to be yours,
You're a class
all your own
And
Oh, little cutie
When you talk to me
I
swear the whole world stops
You're my sweetheart
And I'm so
glad that you are mine
You are one of a kind and
When he asked me to the
school dance, this was the first song we danced to.[Bridge:]
You
mean to me
What I mean to you and
Together baby,
There is
nothing we won't do
'cause if I got you,
I don't need money,
I
don't need cars,
Girl, you're my all.
And
[Chorus:] With you
Oh!
I'm
into you,
And girl,
No one else would do,
'cause with every
kiss and every hug,
You make me fall in love,
And now I know I
can't be the only one,
I bet there heart's all over the world
tonight,
With the love of their life who feels
What I feel when
I'm
Girl..
With you [x5]
This song played in the background during our first kiss. I still don't know how it was possible because we were locked in a closet that the gang shoved us into. I think they put a radio outside and played it, but it still played.
With you
[Verse 2]
Oh girl!
I don't want nobody else,
Without you,
there's no one left then,
You're like Jordans on Saturday,
I
gotta have you and I cannot wait now,
Hey! Little shawty,
Say
you care for me,
You know I care for you,
You know...that I'll
be true,
You know that I won't lie,
You know that I would
try,
To be your everything yeah[Bridge:]
'cause
if I got you,
I don't need money,
I don't need cars,
Girl,
you're my all.
And[Chorus]
Oh
With you [x5]
Yeah
Heh
As we danced, I spotted all of our friends dancing, except Lily. Where's Tony? The late shift gets off at 9 and its quarter after 10 now. He always calls someone to let Lily know he's gonna be late because he knows how much it worries her.
I need you boo, With
you
[Bridge
2]
And I
Will never try to deny,
that you're my whole
life,
'cause if you ever let me go,
I would die..
So I won't
front,
I don't need another woman,
I just need your all and
nothing,
'cause if I got that,
Then I'll be straight
Baby,
you're the best part of my day
I gotta see
you boo
And there're hearts all over the world tonight,
Said
the hearts all over the world tonight
Woo Oh..
Yeah
They need it boo,
They gotta see their boo,
Said the
hearts all over the world tonight,
Hearts all over the world
tonight [x2][Chorus]
Girl..
With you [x5]
Oh
The song ended and we went to the bar where Lily and Charlie were watching the news on Charlie's big screen. The reporter was at the scene of some shooting. Maybe that's where Tony is. But still, he should have called one of us.
Charlie winked at us as we approached. He reached up and turned up the volume.
"…the suspects are in custody." A picture of our friends Vanessa and José appeared on screen. We always knew those two would get caught one day. She's a druggy who beat up one of the teachers at our school, and he's wanted for drug trafficking and holding up our school for 6 hours. "One officer was killed by a stray bullet in this shooting. I would now ask you to join me in a moment of silence for this fallen protector." As Charlie signaled the DJ to cut the music, a picture of Tony in his uniform appeared in the left corner of the television.
Tony died that night. He was shot in the back of the head when he was helping a child away from the scene. That was Tony, always helping people. As the silence wore on, nobody cried. Most of us had lost our ability to cry years before. Lily stood there, silently watching the television where cameras followed the EMT's loading Tony's body onto the ambulance.
As the music started up again, we all looked at each other. None of us wanting to party anymore. Emery and Stephen took Lily to his blue Avalanche and sat there waiting for the rest of us. I guess we all had the idea that we would go over to…Tony's house. Amy and Rory mounted Rory's bike and kicked it to life while Cam and Antoinette jumped over the doors of his Convertible into the seats. Ty and I jumped into his Tahoe. While getting buckled up, my cell started to vibrate in my pocket.
I flipped it open and greeted the caller with my usual "Talk to me."
"I don't think everyone should go to Tony's place." My brother's voice stated.
"Hmm?"
"It might be a little much for his parents."
"Kay…SHIT! Did Tasha and Brent ever show up?"
"No, oh wait I see them pulling in now."
"Damn, who's gonna tell him?"
"Uhh…"
"I think we should all be there. But I'll tell him."
"Okay. And then he, Tasha, Lily, Emery, and Stephen will go comfort his parents?"
"Sounds like a plan."
"Kay, after we tell him, we'll meet back at our place."
"Cool."
"Kay, chimo." Chimo is kinda like a farewell in our family. We watch way too much Naturally Sadie.
"Chimo," I replied and flipped my phone shut.
"What's up?" Ty was looking at me, anxiously.
"We've got to go tell Brent that Tony's…gone."
Ty swore under his breath. "I'll tell him."
"I told Rory I would do it."
"I won't put that on you. I'll do it." He looked at me with such compassion; I reached over and kissed him gently.
"What was that for?"
"For just being you." I smiled shyly at him as we exited the Tahoe.
"Hey guys!" Tasha greeted us while smiling.
"Hey, where are y'all going?"
"There was a shooting, guys."
"Yeah we heard about that. Good thing Tony wasn't there, eh?" Brent said, smiling.
"But he was Brent, and he…he was…killed." Ty stumbled. I grasped his hand as tightly and I could see Emery doing the same to Stephen and Cam doing the same to Antoinette.
"What? No!" Tasha yelled. Brent grabbed her hand.
"How?"
"Vanessa and José. They started a shooting outside of that elementary school with the play going on. Tony tried to get one of the kids out of the way and was hit with a stray bullet in the back of the head." Ty started to tremble and I grasped his hand even harder.
"What are we going to do?" Brent asked, a stony and serious look on his face.
"You two, Stephen, Emery, and Lily are going to see his parents. We're going to our house. Meet us there afterwards." Rory spoke up.
"Okay." Tasha and Brent turned and climbed into his truck. We all reentered our vehicles and turned towards our destinations.
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"Dad, we're home!" Rory and I shouted as we entered the high-ceilinged entryway of our house.
"I'm in my office guys!" We walked underneath the chandelier and opened the first door on the right.
"Hey gang. I'm so sorry to hear about Tony. How's Lily doing?" Our dad sat in his leather chair behind his desk, with a Thai food carton in one hand and a pair of chopsticks in the other.
"Not so good. She's off to see his parents with Brent, Emery, Stephen, and Tasha." Dad nodded in understanding.
"What are you up to?" Rory asked.
"High profile celeb case. Apparently Paris has gotten herself into trouble again." We laughed at that. We knew dad was just kidding because he's a Public Defender. Imagine Sandy Cohen from The O.C. (yes I had a thing for The O.C. for a while) and that's what dad does. "Anyway, there's Thai food and Chinese food in the fridge, so help yourselves. I gotta get back to work."
"Alright. Bye dad."
We walked into the living room/kitchen and almost everyone collapsed onto our couches. Cam went to the kitchen and started pulling out boxes of food for everyone.
"I'll be right back. I'm gonna go change." I said, and walked down the hall and entered my room. It was just the way I had left it before the world started crumbling. Red walls covered with band and movie posters. Black, plush carpet. Canopy bed with black curtains and red covers. Clothes strewn over the floor. Musical costumes hung up in the closet. Pictures of me and the gang in frames and stuck, dog-eared, in the frame of my mirror. Nothing changed. Tony was gone and yet I could hear people across the road laughing and having fun. Tony was the best of all of us. Why didn't anyone care? I felt tears in my eyes and blinked them back. We can't afford to cry here. Sure, we cry during sad movies like the Titanic but we've grown so accustomed to death. How inhuman is that?
I pulled myself together, and changed into my baggy school sweatpants, and my Grumpy Care Bear shirt. It was striped light and dark blue and read "I can't smile all the time" in silver. I looked around my room and left.
I entered the living room to dead silence. Ty was sitting on the couch with 2 cartons of Chinese food in his hands.
"Where is everybody?" I asked as I collapsed on the couch.
He shoved my carton of General Tsao's chicken. "Em called while you were in your room."
"Yeah?" I asked as I started scoping clumps of rice into my mouth. "How're his parents taking it?"
"They don't know. Lily booked it out of there the minute they parked." I threw my chopsticks into the carton and put the hand that had been holding them against my forehead and sighed.
I looked at him. "You're not telling me everything." He wasn't even meeting my gaze.
"They followed her in the car until she got hit by a drunk driver. By the time the ambulance got there she was gone." I felt the tears well up again.
"Well, it's the way she would've wanted it, if she had a choice." He pulled me into his side. I molded my body to fit the side of his.
"She's with him now," he said, looking at me.
I nodded. "So where's everyone else?"
"Amy locked herself in the bathroom. Rory had to jimmy the lock to get her out. Antoinette's in the backyard with Cam." I reached for his hand and pulled him up. I lead him to the backyard door and went outside. We sat in the porch swing that was against the fence. It had room enough for 4, and Cam and Antoinette were already sitting there. Cam was against the edge. Ty sat down on the other side and that put me and Antoinette in the middle.
Ty wrapped his arm around my shoulder, Antoinette and I hugged. A part of everybody was touching everybody. Ty's arm around my shoulders, Ty's hand rested on Antoinette's shoulder, Cam's arm around Antoinette's shoulders, Cam's hand on my shoulder, Ty and Cam's arms crossed where they rested on our shoulders, and Antoinette and I were hugging. Ironically, it felt like we were saying goodbye.
Soon, Antoinette fell asleep against Cam. Ty picked me up, as I was falling asleep as well, and carried me to the hammock. We climbed on together and he cradled me against his side as we heard the rest walk in.
Amy and Rory came through the glass door, Amy with red rimmed eyes. Emery and Stephen followed, looking worn out. Brent and Tasha came last. They collapsed onto the stone steps.
We awoke like that to the sounds of a major rumble just outside. We all jumped up and took off towards the screams and cries.
We barely made it to the fight when a gunshot sounded and Brent fell, red flowing from his chest. We heard Tasha scream his name as she covered his body with her own. A guy in the fight threw his knife at one of the poor kids and the kid caught it and dropped it. Right on top of Tasha. Blade first. She rolled to try to pull the knife out of her shirt and ended up driving it into her heart.
We ceased thinking. We ducked and punched and kicked, and stabbed and parried. We let instinct take over. I saw many of my friends fall around me. Our group used to be huge. There were at least 20 of us, compared to the 8, or 4 I should say, there are now. Pat, Alex, Dan, Jay, Justin, Topher, Nick, Brandon, Leah, Lee Lee, Santiago, etc. We were therefore used to death. I saw Rory in a knife fight out of the corner of my eye. I saw Ty with a crowbar. I felt something hit my head, then branching pain as everything went black. I felt my life dripping away, and eventually…I took my last breath.