"Bro," Randy said slowly, taking a drag of his cigarette, "your new neighbour chick is hot!"
"Hot, but a princess," Tyler laughed, pushing his long dreadlocks from his face, "a bitchy, sexy princess," he added dreamily.
"She won't look at you twice Ty," Justin said, knowing that Tyler Reks had a thing for all the rich, snobby, better-than-you types at Lorcliff High – ones who never gave him the time of day - he knew that his neighbour would be exactly the same as Layla El and Maryse Ouellet. Judging by the way she was dressed Justin had no doubts that she would fit right in with those girls.
"Hey, a man can dream!" Tyler defended himself light-heartedly, "what's her name anyway?" he wondered.
"No idea," Justin admitted, "probably somethin' like Meredith or Brittany; girls that look like her always have bimbo soundin' names."
"How long you reckon she's gunna last here?" asked Jayson Paul, more commonly known among his friends as 'JTG'.
"How long would any princess last?" Justin said, "I bet tomorrow morning she'll want outta here for good." Secretly, Justin was wondering why the blonde girl was living next door to him. The Escalade, the fancy looking outfit, his neighbour was obviously very well off; something that Justin or anyone who lived on the south side of the train tracks wasn't. The only explanation Justin could come up with was that she was tired of all the good guy types and wanted to experience something, or someone, more dangerous and daring.
"We gunna bounce or what?" Randy said, interrupting his thoughts, "Gaspard said to meet at the warehouse at 7, Del Rio needs us to go collect for him."
Silently, Justin let out an angry sigh. He hated doing Alberto Del Rio's dirty work; he hated what it made him. To the other students at Lorcliff High he was just a dirty gangbanger, but he knew that it was the only way to protect his family. They didn't have the riches to buy themselves out of trouble, on the Southside all that mattered was who you were associated with, and being associated with Del Rio meant his family were high up on the 'untouchable' list. That didn't always include him though. Justin had gotten into many fights - including both fists and weapons - since getting jumped into the 'Los Diablos'; a name fit for Del Rio himself, a man who didn't care what you looked like or where you came from, if you could be beneficial to him, he wanted you in his gang.
Justin looked down at the deep red bandana tied around his wrist, the same as the one Tyler was wearing around his forehead, Randy was wearing around his upper arm and JTG was wearing around his one visible knee. This bandana, this colour symbolised what they were, what they were a part of. Red, the colour of blood, the colour of the Devil. "Well let's go then," Justin said, as the group got into Randy's beat up, rusty pick-up truck and sped off.
Once they pulled up to the secluded warehouse, a tanned, dark haired female came running towards the car, wrapping her arms around Justin's neck when he got out of the vehicle. He pushed her away, "we're not together any more Melina," he reminded her harshly. Melina Perez was his girlfriend up until a couple of months ago, when he caught her and a member of a rival gang in a heated make-out session.
"I know that," she replied, sounding miffed, "but you're still my Chico, all of you are." Although Melina wasn't a member of Los Diablos, she was treated as one. And even though Justin had some feelings of hatred towards her, she was his girl, just like he was her boy, "anyways Shad is waiting inside for you four."
Shad Gaspard was second-in-charge, ranking under Del Rio, and the only connection between the big boss man himself and the group. Justin could recall seeing the Mexican leader just once; the day he was initiated into the gang, and it seemed that whenever Del Rio needed something done he sent Gaspard to inform the boys. Entering the dimly lit warehouse, the four boys noticed the dark, intimidating Shad Gaspard sitting on the worn out sofa lounge talking with Rosa Mendes. Rosa was probably one of Justin's best friends, they'd known each other pretty much their whole lives. Although she was a member of the cheer squad at Lorcliff High, Rosa was an outcast amongst the other cheerleaders due to where she lived.
"You wanted to see us?" Justin question, interrupting Shad and Rosa's conversation.
Gaspard stood up, his 6'7" frame towering over Justin's own 6'1", "Yes. Alberto needs you to pay Travis Fuller a little visit," Shad explained. Justin was relieved that he only had to go and get money from some guy who owed. Del Rio hadn't asked him to do a drug deal yet, and Justin wanted to keep it that way, "oh and he said to come back with the dough...or else," Shad warned the group.
"You know that won't happen," Randy said cockily, knowing that Del Rio had asked for the four boys to collect because they always got the job done, "where's this kid meant to be meeting us?"
"Corner Redfern and Hill streets, 10 o'clock," Shad replied, filling them in on the details. Justin glanced up at the clock hanging on the tin wall of the warehouse; they still had two and a half hours to wait.
He sighed and sat down on one of the spare tyres lying around on the concrete floor of the warehouse, Rosa came to join him, tossing him a can of Budweiser, "Thanks," he said, opening the cold drink and taking a swig.
"Heard you got a new neighbour," she laughed. Justin shook his head in amazement; news sure did travel fast within the tight knit group.
"Yep, so don't be scared tomorrow when there's another Layla at school," he said referring to the queen bee of Lorcliff High, Justin was pretty sure his neighbour would soon be in contention for that title.
"Oh yay!" Rosa exclaimed sarcastically, "can't wait! But what's a girl like that doing living next to you?" she enquired.
"Have no clue, but I'm gunna find out..." Justin replied mysteriously.
Author's Note: Thanks to those who reviewed/alerted/favourited the previous chapter, appreciate it :)
What did everyone think of Justin and his friends? More importantly, what they're involved in? Leave your thoughts in a review :D