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Chapter eleven

Shay

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Kyle hasn't been in school for about a week. I know I shouldn't really care but I am. It worries me to think of what happened to him. It hasn't been all too pleasant on my side of the streets. I'm going through hell again actually.

I am walking around the streets with Johnny and Dominic. Jay Jay went missing a day ago and we are really freaking out. We are hunting around for him right now. The streets have gotten deadly dangerous now. Some kid in a different gang got shot by a prep and suddenly the whole city is in an uproar. The prep got let loose saying that it was self defense but all us river rats and other gang members saw right through the prep's lie.

Ever since fights have been breaking out and soon us River Rats are going to have to be very cautious. Chica had been thrown in jail for supposedly being part of a murder(?). The murder doesn't even involve her at all! We haven't been able to throw in enough money to bail her out yet so she's still in the damn slammer.

We walked down the alleyway leading to the baseball lot. It wasn't much but it was a place to play. Homemade plated and all dirt, yup, that's our field. The nine millimeter that was wedged into the side of my pants was secured but ready to be pulled out. Us River Rats were the targets for many gangs right now and also for many prep's.

I was walking past left field when I saw a dark clump on the ground next to home plate.

"Guys," I said, feeling my breath accelerate.

We all recognized the brown leather jacket Jay Jay always wore. I was the first to get there, being the fastest and all. Jay Jay was laying on the ground with his face to it. Johnny knelt to the ground and gently turned him over. I looked away in awe.

Jay Jay had a huge cut down his face and bruises all over. His shirt was dirty and ripped, revealing large bruises that showed that his ribs were obviously broken. His left leg and right arm were skewed in such strange directions that it was obvious that they were broken.

"Call the fucking ambulance now," Dominic ordered, choking back tears. Johnny pulled out his cell and dialed nine-one-one.

Johnny hung up and soon enough the ambulance came. Luckily Jay Jay was still breathing although he looked pretty damn screwed up. Dominic hopped into the ambulance with him and I walked over to Johnny's firebird. Damn it! I can't believe this is happening! Jay Jay was one of my three closest friends and was defiantly the pet of the group.

I saw that Johnny was in no state for driving. He hadn't slept for the past two days and seeing Jay Jay like that was devastating. I am sure that we were both very happy we left Rafiel at home. If he would have seen Jay Jay like that he would have grown up even sooner.

I opened the passenger seat for Johnny and he threw me the keys. I sped down the streets, keeping my eye open for cops. Sure enough in the next corner was a cop, just waiting for us to come. He pulled us over and Johnny and I moaned simultaneously as the cop got out.

"Ma'm, how fast were you going?" The cop asked sternly.

"Seventy-four," I answered, knowing it would be worse if I lied.

"What is the speed limit here?" The cop asked.

I sighed. I am so sick of being questioned! "Fifty-five," I answered with an attitude.

"You better watch your attitude young lady, don't go being a smart ass with me! What is your reason for speeding?" The cop asked, infuriated.

"Well sir, if we don't get the high hell outta here, them other gangsters are going to get us," I said, acting my part with fear. "I would rather not get shot tonight and I don't think you would want to deal with another murder at this time."

The cop thought for a moment, "You know what young lady, you're right. I'll let you off with a warning but the next time I see you speeding like that you're going to the slammer."

"I understand sir, thank you, and have a nice night," I said, fear still in my voice.

I let the damn cop pass me before I began to drive again. Through Johnny's exhaustion I heard him laughing.

"Sucker," I answered, smiling at my own acting. That was the one time I was very thankful that the teachers had forced me to do drama class one year in junior high. We sped to the hospital, neither of us wanting to know what would happen next.