A/N: A couple of warnings:

1) This chapter is kinda of slow and long (I know some of you guys only live for Rose and Dimitri chapters like myself). It's basically Adrian's point of view on everything that's happened. I was kind of hoping to explain everyone's (Adrian, Camille, Meredith, Avery, Jesse, Ralph, and Charlie) role and reasons for the things they do. You don't really have to read it to understand the rest of the story.

2) There's a little graphic detail on Rose's attack, a little description but I tried to keep it as light as I can without making it too squirm-worthy but honestly I probably should have rated this story M just to be sure.

3) As promised, a chapter will immediately follow this one.

Adrian

My father leaned back in his leather chair and sighed as if the entire situation was simply too exhausting to even think about. It was a bit fun at first. Now, I wonder if he's as annoyed by all of this legal nonsense as I am. Even from across the room I can see the worn look on his aging face.

People have always remarked how youthful and charming my father, Mayor Ivashkov, is. Lately those looks have faded from clean-shaven and bright-eyed into a dreary face and weary eyed. I wonder what the people of the town will say now.

It's my fault he's suddenly looking so old, that for the first time in his career he's stressed out.

I had only intended to do what all other teenagers do: enjoy my high school years and have a little fun, making memories that I can relish looking back upon later in life. I've had fun so far, a few drinks here, a couple of squirmy girls there. I've done everything my father did when he was in high school, everything he's encouraged me to do. He's always pushed for me to have as much fun as I can without causing any permanent damage because one day I'll have a career of my own beyond that of being a Mayor. I've had my fun and it's been amazing.

But, admittedly, I made one mistake.

The girls I go for are usually the desperate types, begging to become a part of the in-crowd. Sometime they're a little hesitant to do whatever tasks and 'favors' Camille asks of them as a sort of initiation but once they're assured that it'll get them that much closer to me, all of the hesitance and inhibitions fly out the window.

Camille and I have become so good at this that by the time the new girl was worked over, they're smart enough to stay silent of everything that happened or they're too scared to say anything. Our system was nearly flawless. We started this as kids when we were bored with everything our parents gave us. Camille and I made our own rules and brought in a few others to play like Avery, Meredith, Jesse, Ralph, and Charlie who were looking for a little extra fun like we were. We'd perfected our game.

But then there was Rose.

I underestimated a couple of things about this girl.

For one thing, I assumed that her being from the lower side of town would mean she had a shameful, silent personality like most of those girls from that area. I assumed she'd be desperate to forget about her home life that I could do anything I wanted with her and she wouldn't care as I did with the others.

At first, she proved to be everything I assumed when she and Lissa were first asked to join our little group. But her friendship with the Dragomir girl proved to be stronger than her desire to join in the popularity. I'm certain, now, that she really on attempted to join to stay close with Lissa whose entire future depended on her social standing with the élite and wealthy. Camille suggested that we find a way to separate them, keeping them apart while we had our fun with them. It worked well at first. Jesse took care of Lissa while I charmed Rose.

Initially, she was like all the others, quiet and shy as I had guessed she would be. But I realized she was only that way when she was with anyone who wasn't Lissa. On more than one occasion I'd see her walking with Lissa down the hall laughing and actually talking animatedly in a way that made it seem that everything she was explaining excited her. It was something that caught me off guard and I'd never really seen before. All the girls I'd come across were easy, desperate, or intimidated. I could tell Rose was a little intimidated but I think she would've been fine with or without joining our group. I couldn't understand what was so amazing in her little world outside from us that she could be ecstatic but with me she was...average, like all the others.

The more often I managed to pull her away from Lissa, the more she was willing to talk and actually seem to enjoy spending time with me. I pulled out all the tricks: putting my arm around her while we walked down the hall, holding her hand on the way to class, staying close to her at parties, making her sit on my lap during lunch. Physical contact always made the girls relax. Rose never completely let her guard down around me though. As much attention and physical contact as I gave her, she still kept her distance.

The word 'frustration' doesn't even begin to describe what I felt.

By this point in the 'relationships' I kept, I'd have already done the girl a multitude of times and moved on to the next one.

I'd been more than patient with Rose.

As irritated that I was that she was keeping herself from allowing me to get too close, I couldn't bring myself to find another girl just yet to replace her. I had to have this girl before moving on. I wanted this girl, the girl who made it a point to call out Jesse or Ralph or Charlie on any of the B.S. they were usually spewing all over the place, the girl who was the epitome of loyalty to Lissa, the girl who had a secret fire within her that I was just waiting to burst out. I had to see it for myself but she kept it from me.

Her beauty didn't play a huge role in why I wanted but it was a small part of the reason. I could see the way other guys around school or even in town would look at her. On more than one occasion I caught Jesse, Ralph, and Charlie let their eyes linger on her longer than necessary. That has ever bothered me before. I've always been willing to share but this time I told them to hold off on trying anything with this one girl, with Rose.

I knew why they wanted her. For such a small town girl she is nice on the eyes. I could understand why she and Lissa was ostracized from joining any major friendship cliques before; it was because they were both considered threats because of beauty, intelligence, and Lissa had her wealth.

Where Lissa has a model like beauty, platinum haired, bright-eyed, tall, with creamy porcelain skin, Rose is the opposite. She has dark hair that she had a habit of weird up in a ponytail or a bun no matter how often I tugged on it so that she'd wear it loose and long where it'd hang down to her waist; her eyes are a deceptively dark brown that only brighten in the sun light, a skin tone that is a shade darker than most in this town, and she isn't that shorter than Lissa, being of average height. A simple beauty.

And I couldn't have her.

She wouldn't let me have her.

And for the life of me I couldn't understand why. I still can't really understand. I've never had problems attaining any girl before so why should this poor girl be any different.

By the time the guys found out that I still wasn't even close to sex with Rose, I'd had enough. "Is our leader having a little trouble doing the deed with poor, little Rose," I remember Jesse laughing. I never tried to push her into sex, I never even brought it up. I'd been careful since I knew it would be more gratifying when she finally came to me. I allowed weeks to go by, months even, and I did nothing.

Enough was enough.

I remember drinking heavily at some party but I've always been good with my liquor, well-practiced in remaining lucid enough. The responsible being that she is, Rose volunteered to drive me home. She didn't even see it coming. Initially she played it off as me being drunk, making me grab and kiss her a little more than I usually did. Once she realized what I was trying to do, I could see the change in her eyes, the fear sink in. She struggled against me in the car, repeatedly telling me to 'please stop'. I remember hearing her voice crack as she sounded just about ready to cry. I wanted her to. I wanted her to cry and apologize for holding out, for teasing me.

She's stronger than I anticipated and the alcohol wasn't helping. Besides, I wanted to feel her while I was sober. I wanted to be completely aware of what it was like to be inside her without alcohol. I released my hold a bit and I let her get away. That night, I anticipated what would happen the next day, that she'd either pretend nothing happened or she'd ignore me.

She wouldn't tell anyone, I knew that for sure. But then I realize she would never willingly give me what I wanted. Especially not after what I just tried. I decided to break whatever weird hold and attachment I had on her and have fun the way I use to. It was amazing how quickly the rumors spread after I dumped her, how fast Camille and her followers can get the town to believe the quiet Rose Hathaway was a whore.

Seeing her at school, she wasn't as phased by the rumors as she was by my dating Lissa so soon afterward. I was going to make Rose suffer the way she made me suffer all those weeks I held myself back. The person who meant the most to her, Lissa, was the best mixture of fun and revenge. Jesse didn't even bite an eyelash as he handed Lissa over and neither did Lissa. I enjoyed it at first, seeing Rose watching helplessly from afar as I moved in on Lissa but...it wasn't enough. I needed more and I thought Lissa was the perfect one to get it from. I didn't have the patience or the time to charm my way into the Dragomir girl's pants so I reverted to my old ways and played the powerful dominant while she unknowing played the helpless victim.

But she wasn't enough either.

I tried a third girl, the Belikov girl, but honestly she was merely a distraction, something to play with until I figured out how to find Rose alone. Going to her house wasn't an option without knowing how often her mother would be home and it wouldn't be any real fun.

I knew what I needed and I was tired of being Mr. Patience. That game was over now and it was boring. I wanted to play my old game. The same game I'd played only three times before, Lissa included, I wanted to play with Rose.

Before I really had the chance to plan anything out, before I was able to have my fun. My mother Daniella, the ever diligent lawyer, informed my father and I that she heard Rose tried to make a report about what happened.

Luckily, most of the small town cops were too afraid to even think about opening an investigation. From what my mother heard, they brushed Rose's claims off and the situation would undoubtedly make Rose look worse, like the angry jilted ex-girlfriend and not me. I honestly couldn't believe that my quiet, shy Rose would go to the police even without evidence or Lissa to come forward. If only she knew the consequences of the mistake she made.

This just gave me more incentive to finally have my way, to finally grasp a hold of what I'd wanted most for a long time now.

It was easy to find her alone and without Lissa those days because Lissa had decided to stay on my side throughout the thing. She was one of the girls that pretended nothing ever happened.

I didn't go after Rose right away. I wanted her to think I wouldn't touch her after the report she tried to make. The attacks from our fellow students, the spray paint on her locker, her stolen clothes after gym, and guys following her into the girl's bathroom harassing her was enough for me to watch for a while but after a couple of weeks I'd had enough.

I was going to have her and I was going to send the message that no one interferes with the perfect world I live in.

I remember how unsuspecting she looked as she walked along the roadside. Unfortunately for her, I'd heard from Camille that she went to some party to look after Lissa and try to talk to her again but Lissa turned her away and the party goers were none too welcoming. I knew where the party was and I knew she'd take the shortest route home which meant a quick trek along one of the less populated roads in our little town.

Jesse skidded to a stop a few feet in front of her, blocking both lanes of the road. He and Ralph were ecstatic that they'd finally get their taste of the girl as much as I was. And the beer certainly helped lighten the mood for us too. The only disappointment was that Charlie couldn't be there but that meant more time for the three of us. More Rose for the three of us.

Like I said before, I was willing to share as long as I had her first and last.

She was a fighter, a kicker, a screamer. She screamed until her voice went hoarse and she could do nothing but cry. She kicked at the windows and doors the entire car ride back to my house but Jesse and Ralph managed to keep a firm hold on her. I was the one to drive because I knew if I laid my hands on her too soon I'd lose what little control I had of her. I didn't want to have my fill of her in a car.

In the rearview mirror I watched and listened as Jesse clutched Rose's face with one hand, forcing a slopping kiss on her mouth, his tongue down her throat while Ralph kept a hold of her legs, brushing his fingers dangerously close to the area I deemed off-limits until I'd had my turn of her. I couldn't have been more relieved when I pulled the car up to the back house. It was far enough away from the main house and any roads that I knew we could as much fun with her for as long as we wanted and no one would hear her. She wouldn't be able to go until we allowed it, until I allowed it.

It was perfect.

"Please, p-p-please don't do this, Adrian please don't."

She said it so many times that her voice echoed in my head long after it was over like an unforgettable song. She asked in a quiet, trembling voice as if she were too exhausted to scream any more. Once she realized begging would be futile she said it more to herself than to whichever one of us was on top of her. She let out one more muffled scream when I took my last turn of her but finally stilled her struggling and stayed silent through the rest of it.

I don't think she immediately realized when we were done. She was laying as stiff as a board with a steady flow of tears falling down her cheeks. She didn't make a sound. She wasn't going to get up until we told her to.

"What do we do with her now?" Ralph asked, crushing a beer can in his hand and tossing it into a trash can.

Jesse chuckled and looked over at Rose. "Yeah, we've had our fun."

Fun.

Fun didn't describe it.

I finally felt...satisfied.

Did it have to be over so soon? I'd keep her here if I didn't think it was so much trouble. I sighed, securing the button and zipper on my jeans. Jesse pulled his old flask out of his coat pocket that he'd been drinking from all night. He even used the end of it to his Rose across the mouth in the car when she'd been screaming and struggling too loudly. He tossed it to me and I took a long swig, hoping this feeling of satisfaction would last longer with liquor in my system.

I looked over at Rose. If I wasn't so certain she was alive when I pulled out of her, when I felt her shudder just the slightest and heard her teeth chatter together, I'd think she was dead. Even in the slight darkness I could see her lips trembling and her chest rising and falling but other than that she wasn't moving.

Her skirt shoved up high around her waist, one of her shoes was laying across the room, and her jacket torn and hanging off her shoulder barely covering her chest where her blouse was tugged on and torn.

After all of this, everything that happened to lead to this moment, I couldn't believe it was finally over. I wonder what she was thinking, if she'd ever once considered how far I'd go to get her, if she ever once thought that it'd end like this. I certainly didn't. I knew I'd get to her but I hadn't anticipated it being like this: satisfying...but disappointed that it was over.

"Did you get the pictures?" I sighed, impatiently.

Photos had been Camille's suggestion, a way not only to make the memories last but it's also proof, part of the game of showing the other's that it's done, that the message got across since the girls couldn't be here because they had to go out to harass one of their new clique girls or something that had been trash talking Camille.

"Yup," Jesse answered. He turned and went to stand over Rose, his shadow hiding her in darkness, snapping another photo.

"Good. Leave her. We've made our point. Let's go," I instructed as I lead the way out of the room. I skimmed through the photos on Jesse's phone, ensuring that I still felt satisfied with just the pictures. I leaned against, the wall, waiting for Jesse and Ralph to come out. I could hear them from my spot in the hall, reminding Rose that this was a consequence. This could have been avoided if she'd done what she was supposed to. I'm pretty certain the message came across clearly but Jesse and Ralph had always been ones for overkill.

"Hopefully, you've learned your lesson about being a snitch. This is your fault," Jesse reminded her.

Ralph spoke next, his words a little slurred but even I could hear that he was smirking. "I wouldn't tell anyone about this if I were you. Or next time we won't be courteous enough to leave you alive. Understand?"

I didn't hear Rose respond but she must have nodded or mumbled something because Ralph said "good" sounding pleased that she understood.

"Really should have listened the first time. We tried to warn you," he said in a sing-song voice.

Ralph came out of the room first. I could hear Jesse, a smile as clear in his voice as if he was standing right in front of me and I could see him. "Just to make sure the message got through though, here's a parting gift."

The soft crunch of flesh covered bone hitting flesh covered bone and then he came out of the room.

"It's done," he shrugged, looking more than pleased with himself.

I nodded, still scrolling through the photos. "She can find her way out. Let's go."

"You said this was a minor issue, a simple problem that could be swept under the rug like all the others," my father said to my mother who was obviously our family attorney.

The entire situation is more troublesome than worrisome, I thought as I sat with my feet propped up on the office's coffee table, deciding to close my eyes for a moment while listening to my parents talk.

She was the tough as nails type of attorney that was great at her job but also the only woman I found slightly scary to be around even if she is my mother. She raised my sister and I from a distance, more focused on her career while my father took us under his wing, exposing us to the darker sides of life so that no one or nothing would ever have the upper hand on us, nothing would take us by surprise.

I could chalk up everything I've done to Daddy issues or Mommy issues.

I could say that my father never hugged me enough, wasn't around enough because he was off playing Mayor. I could say my mother left us with nannies and barely raise us.

If I used either of these as an excuse, an explanation for everything I've done, I'd be lying.

He isn't father of the year, not by a long shot. My mother isn't exactly a Stepford wife either.

He has plenty of faults. He's one of the world's best liars; he can convince anyone to do anything he wants. He has a temper like no other, smiling one moment and angry as hell in the next. And I don't think he even knows the meaning of the word fidelity.

My mother is cold, calculating, and doesn't know any of the terms that involve being caring, loving or nurturing. They're both distant creatures in their own way and are both unfeeling of genuine emotion unless it's an event that revolves around themselves.

I can't hate them though because they are the two people who made me who I am today, showed me what the world is really like instead of being deceived like most everyone else was, and are everything I aspire to aim for in the future and then some.

I've only ever seen my mother emote two expressions: frigid calm and boasting excitement when she was certain she was going to win a case. Right now, the tall lanky older woman paced while wearing her 'frigid calm' expression. Her hair piled so high and tight on her head stretching her face so that it appeared even thinner than usual. I supposed she was beautiful once but now it was only loyalty and appearances that kept my parent's marriage together.

"I underestimated the Hathaway girl," she murmured more to herself than to my father. She set her eyes on me as she continued pacing. "Based on how you described her, I made the safe assumption that she'd be unwilling to even consider bringing up the assault, especially to the police."

"Assault?" my father scoffed. "Is that even an appropriate word for what happened? Based on her records, the girl is among the low-class citizens in this town, her mother contributes nothing but menial labor earning a low-income. Who's to say this assault even happened? This girl probably thought she could rise to the ranks by sleeping with Adrian and got upset when-"

My mother waved off my father's words. He scowled looking none to pleased at having been interrupted. "It doesn't matter whether it happened or not-"

"Exactly, it doesn't matter because our son and his friends were just enjoying themselves," he stated firmly, smiling proudly at me. My mother rolled her eyes, disgusted by my father's words but well aware of everything that goes on in this family. His prideful smile disappeared a moment later. "Although he should have been neat, clean, and prevented this mess from worsening."

Before I could agree, my mother spoke over me. "At this point, all we need to focus on are two things: making her look unreliable, discreditable." She stopped in her pacing as a slow eerie smile stretch across her face. "And we have to scare her. If we frighten her into silence, we can frighten the other two girls into recanting their statements as well."

"And how exactly are we supposed to do that? From what I've heard she's been pretty adamant about pressing charges, seeing that this goes to court. She and the Dragomir have been to visit that Officer Alto multiple times just this week. The Belikov girl and Lissa were both on our side until Rose managed to sway them," I told her. "Viktoria was the one to even suggest sending out the photos of Rose but I imagine Rose has forgive her and Lissa for joining in the bullying. Although Lissa never really did anything but I guess that was the problem," I muttered, leaning back again, exhausted.

This was less fun and more work.

"And now she's pregnant," my father practically spat, disgusted at the idea that Lissa could be carrying a Ivashkov child.

"Yes, pregnant and having trouble finding a lawyer from what I've heard. We just need to send a message, remind the girls who has the upper hand here no matter if this case goes to court or not and how it turns out," my mother plotted. "We can even us the pregnancy to our advantage if we play our cards right in making the girls look discreditable."

He flicked his eyes to me, his hands folded across his stomach. "The child, do you think it's yours?"

I didn't have any idea how far along Lissa was and I knew she'd been with Jesse again. "It's possible," I shrugged. Whether or not it was mine wasn't a concern. I looked back at my mother who was flipping through papers she'd pulled out of her briefcase. "And if your plan to discredit them doesn't work?" I pressed, still skeptical.

She looked annoyed by my skepticism but answered any way.

"And if that doesn't work...money has always been an easy method of making things go away."

My father scoffed, sitting up in his chair. "That is an absolute last resort. None of these girls are worth even being considered for a bribe unless necessary. Especially the Rose girl who started all this. Thinking she can gain the upper hand on this family," he muttered under his breath. "I am the Mayor of this town dammit!"

My mother sighed from across the room, closing the papers in her hand. "Yes, yes, we know Nathan, we know. I'm going to go down to the office for a while. I have a meeting with Rhea and Eric. Maybe this can be cleared up with a little parental negotiating but if this doesn't work, I'd suggest having a few back up plans ready to take care of this issue if Officer Alto has more on this case than we think he does," she said over her shoulder with a suggestive brow as she picked up her bag and headed out the door.

My father stood from his chair, moving to stand by the window, staring out at our back yard.

"Your mother is extraordinary at her job but this is too big of an issue to leave to her methods."

"Meaning?" I asked, hoping he's get straight to the point.

He turned around to face me dramatically. Always one for the dramatics. It was always fun being a little dramatic but now I was just tired, itching to go out and find something to satisfy me. It's been a while since I've felt satisfied.

"Do what you have to clean up the mess you've made as long as it doesn't involve bribery. I really can't see myself handing my money over to a pregnant girl, a dumb teenager, or a girl from the poor side of the tracks. Clean it up and do it right this time."

Camille

On the first day of Kindergarten, my mother said that making friends wasn't what was important.

She said making allies was most important.

She used her self as an example saying that because she made the right choices, kept more allies and less friends that she was the successful woman that she was today.

I wanted to be just like her.

I didn't care that she was one of those doting, loving mothers that saw with all the other kids while our drive dropped Adrian and I off at school. I just wanted everything I thought my mother had, the full fairy tale: prince charming husband, wealth, and the status of a princess just like in the books the maids and nannies read to me.

Of course as the years went by it became more obvious to me that my mother's life isn't like the fairy tale I thought it was. When I told my father of this discovery he said that it meant I have to work that much harder to get everything I want a deserve as a true princess.

The only advice I took from my mother was the bit about making allies instead of friends. I didn't need friends because I had Adrian, the only other person I could trust. No one really understood what it meant to come from a family like ours with parents like ours except us. So we kept each other company, making up our own games over the years that started out innocent and childlike but were dull. Eventually our games became darker, more fun, and exciting, thrilling.

After years of nannies giving us lists of rules to follow so that we wouldn't sully our parents' reputation in any way, we were finally deemed old enough be on our own without the nannies and maids. Once his career was more stable, my father said we could have as much fun and rule breaking as we wanted as long as we made mess that we'd be able to clean up without a second thought.

It started in late elementary school with talking back to teachers just to let them know that we were smarter than them without ever having been sent to the office, finding the weaklings in the school and taking them under our wings and having them do trials and initiations to join us. I long let go of my idea of a fairy tale future but I embraced my brother and father's idea of having fun while I still could without damaging my future.

My mother knew what was going on. She'd seen us when we'd ganged up on one girl in middle school that had bumped into me in the hall, shoving her into the fence and hitting her until her lip split open where it slid against her braces; she saw me when I was 'dating' one boy but hanging around with another; teasing a few guys and girls about their sexuality, making them come out and admit it swearing secrecy, before telling the school about it just for kicks.

More often than not I saw my mother watching with annoyance from a distance but she never said anything. The only thing she ever said about it all was repeating what one of our harsher nannies used to say about committing sins and going to hell. My mother said that the only time we're really judged is when we're faced with the law and after we die.

Which was why Adrian, Jesse, Ralph, and Charlie's plan for 'taking care of Rose' wasn't a big deal to me. It was only us cleaning up one of our messes as usual.

Besides, what's one more sin to add to my ever-growing list.

Avery

I've always done whatever Camille had told me to. I've been friend those she's told me to, slept with who she approved of, stayed away from and hated those she's told me to.

I've done my initiation, sleeping with the guys. I've kept her secrets.

I always thought that in the end, it'd pay off. Her family's influence would get me to the right school, the right people, the life I've always circled around and dreamt of but never really been apart of.

This is too much. This is going to far.

"You've done much worse than this," Camille had laughed as after she'd explained what 'needed' to be done. She twirled one of her curls around her finger as she casually flipped through a magazine as if my reaction to her and Adrian's plan to 'take care of Rose' was irrational.

She was right as she usually is.

I had done worse.

I knew everything I was doing and I never once thought about stopping because I knew where it would get me in the end. I just didn't think it'd be here.

This was...murder.

Meredith

It sounds like something out of an old crime mafia movie.

In a way I guess we are a crime family.

Does that make me one of the lackey, hired guys that usually dies in the end?

I've never had trouble with the thought of dying before. It's why I've spent so much time cutting, thinking about which bottle of my mother's old pills would kill me the fastest and painless. Camille has always held it over my head, how many times I've tried to end it.

I changed my mind about dying a while ago, when I finally felt like I had friends, when I realized I couldn't do that to my father or brothers. They were still dealing with my mother's sudden death after her long illness. I saw how my father reacted the first time he realized just how unstable his only daughter was. I couldn't leave him like that.

I straightened out, my father found me help, and around the same time Camille decided to welcome me to her little group. Avery told me later that she only let me join because she saw me as an easy target but I didn't care as long as I had friends.

Until I realized how insane they are.

For a while, I didn't want to die any more. I had fun having a group to belong to. The bullying, the sleeping around, the partying, the drinking, the drugs, I wasn't really a fan of. Ok, actually, I enjoyed the drinking. The drinking was numbing but the rest of the stuff I could live without. I'd been on the other side of Camille taunts once when we were kids.

And since I finally decided to become more normal and less suicidal, Camille's decided to hold my attempted suicides and cutting against me. She's threatening to tell everyone all the gritty details. And since I've started caring about being alive and being a part of the in-crowd and caring about what my family what have to deal with if the entire town found out, her threats scare me.

I've started cutting again. Nothing too deep. Just enough to make me feel guilty for everything I've done.

If Camille tells, I could end up like Rose, Lissa, and Viktoria.

I could become the bullying victim again. I could be one of the one's the town talk's about and gossips behind my back and to my face. I can't do that to my family. I can't deal with that on my own.

So I play the loyal henchman and do everything she says.

I'm like the second Avery.

She has her own reasons for doing what Camille tells her to. In fact I'm pretty sure Camille has dirt on everyone in our little clique. She sounds pretty confident, almost casual about asking us to do something to take care of the Rose, Lissa, and Victoria situation.

Every one of us has our own different reasons for following Camille and Arian around like lap-dogs.

The only thing that us henchmen have in common is that in the end, the henchmen usually end up suffering the consequences of doing their leader's bidding.

I just don't know if I will be one of them.

Jesse

Everything I've done has paid off in some way.

Everything I've done has come with some sort of perk later on.

Sex, drinking, connections to the best drugs in town without becoming an addict, plenty of laughs. All we're doing is having a good time.

Having a good time is a motto in my family.

Every time I leave the house my parents always say 'make the best of the day'. They used to be old school party animals and encouraged me to do the same and they'd say the same thing to Ralph and Charlie when they were over.

Now it's just kind of the motto we go by, without thinking back on anything later. Charlie's always the one to remind us 'Never look back, never look forward, live in the moment.' I couldn't say it better myself.

Why not get our kicks while we're young? Ralph only recently discovered his new tough guy persona but Charlie and I have always been reckless when it came to having fun and I loved every moment of it all, looking for the next big thrill in our sleepy little town. That's why the day I met Adrian is something I consider a blessing. Charlie and I have always gotten into trouble on our own without either of our parents to really reprimand us since they were once troublemakers themselves but nothing as exciting as what Adrian and Camille's shown us.

Sure, there's all this nonsense with the police and whatnot but I'm not worried.

The town has always loved us, always been on our side.

After all, we're just kids.

Aren't we supposed to having fun?

Ralph

Peer pressure.

I think that's what they call it.

Honestly I think I skipped class those days the teachers were showing the 'Peer Pressure' videos. Probably getting my kicks from some girl who planned on using me as a stepping stone to get to Adrian, Camille and the gang.

Or maybe I was running some errand for Adrian and or something.

That's usually what I'm doing.

As pathetic as it sounds I'm like his freaking secretary. It's always been like this though. Adrian gives the orders, acts as the leader, while the rest of us follow like toy soldiers. Does it bother us? It use to as kids. Why did Adrian or Camille always get to play leader? The order's never changed though and after a while we kind of got use to it. At least I did. After so many years of being left on my own, to make my own decisions while my parents were out gallivanting around the world for work or whatever the hell it is that they do, I started to like having someone tell me what to do.

I'm not going to get all bromantic and sentimental and say that it's like having someone care or at least notice that I was around but it's exactly like that.

Adrian let me hang around because I was usually tagging along with my cousin Jesse and his best friend Charlie. They usually noticed whether I was there or not more than my parents ever did. Jesse and Charlie use to treat me like crap because I was so much small than them but they always made a point to save me from anyone that was trying to kick my ass as a kid. When they started hanging out with Adrian and Camille more as their intimidating reputation grew around the school yard, Adrian and Camille use to help torment and keep any of the old bullies away from me. Permanently. Even when Jesse and Charlie weren't around. I use to say I'd do anything for them because of that. I am indebted to him as Jesse and Charlie liked to remind me. They pretty much saved me from social obscurity.

I've been good about doing what I have to to help, even getting a few kicks and laugh along the way and at some point I become one of the tough kids instead of the weaklings. I don't know when it happened but I'm glad it did.

I can practically do whatever I want now, no one messes with me, girls are all over me.

I'd do anything to protect the makeshift freaky family I have now, remain the aggressor instead of the victim, and keep everything I have now.

Even if it means killing to do so.

A/N: This chapter proved a lot harder to write than I thought but I hope it came out well. I didn't want to make it seem as if family issues was the reason behind it all because it's more than that but I don't know if the chapter came off that way. I also hope I didn't make it too extreme or weird or unbelievable but then again I remembered this is fanfic and I can go as crazy as I want to! XD

Sorry I took so long to update but school starts tomorrow and I started a new job last week )but it's only temporary so it shouldn't stop me from updating any more).

Your reviews were all amazing and really made my day!

Plenty Romitri here on out!