Joey waited for the bus with his little sister. She happily sang beside him as she tapped her Mary Jane's on the snow. Joey smiled to himself, at least Wendy was still innocent. He turned to her to see one of her butterfly clips had unsnapped. He placed his backpack down just for a second to squat down and clip it back into place.
"Loren, wanted to know how you do my twists Joey-" she said in her elementary schooler voice. Joey straightened up and cleared his throat.
"Well Loren doesn't have Afro hair." he responded and Wendy made a face.
"I did Loren's hair in braids like you showed me. Do you think it's weird when white girls want to copy our hair?" Joey shrugged at his little sister's question.
"I mean mama wears weaves don't she? That looks like white girl's hair. I think we all just like to copy each other because we like it." Joey mentioned.
"Copying is flattery that is what Ms. Laymen said." Joey smiled and patted Wendy's head.
"Depends, it can also be used to make fun, but knowing Loren she just likes you. That little girl thinks the world of you." Joey straightened up as he heard the squealing of the bus's tiring rolling in on the icy road.
"Ms, Laymen said I am a trendsetter." Joey smiled at this, he didn't doubt it seeing how charismatic his Wendy was.
"Sure kid-" he kept his smile and gave out a deep sigh. This situation was normal, until he started thinking of the crazy things Frank wanted to do while they were on Thanksgiving break.
Julie put on her mask and leather jacket.
"Looking the part Jules-" Frank smirked and walked up to her. Holding her shoulders as they looked at themselves in the standing mirror in Frank's room.
"Susie''s masks look good. Are you sure we won't get caught? I mean doing this before we are "kidnapped" and all that?" Julie asked as she turned to Frank.
"Come on, don't be a downer Juliet. Besides, our fake kidnappers need to make a name for themselves." he smiled to his own reflection before bringing the mask from the top of his head to cover his face.
"I brought the spray paint- left over from that artist. Just like you asked Frank." Susie smiled brightly.
"A wig Sue?" Juliet turned to look at the normal blue haired girl's pink hair.
"People could identify me so I thought it would be smart- why does it look bad?" Susie started to lightly pull on the wig trying to fix it.
"No, it looks good." Julie gave her friend a thumbs up. Frank clicked his tongue and pushed himself away from Julie. "What?" Julie gave Frank a skeptical look from under her mask. He just raised his hands up defensively.
"Nothing-" he stated.
"I like the jacket Julie-" Susie commented.
"You girls are just too nice to each other, it's gross." Frank muttered under his breath. Susie made a face that read "Sorry-" but Julie was quick to put her hand up to stop her from needlessly being sorry for something she didn't need to apologize for.
"Oh I am sorry Frank- You want attention you big baby? Can't handle the spotlight when it's not on you?" Julie mocked. Frank's features could not be seen under his mask but Susie could feel the room temperature drop.
"We all know Frank can be a prick, but can you guys calm down? Man." Joey finally stepped in. Frank grabbed the car keys and spin them round before pocketing them.
"I am going to warm up the car." he mumbled, pushing his way through Suie and Joey.
"Geese, what got into him?" Julie crossed her arms.
"Did you two fight?" Joey asked Julie and she snorted.
"Why would I start something with that sh*t head?" she said as if she was offended. Joey rubbed the top of his buzz cut and looked out to the hallway.
"Um, but you just did Julie-" Susie finally spoke up in an unsure voice.
"Shut up Sue-"
"Hay now Susie meant well Jules you keep yourself chill yor we are going to have a problem." Joey stepped up, put up a hand protectively in front of Susie. Pointing from Jules to himself. Julie huffed and even from under her mask Susie could make out Julie rolling her eyes.
"No offense Susie but you have the worst timing for comments- I am just sick of Frank walking all over us like he can just control us. I am not going to keep kissing his a**." Julie barked.
"None taken." Susie said shortly after Julie's comment.
"We gave him that power. He is our leader, but I agree- I hate kissing his a** too but the man is psycho. I'd rather him be happy than get on his bad side." Joey stated in agreement.
"I don't want to say anything that would make it worse, but we are his only friends. Despite what he says he needs us. If we all agreed and told him his comments are out of line he would silently resign." Susie mentioned and Joey nodded.
"Fine I vote Susie does it then-" Julie said as she sat on Frank's bed. Susie opened her mouth in slight shock.
"Me?" she pointed to herself. Julie nodded and looked around the room.
"You mentioned it." Julie clarified and Susie shook her head.
"But Julie, he respects you the most and listens to you." Susie complained.
"I am sick of being on Frank duty." Julie threw her head back in annoyance and cracked her neck.
"Susie is right Julie, you have the best outcomes with Frank." Joey of course backed up his girlfriend which made Julie bite her lip in agitation. Joey was always going to side with Susie. She sighed she wasn't going to win between the two of them.
"Why do I have to? I can just say no-"
"He likes you. Even if you hate him you can't deny you are probably the only person he actually cares about. If I were stabbed he would say "Suck it up Joey" and if Susie got stabbed he would say "Stop crying, baby". But if you got hurt- He would kill the person who stabbed you." Joey explained and Susie nodded. Julie pushed herself off the bed and made a loud grunt.
"Fine, sure I will tell him." She walked out of the room and then turned to the two. Julie looked both Joey and Susie up and down. "But honestly he might make comments but he would kill for any one of us. Because he is demented." Julie stated. Susie smiled and gave her friend a thumbs up.
"That's the spirit Julie." she said proudly. Julie made snort and a snide smirk before leaving the two to check up on Frank.
Julie made her way to the driveway crushing snow under her boots. She went to the driver's seat where Frank was, smoking with the car door open. Julie crossed her arms and leaned on the nose of the car.
"I said what I meant and I meant what I said-" she was too proud to go back on her words and call him a big baby.
"My jacket looks good on you-" He blew out a puff of smoke and flicked the cigarette away,
"Don't change the subject." Julie shook her head. Frank looked away from her and gave an agitated face before lowering his mask once again. "You were being an a** to Susie and don't lie- you were giving attitude just because I gave her a compliment. You can't have my entire attention all the time and we are not going to kiss your a** just to stroke your ego." Julie took a stand and watched Fank as he slowly got out of the driver's seat.
"You all used to fear me but I think I have grown soft-" with a flick of his wrist his knife was lifting Julie's chin up to him. He was quickly in front of her and it took less than a blink. Julie slapped his hand away not caring for the small cut the knife gave her.
"Ha- I am so scared. I kill you idiot, do you think I wouldn't stab you if you stabbed me first?" Julie was quicker than Frank would admit. Within he speaking he could feel her own blade she carried poking his stomach forcing him to step away from her. He cocked his head, wordlessly respecting her actions.
"I think… I should tell you… those morons upstairs might be my team but they aren't you." Frank said with a smirk that could be heard in his voice. Julie lifted her head.
"Really Frank? What is that?"
"Partners-" his voice caught on the wind that blew her strands of hair into her mask. Julie gulped at the term because there was something underlying in it.
"You're insane." She kept her voice steadily void of emotion. Frank let out a laugh and turned around and went back into the honked, startling Julie.
"Don't forget Jules you might be better at hiding your intent and nature but it takes one to know one." even with the mask on she could hear the smirk in his voice and snark in his comment. Julie punched the car windshield in retaliation but Frank laughed more and kept honking.
"WE ARE COMING! We are coming!" Susie yelled out as she skipped down the icy steps of Frank's house. She was holding two bags in her hand while Joey followed her with two other bags. The two joined in the back of the car.
"You two forgot your backpacks." Susie said her smile was covered with her mask but could be heard. He handed Frank his bag and once Julie got into the passenger side Susie handed her to her.
"Thank you sweet girl." Julie said with a smile. She looked back at Frank who gave her a look in reaction.
"Thank you Susie Que." he said with little emotion in his voice.
"You are very welcome Frank." Susie said as she grabbed Joey's hand and squeezed it.
"Though I suck at being nice, Susie, you did a good job on the masks." Frank said while clearing his throat.
"Wow, a compliment must be a good day-." Joey said back, giving Susie a look in his own mask as she nodded to him in agreement.
"Don't get too excited, don't want to pee yourself." Frank started the car in reverse and started to pull out of the driveway.
"Ew gross." Susie blurted half heartedly.
Black Friday was a huge sale and a big day at the mall. Lines from the entrance to the middle of the parking lot could be seen as their car made it to the Mall's parking spaces. They weren't going to use the entrance, or the lines. The group got out and headed for the dumpster entrance. Susie skipped to keep up with the fast walking Frank and Julie and long strides of Joey.
Frank nodded toward the steel metal door.
"Joey?" he motioned.
"Sure cap-" Joey made one strong kick to the door and it opened. Susie jumped excitedly. Frank spun around his bat and placed it on his shoulders.
"So cool-"
"Doors opening in, 3, 2, 1-" Julie watched her watch carefully and as soon as she hit one the crowd of screaming people echoed into the air.
"Okay kids- let's go shopping." Frank said his smirk was obvious. The four headed in. Masked by the crowds of people. There were shoving and racing for the sales. But the group had other intentions.
Mass screaming and chaotic crowds started screaming for other reasons. The store's entrances were vandalized. Susie and Joey ran into an adult store and started taking clothes off hangers and shoving them into bags.
"Didn't you say you wanted to get something for Wendy?" Susie asked him. She had taken a liking to an outfit that was on a mannequin and Joey didn't hesitate to help and steal his outfit.
"Hay those are not a part of the Black Friday sales!" a sales rep responded. The two ignored her and quickly finished and left.
"Hay! Hay come back! Call security!" The two ran fast away. Susie laughed while Joey grabbed her hand and led her through the crowds.
The two went into a toy store and Joey took out a Christmas wish-list his sister gave him.
"These-" he showed Susie. She nodded and started to look around the store.
"Do you think Julie and Frank are having fun?" susie asked.
"You know they are." Joey smiled under his mask. He couldn't help but feel the rush of everything. Stealing, who knew the thrill was this fun?
Julie cocked her head to the side as she stared at Frank's masterpiece he made of the mannequins.
"Looks like an American horror." Julie reckemed.
"That was what I was going for." Frank said as he shook his can of spray paint. Julie started to do the same.
"HAY! What are you two doing?" a store employee started to rush over. Julie started to spray and the crowd around them started to become part of the employee.
"How does one spell Legion-" Frank mumbled as she started to spray the mannequins.
"You are so dumb Frank." Julie stated.
"It was a joke-" Frank smirked as he quickly turned and sprayed the girl screamed and fell back.
"Oh real nice-" Julie scolded. Frank just grabbed her hand and they quickly started to run off. On their way out Frank brought out the bat and broke into the jewelry department before grabbing a necklace and tossing it to Julie. The girl caught it while she ran beside Frank and put it into her bag. She and Frank ran out of the store and went to the next hit. They planned to only be out for ten minutes making the entire thing quick and loud. Make an impression then get the hell out before the security caught up or called the cops. Julie kept the time for her and Frank while Joey kept the time for him and Susie.
"Running out of time Sue-" Joey wanted. Susie grabbed one last outfit she was eyeing from the magazines and smiled at him.
"All done- let's go." she said. The two made their way out quickly. The way to the exit looked clear enough. Susie felt a yank and a pull.
"Hay!" she shouted and Joey paused to turn. A Man in an outfit grabbed onto her arm.
"Let's go young lady, you are trouble." The security man had two more racing toward Joey and Susie. The security man holding Susie reached to grab her mask but Susie hit his hand away. Her heart began to beat quickly While making plans she never planned to have been caught that easily.
"Hey man! Let go!" Joey wanted to step up to the security officer and push him away. His buddies quickly made their way to them even with the crowds being hard to navigate through. The officer grabbed onto Susie's hoodie before she could get far from him. She stomped on his foot and ran to Joey. Security office number two tried to grab Joey. But Joey was being too nice. He let his anger feed into the adrenaline he felt in the pit of his stomach. He grabbed the officer and slammed his head into the officer's. Before turning around and punching the other officer. These quick motions gave him enough time to grab Susie and leave.
Joey's mask was busted when they left the backside of the mall. Julie and Frank met them with the car already waiting for them from inside the vehicle.
"What the hell you're late!" Frank scolded and Susie helped get Joey into the care. The large man held his head.
"Damn Joey what the hell happened!?" Julie asked. Frank stepped on the gas and they sped off. Susie quickly helped Joey remove his mask and gasped.
"Joey you're bleeding-"
"I'm fine I get tackled and head busted all the time." he stated while Susie got out the first aid kit from her backpack.
"So what happened?" Julie asked again.
"Security three of them, but Joey punched one and head butted another." Susie explained. While still driving Frank turned around.
"Nice!" he exclaimed as he raised a hand for Joey to high five. Joey gave a smile while high fiving his leader.
"Franklin!" Jules grabbed the wheel and shifted it fast as they almost hit another car. Jolting the two in the back without seatbelts to the side.
"Chill Jules!" Frank turned around quickly and grabbed onto the wheel tightly to steer.
"Dude that was lit!" Joey explained he flinched when Susie placed the bandaid on his head.
"Can't lie Frank, that was fun." Julie said as she took off her mask and shook her head out of the jacket and hoodie. She smiled and looked at Frank.
"What's next?" Susie sat up further to look at Frank and Julie.
"Kidnapping…parents now we are spending the night at the lodge?" Frank asked and everyone nodded. "Good time to set up the plan. The gang Legion prays for four students to cover up their tracks…all the evidence we have planted was waiting for this moment." Frank nodded to himself. Yes, everything was going according to his plan. They were in it together now and nothing could change that.