Chapter 1
Why am I always running? No idea. I don’t particularly enjoy it. But it gets me away from people. Like right now.
Okay, i didn’t even steal that much weed. Just enough to give to my friend for his birthday.
But the dealer didn’t like that. He sent his guys after me.
“Oh, come on! It’s one edible!”, I called back, almost tripping on a curb as i kept running.
“Boss said get it back.”, i managed to hear one say to the other.
“I mean, it is a kid. Plus, shes right. It’s only one edible.”, the other replied, glancing at me.
We had all slowed to a walk. I was practically walking WITH them now.
“Fine. We’ll tell him we lost her. That she got away.”, he said the last part slightly louder to make sure I heard. I nodded and ran.
When I got home, only Mickey was there. I sighed and tossed my coat on the couch, before walking into the kitchen and grabbing a soda from the fridge.
“Hey, kid.”, Mickey said, not even looking at the brownie, dealing with some kind of website on the computer.
“Hey, whatcha doing?”, i asked, trying to peak.
“Fucking nothing.”, he said, closing his computer fast.
“Okay…”, i had caught the face on the website and… the tattoo. The same one Mickey had. It’s kind of immature but Mickey has “Fuck U-Up” written across his knuckles. And so did that guy.
He was in orange, most likely a prison uniform. I didn’t know much about Mickeys side of the family but i knew enough to know that they weren’t the best people to be around. I’d met his sister Mandy. And this girl Sandy, who I think is his cousin.
But that’s it.
“Hey, Mick?”, I asked.
“What?”, he responded.
“Uh, I have to do this Family Tree project for school. And I was thinking about it. I don’t really know… anything about your side of the family. I was just wondering-“, he cut me off.
“Do it without my side.”, he answered gruffly, his knuckles turning into a fist on thetable.
“But-“, he cut me off again.
“No. Just stick to the Gallaghers.”, he got up and walked away.
I sighed and looked at the project that sat with a big red unfinished sticker on it in my backpack because I didn’t have his side of the family.
Who could I get to tell me where they were, or anything about them? Oh, yeah. Aunt Debbie is dating Sandy.
I pulled out my phone and called Debbie.
“Aylee? Why in the hell are you calling, not Ian?” Debbie answered.
“Do you have Sandys number?”, i asked, ignoring her initial question.
“Yeah…. Why?”, she asked cautiously.
I sighed, “Mickey refuses to tell me anything about the Milkovichs, but I’m gonna end up with a giant F in the grade book, if i don’t add his side of the family to my stupid family tree.”
“Oh. Okay, that makes sense. Uh, her number is 773-559-3762.” She said, before double checking and comfirming. “Yep, that’s right.”
“You’re a life saver, Debbie. Thank you.”
“Of course. I’ll see you on Friday.”, she hung up before i could ask what Friday was.
I called Sandy that night. She gave me an address and told me to be careful.
The next day after school, i went to the address. The place was normal for South Side. I mean, it was a shittier neighborhood but it wasn’t bad.
I knocked on the door. I’d met Mickey. I’d heard a few stories. His dad was an asshole. He was a Hitler supported and a rasict.
So, imagine my suprise when Terry answered the door without yelling Mickey couldn’t even open the door without yelling. But, he was only in his boxers. He had a cigarette in his mouth and two guys, who i assumed were Mickeys older brothers at his flank.
“Um, hi….”, I said hesitantly, not sure if he really wanted to talk to anyone.
“What do you want, ginger?”, Terry said, skipping pleasentries. I usually did too.
“Um, long story short, I’m Mickeys kid. Can you put the fucking gun away now?”, i asked it sweetly, but it wasn’t really a question. Put the gun away, or I take it and shoot first.
They let me in. Now I’m sitting at their kitchen table, a gun to my head and Terry standing across from me with a smug look on his face.
