Chapter 1
It’s the beginning of my freshman year of high school, my name is Kayla. My father is a busy business man and my mother passed away when I was born. I burden myself for my mom’s death but I’ve come to accept it wasn’t my fault.
I wandered to find my homeroom in the loud and huge hallway, there was a crowd of older boys standing by a wall of lockers who seemed to be sophomores. I went up to them “Hi, do any of you guys know where room 205 is?” They threw me mean looks and walked away whispering.
My first day and I’ve now made enemies, I asked a teacher nearby, and he showed me the correct direction. I sat down in the silent classroom until I caught sight of my childhood friend, Devon. He came over and took a seat next to me at the table “What’s up dork?” I laughed “I assumed you were going to find me so I wouldn’t get lost?” He sighed “My old man needed to talk before school.” I smirked “Thanks a lot, had to ask those jerks where my room was.” He chuckled “You’re fine love, you made it in one piece.” Devon’s father is my dad’s partner in their company and they’re both always extremely busy for us.
I headed to my locker after class and unexpectedly was pushed into the sophomore who reeked of cigarettes and weed “Watch it Princess.” I picked up my notebooks from the filthy floor “I’m not a freaking princess and you should watch it next time.” He walked away without saying anything else. I went to all of my other classes then finally came lunch, I was wandering and gazing around for Devon but I couldn’t see him.
I ran into the same sophomore again as he walked past me, he purposely dumped his tray of Ravioli on my white tank top, I grew angry ” Are you freaking kidding me? Are you blind jerk?” He grinned and carried on with his day, I made an effort to clean up myself. I sat down by myself in the back of the lunchroom, embarrassed and ate. After school, I stood outside waiting for my dad who is constantly late to pick me up in front of the school. The group of sophomore guys walked up, smoking cigarettes and laughing “Hey Princess, hanging around to be daddy’s next dealer.” I didn’t understand what they were going on about, I yelled “My dad is a good guy.”
They puffed their cigarettes and laughed, I stood embarrassed and flustered. One of them pointed out the red stain I made an effort to cover it up with my jacket “Got something on your shirt.” I zipped up my jacket “Did you fail to remember that’s because of you or are you suffering from short term memory loss?” Eventually I had enough of it and started walking home in the cold even if my dad demanded I didn’t. I laid down under my black blanket and questioned why they continued calling me princess and treating me the way they did eventually I fell asleep. When I woke up, it was late and I missed dinner.
I went downstairs to grab a snack and ran into our maid, Patricia, she smiled “Kayla you missed dinner, are you feeling well?” I smiled “I’m fine Patricia, is my dad home?” She frowned “I’m sorry sweetie but no he had some business to attend to.” My father was regularly gone at work, he let Devon stay over some nights to keep me company but I assumed he was tied up with his dad.
Patricia asked “Would you like anything to eat?” I politely smiled “I’m fine, have you seen Devon?” She replied “He’s working with your dad today; do you need him?” I shook my head “No I just hoped he’d be here like usual.” She smiled “Call for me if you need something.” She walked away to the living room, I grabbed some leftover veggie pizza from the fridge and ran up to my room.
The following day, I was strolling down the foyer and got shoved into by the sophomore again, I got pissed and gripped him by his grey sweatshirt “What is your issue with me Connor?” He spun around and grinned “Sorry princess I failed to bow for you today.” I crossed my arms “I haven’t done anything to you and for the last time I’m not princess, I’m Kayla.” He walked up to me, his breath smelled like cigarette “I don’t give a fuck princess, and if I were you, I wouldn’t come up in my face like that.”
I rolled my eyes “Whatever you don’t have a reason to treat me the way you do.” He brushed my golden brown hair behind my ear as he stared directly in my hazel eyes “I do have a reason and eventually you’ll find that out if you don’t know now.” I slapped his hand away from my head “You have no idea what you’re talking about.” He smirked and glared with desire “Shame you’re his daughter.” He walked away down the hall and I went on to class. Over the previous three or four weeks, he annoyingly flirted and toyed with me. I finally came to just ignore him, I didn’t care to ask him what he was constantly talking about. He agitated me to the max, and I just wished he would leave me alone.
By my sophomore year and his junior year, I got the curiosity to ask him, he began harrassing me and got in my hair. He was outside smoking and I walked up to him sitting on the concrete wall in front of the school “Connor.” He glanced over after getting a drag of his cigarette and grinned “Princess it’s about time you come up to me.”
I overlooked his remark and got right to demanding an answer “Why do you keep torturing me? What have I done to you? Explain why you care about my father so much.” He took a drag of his cigarette and chuckled “You have no clue?” I gulped, nervously while gazing at his possessing looks and looked away “I hardly associate with you and you hardly acknowledge me.” He smiled “You are a little princess and soon enough you’ll be in his position of command.” I got furious “What did my dad do to you?”
He stared at me with uncertainty while tapping his cigarette “You honestly don’t know?” I sat down on the wall with him “What’s there to understand?” He looked around making certain we were alone then looked back at me “I can’t tell you now.” He was acting hysterical, Devon walked up “Kayla why are you speaking to this trash?” They mad dogged each other, Devon gripped my hand and we left, he gave me a lecture “Do not ever talk to that piece of shit again do you hear me?”
I crossed my arms and gave him a disagreeable look “Pardon me? I can talk to whoever I want to.” He blurted “We are getting married Kayla, I am your fiancé and you need to leave them alone immediately.” I faked a laugh and got pissed “What?“. He inhaled “Nothing, he’s dangerous and...“. I cut him off “You may be my best friend and you may be like a brother to me but I will not be forced to marry you because you said so! We are only 16 Devon.”
I started to walk home in the wind, the leaves were being blown on the side of the streets. He followed silently, half way home he said “Kayla... It wasn’t intended to be said that way.” I stopped “Really Devon because last I checked we don’t want each other and who gets married at 16!” He sighed “Your father and my father...” I faked a laugh “Enough, I’m not getting married until I’m okay with it and why would my father agree with that?”
He attempted to make up a lie “Kayla he prefers to see you get married and he’s not that young you know?” I threw him a nasty look “What the hell is going on? Why’s everyone making me feel clueless about something? First Connor now you.” He cleared his throat “Kayla... I can’t explain it to you... yet.” I scoffed “Whatever walk home alone, I’ll ask Connor tomorrow.”
He got furious and clutched my forearm to restrain me from running away “Stay away from him Kayla! He’s deadly!” I yanked my arm away “Yeah because the past year he was making an effort to hurt me.” I rolled my eyes and kept on running, the breeze picked up and it grew chilly. As I was walking up to my house, I heard a murmur “Kayla.” I paused, gazed around and saw Connor across the street.
I ran over to him and stood over him kneeling behind a large bush “Come to torment me at home too?” He waved me to kneel behind the hedges, I kneeled down and said “What?” He whispered “It’s not secure for me here, come with me please.” He had a serious, concerned look on his face, I sarcastically said “Are you going to tell me I have to marry you too?” He looked at me confused “What?” I exhaled and tossed my hair back “Never mind, lead the way.”
He hopped up and ran away from my house to a nearby meadow, I ran behind him. I was wheezing and coughing, he made fun of me “Should work out more.” I crossed my arms “I have asthma jerk, now explain what’s the hell is going on.” He sat down in the dry, golden grass, I remained standing “I don’t bite princess.” I rolled my eyes “I will prove to you a god damn princess if you continue to call me that now speak.” He chuckled “Chill, I’m getting there.”
He began explaining everything “You’re the daughter of our worst rival, you and I shouldn’t even be having this conversation...” I sat down “Business rival? Your dad is a?” He cut me off “Gang leader and so is your dad...” I was convinced he was lying “My dad is an honorable man and saves people.” He sighed “How am I expected to explain if you interrupt?” I shrugged my shoulder “Sounds made up but moving on.”
He replied “Your father is the gang leader of the Diablos and my dad is the leader of the Shadows, they were formerly in partnership together, that was until your mom slept with my dad but don’t bother we aren’t brother and sister...” he grinned and made a remark “I’d hate to be your brother.” I faked a laugh “I already hate you, continue on.”
He cleared his throat “Your father found out and was finished doing business with my dad, they despised each other than my dad met my mom and they had my older brother, Derek then my middle brother, Tyler and later me. Your father then stabbed my mom trying to get my dad... now it’s a regular back and forth battle between them.” I laughed “You don’t get how absurd that sounds.”
He sighed “Your father is becoming older Kayla and that’s the explanation for the whole marriage between you and Devon, bringing two gangs together as one, you’re a girl and can’t be a gang leader that’s why your dad didn’t tell you.” I became confused “I honestly don’t get this whole picture but I’m not getting married until I’m ready, gang or no gang even if this were true why would my dad lie?”
He laughed “You really don’t have an alternative and he lied to protect you.” I asked “Protect me from what and why do you enjoy calling me princess?” He grinned “From my dad, are you even paying attention? Your dad gives you what you desire and I honestly believed you’d be snobbish and bratty.” I sarcastically said “Thanks, coming from the gentleman who dumped food all over my favorite shirt.” He laughed “I’m sorry, I assumed you knew about this but I concluded that when you kept throwing me clueless answers.”
I just gazed at his elegant, hazel eyes with delight, he cleared his throat “You can stop staring at me.” I came back to reality, I was embarrassed and tomato red “Sorry.” He ran his fingers through his fawn hair “I know I look good but there’s no need to stare princess.” I rolled my eyes “Don’t get your ego too stiff, it was more a death stare then admiration.” He smirked “Okay... but in any circumstance if you were interested, I can’t be interested in you ever.”
I laughed “I wouldn’t be.” He faked a laugh “Ouch but I must say I’m fascinated with your slanders and style.” My cheeks tingled as I blushed “So much for not being interested.” He gazed at me with passion “I said I can’t be, never claimed I wasn’t.” I changed the subject “So I have to marry Devon?” He looked away upset “Yeah unfortunately.”
I overheard some people yelling Connor’s name from a distance, I got up quick and said “You’re being called, I should leave.” He stood up and stretched “Hey don’t worry about it, you don’t have to...” I had no idea what he meant but we couldn’t be seen together so he had to cut himself off. I took off just as his brothers showed up “Connor there you are, let’s go.” He turned to see if I was out of sight, Tyler joked “Who are you searching for? Your other lover?”
Connor glanced at Tyler with a frown “It can never happen, I’m engaged to Crystal.” Derek teased him “It’s okay to have a few hookups brother just make certain she doesn’t find out your engaged.” They headed back to their house and carried on to tease Connor.
I ran inside my huge mansion and ran into my father and Devon “Kayla, where were you? It’s late and you are aware of my rules, it’s not safe.” I became furious at them “You lied to me dad! I can’t believe I was so clueless! And Devon I will never marry you! I don’t care if your gangs want to tie together I’m not doing it!” I rushed past them, up the staircase and ran to my bedroom, Devon ran after me shouting “Kayla! Listen to us!”
I slammed the oak door, locked myself in my bedroom and crawled out through the window, I snuck past the guards. I got snagged and started to struggle, he turned me around and immediately covered my mouth before I screamed “Stop it’s me.” Connor let go, I fixed my hair and whispered “What are you doing here?” He said “My brothers are here, play along.” He covered my mouth and gently gripped my hands behind my back. I grew frightened when I saw them, his older brother said “Well, well, well hello princess. Where’s daddy?”
He grinned “You know he never disclosed how beautiful his daughter was, bet he’d be livid if we were to violate her.” Connor snapped “That’s not the deal Derek, stick with the plan!” I was set up, the boy I fancied had set me up. I attempted to fight, Derek grabbed my jaw violently and said “Stop fighting.”
Connor said “Poor little Devon, his soon to be wife is done and no one’s seen her.” I couldn’t be sure if he was serious or not, Derek said “Take her before were caught fool.” Connor picked me up, threw me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and carried me to their nasty hideout. He laid me on the old, damaged bed “You’ll be safe here for now.”
I hated him even stronger now, I remained silent. The chamber was gloomy and reeked like fresh blood, there was no windows and only a foul smelling bed. He bent down “Wait here till midnight and we’ll get out of here together.” I was frozen in fear, is he the enemy or friend, he grasped my hand and tenderly stroked it. They were soft, warm and gentle; he gazed at me with a glimpse of passion in his eyes. He whispered “You don’t have to marry him now.”
Tyler came in “Dad said to feed her, no torture needs to be given.” I was annoyed at him, at the same time frightened. Tyler appeared to see Connor cared, but he wasn’t too obvious about it. Tyler left and Connor stood up “We’ll get out and nothing will happen to you, to this day I will care for you.” I remained quiet and wrapped my arms around myself to stay warm.
He stood up and went out of the room, he came back with a box of old leftover pizza. He asked “Do you like pizza?” I didn’t answer him; I wasn’t hungry; he sighed “Kayla you need to eat something.” I snapped “I don’t have to do anything”. He kneeled down “It will be okay; I promise.” I didn’t say anything, he got up and said “Be back at midnight.”
