This is a long chapter, my bad.

S O R E N

Some people don't understand the meaning of family. One of those people is me, going off my circumstances. We, kids are brought up with the goal of making money. If you can't do that, then you ain't a McKinin.

To be a McKinin is to be perfect... Something I'm not so good at being, especially when I have an older brother and younger twins (who are going to take over the world). I seem to be the disappointment of the family.

This concludes to why I hate "Family Friday Night Dinners", and why I particularly make sure I'm out somewhere—preferably drinking.

Not tonight though. My older brother had me in a headlock before I could reach the door. 

"Get your fucking hands off me." I growled while Red laughed, as I stood unamused, inches from the door of freedom.

"Where're ya going baby bro?" He grinned as he stared down at my black hair. "It's family dinners. Everyone wants to hear about your camp."

"Nothing happened." I spat, "I said fucking let go before I punch you." Red and I were about the same size, even though he's four years older than me.

"Language!" My mother's voice echoed from the lounge room, and Red laughed again.

"Fuck, my bad!" I yelled back sarcastically before Red's headlock tightened.

"Soren—"

Hitting his arm with my elbow and twisting my body, I took a step back away from my brother who was looking at me with a serious expression.

"Don't go drinking, Soren. Getting drunk as much as you do ain't good for you. I don't want be coming to pick you at 1am—"

"Then don't. I'll drive home." I scoffed, but I was thrown off guard as I was smashed against the wall.

My mother's warnings for us to stop fighting came from the other room but I ignored her, fuming with anger as I glared into Red's blue eyes.

Blue eyes: All the McKinins had bright blue eyes and blonde hair. It's what our family was known for... Although I have jet-black hair.

"Listen, go around and fuck up your own life but don't go drinking and driving. You could kill someone who doesn't deserve to die." He spoke in a dangerously low voice.

"Get your fucking hands off of me."

Red let go of my shirt collar and walked towards the dining room. I knew he was waiting for me to follow him.

I almost did. I almost tried to be a McKinin but somewhere deep down I knew I'd never be good enough. Leaving my car keys on the table, I opened the front door and slipped out.

No one knew I'd left. No one cared either.
I wasn't listening to Red. I just knew they'd steal my car tyres if I parked my car where I was heading.

It was interesting to watch the houses in each neighbourhood decrease in worth as I walked further away from the rich part of the city.

It was a slow walk but I reached my destination around 9pm. Hoping they were open, I knocked on the wooden door.

Buck opened the door and his eyes widened when he saw me.

"Soren? You're early today." His matted orange hair has been dyed green and his brown eyes seemed misted over.

"Yeah." I grunted in response.

"Whatcha need kid?" He smiled, a lazy smile, like he didn't have full control over his facial expressions.

"I want to forget." I stared him straight in the eyes and watched as he grinned. It was a terrifyingly happy grin.

He opened his breast pocket and pulled forth a small packet filled with what seemed to be purple beads.

"Just got these in today."

"I don't do drugs, Buck. I just want alcohol." I pinched the bridge of my nose; we did this every time.

"No kid! These are different. Trust me. You'll forget with just one. I'm serious it's amazing." He spoke fast and excitedly, as his foot tapped the ground slowly.

I stared at the pills wearily. Fleck said alcohol ruins my body, which affects my training but he said drugs were even worse.

Buck suddenly slowed right down all his movements. He blinked once and looked at the packet, "It makes you...happy."

"Happy?" I was trying to make eye contact but he was so focused on the packet.

Buck grunted in return as he stared intently at the packet like it was his lifeline.

"I don't know what that feels like..." I whispered too awkward to look at Buck at all.

"You wanna know what it's like to be happy?" Buck was already unsealing the packet as he grabbed a pill, "It's nice kid. It's really nice."

I held out my hand as he placed it on my palm, "What's in it?"

"The usual but they said it had that little extra." Buck slurred as I brought it up to my lip, "You'll be happy now."

I couldn't focus on Buck as my vision went blurry, he grabbed my shoulder and ushered me inside.

"I'd like that..."

J A Y

I cleaned the final desk with alcohol cleaner and wiped the sweat that had formed on the edge of my hairline.

Dexton paid me the money and told me to be careful on the way home, like he said everyday. Today was no different: school, then work.

I peddled my bike as fast as my legs would go. I hated this area. Everyone you made eye contact with looked like they'd pull a knife on you at any given moment.

Especially because I didn't have a phone to call for help, it made each night equally terrifying. Though I had a broken one, which I'd press to my ear and talk to when someone would follow me. It would be more assuring to actually talk to someone.

I focused on the road ahead of me but I noticed something. There was a body lying on the side of the road, on its back, the limbs splayed in weird angles.

Don't stop; they're probably faking and then, they'll jump out at you and grab you—
It was only when I was riding past when I slammed on the breaks. The body was Soren's. He was lying on the ground at 2:30am in middle of the dodgiest street in the city.

I looked around but no one seemed to be there. I climbed off the bike and poked his cheek with my shoe gently.

"Soren!" I hissed, hoping no one came out of the shadows, "Wake up!"

He was out cold. I couldn't just plop him on my bike either, unless he sat on the back. I closed my eyes in tiredness. This was the last thing I wanted to do.

Grabbing him under the arms, I heaved the boy up only to fall, bike and all, back onto him from his weight.

"Sorry," I winced before rearranging myself, "1-2-3. It'd be a lot easier if you didn't work-out so much, you'd be a lot lighter."

I felt his cheek; he was ice cold. My eyes widened and I felt my heart quicken. He needed medical help.

When I finally had him on the back of my bike, the friendly (not so friendly) neighbourhood folk came out.

"What'cha doing out so late, girlie." A man walked out from an alleyway to my right, "That's some ass you've got there."

He looked at Soren and his grin turned into a scowl, "Is that Soren McKinin?" He asked, taking a step towards us.

I ignored him as I climbed onto my bike, one hand behind me around Soren's torso to keep him upright as he fell against my back again.

The man rushed around and grabbed the handlebars, "Leaving so soon? We just met."

"Leave me alone!" I hissed as I tried to move forward but he wasn't going to budge. I knew I was too weak to do anything.

"How about I make you a deal. You can ride on home if you just let me look after that boy—"

The man stopped when he was interrupted, but it wasn't from me.

"Fuck off."

My eyes widened as Soren leant his forehead against the back of my head, breathing heavily.
"What did ya just sa—"

"I said fuck off." Soren grunted again before standing up and off the bike, just as the man flipped it to one side.

I felt the skin on my arms and palms tear as I skimmed across the gravel. My helmet hit the road as I bit my lip, which started to bleed.

Soren stretched, "Fuck, drugs hurt like a bitch."

The man was walking to towards him his fist raised and he went to strike him, "God, I've waited a long time for this."

Soren slid to one side, pushed the man's fist down and with his other hand as he smashed him in the head.

I would have liked to say I was heroic but I was cowering in the shadows as Soren rolled his shoulder.

He turned to look at me and I watched as his eyes clouded over with confusion, as if he was thinking too hard to remember who I was.

His eyes still dull, he spoke slow and slurred, "Ray?" 

"Jay." I corrected as I stared up at Soren who was grinning. I'd never seen so much emotion from him and it was almost scary to see him grinning.

He held out a hand, which I took as he heaved me off the ground; I felt my legs turn into jelly. His hands were shaking uncontrollably and his grin seemed to make the top part of his lip twitch.

"Thank you."

Soren rubbed the back of his neck like it ached, ignoring me completely. He pulled out his phone and dialled a number. I picked up my bike and stood awkwardly next to him.

"Damn." Soren muttered before turning off his phone. He looked up at me with the expression of "Why are you still here?"

"Cya Ray." He turned around and stepped over the unconscious man, not even to look back.

"Jay! My name is Jay." I called after him, hoping maybe he'd stop walking and not leave me to die.

"Whatever. Same thing." He grunted loud enough for me to hear, pulled his hood over and stuck his hands in his pockets.

"I'd love a thank you!" I yelled after him, which made him stop. He turned around and his stare made me shiver.

"I'd like to die but we can't have everything," He said expressionless, before shrugging and continuing his journey in the opposite direction.

Soren Mckinin was heartless: dead. Everyone knew that, but he wasn't at camp; he was human as much as Soren could possibly be.

"Soren McKinin, why do you do this to yourself?" I said, knowing all too well he was too far away to hear me.

I climbed onto my bike, completely unaware that Soren was stumbling, trying to see straight. It wasn't until I heard him fall that I turned around.

Riding over to him, I gripped his wrist, "Soren!"

There was a heartbeat but his breath was slow and shallow. I didn't have a phone; I couldn't call help and I couldn't peddle to a hospital in time.

Something in my mind clicked and I began to feel his pockets before I slipped out his phone, grabbing his left hand. I placed his thumb on the scanner, begging that it worked. On the third try, the phone unlocked, and I let out a sigh of relief.

To my surprise, he had only a few contacts. Recognising the twins' names, I clicked on Robin's and waited for someone to answer.

"Soren?" The other end of the line asked.

"No, it's Jay—er I'm his friend." I stuttered trying to find the right words, glancing around wildly for someone who would hurt me.

"Soren doesn't have friends."

"Look, he's knocked out in the middle of the road on Rayton Street. I don't own a car or a phone. Please, just come." I begged, pleading that he would come quickly as possible.

"Okay, I'm sending Red down there now—"

"Please don't hang up." I was shaking now; the man that Soren had knocked out seemed to be stirring.

"I won't, I won't. Just breathe, it's okay. You're okay." His voice was calm, much less than the soccer champion I knew at school, "Are you safe?"

"Well..." I looked around and watched a man scull a bottom of gin. I pulled Soren onto me as his head hung over my arm.

"Don't think about that. Just slow your breathing; Red's almost there. How old are you, Jay?" He said conversationally, matching his breath with mine before slowing it down.

"I'm seventeen."

"Awesome, what school do you go to?" His voice brightened as he tried to distract me.

"Yours." I saw headlights speeding towards us and I closed my eyes, begging that it was Red.

The car stopped and a man climbed out and ran towards us. Even in the darkness, his electric blue eyes stunned me.

He bent down to my level, "Jay?"

I nodded. He smiled at me before looking down at Soren with a worried expression.

He took him out of my arms and walked over to the car, before yelling over his shoulder, "Put your bike in the back."

I didn't protest. I grabbed my bike and placed it in the trunk, then climbing in the passenger seat. There wasn't a backseat.

Soren fell against my shoulder as Red swore under his breath.

"You know what he took, Jay?" Red asked me, driving out of the street.

"Um. He said something like how drugs hurt like a female dog?" I stopped heaving for air and leant my head back on the headrest.

Red just nodded before saying, "Thank you. I know my brother wouldn't be a very good friend, but thank you for doing this, who knows what could've happened. Fuck—" he slammed his hand on the wheel, "I told him. I told him. Stupid kid doesn't listen."

I sat in silence not knowing what to say. I had heard rumours of Red McKinin, quarterback, king of the castle. Soren was so different from his siblings; it was like he hated being known.

"I'm sorry, Jay, but I need to take him to the hospital before I can drive you home." He spoke gently and with grace. I smiled just as Soren's drool landed on my hand.

"Not to get into your business but were you out here taking drugs with him?" His voice changed in a heartbeat; it was cold and deadly—exactly like Soren's.

"No, No! I um," I suddenly felt really awkward and looked down at my hands, "I work at night."

"You work out here? In this dump?" He inquired looking at me before flicking his eyes back to the road.

"I'm not old enough to work in a bar and no cafes are open. So I work in a tattoo parlour, not doing any tattoos but just cleaning up and mopping floors." I said quietly, I had no idea why I told him but I felt like he should know.

Red didn't ask why I did it but we both knew it was because I needed the money. Pulling up at the hospital minutes later was like a bomb dropping. Red grabbed Soren and ran inside as I ran after them.

-
How I imagine Soren McKinin: