TRIGGER WARNING: Topics of miscarriages and suicide.

"Hey you up?" Aster knocked on my door and I yelled back a yes which soon led to Aster entering my room as I snapped some earrings in.

"So you didn't really tell me how last night went?" Aster crossed his arms and leaned against my door frame. I purposely came home last night and barricade myself in my room, not wanting to face Aster and look at him knowing he has done everything Archer and Xander talked about yesterday. I knew what gangs were involved in but it's a difference when it's your reality. Especially when you imagine your brother as a pimp..

"It was fine." I straightened my back and smoothed out my clothes. "What did they tell you?" Aster continued to pester at the subject.

"Oh you know just the three categories." I said nonchalantly before looking him dead in the eyes "No wonder you were able to afford a house 15 minutes away from New York City at the age of 20..Pimp."

"Whoa, whoa, what?" Aster chased after me as I walked downstairs. "Oh don't even act like you don't know what I'm talking about. Xander and Archer told me everything about how gangs mostly get money and its between drug dealing, racing, and pimping."

"No Aspen." Aster shook his head in disgrace as I loaded up my backpack for school "I was never a pimp, I didn't do that in the Westwood's. I will admit I did the drug dealing and racing but never was involved with the prostitution pimp and stripper bouncer part."

"Well how am I really suppose to believe you?" I questioned "I mean the whole gang thing came by surprise, why would this not? I really thought I knew my own brother but apparently not."

Pierce Gunner: I'm here.

"Aspen come on-" Aster started but I shook my head "I got to go Pierce is here." With that I grabbed my backpack, walking out of the door to see Pierce sitting in his challenger in front of my house. Aster followed me out and caught the door behind me. Walking towards the car, Pierce rolled his window down and I looked back to see Aster standing very tense at the doorway, his fist clenched and all.

Pierce's lips tugged up into a smirk as if he won the feud, and Aster didn't break eye contact. Swinging open the door, I plopped down into the passenger seat and fastened my seat belt quickly before Pierce started driving off.

"Your brother doesn't like me very much." Pierce said, making me roll my eyes "Yeah well I don't like you very much either, so that makes two of us."

"You're clothes in the backseat, you can change now." Pierce ignored my comment, my head whipped over to him and I furrowed my eyebrows together "What do you mean my clothes are in the back seat?"

He nodded his head towards the back, keeping one hand on the steering wheel and eyes straight ahead on the road "Crestmont has a uniform. You've got to dress the part, and the black leggings and jean jacket is not going to make the cut."

"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't know you were Tim Gunn." I snapped back.

"Who?"

"Never mind." I sighed "I'm comfortable and that's what matters. I'm not wearing some uniform 24/7. I wanted to avoid the 'Hey my brother's in a gang and booted me off to one too' look."

"Ok." Pierce clenched his fist around the wheel "Then you take it up with Archer." I knew this wasn't a fight I was going win, and a fight Pierce wasn't willing to have by his comments back. I looked back at the folded clothes in the back seat.

Black leather jacket, white v-neck t-shirt, and black jeans with black stiletto heels. Typical cliche..

Moving to the back seat of the car while Pierce sped through the streets to school, I faced the rear view window before pulling my jacket and hoodie off. Trying to not give someone a show, I continued to change and began to pull down my leggings before stopping and glancing out of my eye at the rear view mirror. Pierce's eyes were on me, boring into my skin.

"Do you mind?" I said in annoyance, looking back at him. "What?" Pierce tested "Are you a fucking prude or something? Or did you actually just have liposuction?"

"No." I scoffed "Can you just give me some privacy and keep your eyes on the road." I quickly change from out of my leggings and into the pair of jeans before climbing back into the front of the passenger seat.

Pierce let a murmured chuckle out underneath his breath, making my head whip over towards him. "May I help you?" I clenched my jaw just waiting for the sarcastic egotistical comment that was about to leave his mouth as the 'If you have nothing nice to say don't say it at all' didn't necessarily apply to Pierce.

Must have skipped that lesson in preschool.

"You said you had a boyfriend before?" Pierce asked, and I nodded confused as to why he was he even asking "Was he gay?"

"What?" I asked, not understanding what he was trying to get at.

"Let me spell it out for you." His eyes flickered over to mine as his famous smirk appeared across his lips "F-L-A-T."

"Excuse me? First off I am not flat. And second off, Gunner when I need your validation on my body I'll come to you to bring up my self esteem. Till then you can keep the shitty comments to yourself and your eyes on the road next time."

Pierce ignored me as per usual and the drive went on as we arrived at school. Pierce pulled his car into his typical spot where everyone else was standing outside there cars waiting for the first bell to ring. Grabbing my backpack, I got out of the car and slammed the door shut just to have everybody stare at me.

"Oh my god!" Juniper spoke up "Aspen you look so hot!" The so called 'uniform' was the least thing from practical and the black stiletto heels were waiting to just kill me eventually.

"Not bad." Cypress smirked, throwing his cigarette to the ground before stomping it out "I'd tap."

"Thanks, but no thanks." I smirked sarcastically back making Juniper and Triston chuckle in response. "Well look at that," Triston swung her arm around Cypress "Cypress Parsons just got rejected. Nice job Aspen."

Mercury's eyes turned dark as she glared at me and I didn't' dare make direct eye contact with her. Mars looked between me and Mercury, noticing the obvious tension and the murder plot that Mercury was mentally planning in her head. "Oh Merc," Mars rolled his eyes at her "Jealousy isn't a good look."

Mercury stood up straight, her head snapping towards her twin brother Mars "Jealous? Oh fucking please, as if I'd ever be jealous of this, THIS- WHORE."

"Whore really?" I shifted my backpack onto my left shoulder "Says the prostitute."

"That's it!" Mercury pulled a pocket knife out of the pocket of her leather jacket and pushed me back up against the side of Pierce's car, before starting place the knife up to my neck. "WHOA! WHOA!" Tucker yelled, pulling her back from me.

"Listen here Ambrosio!" Mercury shouted at me, Tucker holding her back "I will NEVER be jealous of you! You're just a wannabe newbie and lowlife from Washington. There is nothing to be jealous of you skank!"

I walked up towards her, inching my face closer to hers. I was willing to test the waters with Mercury, I had obviously gotten under her skin for some reason. My presence was enough to make her want to kill me, and she wanted something I had I just didn't know what it was.

"Nothing to be jealous of? Are you sure about that?" I questioned "I mean why do you even hate me so much? Is it because your ex boyfriend now has to spend all his time with me and I'm the one in his passenger seat. Not you."

I saw Pierce tense up out of the corner of my eye and everybody was completely silent and there eyes wide. Mercury's eyes glared into mine, boring into me. Her face showed pure hatred and anger, as much as I was going to get killed for this it was worth it in the moment.

Mercury ripped away from Tucker and shoved through everyone before storming off into the school. "Bye." Juniper waved sarcastically, making Mars elbow her in response "Hey that's my sister."

"Well maybe you should tell your sister to lighten up a bit. She's obviously jealous of Aspen and what she's got going on with Pierce. Maybe if Pierce never-" Tucker began.

"Ok shut up." Pierce interrupted, grabbing my wrist and pulling me away from the group and towards the back of the school and pushing me up against the wall. I stumbled back, already losing my battle to these heels.

"Who the hell told you about Me and Mercury?" Pierce gritted at me. His body towered mine as he his gray eyes bored down at me and I could smell his cologne coming off his body. His peppermint breath faltered onto me, and I stood up straight making my eyes meet his.

"Mercury and I." I corrected.

"Not the fucking time Ambrosio." Pierce snapped at me "I am not going to ask again. I want an answer now."

"Juniper and Triston. The one day she drove me to school." I admitted, not understanding what the big deal was and why Pierce was so secretive about his love life. Taking being mysterious to a whole different level if you ask me.

"Of fucking course." Pierce pushed off the brick wall, backing away from me. He muttered a bunch of curse words under his breath before looking back at me "Never. Ever. Bring up my past relationship with Mercury in front of her or to me."

"I don't understand what the big deals-" I started but was soon cut off by the bell and Pierce threatening me to never bring it up. Grabbing my backpack from the ground, I slung it over my shoulder and started to head towards the main entrance of the school as Pierce followed closely behind me.

I saw Juniper, Triston, Cypress, Mars, and Tucker waiting at the front doors and which we all met up and headed inside. Mercury was nowhere to be seen, not like I had cared but my curiosity had got me as to why Pierce got so triggered at the mention of his relationship with Mercury.

We walked down the halls and I had felt like I was in scene in a teen drama movie with a slow moe effect on as everyone's eyes laid on us. I could see what all the fuss was about when it came to the Crestmont gang. Everyone feared them as rumors about them ran around the school every week, they basically ran the school from students to teachers. Being a member no doubt came with its power.

Pierce had walked me all the way to my English class before heading separate ways. I took my usual seat, Triston and Juniper followed in soon after and sat down behind me. Triston leaned over her desk and whispered "What happened?"

"Pierce just flipped on me about bringing up his relationship with Mercury." I shrugged, not knowing what had happened myself "Did I miss something?"

Juniper and Triston gave each other looks before returning their looks to me "Tell you at lunch."

"Now class please take out your books on Macbeth, we will be annotating today." Mrs. Morgans announced. Pulling my textbook out of my backpack I skipped through the pages and pulled out a pen. I read through the pages but abruptly stopped when my phone screen lit up.

Finn: Looks like you're one of them now.

I froze at the text and my stomach turned as Finn's name appeared on my screen after he was only bribed to take me out and I was only an easy way to get some cash in his pocket. I looked over at Finn across the class where his eyes bored into mine. Our eyes met for a moment before I turned back to my book and placed my phone down.

I knew I looked the part but didn't realize what this had actually meant for me in the realm of high school groups. Was everyone going to be scared of me now just because of some leather jacket?

* * * * *

Time passed slowly throughout my first block which was British Literature and my second block which had been Calculus. Lunch finally had came and I was waiting for what Juniper was about to tell me about what had happened with Mercury and Pierce. It always felt like there was more to the story when it came to Pierce.

I walked to the cafeteria where all the seniors had been this block. My eyes roamed the cafeteria as I saw Pierce, Cypress, Tucker, and Mars all sitting at a table and Juniper and Triston at another one but not far from the guys. I headed towards Juniper and Triston, taking my seat and pulling out my prepacked lunch.

"How was calc?" Triston took a bite of her apple "Mr. Koch has been a total ass lately. I wonder if his wife is denying him sex-I mean most guys get so worked up and then they just are going to explode-"

Triston soon stopped when she realized the look Juniper was giving her and she replied back a defenseless "What" and Juniper rolled her eyes in response before turning her attention to me. I shook up my salad, stabbing my fork into my lettuce "Wheres Mercury?"

"Stormed off and went home. Mercury is..well the best way to explain it is, she's one to give but cannot take the heat." Juniper explained, running a hand through her hair.

"Seems fair."

"Yeah, I know. We're all just blessed with the presence of Mercury Sullivan." Triston agreed "She's a bit complicated."

"And once again...a bit would be an understatement." Juniper sighed "You know how I told you that Mercury had dated Pierce when they were 15 and dated for like a year? Well there's a little more to the story. So mercury was super controlling and Pierce practically couldn't breathe without her yelling at him. They were just toxic for each other, both way to bull-headed to be together."

I nodded in agreement as I could tell Pierce and Mercury both had very strong personalities and would clash when put together. Juniper continued on "Well with being so restricted Pierce turned to other girls which is where Triston and Greyson comes in."

"So basically I joined Crestmont at 15, and it was an act of rebellion towards my parents. My parents were super strict and very religious, I felt suffocated and didn't want to pretend to live in this 'Perfect life' and that's when I joined. After many fights with my parents they threatened they would disown me if I didn't leave the Crestmont gang. So that night I got kicked out after refusing and had nowhere to go. So stupid me ran to Pierce..he comforted me and I stayed there that night with him. One thing led to another and we ended up having sex, and having that closeness was the only type of love I had felt at that point in my love- even though it was the furthest thing from love. So Pierce wanted to escape Mercury for a little, and I loved how he made me feel, so we agreed to keep sleeping together behind Mercury's back. It was a super shitty thing of me to do and I do not condone what I did at all but it was only because of what was going on in my life."

I was shocked to say the least. I did not expect that all especially from Triston as she never came off as the type of person such as a 'homewrecker."

"I know what you're thinking. Homewrecker." Triston sighed, as if she read my mind.

"What? No." I denied, when she narrowed her eyes at me "Ok..maybe a little, but it was when you guys were how young. That was almost three years ago."

"Well there is more." Juniper continued "During when Pierce was with Mercury and also sleeping with Triston, he was also sleeping with Greyson."

"Oh my god." My eyes widened "Please tell me he used condoms.." Triston chuckled back and nodded slightly to confirm.

"No one knows why Pierce really started to sleep with Greyson when he was already with two other girls. Some of us suspect it was a relay of his mommy issues at the time and since Greyson was older, it just was someone for him to turn to. They were just friends with benefits, strictly just sex but later on Greyson became pregnant. Mercury found out everything, that Pierce had been sleeping with Triston and Greyson and not only that but got Greyson pregnant."

"Greyson tragically miscarried one night after getting super drunk after her a fight with her parents." Triston picked up where Juniper left off "I profusely apologized to Mercury and never forgave myself for doing that to her. Pierce freaked when he found out Greyson had miscarried, and Mercury took all of this news terribly-as expected. She had lost was she thought was her everything and found out she was just being lied to for a long time and along with Greyson being pregnant. Mercury then went a little of the rails, she thought everything was over. And with constantly seeing me, Greyson, and Pierce she couldn't handle the heartbreak over and over again.."

"So.." Juniper trailed off looking back at the guys who were invoked in their own conversation "Mercury went to the King's bridge and tried to jump..Luckily Tyson got there in time and saved her from jumping, when he was worried after Mercury hadn't showed up to that days meeting."

"And that is why Pierce flipped out and Mercury stormed off." Triston finished "Pierce hates himself for what he did to Mercury and Mercury is still super sore to the subject even though they got back together last year as friends with benefits but broke it off soon after Mercury started being abusive again."

I had no idea what to say. It was a lot to take in. I was shell shocked of everything that they told me. I understood why Pierce turned to other girls because if he broke up with Mercury he feared she would've killed herself, so Triston and Greyson were his only escape of an abusive relationship. I also could see why Mercury freaked after feeling everything was ripped away from her and why she reacted the way she did today.

In a way I felt bad but to be fair she did hold a knife up to my neck and has also pointed a gun at me..

"Wow.."

"Yeah I know it's a lot to take in." Juniper admitted, as the guys approached the table and took their seats.

"What is?" Cypress asked, cocking an eyebrow at us. "Mr. Koch's calc class. The amount of homework that man gives should be marked as child abuse."

They all became invoked in a conversation about random things and I continued to finish my lunch. Pierce was sitting next to me, and leaned over to my ear "So I heard Finn texted you?"

"How'd you know that?" I looked at him suspiciously as Pierce knew everything about me, sometimes before I even knew.

"Just stay away from him." Pierce clenched his jaw, his eyes getting dark at the thought of the subject.

"The last time I checked, you paid him to take me to a party and drug me and if you haven't noticed that's not exactly staying away from him." I pointed out the obvious, wondering why Pierce would set me up with him if I'm suppose to stay away.

"Just do it." He gritted, his hands becoming a fist on the table and I could see the veins on his hands pop through, becoming very prominent. "Whatever." I muttered under my breath, not wanting to get food spit on me again and taken out of the cafeteria and choked.

I wanted to confront Pierce about Mercury but decided against it as I would like to live another day. I didn't know what to really think of anyone at this point and I never would've assumed there was so much drama within the gang.

"There's a meeting soon, we're leaving after this block. I have to stop at home." Pierce said as he scrolled through his phone in search for something.

"But I still have government and physics-" I argued, not wanting to miss my classes and trying to play catch up on them. The bell for the end of this block rang and everyone bid their goodbyes, saying they would see each other later at the meeting.

I threw away my lunch and headed grabbed my backpack as Pierce grabbed my wrist and pulled me through the school, and taking me down the back stairwell that no one other than the janitors ever used and to the back courtyard where no teachers or security would be.

"Get in." Pierce demanded as we came to his car. I got into the passenger seat and prayed that this wouldn't be another drug deal.

* * * * *
Early Update! was going to Publish this tomorrow but I was too excited to wait!

Long Chapter Again!

(I just wanted to remind you guys this book will be a lot more matured than TBBG and I will put trigger warnings but if you get triggered by anything please do not read for your own sake :) )

Dedicated to Gillybean702

So updates will still be Thursday as of now but I do start college on Monday as well as I work, so if updates aren't always on time please bare with me I am very busy!

Any thoughts on this chapter?

What do you think of Pierce knowing what he had done to mercury with triston and Greyson? Do you understand why he did it or no?

What do you think of Mercury now that you know what she's been through? Support her now or no because she was still abusive?

Thoughts on Triston now that you know she was willingly involved?

Let me know what you guys think! Your comments are what keep me motivated!
~Ash