Chapter 2

Riley's POV

I heard him yell stop, but I did not. I would not stop. Nothing in this world would stop me. I was finally out of that horrible alley. Well, the alley itself wasn't horrible... it's just the guy who's horrible.

I spoke too soon. Something blocked my way from running any further. An off-white Cadillac parked right in front of me.

The front passenger door slams open, "Oh... lookie what we got here." A dirty-blonde haired, teen male says as he steps out of the car. "Are you lost?"

This must be another gang. "Get away from here now!" My conscience yells. I can't just leave, or else they will harm me some way.

*Author's note: Look at the picture, that's the dirty-blonde haired teen male (Chris Collins)*

"Uh... no actually." I nervously say as I cautiously back away from the boy.

"Oh really? Then where in the hell are you going?" He asks with skepticism as he steps closer to me. He reeks of drugs and cigarettes. His blue eyes bore danger and recklessness.

"Just to... my friend's house." I say trying to sound like I'm confident with what I'm saying.

"Oh. Well, a fine girl like you shouldn't be walking out here in these parts by herself. There are gangs out and hunting. How about we give you a ride?" I brush off the offer by saying, "That won't be necessary, but thanks."

His face suddenly becomes hard as stone, "Get. In. The. Car."

"No," I say with some confidence. I heard someone in the car gasp at what I said. The boy shook his head, and then roughly grabbed my arm. "Wrong answer."

I tried to resist against his force, but he was too strong, "let me go, please! Help me someone! Help!" He chuckled at my plea for help. Heavy footsteps run up to the scene. The boy who was starting to make me his captive, was knocked out by a single blow to his head. "Hurry, go hide in the portable washroom!"

I nearly slipped because of how fast I ran to the washroom. Once I reached it, I shut the door then locked it. The odour of human feces filled the entire tiny room. But, I didn't care. I was about to get kidnapped by some rich-looking gang! If it wasn't for him---the guy in the alley. He saved me, but why? That, I do not know.

Behind this port-a-potty door was a big fight between one guy and a gang of guys. I heard many hits and grunts. At one point, I wanted to go out to help him. But, in my heart I knew that I would make things worse.

Someone grunted and groaned in agony after I heard a gunshot. The tires of, what I assume, the Cadillac screeched against the road. They were gone, or did some stay back?

Suddenly, I heard rapid banging on the door. "Open it... up... it's me." Yeah right. As if I'd open it. The voice lets out an annoyed sigh then said, "It's me. Your street bastard."

Oh it was him.

I let my fingers find the lock, twist it, and the door is open. He was panting, and had blood gushing out of his leg at an alarming pace.

"Oh my god! Uh... okay... what do I need to do!" I frantically say to myself as I am looking at him. He had a few minor cuts on his face, but his leg had got me worried. The wound was so large that he could bleed to death.

"Ok. I'm not a doctor or anything, but please sit down. I think I can help you." I try to calmly say. He listens to my instruction, and I try to think of something like a bandage that I can tie around his wound. But what?

"I need something to tie around your wound so it stops bleeding." I say to him as I'm thinking of something to use.

"...Take... off... my sweater. It... should do." He managed to spit out as he grimaced in pain. I noticed that he was shivering, like a lot.

"No. You're so cold, you need it right now. I have a different plan." I say as I take off my sweater and shirt. He widened his eyes, then quickly turns his head in the opposite direction.

"Wow, I wouldn't expect a 'criminal gangster' like you to be such a prude." I smirked as I looked at him. Even though his face had so many minor cuts, I could make out the blushing of his cheeks.

"You know you don't have... to do that... especially... for me." He awkwardly said, still looking in the opposite direction. "And you didn't have to save me," I said, and he grunted in response.

"Don't worry. I'm wearing a bra, so you can stop acting so weird." I say as I tie my shirt around his leg. It acts as a perfect bandage--- stopping the excessive bleeding. I was about to put my sweater around him but he pushed it away.

"Wear... it."

"No, it's fine you need it more than I do." I insist as I bring the sweater close to him again.

"Wear it!" He practically yells at me, then pants faster. "Sorry."

I give in by putting on the sweater. "Geez, you really need to work on those anger issues." He turns to me while rolling his eyes. "Really? I need to work on anger issues? I'm hurt because of your tantrum!"

"Well. You... you held a switchblade to my neck! How do you expect me to trust you?" I blurted out as I felt my cheeks warming up. He turned his attention to the night sky's stars and softly said, "I don't."

I felt like a million bricks fell right on top of me. I don't know why, but I felt bad. I mean like look at myself, the reason why I ran away was because of what I was going through. I have no idea of how long he has been on the streets, or why he was there in the first place. People act they way the do for many reasons, one of them could be because of their past experiences. I started to gently rub his arm, he turns to me with a look of confusion.

"It's called an act of compassion." I say before he speaks, I thought he was going to shout at me but he just sat there... leaning against the side of the washroom door. After a few minutes, he was fast asleep. His face was less tense, and less angry. He looked like an innocent child when he slept, so innocent. Not aware of any troubles in the real world.

Soon enough, I fell asleep as well.

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The sun's light had no mercy on my eyes as I awoke to a brand new day. I find myself curled up right beside boy. His arm was wrapped protectively around my waist in his sleep. He was mumbling random things when I started to move. "It's okay... I'm okay, you can continue to sleep." I softly said to him as I clutched his hand.

The streets were alive again, with people walking back and forth. It appeared that everyone knew where they were going. But I didn't. What would happen now? I can't just go home at this point. It doesn't feel right.

Turning on the sink was no hassle because he let me go. I splashed my face with cold water while I looked at myself in the mirror. As I was tying my hair into a messy bun, I heard jerky movements outside of the portable. Turning my stealth mode on, I slowly tip-toed to the entrance. The movement increased. Ugh... I don't even have a weap----the switchblade!

I slide my hand into my right pocket reaching for the blade. Flipping it open, I get closer to the entrance... my breathing quickens. It's now or never. I cautiously turn to my intruder, only to find the stray cat. I close my switchblade, and slip it back into my pocket.

I huff out the air I was holding then say, "Oh, it's you again." The cat simply meows in response. Shaking my head, I return to the revolting haven that we've claimed as our own. My stomach growls as loud as a lion's roar. I clutch my stomach as I bend over because it begins to feel painful. It's practically begging to be fed. He shifts whenever the growling starts, until he finally woke up.

"Good morning Sunshine! We have a big day ahead of us." I sarcastically beam at him, still clutching my angry stomach. He trails his eyes from my face, to my stomach, "Hey... are you okay?"

I quickly nod, "Yup. Not like i'm dying or anything. I'm just very hungry." He tries to get up, but every movement is like hell for him, "No, sit. Rest. I'll go get us some food."

"Do you even have money?" He asks me when he stops, I replied him with a no. I tell him that I had a backpack with my necessities in it, but it was stolen. He imitates my voice and says, "No, sit. Rest. I'll go get us some food." He tops that off with his infamous eye roll.

Crossing my arms in his direction I say, "Hey, i'm thinking of something okay? Plus i'm new to this living on the streets thing." I sit down beside him.

"Since you can't stand up right now, how about we talk?" He eyes me weirdly then says, "So what are we doing right now? Not talking?"

I laugh when I find out he doesn't know what I mean. "No silly, like talk talk. Tell me about yourself." He frowns when I ask him to tell me about himself. "That's okay, we can take baby steps. What's your name?"

"Ryan McCalister." He blankly said, hmm Ryan McCalister, it has a nice ring to it. Ryan McCalister. McCaslister. Ryan.

I widen my eyes at the sudden realization, "You are Ryan McCalister! The missing boy of the multi-million dollar McCalister family! You like disappeared when you were what... thirteen?"

"Yeah. So, who cares? It's the past and I never want to go back to it ever again. Never talk about that. Ever." Ryan sternly said as he looked straight into my eyes, "Got it?"

I nod my head, and even make the 'zip my lips' motion with my hand. "Well Ryan, my name is Riley Rene."

He nods his head, "Well Riley, I know a place where we can get food... for free." When he says that it is like music to my ears. FOOOOD. I desperately need it. So desperate that I was even eyeing the nearby trash bin.

I ask him where, then he tells me about his gang's base in one of the abandoned buildings. Ryan forces himself to stand up, and we start to walk.

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We stop walking when we reach this old, abandoned bricked building. I shiver because it gives me a weird vibe.

He walks up to the entrance, and knocks at the door. We hear footsteps approach the door on the other side. A pair of eyes looks at us through an eyehole, then the popping of the locks are heard. The door opens to a girl who appears to be Korean, with jet black long hair, wearing a dirty tank top with overalls.

"Oh my god Ry! I missed you so much! I thought you died out there!" she said as she leaped onto him, giving him a massive hug---completely ignoring me. Before he could stop her, she planted a long kiss onto his lips. His eyes were open, and when she noticed she furrowed her eyebrows. "What's wrong Ry?" He gestured towards me, "Who the hell is she?!" the girl shouts as she takes out her switchblade.

"Charlie! Put it down!" Ryan commands her, but she kept on moving closer to me."Charlie, don't you even damn dare!"

Before she could stab me, I reach for my own switchblade and block her attack. Charlie blinks in disbelief but comes back to life to stab me again. I block it.

Every one of her strikes becomes more aggressive. It gets harder to block them, so then I decide to sprint for my life. I bump against wooden crates on purpose, attempting to make Charlie trip over them. But, she was like an unstoppable machine. She easily leaps over the crates as if they weren't there.

A dead end.

I started to regret why I ran. Ryan wouldn't be able to help me out---his leg. But... would he help me out even if he could run?

When Charlie reached me, she had this menacing smirk on her face. I wished I could wipe it off because she didn't win just yet. I get into a fighting stance with the blade in my hand.

"Aww... That's so cute!" She gushed with sarcasm as she prepared to stab me. Charlie wore this smug on her face, "It's too bad that you gonna have to die."

"Yeah... it's too bad I'm not going to die today!" I confidently say as I go in for an attack. But, she blocked it as if it were just a mere pest.

She throws in another strike, and I block it again. This time, she aims at my fingers which were holding the blade. This sudden pain caused me to drop my weapon---Charlie took advantage of the opportunity by grabbing my arm.

She slashes it---creating a massive cut. From my shoulder to my wrist. Then, knocks me out by hitting the butt of the switchblade at my temple. The last thing I remember seeing was blood.

And lots of it.

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Author's Note:

Chapter Question: What are your thoughts on Charlie?

Thank you so so much for reading this chapter! If you like this, please feel free to star and comment.💛

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-Mizteddyz🌺