One Regret

*~Erika’s Perspective~*

Was he getting in trouble? Ah, I hope not!
“Heh, that fag is probably getting kicked out of school.” Jared chuckled to Sam.
Sam did his devilish smile, then nodded. “Yeah, I still need to get my dope from him though.”
“You gave that faggot your dope?” Jared gaped at him, looking as if he was going to smack Sam silly.
“Nah, I just know he has some.” Sam shrugged. “We’ll just get it at lunch if that faggot is still here.”
“He is not a fag!” I shouted, only so they could hear me, in a whispered tone.
“Excuse me?” Jared growled. “Were you in our conversation?”
“No. But Ray isn’t a fag.” I answered.
Sam and Jared exchanged looks.
“Miss little new girl, do you know who we are?” Sam growled.
“Calm down, Sam. She doesn’t know what she’s getting herself into.” Jared said, with a little smile towards me. I couldn’t tell if it was a warm vibe or a cold one… meaning danger.
Sam smirked at me, and I felt a chill go down my spine. Definitely a cold vibe.

*~At Lunch~*

Sam and Jared walked over to me. I was sitting on the concrete, leaning my back against the wall of the building.
“Hey, sweetie,” Jared smirked, sitting down by me.
“Um, Hi?” I said. “What are you doing here?”
“Looking for that fag. But you is gonna be our girl.”
“I’m not going to be anyone’s girl.” I shot back.
Sam frowned and so did Jared. Jared raised his hand and slapped me across the face. What the heck! Why did he just do that?!
“You are going to be our girl. The little fag is going to be dead today, and you’re going to watch us kill him.” Jared whispered in my ear.

*~Ray’s Perspective ~*

I walked out to the parking lot and got into my car. When I drove out of the parking lot, I couldn’t help but having the feeling I was being watched. All of the sudden a medium sized rock hit my windshield and cracked it a bit. I slammed on the breaks, and my heart almost stopped. Goddess, what was that?!
Someone opened my car door and I saw it was Sam. He dragged me out of my car and threw me to the sidewalk. “Where’s the dope, Faggot?”
My eyes widened as he took out a knife. “It- It’s in the back of my car!”
Sam nodded to someone to check it. Well there goes my next high…
“Let’s make a deal. Yo’ be our fag, and we’ll let the girl go. If not, we’ll make the girl- our girl and we may even kill her.”
“Wait, who?” I choked out, struggling to sit up. I will not let a girl die for me! That’s wrong!
“That girl- Erika.” Sam nodded to his right.
I looked to my left to see Erika standing beside Jared. She looked beat up and sorrowful. Her hair was messed up, and her arms were bruised. I noticed she was quietly crying, looking down at the concrete; and not making eye contact with me.

I looked back at Sam. “Let her go, Sam! I’ll be your stupid faggot!”
Sam smirked and looked at Jared. “Yo’ can let her go. We’re going back to Ray’s place.”

I felt bad leaving Erika there, but at least she was safe. As soon as the shed door shut Sam and Jared started using all kinds of drugs, and started to get high. Then, Sam looked at me. “Here, try shooting. Yo’ done this before?” He said.
I nodded, and he handed me some things for shooting drugs.

*~The next day~*

I walked to school since Jared and Sam did something to my car.
Mr. White, like always, was the first person I saw.
“You alright?” He asked.
I nodded in response.
“You’re going to be late. Did anything happen?”
“Hey, Ray!” I recognized the voice as Sam’s. I looked over to my right and saw him and Jared walking towards us.
“Hey,” I said.
“Man, let’s get to class, See yo’ Mr. White.” Sam said and we began walking to Mrs. Leron’s class.
Mr. White frowned in confusion as I walked with them to class. Great… another person I hurt.

*~At lunch~*

“Yo’ alright, Ray. Yo’ alright.” Sam told me, as we leaned against the wall, smoking cigarettes.
“Thanks man, you too.” I replied. “Man… I wish Matt were here.”
Jared nodded and Sam sighed, and glanced at me. “Don’t talk about him in front of us man… it just- ain’t right.”
I saw Erika staring at me and so I quickly looked at Sam. “Hey what did you do to Erika? Before you got to me?”
Jared was quick to answer. “Sam raped her. Why? Do you like her or something?”
“No! She’s a-”
“She’s a what?” Erika interrupted.
I jumped and so did Sam and Jared.
“What are you doing, babe?” Jared asked with a smirk, when he regained his cool.
Erika backed away from him.
“Get out of here.” Sam growled. “Or we’ll be seeing you after school. Jared’s got dibs, girl.”
Erika finally left, looking at me, as she walked into the school building doors.

“What do you want to do after school?” Sam asked us.
Jared only shrugged so I was the one who answered. “We should go check out some ladies.”
Sam and Jared smiled, over thinking the idea.
“Yeah, man, let’s do that.” Jared said.

*~After School~*

Jared and Sam weren’t that bad, actually. I just needed the time to get to know them. I wish Matt and I hadn’t been so stupid that one day… Why did we do that? Goddess, we were so stupid!
“Ey Baby,” Jared whistled at a girl who was passing by us.
“Haha- no.” The girl snapped. “Go get drunk with Mary Jane.”
Jared frowned, and muttered something under his breath.
Sam on the other hand, had five girls, all next to him, giggling while he was showing off his muscles.
“What’s that look for, Jare?” Sam chuckled, and started flirting with one of the girls.
“Nothing.” Jared sighed and turned to me. “I pick what we do tomorrow after school.”
I chuckled, then saw Erika walk out of the school doors. “Hey, Erika.”
“Get lost, faggot.” She muttered.
I flinched, faking hurt. “Uh- ouch.”
“Don’t you dare talk to him like that!” Jared spat and stormed over to her. Okay then… I guess it was only okay when Jared or Sam called me that.
“Free Country.” She stated, ignoring him.
“Not when I’m around, you little slut!” Jared told her and slapped her across the face. “Or did you already forget what we did to you?”
Erika flinched and stepped away from him.
Sam acted like nothing had even happened, and went back to kissing one of the girls. Mr. White all of the sudden came out of the school. Oh crap…
“Jared.” He warned, as he walked closer to Erika and him.

Jared stepped away from Erika, but he looked like Mr. White didn’t even bother him.
“Are you alright, Erika?” Mr. White asked, stopping like two feet away from her.
Erika nodded, but little tears streamed down her face.
Mr. White shot a glare at all of us, “Go home, and stop harassing her.”
Sam kissed one of the girls then whispered something into another girls ear.
He walked over to Jared and me, and all of us began to walk home.

“Man, those girls-” Sam was saying, but Jared interrupted him.
“Shut up, I didn’t even get one girl.” He growled.
“Yeah, and Erika pretty much flipped me off.” I complained.
“Ah, you two are jus’ players.” Sam replied.
“And yo’ ain’t?” Jared asked.
Sam smirked. “Those girls don’t know that.”

“Man, how come yo’s living here?” Sam asked as we walked into the shed.
“My parents kicked me out right after the accident.” I told them, nonchalantly.
Jared frowned. “Wow, I’ve gotten close, but… Man that must suck! Yo’ know what? You should be in the gang with us.”
I hesitated. “Which one?”
“H.S.B.’s.” Sam told me. “Will’s had his eye on you for a long time. He’s the gang leader, or better known as a shot-caller.”
I nodded, Eh, if the shot-caller’s had his eye on me then I’d eventually get jumped into the gang. “Sure, I’ll join the gang.”
It was wrong, but what choice did I have? If Will has had his eye on me, then I should be in the gang. I’ve heard some rumors about him… they say if you tell him no, that he’ll kill you.
Anyway, I didn’t have protection, nor a family. What would I say if Matt were still alive?
No. I’d say no.

*~The next day: In the Afternoon~*

At lunch, Jared and Sam took me to the gang hang out which was a random place outside of the school. The district were scared of the gangs so allowed them to do what ever and let the police handle everything.
“Will- yo’ has a new gang member.” Sam said as we walked up to all these people who were leaning against the wall of the school building. Most of them were Mexican or black and I felt a bit out of the group. Will had messy black hair and he nodded to me. “What’s his name?”
“Ray. Peterson.” Sam replied, glancing at me.
“Hm, Does he have something for us or are we going to jump him in?” Will asked.
“He’s going to have to be jumped in.” Jared answered.
Will nodded and looked at some guys in the group. “Snap, Rizzle, and Coyote. Give him the gang beating.”

So, they beat me for about a minute, but it kinda felt like hours, and it really was painful. After that, this gang member named Paco gave me he gang tattoo. It hurt and I was bleeding afterwards.
I felt scared for my life. I felt like it was just a dream- but it wasn’t. I was actually in the H.S.B. Gang, no turning back. Why had I agreed to it? One answer for that.
Because Matt was gone.
“How you feeling?” Sam asked, walking over to me.
“Bad…” I told him.
“You’ll get over it, Man.” Jared said. “It only hurts once.”
“Heh,” I mumbled. “Where’s Will?”
“He’s… hm. Probably getting high.” Sam told me.
I chuckled. “Wow.”
“Oh look what the cat dragged in.” Jared smirked.
I looked behind myself and saw Erika.
“Thank God.” I whispered and walked over to her. “Hey.”
“Get away from me.” Erika spat.
“Ray, how’s yo’ tat?” Will asked, walking over to us, with his little group of gang members following him.
Erika frowned, and narrowed her eyes. “You… joined them?”
“I- Yes, I joined them.” I told her. Better to face the truth than hide it.
“Why?” Erika asked, disgusted.
“Why do you need to know?” Will chimed in.
“I was talking to Ray.” Erika shot back, and glared at him.
Oh crap…
“Excuse me?” Will growled, taking out his pistol from his back pocket.
Erika backed away from him.
“How’d you like to be a dead girl in stead of a back talker?” Will shouted.
“Will.” I said loudly.
“What Newbie?!” Will sneered, looking at me.
“You- um. You shouldn’t kill her, man. You should get something out of her. Like money or... Sex.”
Will thought about this then nodded. “Hm… nice thinking. Yo’s the best newbie I’ve had in my gang, Ray.”
I smirked but Erika was glaring at me. I slowly, started to frown again.