Priceless

I got out of J.P.’s car as Donny drove up with my bike and cut the engine. I slammed the door closed and took a gulp form my bottle feeling my throat burn. I moved the bottle from my lips and smiled as the liquor started kicking in. Derek opened the front door and looked at me sternly, “here,” I held the bottle out to him, “I’m nice, I’ll share with you.”

He came out and grabbed the bottle roughly away from me and smashed it on the driveway.

“Hey that was mine!” I yelled.

“Why did Jack and Jerry bring some wealth into the house?” he yelled at I winced at how loud he was.

“Quit yapping,” I yanked my arm away and tried to steady myself, “Okay, you were saying something about some wealth?”

Donny came to my side and steadied me, “He goes to our school and happened to see Andy paint the club red with her piece.”

“A witness with connections to you!” Derek looked funny when he gets really mad, or maybe that’s the liquor talking?...

I swished my hand at him and pulled away from J.P., “I can handle this,” I took two steps forward and felt the world spin, “No…no, I can’t.” Black Out.



Two days of drinking and passing out because of it isn’t something new, passing out two days in a row from drinking hard core vodka is. Damn those Russians for making a great beverage with bad repercussions, there should be a warning label. I rolled over on what seemed to be my bathroom floor as I felt my fuzzy carpet brush my arm. Damn, when did I get in here? I groaned and grabbed the side of the tub to stand up. I can only remember bits and pieces of last night like me dance next to a hot bod -I should have gotten his number, Jack yelling at me –about what I don’t have a clue, Derek breaking my Vodka bottle –bastard, and poof that’s it. Hmm I may have passed out when I got home, oh shit daddy’s not going to like hearing that, I giggled to myself knowing my dad’s comes home tonight…Oh shit he comes home tonight! I moved quickly to my room and felt the world spin a bit. Never move fast when you just wake up a hangover. I looked at my clock and it read ten thirty in red numbers. Shit! I stripped my clothes and took the quickest shower of my life, and no doubt I threw on my uniform right after I was done.

God if I’m home during school hours and he catches me I will be under house arrest like in middle school. I shuddered at the thought and grabbed my bag running down the stairs to see Derek standing at the front door.

“Outta the way!” I yelled at him but he didn’t budge. “Move I’m late for school ass.” I tried pushing him and he still wouldn’t move. I’ve known Derek since he first came to the house when he was fifteen years old and at the time I was eight so me pushing him to get out of the way brings back memories of trying to recover a toy.

He shook his head, “you aren’t going anywhere until you deal with your wealth of a classmate.”

I looked at him confused, “What?”

“You damn drunk,” he took my bag from me and started pushing me to the basement door, “he has been here since last night while you were drinking and puking. By the way you owe me a new shirt.”

I scowled at him, “I owe you a lot of shirts.” We walked to the basement that was converged to a prison a long time ago for those enemies that need ‘special’ taking care of. Roderick was pacing in the cell at the far end with chest bare and only pants on.

“You owe him a shirt as well,” Derek whispered, “bloody shirts should be burned.” I looked at him, “Don’t take too long you have school. And not to mention Max is to get here in three hours.” He walked back up the stairs leaving me to deal with Roderick.

I sighed and walked to Roderick who stopped pacing and just stared at me while I grabbed the key off the wall and unlocked the door.

“They said you were the one who would decide whether I die or not.” He watched me carefully like I was some predator.

I nodded, “My witness, my call,” I leaned against the bars, “you are one of the lucky ones though. Most witnesses never make it down here, most don’t live after they seen us kill, but look at you still alive and well. I applaud you.”

He huffed, “So I should be happy that I’ve been locked up down here for hours like an animal?”

“No you should be happy you were my witness, with connections to me because you would have be six feet under somewhere by now.” He face went pale and I laughed, “Remember when you threatened me yesterday? How does that threat seem compared to where you are now?”

“Minor.”

“I’d bet,” I looked at him, “but what am I going to do with you? Things are too good for you for you to become a run away. You’re in great health for a sudden heart attack, hmm…”

“You can’t be serious?”

“You see what I did last night to whoever that was. Do you think I can’t deal with you? If I’d let this up to any of the others guys you’d be begging for your life as we speak.” I smiled, “It’s all very chaotic isn’t it?” I walked out of the cell and picked up an empty piece and a loaded one before walking back to Roderick. I placed both guns on the table and looked at him, “One’s loaded and one isn’t the one you pick will decide what I do to you.”

“How?” he said slowly.

“Loaded I kill you here and now. Empty I let you live,” I shrugged, “Easy.”

He reached for a gun and held it up to my face, “and what’s to stop me from killing you and leaving here?”

“You wouldn’t even make it out the front door,” I smiled, “but go ahead and try if you want. I know you aren’t a killer.”

He narrowed his eyes, “people become scary things when their life is threatened,” he pulled the trigger and nothing came out and I grabbed the loaded one.

I pressed it to his forehead, “I may have to agree with you on doing scary things when life is threatened,” my voice was cold and dark, “but from the looks of it you picked the right gun, “I moved the gun to the side of his head and pulled the trigger making him jump. The table in the cell behind him gained a bullet hole that made it buckle and break causing Roderick to go white like a ghost. “For the both of us,” I grabbed the empty gun from him and walked out of the cell just as Derek came down the stairs.

He smiled at me, “I knew you wouldn’t kill him.”

“Yeah well I don’t want to dirty my uniform.” I handed him the guns, “get him ready for school I’m taking him and your car.”

“My car?”

“Hello I’m in a skirt,” I pointed out and he laughed, “just have him ready in ten minutes.”

I walked up the stairs and went into the living room and fell on the couch. My head was spinning and I closed my eyes drifting off to sleep for a ten minute nap. I enjoy sleeping more than the regular cat or hibernating bear so you can imagine how pissed I can’t get when someone wakes me up.

“Yo sleeping beauty he’s ready,” I heard Derek say and I didn’t move until I felt him push me to the floor.

I jumped up and looked at him, “Jerk.”

“Bitch,” he snapped.

I felt my ears heat up, “Asshole.”

“We can play 20 Q all day but I’ll win so take your...eh, person” he pushed Roderick towards me and tossed me his keys, “and get to school.” I watched him leave and I stuck my tongue out, “put that back in before I cut it.”

“I’m not eight anymore,” I grabbed my bag and Roderick and headed outside to the big garage. “Did he explain that your car will be at school for you to pick up?” I asked as I put in the security numbers for the door to open.

He nodded, “yeah.”

“Good” the door opened revealing a line of fancy cars that Roderick dropped his jaw. “One of the reasons money can’t sway me.” I saw making my way to Derek’s lime green Camaro, it almost looks like a lime green Bumble Bee from Transformers. I got into the car and beeped at Roderick to get his ass in the car since it seemed he was dazed from all the cars. He ran to the car and got in the passenger seat when I started the engine and drove out of the garage. The iron gate opened and we were on our way to school.

“So what are you? A gang member?” Roderick asked trying to make small talk.

“I’m a mafia daughter,” I said pulling to a red light.

He looked at me, “so the thing you said about the tattoo being you means”

“That I’m part of the Python group, yes. Looks like you’re starting to put things together.” I started driving again.

His eyes seemed to go up and down my body, “You don’t look like one.”

I laughed at him, “how so?”

“Well, you know,” he leaned back in his seat and scratched his head, “you look nice.”

I laughed even harder, “Looks have nothing to do with it, but thanks for the compliment.”

“So the guy from last night was an enemy?” he asked.

I paused trying to remember last night, “Probably. I don’t kill someone unless it’s a must, so I assume he was dangerous.” He probably was from the Panther group I thought to myself. Those damn people have been showing up a lot lately I wonder why. I gripped the steering wheel as I turned to the school gates. A man looked at the car and I held up my student ID and then he opened the gate for us to enter. I pulled into a parking spot in between J.P.’s and Donny’s car that they seemed to save for me and cut the engine. Roderick was about to open the door and I locked it trapping him inside the car.

“What are you doing?” he asked and I sighed.

“I told you I’d let you live correct?” I asked him.

He nodded, “yeah, why?”

“Just because I’m letting you live, doesn’t mean it’s going to be peaceful,” I looked at him, “As of now you’re my dog.”

He looked at me like he was processing the word, “DOG!” he yelled, process complete.

I got out of the car and looked to Donny’s car, “You can come out now,” I said and J.P. and Donny popped up from the other side of the car smiling.

“Did you kill him?” Donny asked as I heard someone slam the car door.

“He is still alive and he doesn’t want to be some dog!” Roderick yelled.

“He doesn’t have a choice,” I snapped at him closing my own door, “from now on there will be people watching you every move, listening to everything you say, writing down everything you do in a very detailed report to me. I own you now.”

“What,” Roderick asked and Donny burst out in laughter along with J.P. “This isn’t a laughing matter!”

“It’s pretty damn funny man,” J.P. said

Donny was hitting his car while laughing and I smirked at them, “Calm down why don’t you,” I turned to Roderick, “You are allowed to date and go about what you usually do, but when I call for you, you better come running.”

“Do you really expect me to accept this?” he sounded furious.

I walked over to him, “There is always the second option from before,” I said looking threw my bag knowing Derek probably put in my secret weapon in case this happened. “No back talk? Good now lean closer.” He did willingly and I placed a necklace around him, it almost looked like something you’d get on a cruise or somewhere in the tropics. It was a leather woven necklace with blue stone in the middle that work as a tracking device. “Perfect now you have an inconspicuous collar.” He looked mad, but didn’t say anything. I threw my bag over my shoulder and head to the campus with Donny, J.P. and now Roderick behind me.

It seemed from the mumbling J.P. was trying to cheer Roderick up from the sad fact that I told him he was now my dog. I swear men and their pride is really something when you threaten it. I almost feel as if I stole his masculinity right now. I can’t tell if it’s a good feeling or a bad one to say the truth. If only he was Zeke, then I would completely destroy his pride…among other things. I giggled to myself and opened the door to the science building where I noticed Zeke and a girl making out with his hand up her shirt. Inside I just want to rip that girl off of him and completely give him what he deserves in the way of my fist meeting his face, but at school the only relationship we have is the mere fact we hate each other. Here we aren’t fiancées.

Still that doesn’t mean I can’t mess with him, “Get a room Jack ass.” I yelled at him but not in the I’m pissed way, but to just get him to notice he wasn’t alone. The two jumped apart and looked at me faces messed up and sex driven. “I see you can’t keep it in your pants.” I crossed my arms looking at him and then the girl, “darling please, you can do better than that.” I pointed to Zeke.

He looked surprised at me, “Like you can talk. You don’t even have a guy,” he laughed and me and I went to Roderick’s side.

“Then let me introduce you, Roderick that’s Zeke, Zeke this is my boyfriend Roderick.” I placed a kiss on Roderick’s cheek and pulled him into a hug. “He spent the night at my place last night,” In a cell, but spending the night was spending the night and Zeke didn’t look to happy at what I just said.

“Get out of here Denise,” he yelled at the girl who looked confused, “Get out of here!” he yelled even louder and the girl ran away.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk it’s not nice to yell at girls like that,” I shook my head and smiled at Zeke who’s eyes seemed to lock on the Roderick who I was still hugging.

He took a step closer towards us looking menacing, “Get away from her.” He sounded pissed.

“Don’t move,” I whispered to Roderick and held him close.

Zeke moved closer and I felt very anxious, “I said get away from her, or are you deaf?” Donny and J.P. moved in front of us.

Roderick without knowing what was going on wrapped his arms around my waist and gave me a kiss on the top of my head, “Why? Who are you to her?” and that’s all it took for Zeke to come after us and make his way through Donny and J.P. He pulled me out of Roderick’s grip and pinned Roderick to the wall.

“She’s mine,” Zeke growled.

I laughed and put my hand on Zeke’s arm, “How am I yours? We hate each other,” I glared at Zeke, “right?” he looked at me and then to Roderick slamming him once against the wall and then letting him go. “You okay?” I asked Roderick as Zeke started walking away.

“Yeah, what was that about?” he asked as he touched his neck.

“Nothing, it meant nothing,” I notice Zeke stiffen as he heard me say that and clench his fists. He looked back at me and I glared at him, “we mean nothing to each other,” the Zeke returned my glare and walked away.