Angel with a Shotgun

“Miss Adams, sit down!” Mr. Moeller yelled as my chair scraped the ground. I could see the fury in his eyes.

“Like hell I will.” I cursed, raising my voice right along with his. Reid follows my lead, standing up from his chair beside me with Noah following shortly after. I bit my tongue, deciding that I wouldn’t be like the rat.

“Mr. Moore, Mr. Jackson! If you leave my office, consider yourselves suspended as well.” He tapped his pencil on his desk, a sign of irritation.

“Am I hearing a challenge?” Reid smirked.

“If I heard him correctly, then hell yeah.” Noah said, a grin automatically taking over his face. The two were always looking for a challenge. They had been friends ever since I introduced them about a year and a half ago.

“I’m leaving,” I started, turning as I headed to the door, “I’ve had enough of this bullshit. Suspend me all you want. Four days, or the rest of the year. I don’t give a shit.” I said, grabbing the doorknob tightly in my right palm. “Just give my mother a call.” I turned the knob quickly, pulling it open as I walked out.

I looked to my right to see Josh sitting in a chair next to the office. He held a smug look on his face, his dark brown bangs hanging slightly over his forehead as usual. His handsome, dark blue eyes were full of amusement as they watched traveled with me as I walked to the office door. I ground my teeth together, glaring at him while trying to ignore him the best I could.

“Enjoy your break, princess.” I heard him call after me. I held my breath to ease my anger, knowing that it would get the best of me if I hadn’t.

Joshua Moore. He was the bane of my existence, causing havoc for me whenever he felt it necessary. I hated him as much as he hated me. We’d been at each other’s throats ever since we were eight and he stuck worms into my lunch before I ate it. He claims I started the feud by embarrassing him one day at recess, but I was just proving to him that I could beat him at kickball. I was furious after the worm incident when everyone started calling me Wormy and said that I had worms. That nickname went away by the end of the year as did his friends teasing him.

The war ended up getting worse as soon as we hit high school. There were more serious consequences and punishments for what we did. Or at least what I did. All he ever got was a little slap on the hand, which was only because he was the quarterback of our football team. He received his title as quarterback out sophomore year after claiming over half of the touchdowns for the season during his freshman year. Our principal always believed his word over mine due to this. He saw me as a trouble child not only due to my nearly all black wardrobe, but due to wearing the Revere insignia, or our gang’s symbol. We all had our own leather jackets with the symbol on it. The gang is known and feared city-wide.

Our group consisted of seven. Six guys and one girl. I was the one girl. Our group is lower level to the higher ranked, which is led by Reid’s dad. They take care of most of the official business while we mostly just make runs or get overdue payments. I have yet to do either, thankfully. Even though I was initiated into the gang, I hadn’t yet done anything to prove my worth. No one had asked me to, and I was glad for that. Even though I acted like I wanted to, I truthfully didn’t. The thought of getting caught up terrified me.

The only reason I became a gang member was due to my relationship with Reid. Reid and I have been a couple for nearly two years, and a part of the gang for about a year and a half. His father waited until he was sixteen to finally add him as a member of the gang. He was joyous of the news that he could join the gang and persuaded me to join as well. I couldn’t do it without Noah, which annoyed Reid, but he got over it pretty quickly after becoming friends with Reid.

Reid Revere is our considering he is in line to inherit the gang. His father, grandfather, great-grandfather and even great-great-grandfather were previous leaders, which made his family the creators of the gang. His mother didn’t know anything about the gang before she married his father. When she did found out, she tried running away with Reid. His father figured out after her attempt and the gang ended up killing her for her actions. Reid doesn’t talk about his mother much due to his father putting it in his head that she was a traitor. He thinks highly of his father, and sometimes he thinks too highly of him.

Our Second-in-Command, or SOC, is Dylan White. He’s your typical flirtatious bad boy. He flirts with anything and anyone with breasts, figuratively speaking of course. He’s also in charge whenever Reid isn’t there. He’s acts ignorant, but he is probably the smartest in our group. The way were figured this out was due to a practice test we took for placement. Somehow, he got every question wrong, which is nearly impossible with that test unless you were incredibly smart. We also got a glimpse of his report card and it contained all A’s.

Then there is Jackson Park. He’s the quiet one. He never speaks much, but if he is angered, it’s tough to get him back to the way he was before. His parents ended up having a conference with their doctor who told them he had anger management problems. He was on a special medicine that subsides the anger, but keeps him quiet. Chad Park is exactly the opposite of his twin. He’s a loud mouth. He’s never had that little filter that everyone else has that tells them when to shut up. Jackson and Chad fit together pretty well.

Tyson Quinn is the oldest and nearly the same as Dylan, although he isn’t as smart. He spends most of his time partying and drinking, or smoking whatever he rolls up. He’s almost never sober, and it’s a surprise if you see him without a drink in his hand.

And then there is Noah Highwater. Noah is my best friend and basically the only one I can actually talk to in the group without being hit on. Jackson never hit on me either, but the rest of the boys did, not even caring that I was Reid’s girl. Noah and I have been friends nearly all our lives since an incident in Kindergarten when I was hit in the face with a ball. He was the one who hit me with the ball, but it wasn’t purposely. He immediately apologized and let me throw the ball at his face. I don’t know how it happened, but we became best friends after that. Noah is one of the sweetest guys I’ve ever met. He’s considerate and caring, and he actually listens and doesn’t try to flirt with me. He’s like the older brother that I never had.

And finally, there is me. I’m the one and only girl in the group, but the boys don’t act as if I am. They treat me the same as they would treat any of the other guys in our group. Of course there was the almost non-stop flirting, but I was used to that. After all, they are guys.

We all get into trouble all the time, which is what Reid, Noah, and I got suspended for. We were caught smoking on campus, or shall I say I was caught. I wasn’t really caught. It’s more like I was ratted on by Josh. The thing is that he was being rather hypocritical, considering he was about to light up, too. He decided only to rat me out, which I was thankful for. I don’t know why I was thankful considering that I knew Reid and Noah would follow me in being suspended.

I walked out to Reid’s black mustang, or his baby as he calls it, that his father provided. Reid and Noah followed presently behind me, mocking each other about being suspended once again. I slammed my palms into the hood of the car, letting out a frustrated groan.

“Whoa, Mel, take it easy on her. She was just repainted and costs a fortune.” Reid explained, stopping about a foot away from me to inspect the hood. His car was given to him by his father the moment he was initiated into the gang, which happened to be his eighteenth birthday. Even though he had officially been initiated into his father’s gang, he still stayed with the rest of us until we were all initiated.

I hadn’t heard much about being initiated, but I know it happens when you turn eighteen. Reid didn’t say much about it. He was told not to by his father. There was some sort of confidentiality agreement or something. All I remember is that he came back with a black eye and a smile on his busted lip. There were other bruises, but they laid beneath his shirt. When I found them, I was extremely worried, but he passed it off saying that they didn’t actually hurt and that they looked worse than they felt.

I sent a glare in his direction, but he was too busy caring for a non-existent wound. I looked at Noah who gave me a sympathetic smile, understanding what my glare was for.

“Thankfully there is no paint chips.” Reid gathered after giving his 2005 Black Mustang GT a thorough inspection. He glanced over his car one last time, and then looked up to me. I kept the glare on my face, grinding my teeth together softly.

“Oh, come on. She’s worth more than fifty grand.” he said, giving off a proud grin.

“Reid,” I began through clenched teeth, “We were just suspended, and Josh wasn’t. I’m not in the mood for your baby talk with your car. I hardly hit it, its fine.” I finished, keeping my eyes locked on his.

“Her, babe. She’s a girl, not an it.”

“It is not alive, therefore it has no gender, Reid. Get over it. It’s only a damn car.” I replied, my nerves on edge.

“Melanie.” Noah warned, but I shot a glare in his direction. Reid was very protective over his car. He absolutely hated when anyone would call it anything other than his baby, or its name, which happened to be Ally. He’s never explained why he named his car what he did, so none of us knew.

Reid’s face grew serious, yet I didn’t care. I was pissed and this situation just made that emotion skyrocket. “Mel, we have had this discussion before.” he gave as a warning. I took a small step back, holding my arms close. My mind brought back the memory that still sometimes haunted me.

“It’s just a car, Reid.” I said, placing a hand on my hip. Reid’ face became red with anger, but it subsided quickly and he began to stalk toward me. I felt my eyebrows furrow in confusion, not understanding what exactly was happening. Reid placed his hands softly on my hips as he usually did before he kissed me. He brought his lips close to mine, sending shivers down my spine. Stopping about an inch away, he increased the pressure of his hands, and I gasped as pain filled the area.

“It’s not just a car. Don’t be fucking stupid.” He said, gaining pressure with every word he spoke. The pain was nearly unbearable, and I tried not to show it.

After the incident, I had bruises on my hips for nearly two and a half weeks. Reid apologized the day after, saying that he felt incredibly horrible about it. I accepted his apology, even though I felt as though it wasn’t sincere.

Noah looked at me, and I looked away, “Why did she react that way?” he asked Reid.

Though the question wasn’t for me, I answered, “I didn’t react. I just felt a chill. It’s chilly out here.”

“Mel.” he said, a concerned tone in his voice.

“Just leave it be, Noe.” I replied, using his nickname.

I never told Noah about the situation, and I never planned to. I couldn’t ruin the friendship between the two of them. I know how he could react, and it wouldn’t be good. A few years back, I had a step-father and he was abusive. He wasn’t abusive toward my mother, but only toward me. Noah figured out about it when he found more than a few bruises in different places and flipped shit. If it weren’t for me talking him down, he would have probably done something he regretted.

“You know what,” I started, and both boys looked at me as they waited for me to finish, “I’m still incredibly pissed. I need to get my anger out, and I have a way to do so.” I finished, regaining my confidence and throwing away the previous conversation.

“What are you planning?” Noah asked, sighing rather subtly after.

“Oh, don’t worry about it.” I replied to his question, a wicked grin falling on my lips.

“This can’t be good.” he said, shaking his head, but letting a small smirk forming on his face. He knew that when I sought out for revenge, I went at it hard.

“Just let her do her thing.” I heard Reid’s voice say, a hint of anger or something close to it in his voice as he spoke.

I began walking toward the other end of the parking lot, throwing back a few more words, “Don’t wait up. I’ll walk.”

I heard the engine of both Reid and Noah’s cars start up, and soon enough, they left. I walked along the parking lot, searching for Josh’s car. While looking, I fiddled with the apartment key that took up room in my pocket. Many cars of different brands and varieties passed by until I finally came across the dark blue Chevrolet pick-up. I grinned, removing the key from its previous place.
You could tell that the car was brand new with a new paint job and everything. The body of the truck was perfect in every way, shape, and form. There wasn’t a dent or a scratch in sight, at least not at the moment, anyhow.

I passed the key from finger to finger as I stared at the beauty. I figured that as much as Reid loved his car, it had to be the same for Josh. I moved my key toward the driver’s door, using it to scratch in a little message for him. Forget little, it was a big message. I slid the key back into my pocket after finishing, and stood back to admire my work. Revenge, in this case, was an accomplishment.

I hadn’t walked home in quite a while, and my legs told me that in the not-so-subtle way. I hadn’t realized how far I actually lived from the high school. Usually either Reid or Noah took me home. I had my license, yet I didn’t have my own car that I could use freely. My mom could only ever afford one after my father left, and barely at that. She needed it literally every day to get back and forth from her two jobs and from her fling’s house.

Unfortunately, for me anyhow, my mother had found a new fling who actually said he wanted to be with her. A few nights back, he proposed to her. They went out for their year and a half anniversary, and he surprised her with a ring. Of course, she believed she was in love with him, so she said yes. My mother also gave me quite a surprise that night, and honestly I feel pretty ignorant that I hadn’t seen it coming. She announced that we were going to move in with him. Ironically, she’s never brought him around me. Rather than ironically, I’m sure it’s purposely. I’m the rebellious disappointment daughter that is every parent’s worst nightmare.

I would be happy for her, but it always ends the same. He thinks he likes her, but ends up leaving her, or sometimes worse. That’s the reason I only call them her fling now. This one, he’s number six. Some hated me, like my father, and other’s loved me a little too much. I count my father as number one.

My father left when I was eight years old. He began to find me annoying and apparently not worthy of his time. I don’t know what triggered his feelings. He used to love spending time with me, but them something flipped and he left. I’ve hated him since.

As I rounded the corner, I noticed the ever-so-familiar moving van outside our apartment. It’d be the last time it came considering we were leaving for Number Six’s house in a few hours.

Once I approached the front door, I twisted the knob and pushed forward, walking in. My mother took off from work to finish packing, so I hadn’t bothered to bring my key. I stepped in, closing the door behind me as I walked through the empty living room. The kitchen was the least empty room in our whole apartment. It contained the major appliances, a small wooden table with a matching chair, and a small desk that held a few boxes. Most of our things were being donated to the local Goodwill due to us not being able to sell it. The only things I was allowed to take were the necessities and valuable items I had. Mom had insisted it not be much, mentioning whenever she could that he owned his own house and had a bunch of furniture. She said that we wouldn’t need all the crappy things we owned at the new place. I refused to call it home, considering it was a place that I didn’t want to be.

She tried buying me new clothes, but it didn’t go over to well. She never had been a fan of my nearly all black wardrobe. She thought that I needed more pinks and yellows, but I refused. She also believed that I needed, in her words, “clothing that actually fit.” She was referring to my midriffs, shorts, and other things that showed skin.

Mom stood by the oven, her head turned to look out the window. She was absentmindedly tapping her fingernails in the counter as she did when she was anxiously waiting for me to return. Without a hello, I opened the fridge and grabbed the last bottle of coke sitting alone on the top shelf. I twisted the lid, taking a long drink, sighing afterward.

I could feel my mother’s eyes on me at this point, but I didn’t dare look at her. I knew that all I would see was disappointment in her eyes, and I just wasn’t willing to get pissed off again. I’d had enough of that today. After every disappointing thing that was caused by her, after every tiny bit of hope that was crushed in my mind, she had no right to be disappointed.

“Honey, they made it ten school days this time. That’s two full weeks.” she spoke softly.

“You act surprised.” I replied, taking another swig of coke from the bottle.

“I am, honestly. I thought after last time..” she cut herself off.

“Last time? Please, Mom. That was hardly my fault.” I said, giving my mother a sharp look.

“Now that I think of it, you’re right,” she started, standing up straighter than she had been before, “I’m pretty sure that was Reid’s fault.” she finished, saying Reid’s name as though it was venom. She was referring to a point where I stood up for Reid after he beat some kid up for trying to get with me.

“Don’t bring him into this. That’s not what I was talking about. It wasn’t his fault, either.” The kid was older than me, and it had freaked me out due to previous things that had happened. I shuddered before I continued talking, “It wouldn’t have happened if…” I stopped myself from talking.

“If what, Melanie?” she asked, no sign of concern in her voice.

“It doesn’t matter. It wasn’t Reid’s fault.”

“Then whose was it?”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Mom. I’m outta here.” I’d had enough at this point. “I’m leaving,” I pulled my phone from my pocket, sending Reid a quick message for him to come pick me up. “Just text me the address. I might show up.” I said, as I began to walk out of the kitchen.

“Melanie, get-“ I slammed the door behind me, cutting her off.

I walked down the street to a small park that Noah and I used to play at as kids, waiting for Reid’s mustang to pull around the corner. I pulled my pack of Marlboro’s out of my pocket, along with my lighter. I put the cigarette between my lips as I lit it. I inhaled, letting the rich smoke fill my lungs, then slowly exhaled.

It wasn’t long before Reid’s car came rushing around the corner.