-•PRESLEY•-

I couldn't ditch school like yesterday, as much as I wanted to, I wouldn't allow myself to. I was entirely exhausted as I carried myself through the halls of my school and to Mrs. Dean's office. Even though it wasn't Friday yet, Mrs. Dean asked me to help her with a few small tasks. She said it wouldn't take more then a few minutes so I agreed, knowing that I wouldn't run the risk of punishment from the boss.

When I arrived at her office, she greeted me with her usual welcoming smile. Her eyes landed on the slight cut on my cheek from the night before and her smile faltered. I had made myself the strongest elixir this morning to ease the pain, it helped soothe it but it did little to fade the mark.

From experience, I knew the tiny cut would heal in approximately two days with proper care but for now, I had to manage.

"Oh dear, what happened there?," she asked, pointing to my cheek.

I sighed. "Don't worry, Mrs. Dean, it was just a clumsy little accident," I reassured her.

She arched a brow. "Are you sure? Is everything okay at home?"

I dug my nails into the palm of my shaking hands, demanding that my tears stay at bay. The night before was still too fresh in my mind, and mentally, I hadn't fully recovered. I could still feel Robert twist my arm, I could still see the wild look on Nathan's face when he beat him bloody.

"Everything's great," I said quietly. "The story's just too embarrassing to share," I forced a small chuckle.

Her worried expression wavered and she laughed. "You are a clumsily little thing," she admitted.

I sat down at a chair in front of her and a forced another chuckle. Mrs. Dean let the subject go and I huffed out a silent sigh of relief.

While I stirred a healing elixir, she copied down a recipe that I gave her for an effective stress relieving remedy.

"Have you given any more thought to the colleges you're going to apply to?," she asked as I was inputting the last ingredient for the third healing elixir.

Weeks ago, I would've broke down in tears at the question but now I didn't feel the need to do that. The gangs salary was efficient enough for paying tuition for college. I sent in five applications last week to different schools.

Deep in my mind, I knew that if I wanted to keep earning the gangs salary, I needed to stay local which wasn't much of an issue, there were plenty of great schools here.

"I just sent out five applications," I admitted with a smile. "My aim is for Portland University."

Mrs. Dean let out a gasp. "Gosh, Presley, I'm so proud of you. For a second, you had me worried that you were going to waste that brilliant brain of yours."

I shook my head. "I haven't gotten in yet, Mrs. Dean," I stated quietly.

"I know that, silly! But I have one hundred percent faith that you will," she said with a beaming smile.

Despite my turbulent mood, I found myself matching her smile.

••••••••••••••••••••

The hallways were empty as I walked through them, reminding me that it was after school hours. I liked the halls like this, where I didn't have to weave my way through tight crowds.

I reached into my backpack to retrieve one of my trusty mints when I was suddenly slammed into the lockers. Panic flowed through me as I thought it was Robert who had come to finish me off but when I looked up, I locked eyes with Ross who was grinning down at me.

Without warning, he slammed his lips onto my mouth. I gave a little gasp of surprise. He continued to work his lips against mine, I attempted to kiss back but I found myself doing it out of force. I didn't have the energy to keep up with him.

I pulled back tentatively and he opened his eyes to examine my face. He frowned when his eyes landed on the tiny cut on my cheek. I ducked my face away from him but he lifted my chin.

"Who did this?," Ross asked.

I shook my head. "It was just an accident," I whispered softly.

"Was it that neighbor of yours?," he asked, his voice becoming rough.

I drew my brows together in confusion. "Nathan?," I questioned. "Of course not."

"He doesn't look like a good guy, Pres," he said, trailing his hands down my sides.

I found myself wanting to come to Nathan's defense, but nothing came out of my mouth. Ross took my silence as an invitation to kiss me again, he ran his fingers up and down my arms, then trailed them over my neck.

I delicately pulled away again. I didn't know why I had the sudden urge to cry. All I knew was that I wouldn't allow Ross to witness my complete breakdown.

"Ross," I said quietly. "I...I don't think I really have time for this right now. There's just too much going on," I said truthfully.

He smirked. "You seemed pretty into it the first time," he said, gripping my waist.

Suddenly the urge to cry became stronger and I had to bite my lip to conceal it.

"Can't we just...be friends?," I questioned weakly.

He released his grip on my waist and a different look took over his face, it was an expression I couldn't quite pin point.

"I can do friends," he said after a moment, examining my face. "For now."

"Ross-."

"You'll come around," he winked. "But for now, we're friends, sound good?"

I smiled slightly. "Yes."

He nodded his head. "Until tomorrow, friend," he said, before turning around and walking to the exit of the school, leaving me in an empty hallway to gather my thoughts.
                                •••••••••••••••••••••

At dinner, I sat with Haley and Alvin. I wasn't in the mood to eat much, so I gloomily toyed with my food.

The pair talked excitedly about the gang race that was coming up in two weeks from now. I watched how Haley laughed hysterically at Alvin's remarks and I watched how Alvin viewed her with so much attention. It was like they were the same person deep inside, always in sync with each other. Maybe that arose from growing up together in the same gang, maybe that bond would never be replaced.

Haley laid her head on my shoulder. "What's with the little pout, Pres?," she questioned.

"Bad rejection?," offered Alvin. "If that's the case, I got something you might want to try."

I released a tired sigh and pushed my food aside. "I'm just not feeling too well," I said weakly.

"Maybe you should just go lay down," Haley said.

As I was about to open my mouth to protest, Nathan sat down in front of us, eying me carefully.

"I need to talk to Presley," he announced.

Haley looked at Alvin, the pair shared a smile. "We'll be in the armory," Haley said before stalking off with Alvin at her side.

Once they were gone, Nathan seemed to ease up, he didn't look quite like the boy he had been at the carnival, but he wasn't fully guarded either.

"Hey," he said, keeping his voice hushed.

I looked around me and saw that only a few other people from the gang were in the dining hall, everyone was talking in low voices.

"Hi."

"How are you feeling?," he questioned, scanning my eyes, looking for the truest answer.

I gave a weak little shrug. "I'm okay," I said softly.

He grabbed Haley's drink that she left behind and took a sip of it. "Lying isn't good for the soul, little one."

I smiled. "Some lying is good."

"Maybe," he shrugged. "But I don't want you to lie to me."

Something about his statement sent my cheeks a small wave of heat.

His mouth gave a slight twitch at my reaction but he didn't let his smile spread, not like when it was just the two of us at the carnival.

"The man at the carnival, he was the one who you did that to your face when we first met, wasn't he?," Nathan asked, coolly. "And to your wrist."

I wanted to run up to my room and curl up on my bed while I cried until my head hurt. Nathan probably wouldn't appreciate that, so I stayed, facing his fierce green eyed gaze.

I could feel my bottom lip give a little wobble as I spoke. "No," I whispered.

Nathan slammed his hand on the table, causing me to startle. When I looked around us again, everyone had cleared the dining hall, it was just us.

Nathan's loud connection with the table echoed through the now empty dining hall. I felt my eyes prick with tears. Nathan seemed to realize the anger he had released, he huffed out a breath.

"Kid, I'm sorry-."

The urge to cry I had earlier with Ross today was suddenly impossible to suppress.

"Nathan," I whimpered, tears trailing down my cheeks. "If you weren't there yesterday, I would be dead," I hiccuped. "He would've beaten me to death in an alley somewhere and I would be dead."

I'm front of me, Nathan ran a distressed hand through his coal black hair. His jaw clenched as he looked at me. "Kid, don't...say those things."

"But it's true," I sniffled. "When my mom died, he was supposed to take care of me, feed me, he didn't even have to like me," I said weakly. "He just had to be a good person."

Nathan looked down at his hands with an undetectable expression. It was completely stoned over. It was frightening. When he finally looked up at me, he cleared his throat.

"I got to go," he said, rising from his seat.

"Why?," I asked quietly, trying hard to keep the hurt from my voice.

Before he could speak, Kevin approached us. I unconsciously shuffled farther away from him. Nathan crossed his arms watching Kevin with an expectant expression.

"The boss send you?," Nathan asked.

Kevin nodded, casting a quick, curious expression at me. I ducked my head, pretending to play with a lose strand on my pants.

"He wanted to go over code Firebird with us."

Nathan turned around to examine me quickly. "What are you talking about?," he asked, turning back to Kevin again. "There is no code Firebird."

Kevin shrugged. "Apparently now there is."

Nathan nodded. "I'll catch up with you."

Kevin casted one last, skeptical look at me, then turned around and walked to the Boss's office.

"Go back up to your room," Nathan instructed, voice void of any gentleness. "I don't want you out here by yourself."

My brows drew together in confusion.

Nathan gave a single shake of his head and grabbed my arm to haul me up. His hand wrapped gently around my elbow. "The K Blades are coming for a meeting, kid. Only the closest circle of the Creeds know what Firebird is, that's why Kevin had to keep it...subtle."

I looked up at his green eyes full of urgency and I found myself nodding.

"Don't take any detours, not even to the infirmary. Don't come back out until morning, got it?," he explained, eyes roaming my face.

"Okay."

He released my arm and kept a steady pace as he walked to the boss's office. I followed Nathan's orders, not wanting to run into one of the K Blades while they had their imposing visit.