Chapter 28, The invitation

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"Are we interrupting something?" Matt asks when he stumbles in with Sean and the twins.

I blush like crazy before kicking Owen in the groin and scrambling out from under him.

"I swear you're fucking crazy," Owen cries when he rolls over.

"You were interrupting Owen losing a fight to a girl," I say to cover up what ever just happened. I was not going to kiss Owen. I swear that kiss that happened at the party was an accident.

The only reason I'm here is to find out if the East-side is responsible for my family's death. What I found out instead has me more confused than ever. The East didn't attack Sterling and they only killed Blake's father and brother because of an anonymous tip...

"Well, it looks pretty... Steamy in here," Matt comments.

"Should we leave?" Sean asks.

"We don't want to leave," the twins say in unison.

"NOBODY HAS TO LEAVE! NOTHING IS GOING ON OVER HERE," I exclaim because I swear I might die from blushing. I snort when I picture my tombstone.

Here lies Amber Marigold

The first person to die of blushing.

May she rest in peace.

"I wouldn't say nothing is going on, I technically got a second kiss from you, Goldy," Owen says from the floor. I spin around and send him a death glare. His tombstone is quite clear in my head as well.

Here lies Owen Rhodes

His death is a lesson for all to know when to shut their mouth.

May he rest in peace with Amber's five-inch heel up his ass.

"Man, we missed the best part!" Matt complains.

"The sexual tension is going to make me vomit," Sean complains.

"HERE IS NO SEXUAL TENSION,"

"Stop denying it, Goldy"

"SHUT UP"

Owen gets back on his feet and sends me a smirk that I want to wipe off his face with a chair. A very large chair with spikes and poison and shit.

I start looking around for a suitable chair while the inner-gang finally walks in and makes them self comfortable on the modern couch that's in front of the fire-place. Matt pats the seat next to him and with a sigh, I drag myself over. Owen and the twins are sitting on the other couch while Sean, Matt and I share this one.

"Is it safe for me to sit here? Did anything happen on this couch?" Matt asks. He pushes back his blond hair to keep from laughing, but his brown eyes are practically wheezing. If eyes could wheeze that is.

"If you didn't interrupt me, it wouldn't have been safe anymore," I admit.

Owen sends me a smirk and says: "Oh, so you confess there's something between us?"

I put on my scariest smirk, "The only thing between us, is the knife I'll be stabbing you with. If Matt over didn't interrupt us, this couch would be stained with your blood."

"Tsk tsk tsk, so much violence, Goldy," Owen says.

I roll my eyes and send him the bird.

"I remember back in the day when I could keep count of this little banter war. But alas, Amber probably has about one billion points while Owen is still at zero," Matt sighs.

"That was a week ago," the twins correct.

"A week is a life time for a butterfly," Matt points out.

"Dude, are you a butterfly?" Sean asks.

"That would be amazing," Matt says.

"This is my inner-gang... Two dim-wits, Grumpy and a grown-ass guy that wants to be a butterfly," Owen sighs while trying to rub the creases from his brow.

"Quite the scary gang you guys are," I laugh.

It's so ridiculous. These fancy coat-wearing bastards are all softies really. It's pathetic in a cute kinda way and if one of the other gangs knew this, the East would be destroyed within seconds.

The again, Blake isn't Mr Indestructible either... As much as he like to think he is...

It's a battle of bleak boy on his lonely silver throne and copper boy in his blinding boxing ring.

"So, you guys got any news?" Owen asks his inner-gang.

The twins look at each other before they both look back at Owen. "The North is still holding its ball Saturday night," Ryan says. 

"Xavier didn't care much about us killing his guys after all," Bryan adds.

Owen snorts. "Of course they're still holding the ball. The north are a bunch of ass-kissing cowards. Xavier would never do anything against the East or West. We're too strong," Owen says.

My blood goes a little cold when I remember what Xavier told me Saturday. 

I'm getting rid of both the East- and West-side. And you, dear Amber Marigold, will be my weapon. 

This ball... Whatever the twins are talking about it must be Xavier's plan to get rid of Blake and Owen... And they have no idea that it's all a trap...

Should I warn them? Do I even care?

"A ball?" I ask the guys.

Matt turns to me, "Yeah, the North always holds a ball this time of year to discuss the territories and to renew the treaty," he explains, "It's a pretty old custom now."

"It's very formal," the twins say.

"And good for business when a couple of our girls escort some of the men," Sean adds.

Prostitutes. That's what the East deals with, I remind myself.

My phone buzzes and I open it without a second thought. Of course it's from Mysterious Fucker.

My attention immediately gets snatched. Mysterious Fucker has been pulling me deeper into this gang shit and now all of the sudden he doesn't want me to go to a ball? Something really bad must be on it's way...

I decide to respond with:

As expected, Mysterious Fucker doesn't respond. I look up and Sean puts his phone away. 

Wait, can Sean be Mysterious Fucker?

The guys are discussing whether they should arrive early or late for the ball and I use the opportunity to check Sean out. With his dark brown hair and permanent scowl, he would never have jumped at me as Mysterious Fucker.

I'd have to do some more investigating...

"Who's taking me home?" I suddenly ask the guys.

"If you want a ride, just ask," Matt says with a dirty grin.

"Eww, no! I hate blonds, thank you," I tell Matt. His smile instantly disappears.

"You just got rejected," Owen laughs.

"Like you haven't been getting rejected for the last week?" Matt shoots back.

"Guys, guys, I'll take Amber home while you compare dicks. I'm the driver of the group after all," Sean says.

"We can take her," the twins suggest. They smile at me with their bright brown eyes and suddenly I wonder if Mysterious Fucker can be two people.

"I'm the leader over here, so I think I get to take Amber home," Owen says.

A few grumbles are the only signs of disagreement.

"That's what I thought," Owen smirks and then turns back to me. With his towering height, I have no choice but to follow him out of the hotel. 

I hate admitting that I picture him without his coat and shirt while I follow him. He gave me quite the surprise at the boxing match tonight. I knew Owen would be muscled, but... With his broad shoulders and definite abs, It's like he's sculpted or something. 

And don't even get me started on whatever was happening before Matt walked in. I don't even want to think about it. Just like I want to forget kissing him at that stupid party.

"So, what's this ball like?" I ask Owen when his Lamborghini pulls over and the guy that drove it throws Owen his keys.

"I guess it's a lot like me. Gorgeous and stunning to look at, but also dangerous," Owen says with his stupid cocky smirk.

"Well, it can't be too dangerous then. You got your ass kicked by a girl AND you wore a bathrobe in one night," I laugh.

"Considering that I've kissed you twice already and that well, I had you quite pinned to that carpet, I'd barely call it getting my ass kicked. Besides, you had an advantage because I couldn't actually hit you," Owen points out.

"Whatever," I grumble, "You'll never get a kiss from me out of my own free will."

"Got pretty darn close before Matt interrupted us," Owen smirks.

"Oh my God," breathe when I feel like I might actually die of blushing. This guy wants to embarrass me! He's finding joy out of all this!

We drive the rest of the way to my house in silence. I feel weird for calling it my house since my house is technically in another state... It's Jessy's house...

I decide to shove the feeling down. I've been doing that a lot lately. My parent's death was shoved down, my dark side is shoved down and even the news that my dad was part of a gang, I have to shove down. I don't want to think about what'll happen when it all comes out...

The street lights light up the night sky and houses and trees are whizzing past us as we speed along. We pass a few restaurants and couples are making their way back home. It's amazing how much this town hides. You'd never expect it to be 'the gateway' to the rest of the county for gangs.

When we pull over at the house, Owen turns to me with his smirk a little turned down. "I've never met a girl quite like you, Goldy," he says.

"Same goes for you, Owen. You make all the other girls seem like nothing," I shoot back with a satisfied little smile.

We laugh at that one before Owen turns a little more serious again. 

"But seriously, you're driving me crazy. You're a puzzle that I can't figure out. I don't even you have yourself figured out yet..." he mumbles. "This is going to sound retarded, but... I feel like I'm liking who I'm becoming while I'm trying to figure you out... Hell, I've known you little more than a week and already I hate judging others."

I go a little warm at his words. God, this guy is good in acting. I know this is all for the bet and I refuse to let my heart go soft.

But... if I don't warn him about Xavier's plans to kill him, he'll most likely die at that ball... Do I spare the guy who said it'll be easy to get me in bed? The guy that's just messing with my heart to win a bet? Or do I let Xavier destroy the East and West? Two flies with one swot...

You should make the choice now, my voice of reason says. Warn him about Xavier now or let him fall into the Narthan trap.

"Good night, Owen," I say and climb out of the car.

Feeling guilty, I shuffle to the house and unlock the door. I rush inside without turning back to Owen. Only when the door is closed and locked again do I hear the car drive away.

I'm not stupid, I tell myself.

Owen is just pretending to be a nice guy. Just like Blake...

I head to the kitchen because Jessy left me the light on. Before I can switch the light back off and go snuggle in my bed though, I spot a fancy-looking envelope.

A bit nervous, I decide to open it.

Dear Amber Marigold,

You are here by invited to the annual Northan ball held at Isabella, the Northan house. As an important member of the town, your presence will be greatly appreciated. It will be a night to remember.

Adress: Isabella. Date: This Saturday. Time: 7 PM. Dress code: Formal.

We look forward to seeing you there.

PS: I'd love to see who you pick as your partner. The war will begin and I want to start wielding my weapon.

- Xavier Jilten

I look up astonished. I'm... I'm actually invited to this ball? And Xavier is definitely planning something...

Something inside me sparks. 

Blake's sad grey house. Owen's happy parents. How the paint on my clothes reminds Blake of the brother he lost. Maybe that's why he pretends to not care... How Owen is actually maybe changing because I'm showing him how to see good in people...

And then I remember that the last people on the suspect list for my parent's death are the North-side gang...

These boys might be jerks, but they're still human... Xavier Jilten is not human. I see it in his eyes and now in his plans.

I can't hide while someone gets killed... I already did that with my parents...

And that's why I know I'll go to that ball. 

I'll just have to pick a date...

Hey, Goldies!

I'm wrote Math today, so sorry for the late update again... I'm such a horrible writer! Lol sorry again... 

As you know, I'm back from the camping trip, which is awesome! It was a pretty hectic camp with my friends and I might have alcohol poisoning lol. At one point I literally slept in a bush, because apparently it looked soft.

BTW the next chapter is gunna be super short, cozzzz you'll see why ;)

~ Holly Shmit

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