"I'm pregnant, " She had said.

My mother was one of those people who fell too deeply in love and always with the wrong people. After my father's disappearance five years ago, she became depressed and withdrew from the world.

I couldn't even tell her my problems with the Cagers because she was hurting enough. It took a lot of effort and therapy to get her back to normal. I was happy she found Dave, which was why I agreed to move to his house. He helped her get back to normal again, made her feel loved and special. She always has this huge smile on her face when she talks about him, and I was happy for her.

But a baby? A baby changes everything.

The image of Dave kissing another woman replayed in my head. It didn't look that serious, I mean, I hope it isn't

My phone rings, snapping me out of my thoughts. I roll on my bed to the other side and grab my phone from the brown nightstand next to my bed.

"Yes, " I say into the phone after clicking the green button.

"Who am I talking to, Jay or Starfish?"

Starfish's real name was Jay.

I hear him sigh deeply before talking. "Jay."

I sit up straighter and rest my back on the headboard of my bed. "Did something happen?"

"Can you not come here on Saturday?" He asks, a nervous tone to his voice.

For the first time, Jay sounded nervous and uneasy, something he has never been. When I first joined the gang, Jay was the one who took me in and treated me like his younger brother.

He was nineteen at the time. He used to buy me late-night ice cream and take me bowling. He still didn't talk much then, but he said I reminded him of himself when he was younger.

Jay also got dragged into The Cagers at a young age. I don't know his story because he never talks about it, but I know he's had it pretty rough.

"Just don't come, okay?"

I nod my head reluctantly. "I need a reason, Jay. They would notice my absence."

He was asking me not to come to the Cage. The Cage was the place where all members of the gang in New York gathered.

There are probably thousands of members in New York, but we've never all gathered at the same time. The news is the head mafia is making an appearance on Saturday for the initiation ceremony.

You get fully initiated into the Cager when you're eighteen. I think it's a tattoo or something. It symbolizes that you're a cager and would be able to get help from another Cager anywhere in the world once they see it.

On Saturday was the initiation for twenty-five members in New York, I included. There was no way I could skip it.

"I'll cover for you. Just stay home or check yourself into a hospital, " he replies in a harsher tone.

"Why are you telling me this now?"

He's silent for a while, giving his response a deep thought. "Because I don't want you to end up like me."

And with that, he cuts the call without giving me a chance to speak. I slide from the headboard and lay flat on my bed, fixing my gaze on the blue ceiling.

My life just keeps getting more and more fucked up. At this point, the only thing keeping me sane is Kelch.

~~~~~~~~~~

I throw my duffel bag into my locker and sit on the bench in the boy's locker room to tie the lace of my cleats.

Zyair grabs my face towel and throws it over my neck. I shoot him a thank you look and wipe my face. We listen to Aaron rant about how Ken was annoying him.

Ken was the assistant football captain, while Aaron was the captain. They were both the best players on the team. The only problem was Ken refused to accept Aaron as the captain. They were never on good terms because Ken felt he should be captain.

The two often clash, and Zyair and I are always stuck listening to Aaron's complaints. Aaron takes his role as football captain way too seriously. He never lets us slack and always tries his best to help us whenever we go off.

The only problem was Ken. Well, maybe I'm biased because Aaron is my friend, but I don't care.

"I could fucking kill him right now, " Aaron bluffs, kicking his locker. We were the only ones left in the locker room after practice, hence this little show.

"Help with the knife in my locker, would you? It would make things easier for him, " I nod to Zyair and grab my bottle of water before standing up.

Aaron glares at me. "Your sarcasm is not needed, " he snorts.

"Who says I was being sarcastic." I deadpan, crossing my arms as I lean against my locker.

"Killing someone over a disagreement is kinda going overboard, " He said, tight-lipped.

"Well, you're about to kill yourself over the issue, so I don't see the difference, " I cross my arms and lean against the lockers.

Aaron's eyes glint with anger, almost as if he couldn't believe I was interrupting his rant session. I had always listened to him before, but I knew Kelch might be waiting for me and didn't want to waste any more time.

"So, McDonald's?" Zyair raises his hands.

Aaron grabs his bag from his locker forcefully and shuts his locker with a bang. He gives us one last grimace before walking out.

"I hope you're happy, " Zyair says sarcastically.

Yes, I am. I get to see her sooner.

We walk out, and sure enough, Kelch was sitting on the bench. Her head bent as she stared down at her phone, her brows her creased, and her full pink lips had a downward curve. She was fuming over something on her phone.

Her skin glistened like gold under the dim sunlight. The sight of her sets my heart on fire every single time. She looks up, and her lips curve into a smile.

I smile back and wave at her. "Hey, " I walk up to her and help her with her bag.

She tries to grab it from me, but I throw it over mine and intertwine our fingers.

She removes her fingers from mine and crosses her arm over her chest.

"You know we can't do this, right?" She asks, peering at me through her long lashes.

"Do what?" I ask blankly.

I knew what she was talking about, but I'd rather be in denial. My mum's pregnancy didn't just change things for her. It changed things for Kelch and me.

"Are you hungry?" I ask, trying to change the subject.

She bites her lips, thinking for a while before she nods. "Sure."

~~~~~~~~

It was Sunday evening, and I was on my knees in The cage as Jelly seethed about my absence at the initiation ceremony earlier today.

"Do you know how embarrassing it was for us. The only kid missing was from our district, " He growls, his arms furiously crossed over his chest.

"How could you be so inconsiderate. What would Enzo think of me now, " he adds, through gritted teeth. I see he was very concerned about impressing the boss.

I stand up and clean off the dust on my jeans. Jay had told me to take whatever they had to throw at me. According to him, it was a small price to pay for missing the initiation.

"I'm not done talking, " He grunts, clenching his fist.

"I am done listening."

"Do I need to kill that girl to get you to listen?" He taunts, grabbing me by the collar.

The thought of him referring to Kelch as that girl, and threatening her safety makes my blood curl in anger.

I grab his collar with equal force. "Touch her, and I'll fucking kill you."

"Ouu...I'm scared, " He chuckles bitterly, waving his hands like a little girl.

His ridiculously high teasing voice annoyed me, and I take a swing at his jaw with my fist.

He saunters back, taken aback by the shock. He clutches his jaw before glaring at me.

He brings his hand up to punch me back, but I block it with my forearm. I raise my legs and kick him right in the guts.

"Umph!" Air came out of Jelly's lungs like whiskey out of a shot glass. His knees buckle, and he bends forward, his hands on his stomach.

Jelly still thinks I'm still the little boy who walked in here five years ago. I was going soft on him, but he could never beat me. While I was tall and lean, he was short and round with a protruded hard rock belly.

"I swear I'm going to kill you on of these days, " he manages to say, still recovering from my punch.

"Till then, you'll always be at my mercy, " I growl and take strides towards him until I am close enough to smell the scent of his cigarette. I stare down at him, my hands in my pocket.

"Stay away from her, " I muttered in a low voice. Jelly remains still for a while, registering my words.

I give him one last stare before walking away from him, heading for the door. A loud gunshot sound pierces through the air, deafening me for a quick moment.

I slowly turn on my heels and see Jelly holding his gun to the ceiling, an evil glint in his eyes. "Get ready for your initiation is tomorrow."

Jay, who had been quiet, suddenly looks up from his phone. "That's not how it works, " He narrows his eyes.

"Enzo decided to give him another chance, " Jelly replies.

Jay gets up and walks briskly towards me. "Leave, I'll take care of this."

I push him off. What was the big deal?

"It's just a damn tattoo, " I scowl.

"What?" his eyes narrow as he stares at me. "It's not a tattoo. It's a fucking chip. A tracker that will be implemented in your brain, " he grits in a low voice, his grip on my arm tightening.

"You can't fucking escape if it gets on you. You've got a family, and I'm trying to help you live a decent life, so leave. Unless you have nothing to lose, then stay, " he growls, in a low angry voice.

A chip?

He lets go of my arm and pushes me out. "Leave."

I drag my legs slowly as I head for the door, Jay's words seeping into my head.

A chip? What the fuck did my dad get me into?

I walk out and get into my car. I rest my head on the steering wheel and think of all the things I had to lose. I had a lot of people that I'd never want to hurt.

But the first name that comes to mind is Kelch.

I smile a little as I think of her. She had told me she was going to NYU today.

I decided to call her and hear about her day. Her cheerful voice never fails to warm my heart and calm my soul.

She was both my weakness and strength. She doesn't pick the first time, so I call again, and she picks up on the third ring.

Fear courses through my vein when I greeted with muffled cries from the other end. "Kelch?"

Her cries increase after hearing me call her name. The color drains from my face at the sound of her etching sobs. "Kelch?"

"G-g-gray, " she hiccups through her tears, struggling to speak.

My heart aches at the thought of her in pain. "Where are you?" my voice comes out as a whisper.

"I-I don't - K-know, " She whimpers, struggling to make a proper sentence. Her wails increase again, and I hear her irrational breathing through the phone.

I swear I was going to kill whoever hurt her this much, but first, I needed to get to her.

"Turn on your phone location. I'm coming to you."

••••••••••

QOTD- Who is your favorite musical artist?

>> I've forever been in love with Harry styles. But, I think post Malone is cool too. 🦋

Kindly, vote or comment if you're enjoying the book❤️