"Why did you leave like that?" Hazel entered the car as I started the engine, angrily. "Why did he mean by meet me at Lakeshore, one-on-one? What's up with the guns?" Her questions burned my anger with waves of flames. "Why are you ignoring me?"

Hazel was the last person on my mind. I wanted revenge and I was ready to fight. He wanted my skin, I was ready to give it to him. Colin Halls challenged me. He made me feel like I was the loser. He pointed his gun at me. He lied straight to my face. He accused me of being a criminal. I was ready to give him the taste of his own poison.

His betrayal was a blessing.

Friends can deceive you in many ways.

Colin and I were best friends. He was the senator's son. Jessica Halls, my ex-lover, was his sister. I was only twelve when I joined the gang for a few months. Colin's gang. He used to tell me that I was a loser, I was an imbecile and I was scared of big challenges. He used to compare me to him. As a kid, I wanted to know more. I wanted answers. I wanted to be a bad boy just like Colin and I succeeded but it wasn't a great choice for my reputation.

Cops used to come to my house every night. I used to steal cars, break into people's house to scare them away. I had a gun but I never had the courage to shoot anyone. I was good on the inside but Colin killed in cold blood. He was heartless and insensitive.

One night, I realized Colin was doing too much. He used to rob for fun. His parents were millionaires. Colin didn't really need anything. He used to make fun of poor people. He was proud to be the leader of the gang because his father used to pay for his bail every time. He wasn't scared. He thought money was the best thing in life. He was wrong. I had a choice and I decided to snitch and tell the cops about everything but he threw me under the bus. He told my father that I was stealing cars and break into people's private home. The worst part was, he had videos of me doing that. I didn't have a voice anymore.

My father forbade me to go out with my friends. I stayed indoors for years and years. The only place I went to was the forest. I had private courses with different teachers every day. I didn't even have the chance to go to a public school anymore. My dad wanted me to be an example to society. I was his son after all and he had the right to do what he did to me back then.

Colin deserves revenge after everything he did to me. He ruined my father's reputation, my life. There's no way, I'm going to let him get away this time. He wants my skin, I want his broken bones.

"You're home." I started, dryly. "Make sure you sleep and don't wait on me." My tone was cold as ice. I was right in front of her house. I was late for my appointment with Colin and I didn't want him to think that I was a scary coward.

Hazel was a broken clock. She didn't want to move.

"Where are you going?" Her question tested my patience at the wrong time. "Can we talk?"

"Right now is not a good time, Hazel," I said, firmly. "Can you just please go? I want to make sure you're safe. Please, go inside." I begged, impatiently.

"It's Two O'clock in the morning. Where are you going?" I played with my messy brows as I tried so hard not to lose control. "You're about to meet this creepy guy again. Aren't you? Today was supposed to be our first date and you don't even care about me. Who are you right now?" My temper tasted the tone of her voice and dug for revenge.

"I'm still the same person," I admitted. "I just want you to go inside the house so I can leave. Simple." I gestured. "The door is right there. What's so hard about it?"

"You're being selfish right now." She started. "I thought today was going to be a great day but it's not the case. You are about to fight someone immature instead of spending time with your own girlfriend. Do you think that's fair? Do you?" Tears greeted her eyes, unexpectedly. "I don't even know who you are right now. You were so sweet to me and now you're completely someone else. It's like there's a bad side of you. You're scaring me."

"I'll talk to you first thing in the morning," I tried to calm the situation down. "Please, stop crying."

"Who's Jessica?" My heart jumped by the devil's name. "I thought she was still alive. You made it seem like she was still breathing. Why?"

"You ask so many questions." I tried to change the subject. "She's nobody. She's the past. Please forget about it. I don't want to talk about this subject anymore."

"Are you hearing yourself right now?" She pushed my limits. "I'm your girl. Why are you hiding things from me?" Her broken voice whispered pain under her breath. "Don't you trust me? I feel like I'm not important in your eyes."

"I'm not trying to argue on our first date, Hazel," I exclaimed as I glanced at my watch. "I'm late." I tried to warn her to leave the car and go inside her house. "Please."

"Fine." She finally agreed. "Don't even try to have a conversation with me tomorrow. Since you don't care about me, I'll do the same." Her petty tone touched me, deeply. I didn't want her to be mad at me at all.

"Babe." I grabbed her by the arm with a sudden rush. "I'm sorry." She sighed and rolled her eyes at me. "If you want me to stay, I'll stay. I don't want you to be mad at me and I apologize for ignoring you. I didn't mean to hurt you Waffle. I was mad and I lost control." I advanced on her a little bit closer and whispered gently. "Please, accept my apology." I raped her lips with a decent passion. Her lips tasted fresh and cold.

"Why do I feel like you're hiding dark secrets?" She pushed me away, suddenly.

"What do you want to know, Babe?" I tried to communicate.

"How did Jessica die?"

"She committed suicide," I told her the truth. "My best friend, Jack told me about it."

"Why would she do that to herself?" She asked, urgently.

"She killed her parents in a fire and tried to blame it on my father," I explained everything. "She was the worst."

"Thank you for telling me the truth." She drove me away with a wet french hungry kiss. "Can we finish what we started in my bedroom?" I turned off my car.

"Or?" I whispered between kisses. "We can finish it in the car." I pulled her tight red dress all the way up as my head flew between her legs. "Your choice" My warm thirsty tongue licked her thighs with strong hunger.

"My parents can see us." She made a good point. "Let's just go to my bedroom."

"I love when you feed me" I teased with great enjoyment. "I always want more of your food. It's delicious and I'm addicted to your seasoning."

"I'll be waiting upstairs."Her tempting lips gave me a warning as she drove herself inside the house.

****

My incomplete imaginations were tasing my mind with vengeful thoughts. Colin's challenge was waking my anger up. I didn't know what to do. I wanted to forget about him and enjoy the rest of my night with Hazel but I just didn't want him to think I was weak. I wanted to take him down and it was my last chance. I didn't want to miss it and ruin everything.

Forgive me, Hazel but I hate challenges.

I started the engine as soon as she headed inside. The challenge was still on. I was on my way to defeat Colin Halls. I knew Hazel was going to be mad at me but I still wanted to fight him. I still wanted my victory. I've waited so long for this opportunity. My goal was gold. I dreamt about this day and I never thought that it was going to be that easy and that soon. I was ready for my moment. My moment was right now. I was ready to show him what I'm really capable of.

I was the leader of the Dragon. I was the chosen fire.

I was in front of Jack's house. He volunteered. We were on the same page. Colin Halls was our enemy. He mistreated Jack back in middle school. I remember when he used to steal Jack's homework. He was the worst. We hated him with a passion. He made our lives miserable. He made fun of both of us. He disrespected us and stole our childhood happiness.

"I'm ready, man." Jack entered the car as he loaded his gun in front of me. "I can't wait to shoot his imbecile." His anger navigated through the air like poison. Jack was ready to kill in cold blood. He wasn't here to fight.

"Jack." I sighed, patiently. "You're not using this gun, are you?" I asked as I tried so hard to calm him down.

"Hawk!" He chuckled, impatiently. "Can you start the car already?" His tone was cold and unfriendly.

"We're not killing anyone tonight, Jack." I made it clear. "I just want you to get that through your head. It's a fair fight." I started to drive, fastly. "I hate him, you hate him but taking his life is not the solution."

"Hawk! I'm not a criminal but you and I both know that he is." He made his point. "I'm not going to lose my best friend. I'm here for a fair fight but if he's trying me, I'll beat him up. I swear on my life, brother."

Jack took the situation personally. I didn't know why he was acting this way. He was my best friend, after all, I really didn't want him to go to jail because of me. I didn't want him to ruin his perfect life over a stupid fight. My stupid fight.

"We're here." I parked. "They're already waiting on us."

"Let's go." We headed over there, rapidly.

My father used to say that fighting is what immature kids do. He was right but I wanted to be that immature kid. I wanted revenge and I didn't care about the consequences. I just didn't want Jack to go to prison. I wanted a fair fight. No guns, no weapons, fight.

As soon as Colin's car flashlight flashed our view, my heart jumped from a distance. My eyes were playing with my emotions, negatively. My mind was begging for a better view. My skin wanted to murder my own blood with regrets. The rage of impossible sins was knocking on my heavy door.

.

"Jessica?" A sudden shock engraved my heart with a sharp fresh weapon. "You're alive?" My question tormented my mind with disgust, pain and anger. I couldn't believe my eyes.

My worst nightmare tainted my own reality.

.