by Karla Luna
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The Bad Girl and The Good Boy
By: Karla Luna
ISBN: 978-1-68030-124-3
© KarlaLuna 2014
1: Some Bad News
•Evelyn Jo •
“Do you think he’s dead or unconscious?”
I turned to look at Drake, who had his hand over his chin, skeptically looking at the motionless middle-aged man sprawled on the ground.
We were on our way to go get some delicious food when we found this guy in an alleyway nearby. He was actually one of the guys that owed us money for giving him a few special things. He had a business suit on, but his tie – which used to be light blue – was now covered in dirt and what seemed to be dry blood. So obviously, this had caught our attention since something bad must’ve happened to him. I mean, there had to be a reason he was here, like this.
Suddenly, Drake kicked the guy without any hesitation. He kicked him hard, and right in the stomach, making the guy roll over to his side. We all stood in silence for a few seconds, as the other two guys from our group – Ian and Darrel – inched closer to hear the man, in case he made any human sound at all. The man then groaned after a couple of moments, and Drake gave an approving look with a slight nod.
“Unconscious, all right. Still alive, but barely.” He then walked around the man, his hands linked together behind him, as he seemed to be deep in thought. I wanted to roll my eyes at him, but all I did was smile a little at how cute he was actually being right now. “What should we do with this guy then?”
“I say we kill him,” Ian immediately said, not missing a single beat. He shrugged right afterwards, as if it was no big deal that we would be killing a guy that already seemed to be on his deathbed by now.
“Psh, I say, we take out everything he has that is actually valuable, and then dump the helpless body in that Dumpster,” Darrel suggested, as if it were obvious that it was the best idea ever conceived. He also pointed to the huge, green Dumpster right in front of us.
“Okay, Darrel’s idea it is.” Drake didn't even think twice about it. He motioned for Ian and Darrel to get to work, as he turned and stared right at me. I bit my lip and crossed my arms over my chest just as he came up to me to put his arm around my shoulders. “Cold?” he asked me.
I shook my head, watching Ian grab the guy by the arms and pull him up in a sitting position, while Darrel checked all of his pockets – finding a watch, a wallet, and some tickets.
“Wrestling tickets!?” Darrel yelled excitedly, as he and Ian high-fived each other. I couldn't help but laugh at the two idiots. Good thing there were actually four tickets, though. We all loved going to wrestling tournaments considering these guys wrestled too, and even took the time to show me a few moves, which was actually a lot of fun.
Coincidence that there were enough tickets for all of us? I think not.
“Scared?” I scoffed at Drake's question, just as he slid his hand to rest on my waist, pulling me closer so our stomachs could touch. He grabbed my face and gently pushed my wavy, brown hair away so that he could clearly see me.
“I don't even think we should be doing this,” I honestly told him. “We just saw him here… I mean, sure he owes us money, but what if we get into trouble when we technically didn't do any damage to him?”
“Oh, Eve,” Drake smirked, lightly pinching my chin as I moved my head away, raising one eyebrow at him. “You always make it sound so difficult. You've been in this group for quite a while now. You shouldn't question what we do with the people that don’t understand the consequences. Like this guy, clearly.”
I thought about it right then. What we did to people was way, way worse, sometimes, but I couldn't help but wonder who did this. Or if the guy actually did something to himself before we got to him.
“I always wondered…” Ian then came up to us, eating some French fries from a white paper bag. I gave him a disgusted look. Where the hell did he find those? In the Dumpster? “How come we hardly called our ‘little group’ a gang?”
“If you want to call it that, then fine, whatever. Doesn’t really matter.” Drake turned back to me, and then lightly kissed my forehead. I smiled as I felt his soft, warm lips on me. “Now, let’s bail.” He grabbed my hand, and then we all walked out of the alleyway together.
I’ve been with this gang ever since I was in the 10th grade. Now, I was in my senior year, which means I've been with these guys for about two years now. I had reasons why I decided to join their criminal gang. But it was a very touchy subject for me, so I always kept it a secret. And Drake was the only one who really knew about my past. But hey, the past was in the past. It made us who we are today. And the bad stuff will continue to haunt us no matter what. But sometimes, we just had to forget it all – because now, the future is nearer, and it is actually more important.
Anyway (sorry, sometimes I get all deep and shit), what we actually did was break a few laws here and there – do drugs, rob, and hurt people, if we thought it was necessary to do so. Basically, we did anything a good and innocent kid wouldn't dare do.
Drake Lancaster was the eldest. He was 19, and out of high school, known as the leader of the gang. He was also my boyfriend ever since I started hanging out with him and the other two. He had dark eyes and short, dark hair. He was also the one who had saved me from my past misery, and showed me his rather interesting way of living.
Then, there were Ian Cohen and Darrel Ivanova. Those two, you could tell apart from their looks since Ian had light brown hair and light green eyes, while Darrel had blond hair and dark blue eyes. But their personalities were very alike. They were the jokesters and the more lovable ones. But don't let that always fool you, because like us, they were complete hell once you messed with them.
I was clearly the only girl in the gang. I went by the name Evelyn Jo. I was more of the feisty type, having a mischievous attitude that was actually serious sometimes, which was usually when I decided to get tough on people. I did a few bad things, and was taught how to fight and rebel. I had long, silky brown hair with big blue eyes, and was thin with olive skin. I had looked innocent once, but all of that had obviously changed.
That was the whole group right there. We were the type of people parents warned their kids about, but of course, not a lot of people knew who we were since we always kept our faces hidden while we were doing something that might involve jail if we ever got caught.
Drake was the only one who's ever been in juvie though, for four years, when he was just a bit younger. The rest of us have not yet done anything that would’ve sent us to juvie, mostly because we weren’t planning on getting caught. But who knew? Anything could happen.
“Ugh.”
I sipped my Coke and looked up at Drake, who was looking down at his phone with a frustrated look on his face.
“We gotta go,” he said, putting his phone back in his pocket.
“Whoa, whoa! Right now?” Ian asked, looking up from his French fries, which were stacked up on top of each other like the game Jenga.
“Psh, yeah, we’re kind of in the middle of something here?” Darrel shook his head at Drake. But Drake only slammed his fist on the table and got up. He pointed at the two guys.
“If you guys aren't in the car in 45 seconds, I’m fucking leaving you here.” He was off after that, leaving right through the back door.
I knew then that we had a drug deal coming our way, which would explain Drake's harsh attitude. He hated missing a deal because of us. Or rather
, because of Ian and Darrel here.
I deeply sighed, grabbed my jacket, and stood up from the table. I stopped to look at the two morons, who pretty much seemed way more excited than a little kid on Christmas morning. Typical Ian and Darrel.
Then I did the only thing that would wipe those happy faces off immediately. I grabbed a French fry from the bottom and yanked it off, making the whole tower fall… along with their pretty faces.
“Evelyn!” they both yelled in unison, getting glares and weird stares from the people around us. I only looked back and glared at them, mentally telling them to mind their own damn business.
“Get your asses outside and in the car, unless you want a pissed off Drake smashing your heads against the trunk.”
A loud groan was heard all the way from where I was seated in the car. Drake suggested we leave this one to him, so we could go home right afterwards. But I admit, I hated being left out. My fist needed something to punch right about now. What?! I always had the need to, even when I was pretty calm.
Hmm... I pursed my lips in boredom. Maybe I could play that one zombie game on my phone. I do have to beat that one level after all.
“Hey, guys, is my phone back there? I need to…” I cut myself off when I turned to see the two morons sprawled across the back seats with their mouths hanging wide open as they practically slept like babies. They snored and Ian even had his fist halfway inside Darrel’s mouth. Pathetic. A little gross. And stupidly hilarious.
I shrugged and jammed my fist on the horn button, earning yelps and grunts right after the loud beeping was made. The car moved as they both woke up, and I even heard one of them hit himself hard on the ceiling of the car. I just smiled innocently as if I hadn't done a single thing.
“What the hell, Evelyn?” Ian asked, just as Drake slid in with four large packs of money. He gave me one, and then tossed the guys their share.
“Why did you beat the guy up?” I asked, remembering the loud groans from earlier. Who knew, maybe the guy was making Drake pretty mad and I bet he regretted it a lot by now.
“What?” Drake asked with a confused expression. I raised my eyebrows at him until he realized what I had meant. “Oh, the guy just slipped on some wet mud, that’s all.”
“Let me guess. You just laughed, like, a lot. And then, you didn't even think about helping him up. You just grabbed the money and left.”
He just nodded as if it wasn’t a big deal.
“Pretty much, yeah.” He started the engine and drove off. I didn't miss that smirk on his lips though. “You know me so well, babe.”
“I know you so well... because I totally would've done the same thing!” I laughed and playfully slapped his arm.
He only chuckled at me. “By the way, why'd you press the horn? I didn't take that long.”
“First, you lasted ten minutes and you know how impatient and bored I get in only ten minutes. Then, I decided I wanted to play a zombie game and remembered my phone was in my bag in the back, but these two were sleeping.”
Drake glanced at the guys from the rearview mirror and sighed. I think they were sleeping again…
“Doesn't quite surprise me,” he said. “Let's go home now. This was a pretty busy day.”
We got to our house in less than fifteen minutes. We all lived together in a one-story house that had two bedrooms. It was painted light brown and black, and we did keep it very clean due to Drake's slight OCD.
Ian and Darrel shared a bedroom, while Drake and I shared another. We had separate beds, since we never really went that far with each other – even with being together this long. I was a virgin, but I guess most people wouldn’t expect that from someone like me. Although, it was a probability, since I was really good at playing with boys. Drake let me share his bed sometimes (for some reason, not quite willingly). And I have to admit, it was very fun to do. But that was all I ever did. I was a criminal, yes, but I wasn’t sexually driven or anything. And I was glad Drake wasn’t like one of the asses who demanded sex, or thought it was the only way into a relationship. He really was a good guy deep down, even with all the bad stuff he’s involved in.
I opened the front door to our house with a small smile on my face, and realized how tired I actually felt right then. Once I looked up though, my heart practically stopped beating at the sight in front of me.
There, standing right there in front of us, was my high school principal, the supervisor of the whole district, a guy from social services, and some other guy that looked like a cop in disguise. Well, to me he looked like it.
Shit. This could not be good.
Wait, how the hell did they even get in here? Ugh... Ian must've left the damn door open. Again. We seriously had to stop letting him be the last person to leave the house.
“I swear she did it,” Ian immediately said, his arms raised in defense as he pointed at me.
“It was aaaaall her,” Darrel mimicked, pushing me forward.
I quickly turned to glare at them both.
Yeah, nice to know you guys have my back!
“U-um... what’s going on?” I asked in the most angelic voice I could muster.
“Evelyn Jo,” my principal said, and as always, he never failed to look so happy (note the sarcasm, please). “We have some very important news to tell you.”
“W-what is it? Am I in trouble?”
I always asked that, even though I already knew the answer to it. But hey, maybe – and just maybe – one day, it would be different.
Ha! Good one, Evelyn.
Okay, it was no time to joke around at that moment.
“Well, that and,” the supervisor spoke up this time, “we are here to tell you that you will be moving schools. Again.”
What? No, no, no. There's no other school left in the district!
Okay, so maybe wrecking the principal's car and setting almost half of the school on fire wasn't really a good idea, now that I really thought about it. But still, I must admit, it was pretty damn awesome!
“Considering you have no legal guardian and you're under the age of 18…”
“Whoa, whoa! She has me,” Drake chimed in as he pressed his hand to his chest, giving them both a hard look. “I'm 19. Besides, she's turning 18 in just a couple of months. I can actually take full custody of her.”
“Sorry, sir, we meant legal guardians, not pretentious boyfriends,” the supervisor continued. “It’s true you can take full custody, but I honestly think you're the one causing her to behave in such a terrible, rebellious way – which is why the police will now keep a close eye on you and your little friends over here.” He looked at Ian and Darrel almost disapprovingly. “I mean, we could take you to jail, but we have no proof of the things you might've done in the past. Yet.”
That’s when Ian and Darrel practically started hiding and backing away as if they weren't even involved in this whole conversation. But then, they cursed under their breath when they bumped into some police officers that had appeared right by the door.
“What the he—”
“No comment,” the supervisor said in a stern voice, interrupting Drake, who seemed ready to pounce on him right then and there with the look he was giving off.
“So,” the principal started, “we will have to take you away, Evelyn. But you have two choices.” He made a stupid, dramatic silence and I realized I also wanted to pounce on someone… “First choice is the Orphanage.”
What?
No... I didn’t want to go back there. I had to live there ever since I was little, considering I had never met my birth parents. But those people at the Orphanage treated me so bad. I thought they were supposed to be good and nice to us, but they never were. It got me mad. So mad I just…
I clenched my fists and tried to stop thinking about that cruel, evil, and disgusting place. It was literally disgusting, too, by the way. They never cleaned the place. Instead, they made us do all the dirty work for them.
“Or we have a wonderful state, New Jersey, where you will be taken
to attend yet another public high school, which incidentally will also be your last. There, you will be living with a young psychologist, who will talk to you about your problems.”
“But… but, you can't do that! I don't have any problems!” Who the hell do these guys think they are? Telling me where I can and can't go? I know I did bad things, but did that seriously mean I had to do all of these?
“Yes, we can,” the stupid supervisor spat back. I wanted to punch him right now, but that wouldn’t do me any better, seeing as the cops were here with us. “Unless you want to end up somewhere way worse than the Orphanage.”
Oh, dammit. Dammit! There was no way out of this one now.
2: Arriving At A New Home
•Evelyn•
Saying goodbye was really hard.
Like, really, really hard.
I mean, I’m sure most of us have had to go through that more than once, and it’s pretty sad. But I wouldn’t allow myself to cry. Not now, not ever. I have already shed enough tears many years back, and I was definitely not about to start again.
I’d see my guys again soon, and I knew it.
“Goodbye, baby girl,” Ian said, as he gave me a big bear hug while holding a piece of donut in one of his hands. Once we pulled away, we just smiled at each other, and then out of nowhere, he handed me the donut. “Here, I want you to have this.”
I eyed the tiny piece of donut.
“But, Ian… this is just like, one bite.”
He grabbed my shoulders and nodded. “You’re welcome.”
I playfully rolled my eyes as he moved away so that Darrel could come up and hug me much tighter, practically taking my breath away.
“I’ll miss you,” he said as he pulled away. “Psh, can you believe they practically blamed us for all the stuff we clearly did? Unbelievable.” He shook his head at the thought as he started to move away so that Drake could finally come up to me.
