No Way (#Wattys2015)

Chapter 15

Ella 

One of the many downfalls to living with a bunch of cops is they make you go to school. I'm sure my friends would have made me anyways but this way, I have to go. The morning is a drag, the only bright spot is seeing Antonio and the stolen kisess I get from him. Cori is of course stubborn as ever about leaving my side so I pull her into the living room 10 minutes before I'm due to leave for school. Cop escorts are driving me, in case you're wondering. You probably are. Your welcome.

"Cori," I start off in a low even voice, staring at her seriously. "I know this is hard for you, having to be away from me. And I know you're scared I'm going to get hurt like Mommy and Justice but I'm not. I promise. I'll have those nice cops with me and you're going to stay here with some other nice cops and play dollies and watch TV. And then, before you know it, I'll be home! Okay?" 

Cori still looks uncertain about me leaving her but smiles and nods, wrapping her skinny arms around me. I smile and kiss her head, holding tight to her. 

"Ella!" I hear a cop call me from outside. I sigh and kiss Cori's head one last time before grabbing my bag and running outside to meet with everyone else. Since Adam, Shauna, Sam, and Jamie barely attend school, they look dazed and confused, holding their backpacks. I laugh at them and lean against Shauna who is glaring at Adam and pulling out a cigarette. Ivy and Andrew aren't anywhere in sight.

I guess they left early. They have no reason to be here expect for moral support, maybe they went home. At least I had my street rats. 

"Why do I even have to go to school? It's a waste! I'm not going anywhere in life!" Sam complains. I srhug because it's true. None of us street kids are going to benefit from high school, we can't afford college. Once a street rat, always a street rat.  The girls must read my mind or something because they crack up and nod. While my four friends begin to discuss something about Gilver, someone we all know we won't be seeing for a while. 

I look over at the rich kids, gathered in a little cirlce, all looking just a little bit lost and just a little bit less dazzling than usual. Claudia being the only girl in the group is who catches my attention first. Her blouse is navy blue and wrinkles decorate it (*gasp* *rolls eyes*) and it's not tucked into her desginer jeans as it usually is. Instead of the usual mile-high high heels, she's gone for black ballet flats that have scuff marks all over them. I guess her makeup isn't done because she has large sunglasses protecting her face.

The princess is distraught.

The boys look just as about as dishevled as Claudia. Gabriel's T-shirt is on backwards, Caine is wearing two different shoes, Zach is carrying coffee with a shaky hand making assume that this coffee is indeed not his first one, and Antonio just looks plain out exhausted. Suddenly Antonio looks at me, his brown eyes, wide and pleading.

I give him a sympathetic look and shrug my shoulders carelessly. He pouts and I laugh at him. The boy is cute, I'll give him that much. I tear my eyes away from him when a cop comes over to tell us it's time to get into the car that will be taking us to our high school. Officer Valdarez, the nice woman cop, is in the car I'm in. She sits in the passenger seat and turns around and smiles at me.

"Hi, girls!" she says to us nicely. Shauna and Sam greet her with mutter hellos while I stay silent, pulling out my phone to text Antonio. When I see that Shauna is watching me curiously, I smile and instead text Andrew to make sure he's okay, clicking on the contact right above Antonio's. 

Me: Did you leave early this morning?

Andy: Yeah. Ivy wanted to see her siblings. We're already at school. U on ur way? 

Me: Yah. We'll b there soon. See u then.

I pocket my phone with a small sigh. I've barely gotten to talk to Antonio this morning. The only time I did was to tell him that I think it's best if we keep him and I on the down low for now. At least until things get better for him. Things won't ever get better for me and I think both of us know that. 

At school I keep my head ducked down and make sure to stay near Shauna and Sam. All eyes are on us as we move. It's not everyday all of us show up to school at the same time, on time. I can feel Antonio's reassuring hand on my back as we walk into class. I feel a bit safer having him here but I still can't shake the feeling I'm being watched.

A body slams into me on my left side and crash into Antonio, who catches me at ease. Shauna and Sam immediaetly whip around to see who's assualted me, fists raised. Jamie and Adam who are a bit ahead even freeze and turn around to see what's happened. Alec West stares me in the eyes and I snarl, pulling away from Antonio's embrace.

Alec is an old boxing enemy of mine. He also works for an enemy gang. He hasn't been to school in a while and now that he's back, he's coming after me.

"So, January, you hang out with rich kids now? I didn't think you would after Cole." Alec taunts me, wearing a dangerous grin. People are watching us, gathering in a circle, but it doesn't matter. Alec is challenging me and I'll be damned if I don't accept it. 

"Don't talk about Cole." I snap at him, balling my hands into fists. Shauna and Sam stand behind, both tense and ready to strike, but waiting for a command. Jamie and Adam stand the same way but both look like they're ready to jump in even without my command. I give them sharp, meaningful looks just to make sure they don't do anything irrational. 

"Okay, so we won't talk about him. Let's talk about your family problems then." he grins, stepping closer. I want to step back, every fiber and ever muscle in my body screams at me to step back, but I don't. I do something stupid. I take a step closer to the boy who may cause me to lose it. Something i haven't done in years and hope not to do now. 

"I'm not the one with family problems, Alec. I have family. I have Shauna and Sam and Jamie and Adam, they're my family. Not to mention I have my sisters." I say, forcing myself to keep my voice even and not to show any emotion. He wins if I show emotion. 

"Funny, considering I hear your older sister could die any day now and you're younger sister is being taken and you're posibly being put in the foster care system, away from your street rat family. So I'm gonna say, you have some family problems, El." he grins, knowing he's hit where he needs to.

Nothing can hold me back as I finally let loose. My fist connects with his jaw and then with his stomach. My boxing instincts have taken over my body and it's like I have no control over it as I hit and he hits me and I block. I can't see anything but red and black dots at the edge of my vision but I can hear. I can hear myself crying as I beat the crap out of the boy that only states the truth. 

And suddenly I stop fighting. Suddenly I let myself take the hits. My whole body shakes and I'm in pain but I am no longer a boxer in this moment. I'm a 16 year old girl who's lost everything. Someone, somewhere is handling Alec while Antonio holds me.

"I'm so sorry, Tony. I'm so sorry!" I cry into his shoulder and he rubs my back soothingly.

"It's okay, La. I understand. It's hard. But you're not going to lose your family, I promise. I'll do everything in my power to make sure you keep it." he whispers to me. I know I shouldn't trust or believe him but I do. I believe that Antonio will make sure I'm okay and will help me through this tough time. I cling to him, sniffling and crying.

Even though teachers show up, no one attempts to pull us away. He kisses my head, my cheeks, my nose, and my lips as he tries to reassure me it'll be okay. I guess there's no keeping us a secret now. I don't care about that very much either, at this point, though.

"Shhh, princess. It's okay now." he tells me and I smile. Because if he holds me then yes, it is okay. 

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A/N: IDK I FEEL LIKE THIS WAS REALLY CRAPPY AND I'M SORRY THAT IT'S SO CRAPPY SOMEONE KEPT DISTRACTING ME *COUGH* MADDY *COUGH* BUT WHATEVER I KINDA LIKE SO HERE IT IS EVEN THOUGH IT IS OF CRAPPY QUALITY

LOVEEEEEEEE,

BLUE