Somebody Else ✔

When bikies cry P2

Izzy.

Edited.

Part two.

Behind us, Ben and Fitz went for each other. I let out a yelp as they crashed to the ground, but Cole yanked me out of the way. Cole jerked forward, but I grabbed him, keeping him at my side.

"Take it outside!" Nan screeched, and of course they did what she said. They tumbled outside, fists flying as they did. The boys cheered and chased after them.

"Shouldn't we stop them?"

"Nah." I shook my head, and led him by the hand out the back. Our backyard was big for suburbia -- a large patio and grassed area, with native bushes and a shed. White moths fluttered by, underneath of the orange light of the patio lights. Ben and Fitz were laughing, arms flung over each other. On the grass, underneath the trees, Kobe and Blaine were squaring up, and so was Eddie and Axel. Caden sat on the patio with a drink in his hand, scrolling through his phone, waiting patiently for his services to be needed. "See, they're fine." I drawled, Cole's eyes wide.

"That's a weird definition of fine." Cole frowned, but pressed his twitching lips firmly together.

We stayed outside with the boys, after that. The cold air and the smell of frangipanis, lingered with the scent of citranella candles. I observed my cousins talk with Cole and smiled. They were all so cool and then there was me? Like, I just never fit. But with Cole by my side, I did.

We were outside when the cops were called -- like always. They showed up at our door, took a plate each from nan and looked the other way -- like always. It also didn't hurt Uncle Ivan ran the station.

Back inside, in the lounge room, Michael Rose was on the TV. Everyone  glanced toward dad, who rubbed the back of his neck, until mum turned off the TV. "I just saw Landon." I said, Dads eyes immediately going to his blacked out forearm.

"Poor kid." He muttered. Dads dad, he'd been one of the founding members of the Seven Sin's club. Dad joined when he was younger with his brothers, but got out when he met mum.

I managed to lose Cole in that time. My stomach flipped as I searched the house for him and my cousins. Surely, like, they wouldn't beat him up or anything? They liked him? My cousins liked each other though, and five seconds ago they were fighting, so I didn't have much hope for Cole.

I found them in the upstairs bathroom. I peered through the door, residual white powder on the counter top glinting at me. I glanced between them, furrowing my brow. "Aw c'mon Iz. Don't be like that." Cole grabbed my shoulders, massaging his thumbs into my back. I shook him off. The rumours I'd heard last year about him -- about his addiction were rough. I could remember gossiping in Politics and Law about it. There was another part to it, though, that I heard from someone and shared with Corey and Sam in shock — his apparent purposeful overdose. I chewed on my lip.

My cousins took the drugs cause they were going out, and the only two sober were Ben and Axel. "Oi, can you drop me home?" Axel asked.

"I'll drop you, but not to your house." Ben mimed punching Axel in the face, and that set off the boys all over again.

Just before midnight, everyone left. Well not everyone, I snuck Cole into my room and hid him there. I cleaned up, and tried to get back to him as soon as possible. I necked a swig from the left tequila bottle in the kitchen. On the way to my room, mum cornered me in the hallway.

She cupped my face, and I forced my eyes away from the deep scars on her wrists. Her dark blue eyes searched mine. "I love you, Bella." She kissed my forehead.