Nyctophilia {l.r.h}

4) Growing Pains

Growing Pains: Alessia Cara

A short leash and a short fuse don't match
they tell me it ain't that bad
Now don't you overreact

So I just hold my breath
Don't know why
I can't see the sun
when young should be fun

And I guess the bad
Can get better
Gotta be wrong

Before it's right
every happy phrase engraved in my mind
and I've always been a  go-getter
there's the truth ...

*

The black suburban slowed to a stop in front of black iron gates. The driver's side window rolled down to reveal Luke with sunglasses sitting over his eyes. A voice from a speaker sat outside the gates said a few words to which Luke answered with a code word. The gate slowly opened, and the car rolled up the long driveway smoothly. The grass was all cut perfectly and watered by a sprinkler system underground. Lydia's eyes scanned the large property with anxiety coursing through her, palms sweaty and indents on her lips from biting them too much.

As soon as the vehicle was put in park, the six of them got out and walked up to the extremely large mansion. It was a few stories high and very modern like it was straight out of a movie. Lydia made sure to stay behind the tallest of the gang, being slightly sandwiched between the others who were straggling behind her. There was almost no time between walking up the sidewalk and arriving in a conference room. Between Luke and Calum in front of her, she saw Antonio sitting in an oversized chair, a cigar placed between his lips. He thumbs through a large stack of bills quickly before tightly securing them with a rubber band. Everyone sat in chairs around the table, Lydia following like she's used to doing.

Antonio's eyes fell on her rather quickly, instantly spotting her although her attire was a complete change from what he's used to seeing. Squinting his eyes at the girl, he leaned forward, his elbows propped on the table. With his index finger hooked around the cigar, he pulled it out of his mouth and ashed it in the tray to his right.

"You got my blow, Hemmings?" The man questioned, not taking his eyes off the girl. Lydia ignored his gaze, watching as Luke swiftly slid a bag of powdery substance across the table. Antonio inspected it for a second before nodding. "2 racks, right?" Luke nodded, preparing his hands for the catch as Antonio pulled out a different stack of bills and tossed it across the table to the man. He took a long drag from the cigar once more. "You not with Bailey anymore or sum'?" Eyes turned to the girl who was sunk low in her seat. Knowing what happened when people don't answer him, she cleared her throat.

"No." Though, she didn't know what kind of answer to give him, it was the best option.

He nodded in approval, "The Baileys have a death wish, you know how association works, right?"

Luke furrowed his eyes at the older man, leaning in front of Lydia so that Antonio was looking at him. "She's with us now, mate, there's no trouble."

The older man leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms, "and how will those consequences work out for you? For us? I can't let my men die just because we're allies; you know we'd step up to help you."

"We'll get to that when they make a move, trust me. And Lydia can learn to fight alongside us, she knows their weak points, she just doesn't know it yet." The 19-year-old lightly pulled on his sleeve.

"I still don't get what you mean by that, I hardly know a thing." Antonio's eyes flicked between the two individuals before seeing purpling on the crease of her arm. Luke wrapped his hand around her wrist and straightened her arm.