I don't know why mom felt obligated to drag me to this thing. I feel like she's punishing me for some unknown reason. I can't help but gag as I watch the members of the neighborhood watch stare at my mother like a piece of meat. They're arguing about whether or not they should increase patrol because of some suspicious activity.
"There are some teenagers who hang out at the park. I'm absolutely positive they're up to something," one lady says.
"Why don't we ask your daughter? Almost every time we see them out there, she's with them. I bet they're selling dope," another guy accuses. All eyes land on me.
"Is this true, Violet? Are you selling dope," my mother asks.
"No. We just sit down and play cards," I tell her truthfully. The group protests, saying we could be gambling. "It's just a game of president. We don't gamble." I turn to my mom. "Can I go? They're waiting." When she nods, I shoot out of my chair and walk out the door. I begin to walk towards the park when I see my friends waiting for me on the porch.
"There she is. What happened," the tall, scrawny one known as Jack asks.
"Neighborhood watch happened. My mom decided to drag me to a meeting," I say. "And guess what they think about us."
"That we're a sketchy group of kids that are possibly selling dope or gambling," the short, blonde known as Amy guesses.
"Exactly. Putting that aside, anyone ready for a pizza party," I ask. They all cheer in unison as we head to the park. We get there just as the pizza man pulls up. He gets out the car with a gigantic stack of boxes. The tall Asian known as Kenji jogs over and hands the man a bundle of money as he takes them from him.
"Are you ready to get your butt whooped in a game of speed, Vi," the bulky, African American male known as Damien questions me.
"You know I'm the queen of card games," I say. "But if you want to lose that badly, then bring it on." Kenji sets the pizza down on the sand, and we dig in immediately. Amy pulls out her deck of cards and hands them to me. I shuffle them and deal it out until there's nothing left. "Alright. Who's ready to get their ass handed to them in a game of president?"
"Oh no. I am going to beat you this time," Jack says.
"And if you do," I challenge.
"Then you have to admit the truth: that you're wearing contacts," he says.
"That's a fact. I'm not wearing color contacts," I say. He rolls his eyes.
"No one can have eyes that are that purple. Come on, Vi. Give up the act," Damien says. It's my turn to roll my eyes. I take a slice of pizza out of the box and sink my teeth into it. The greasy goodness fills my mouth and I moan in delight.
"This pizza is delicious," I sigh, taking another bite of it. Amy starts it off with a revolution. She has a confident smirk on her face, as if she know she's got this round in the back. LIttle does she know, I have another revolution, one higher than hers. I revolution it back and then slide the pile to the side and put down triple fours. Everyone passes, and I set down my last two cards, which were both eights.
"Damn," Jack says. I watch the rest of them play as I chow down my food. Damien and Amy are battling for the position of vice scum when the sound of a siren wails from behind us. I peak over my shoulder to see four cops heading this way.
"What's going on here," The female cop asks when she gets close enough.
"Nothing, officer. Just playing a friendly game of president and eating pizza. Want to play/," I ask her politely.
"You guys are playing cards, why aren't you playing," She asks.
"I already won. What's your reason for being here," I say, peering up at her.
"There was a call about a complaint. I was told by one of the neighbors that there is a dangerous group of teens in the park who is up to something. Is this some type of illegal gambling," the male cop asks. We all shake our heads no in unison. They all exchange glances before their eyes find mine again.. I squirm under their watchful eye. The male cop steps closer and kneels down so that he's eye level with me. "Why are your eyes so fuckin' purple?"
"I was born that way," I inform him. He rolls his eyes and calls blasphemy. "Believe what you want."
"So where are your parents, if your just playing a card game," the cop who didn't speak yet asks.
"I'm pretty sure they're around here somewhere, since you guys showed up," i say, scouting the area. As if on cue, the lady who accused our group of being suspicious steps behind a tree. "That's the one who called you correct?" They nod when they see her.
"This is really all you're doing," the first cop questions. I nod and he shrugs. He and his partners walk back to their cars; I smirk at the lady who's glaring at me and stick my tongue out. Mage stomps off and I laugh.
"Oh my god," I hear Amy say. I look at her. "I hope he isn't infected, because damn he is hot!" I follow her line of sight and gasp when my eyes land on the hottest man ever. He has long, orange hair that stops just past his shoulders.
I have to tear my eyes off of him and reach for another piece of pizza, when everyone stops me.
"What," I say. They don't answer and I hear a sweet, baritone voice behind me.
"Hello there, beautiful," the sexy stranger says. "I'm Ren."
