Scandalous Love

4. | James

I returned back home a few minutes of testing the camera later and met the gang in the residential park outside.

Piper was inside, helping Mum out together some food using whatever left-over ingredients we had stored in the cupboard. It wasn't a lot but it was enough to keep us going.

I sat down, hanging by the swings while Michelle sat on the one beside me - the boys stood in front of us but Eldon sat on the muddy ground.

Hunter was already occupied having a smoke, the puffs of tobacco flowing into our faces, causing us all to passively inhale it but it was something we were used to and unlike any other outsiders, we weren't about to choke from it.

"How's that camera, buddy?" Hunter teases, kicking my shin to force me to look away from the single piece of technology I continued to clutch in my palms and I look up at him instead. "Go on, show us some of your photos," he adds on after I had rolled my eyes at him out of annoyance.

"Show us," Michelle compels, kicking my foot which makes me roll my eyes again before flipping the camera around, beginning to scroll through the photos I had taken this morning and later last night.

Their eyes widen at the sight but knowing these guys, something tells me it wasn't the quality of the shot they were shocked at. It was what was in front of the camera, not behind it.

"You went to the North Side, bro?" West asks, looking at me with concern as I simply nodded my head.

"How did you even get inside there in the first place?" Eldon queries.

I shake my head and continue to flick through the selection. "I snuck in clearly."

"We should all do that some day. Seems kinda cool," Michelle puts her video forwards but I instantly condemn it.

Having me managing to sneak inside past the gates was one thing but to sneak all five of us in was a total no-go unless they were asking to get arrested. These guys couldn't hide and not get caught when stealing food, let alone entering that side of the town where none of us were wanted.

We'd get deplored over there. I couldn't see the point in trying with all of them if I was being honest.

"So who's the pretty princess?" Hunter smirks, flicking the cigarette so the ashes were blown away before he drops the butt on the ground and stamps on top of it with what was once a sturdy black trainer.

As soon as he makes the comment, I frown and turn the camera back around so it was facing me before so turn it off.

The one photo I had taken of her last night was when she was walking down the stairs in her heels and dress. I doubt she even knew I had taken it and even when she had bumped into me, I was in the middle of taking a photograph beforehand.

I'm not sure why she had ran off yesterday evening when we were sat out in the garden together.

I thought we were having a peaceful conversation but I guess she didn't want to get caught taking to someone from the South Side.

"She's no one you need to know about," I mumble, looking at her pale face as it remained on that one photo.

I knew if I started talking about Riley to the boys and Michelle, they would only tease and that was the last thing I wanted or needed today.

. . .

Later on into the evening, I stayed out a lot later than usual. I knew we didn't have much to eat at home which is why I let Mum and Piper share the lunch/dinner they had put together while I rampaged through the streets, grabbing as little food as possible but just enough to feed myself for the night.