The Angel Trumpet

11.

The warm water impels my skin gently as it streams over my face to the bottom of my feet. I wanted to take my time enjoying the stillness of the little world that's in here rather than out there. A few more minutes and then I get out hugging myself in my towel catching a glimpse of myself in the bathroom mirror. My hair is wavy instead of the full curls I have, eyes are sunken almost as if I haven't slept in days and my skin got a bit paler than it should be. I haven't really taken care of myself have I? The gash on my forehead is noticeable but not as deep. I touch it seeing the bruise darken but I stop when I catch Conor's shadow lurking outside the bedroom door ready to knock. I put on my clothes tying my hair in a bun opening it before he can get a chance to. "Yes?" I ask. He folds his arms leaning on the door frame confused by this hot and cold thing I'm doing. "Why are you avoiding me?" He asks but I shrug. "Avoid? I needed a shower after swimming. Is that a crime?" I ask defensively. "Is it because of what I said? Because of the kiss?" His tone weary but firm almost like a teenager would sound like wanting to know why the girl he likes is treating him like a one night stand. "Don't make me do, " it's not you it's me" speech." I turn having my back towards him pretending to look for something to not let him see how much it's bothering me to push him away.

"Look I know what you're afraid of but can you at least give me a week, a week to prove to you there's nothing stopping you from letting me in."

I drop the cover I was searching under for an imaginary object turning back to face him.

"A week?"

He nods, "A week and we can even set boundaries." He steps forward grabbing hold of my hand holding it in his searching my eyes for any reaction. It was filled with hope, light and then guilt. I felt guilty for not coming to him with good intentions and using him the way that I am but it's for the greater good of things, revenge. I have to keep this act up even if that means really breaking his heart and maybe even mine. "Fine." I voice out battling with myself to scream out no and get out. His eyes get brighter with happiness making my heart sink to my stomach knowing it's real for him but just a game for me.

Or so I think.

His mouth is moving saying something but I zone out only for him to give me a smile leaving the room.

The door closes but the sound is deafening as the aloneness eats me alive.

When I'm alone it's getting harder to breathe, think, control. I want to stay in control of these emotions. The hate that's been brewing and now the feelings for a guy named Conor. I'm not ready. So I do what I know how to do. Throw myself into the Chaos side of things and let the rest simmer over.

I make my way to the kitchen seeing the guys joking and laughing throwing grapes into their mouths.

I don't know what I would do without them.

They held me together when I was just learning how to live this life, our lives. Not all of us were born into this but the ones that were always found their way to one another like us.

9 years ago

People stare as the blonde hair boy kicks rocks covered in dirt and dried up paint. His eyes a pale brown but darkened when the sun hits, hangs low to the ground waiting, waiting for a sign of hope. Then a young girl with curly hair approaches him with a bag of marbles wanting to play. "Ever played pots?" The blonde haired boy shakes his head. "Come on I'll show you." She guides him to a hole in the ground just enough to throw marbles in. "The rule is to get to the center in the first few tries. When you do you yells pots and get a candy over there." She points smiling. The boy nods grabbing the marbles as she separates a good amount for the both of them and start playing.

The curly haired girl lets the boy win wanting him to get the piece of candy even if it meant giving up her last cent in her denim pocket.

"I'm Leo." The blonde haired boy says.

"Aleya." The curly haired girl says shaking his small hand.

After that the two became good friends.

The blonde boy started helping out his family and started to earn money in his pocket and medical experience. The curly hair girl went on to do her family business but offered the blonde boy a job.

"You have skills that might be really helpful in the future. Want to join me in this world of Chaos?" The curly hair girl says serious.

"I thought you would never ask." The blonde boy says accepting learning her business like the back of his hand.

Then came Pito, the body guard to all families including Aleya's. His family has done it for generations and when it came down to it he was ready. He joined the military at sixteen and got out at eighteen due to a medical problem. He got hurt during a blast causing brain injury having him lay in a hospital bed for weeks. Once he was able to walk and talk again they told him as long as he stays out of immediate danger he'll be fine. But in the line of work that he's about to do required just that, danger. When he went to work for Aleya she was already nineteen he was twenty-two. The both of them didn't get along at first because he was protective but she was independent.

She didn't want to be told where to go, what time to get back and have some with her watching every move she made. You would think she would be use to it with the men she had already but with Pito it was different. He was young, smart and attractive.

Over time they learned to get along forming this bond nobody could break.

The last member of the group was Tobias.

Tobias was the trouble maker, the daredevil the cute little lion that would roar loudly even if it was for something as sticking up for his friends or family. That was the thing, he didn't have anyone until Leo, Aleya and Pito found him working for some man named Ricardo Quiles. 

Quiles was known as a petty drug lord selling fake product just to keep the real stuff to himself. Tobias was his runner, had him deliver then bring him the money like a wash and repeat situation. One night one of the buyers caught on ready to blow Tobias's head off until Aleya stepped in. "We have a problem here?" She asks with sternness watching the man holding the gun on Tobias throughly.

"Run along little girl. This doesn't concern you." The man says with a heavy Spaniard accent.

"It does when he's one of us."

Leo and Pito step out behind Aleya showing coldness ready to do anything.

"Yeah and who are you?" The man laughs out.

Aleya grins knowing she's going to like answering by shooting the gun man then the man to the left leaving the main guy shaking.

"Aleya Rojas, daughter of El Misericordioso."

With that the man runs off and Tobias joined Aleya and they all became a family you couldn't mess with.