Being in a group home wasn't ideal for anyone, but for the six teenagers, it was the best they could get out of the crappy system. In other's eyes, it was an odd way to form a friend group bonding over being in the same abusive home. But in their ey...
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"Holy shit!" Jack exclaims rushing towards me and grabbing my face, assessing it with a giddy look. "Talk about badass," He mumbles.
I release a breath, flipping my curly hair to the side accidentally revealing the fresh piercings on my ears.
"Jesus, Mak. How'd you get those? Did you suck off the piercing guy?" Ares jokes, leaning back onto the window.
I just stare at him, and he makes a disgusted face. I don't know why I woke up and had the urge to pierce every part of my body but it was like a itch I needed to scratch.
Obviously, me being sixteen and needing a guardian to sign off the piercings the only plausible solution was giving a blow job to the guy who worked at the tattoo shop.
It was gross, but you know, gotta do what you gotta do.
I look Jack's figure up and down, his wet curls drip onto my forehead. "Get your sink water off me, loser."
He laughs, "Okay, Miss Tough."
Quinn and Alea shove him out of the way, "Did that hurt?" Quinn winces for me, pointing at my fresh cartilage piercing.
I shake my head, tucking my hair behind my ear. It hurt, but I almost enjoyed it, I was planning on only getting my right eyebrow pierced by the moment the needle hit my skin I craved for more of it.
I look behind Quinn to see Ares looking at me like he knows every secret I've ever had, I start to feel uncomfortable under his gaze, averting my eyes down to the pile of clothes under me.
I'm trying to be normal, I really am, but it's impossible when all I want to do is lay under my covers not moving. I don't know why I don't want to get out of bed or why I'm never hanging out with my friends anymore. I'm just.. exhausted.
Why? I have no idea. All I do all day is slug behind the group waiting till I can go back home and sleep, blocking out all my problems.
"Well, Mak is a metal man now. Anyone else got anything interesting they did today?" Jack asks, throwing himself onto Alea's bed.
"Oh how could I forget, Jack here almost got us arrested," Ares says, sending an obnoxious smile his way.
"God of course you did," Walker mumbles, "What'd ya do this time?"
Jack sighs, "Alright, in my defense-" Ares cuts him off, "No, nuh-uh, not in your defense you have no excuse for this."
"You have no excuse for this," Jack mimics, "I didn't know there was a cop right next to me when I hopped the barrier."
"Lord," Walker says pinching the bridge of his nose.
"This idiot isn't telling the full story, he did it on one of the rich stations. Then he's gonna say 'I left my MetroCard at home' Jack I could take one look at you and tell you don't own a MetroCard." Ares grumbles.
Jack puts a hand to his heart sarcastically, "Stereotypes.."
Alea laughs, "Jack you wouldn't last a day in juvie."
"Yeah you're right," He starts, "Do you know what happens to handsome men like me in prison? Everyone wants a piece of this cake." Jack says, making a fake shuddering sound.
Quinn sighs, crouching down and grabbing something from under her bed. She pulls out an old deck of cards. "BS?" she asks.
We all nod going into the space between Walker and Quinn's bed, sitting on the ground.
"I call deal-" Jack starts but is cut off by Walker, "No, you always cheat when you deal."
"What is it? National bully Jack day?"
I roll my eyes, "Oh.My.God. Please just shut up and deal the cards."
Walker divides the whole deck into six piles and we all pick up our cards. Alea takes a take breath glancing at her cards, "Gotta get my poker face ready."
"P-p-p-poker face, f-f-fuck her face," Walker mumbles, assessing his cards.
I place down the Ace of Spades, turning towards Ares since he's next to me.
"One, two," he says, straight-faced placing down one card facing down.
No one calls him out so it's Jack's turn, he smiles, trying to hide his laugh, "two threes."
"Yeah, I call bullshit," Walker says, turning over the cards and cheering when it reveals a queen and a six.
Jack groans, "I hate this game."
•
The next morning I walk to school with Quinn, it's always a relief to be around her because she's quiet and I don't have to make conversation.
The others were still getting ready when we left so it's just us two and the sounds of New York City.
"What do you think of Leo?" She asks all of a sudden. My head snaps towards her, "He's nice," I start, "But his dad knows too much and he scares me."
She nods in agreement, kicking a pebble on the ground.
"When we get out of here, I'm going to become rich and buy a mansion for all of us to live in together," I say.
"When we get out of I'm going to get out of this city and move far away from anywhere I have ever lived," Quinn responds.
"When we get out of here I'm going to buy a plane ticket to Dallas, go to my mom's grave, and spit on it." I jump when I hear Ares's voice next to me.
"That's nice," Quinn mumbles.
Our school comes into view and I see Leo standing outside of it, seemingly waiting for someone. He smiles when he sees us, speedwalking toward us.
"Hey," He says, readjusting his backpack.
We all respond with quiet Heys and Hi's.
"Sorry about dinner the other night, my brother is kind of a hothead."
"Don't worry about it," Ares dismisses with a shake of the head.
He sighs a breath of relief, "What class do you guys have next?"
"Physics," me and Quinn answer.
Ares doesn't respond, just looking at the students surrounding the school.
"The bells gonna ring soon," Leo says checking his fancy watch. I look around for a sign of the other three but there is no sight of them, hopefully, there just running late.
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