Rebels at Heart Series: Book 2 - Courage to Change

Prologue

It is evening, and my friend Raymond Wells and I are sitting on the rooftop balcony of our 25th story apartment. We watch the city lights come to life as the people go to sleep or begin partying; it is a Thursday night, after all. Everyone likes an early weekend, right? 

I smile at Raymond. Raymond looks up into my soft gray eyes, my dark sandy roots and tanned skin makes my eyes look brighter in the city lights.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Raymond says.

I nod happily, content that I get to share this view with him; I wouldn't want it to be with anyone else. Not even a girlfriend, though at this point I don't even think I could handle one. "Yeah it is. If only it would stay that way..." I look down, concern creased over my young face. A foreboding feeling of anxiety comes over me for our next battle. Little do I know it'll be our last together. I take a deep breath and let it out slowly as I fidget with my fingernails.

"About tomorrow night..." I sigh, anxiety creeping between my brows as I glance nervously at Raymond, who seems to be too calm to also be coming to that fight.

Raymond smiles. "Hey, Rowan, it's okay. No matter if we win or lose, you're going to be okay. We're doing the best that we can. It's not like we chose this to happen, right? It's what we have to do to survive."

I nod and smile. "But what about you? You tell me that I'll be okay, but what if you're not?"

He smiles. "Hey, you're the gang leader, you've got everything to lose. I'd rather you be okay first, dude. I'd give my life for you. That's how much you mean to me, bro."

I nod and think about all the fun times we've had together, and I smile in satisfaction. Such wise words, always, from Raymond. It makes me feel that much more secure around him and it makes me like him that much more. What did I ever do to deserve a friend like him? I glance at him and he meets my questioning gaze.

"Come over here, you!" He laughs holding out his arm to me, motioning me to come closer. I shuffle closer to him, and I giggle as he pulls me into a hug. It's exactly what I need right now, and for the first time in a while I feel like I can breathe, fresh air this time. I'm exactly where I want to be.

After a couple minutes of silence, I sigh, a hidden frustration still behind my pale gray eyes. "There's just so much on my mind right now, Raymond. I'm sorry but I've got to tell someone."

Raymond turns my way, and smiles, listening attentively.

"I just can't help but think about how we even got into this mess in the first place. I never asked for any of this to happen, I never asked to be an only child of the gang leader. And now that Dad's dead, the whole gang sees me as an enemy. And as calm as I may be around you, when I'm around them I lose my temper on them. I'm rough with them, I bring fear upon them, I know I do. I don't want to blame them all for this, but we're in a trap. How can I lead a gang in happy unison if I'm leading them straight to their deaths? I wanted to go to college and be a doctor, not lead a flippin' gang." My eyes burn with a dark pain and I sigh. "I should've left a long time ago, Raymond, we should've gone together. But I don't know, man. It's hard to be in control, when mentally I feel like I'm losing my mind."

"I get it brother, but it's okay. We just have one more fight tomorrow night, then it's over. We'll be free, and we can do whatever we want. It won't matter, because we'll be together. Just you and me." Raymond encourages. I don't know how he always has so much hope. It's like he knows something, but he's never told me. I just wish I had more time to get to know him. He was perfect.

Rowan nods. I nod. "Thanks, Ray, I'm just really glad that I'm not alone."

"You'll never be alone, brother. There will always be someone there for you, around the corner. You just gotta hope in something, right?"

"Yeah, except I never see anything or feel it so I don't even know what I'm hoping for."

"But at least you have the hope, though, right?"

I chuckle and nod. "Yeah, I guess. Thanks for taking me up here, I needed it. But if we want to fight tomorrow, we better get some sleep, right?"

Raymond nods, and we head back down to the dangers in the shadows. An eerie feeling comes over me, like the battle isn't in our favour. But what could we do?

I sigh as I toss and turn in my bed, thinking about the gang. Why am I still mad at my father when he isn't even alive anymore? Maybe it's because I didn't agree with his ways. He overthrew the original leaders and just about completely wiped out the remainders of the royal family.

The Serpentez then left the Colossals scattered and defeated and became their own nation. I just couldn't help but feel that it was all wrong.

However, I knew that there were still some snakes that were down, but they were not dead. They were hidden in the shadows ready to strike, and their venom was deadly.

Little did I know that I would soon help one snake find his way back to overcoming what my father took away from them.

Little did I know that the next night my real life's purpose would come to life, but it came with a cost. And my journey to find the last remaining snakes, and to help this one find his feet would also in turn help me overcome the loss I was about to experience.

The next day the two of us are waiting in the cool evening air behind a few bushes for our rivals to arrive.

We attempt to suppress the energy pumping through our veins to bring this battle to an end for once and for all; not just for us but for the gang we're trying to lead.

I may be leader of this gang, but without Raymond I never could do this. So in a way, he feels like the second leader, who helps me make my decisions and makes sure that when I do make a decision that I'm in the right headspace to do so. I wouldn't be this far without him. He's not all that innocent, either, to be honest. The gang thinks I'm bad, and that he's so good. Where do they think I get most of my good ideas from, that to them seem bad? They just don't like me because of the reputation my father had. What a great way to start something you never wanted to be a part of.