It's not easy to pick sides. Everyone has secrets, secrets they want hidden and buried. What extent would you go to hide your secrets? How far would you go for self preservation?
Like father, like daughter.
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T...
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It was pitch black outside, already past midnight and you were being accompanied quite closely.
"You don't want water or anything?" You smiled as Jace stared at you coldly.
He was the first of your friends to be in your new place, yet not for any good reason. He kept his distance as he crossed his arms and leaned on the torn wall.
Even though he didn't answer, you poured him a cup and set it down on the coffee table.
You beckoned him to sit with you.
"Come on, we're friends!" You smiled as he scoffed.
"Are we though?" He snapped back.
You rolled your eyes with a groan and leaned your head back.
He took your vulnerable reaction as an invitation.
"If you're not going to tell the others, then at least be up front with me [y/n]." He put his foot down.
You looked at him from the corner of your eye as he glared at you. You wondered if anything you said to him would be believable.
He took note of your hesitation.
"You're thinking too much, Jace. There's nothing suspicious going on. I simply wanted to handle things without involving all of you." You sat up straight and looked at him with a sigh. "Not like it really worked out like that anyway."
"People who aren't suspicious don't just 'know' someone like that guy with the sunglasses." He had a point.
"You know my family Jace. I've attended business meetings on behalf of our company." You stared at him.
"It's not unusual for me to know people." You finished. "From any background."
He finally sat down out of frustration.
"Okay, what did you and Jake talk about then?" He leaned forward with his fingers locked together.
You shook your head with disappointment but answered anyway.
"I was hoping he would leave Jiho alone." You said with full confidence while also knowing that Jiho didn't once come up in your conversation with Jake.
Jace couldn't deny what you were saying, nor could he take the argument even further.
Because if he were to take it further then he would have to start arguing the integrity of your family business, after you had brought it up in defense to knowing Gun.
You were lucky that he didn't know who or what the workers is. If he had known that then everything you had said would be faulty. Being associated with a gang would easily make you untrustworthy in the eyes of an analyst like himself.
Not to say that he trusts you right now regardless.
But he will keep it to himself, at least for now. Because to suggest that you, a valued friend to his friends, is involved in shady business that could come back to bite them, would ultimately hurt them.
And he didn't want his friends getting hurt, not if he could avoid it.
How would Vasco feel if the person that has helped him numerous times turns out to be a bad guy?
"One last thing." He said suddenly, prompting you to give him your undivided attention.
"Yes?" You smiled politely.
"Look, I'm not exactly sure what you're involved in. But I know it's something." He stated.
You were about to retaliate before he stopped you short.
"Don't even try denying it." He spoke quickly.
"All I want is reassurance that this won't come back to us— to Vasco." He was borderline pleading, while also keeping a stoic expression.
You hesitated. How were you supposed to promise him something that even you weren't sure of? He didn't know what all you had already done to try and protect them. How you helped stop Gun at the festival. How you protected Jay and Eli from Eugene.
Not to mention Mira from..
To you this felt like a slight to all that you had already done.
But you needed to remind yourself not to blame him. He didn't know.
You were already trying your best to make it not come back to them.
But even with doubt, you gave him the obvious answer.
"I promise you." You smiled tiredly.
Since that's what he wanted to hear.
........
Juvenile detention center
It was a dark, concrete room. Bars on each and every window with a singular counter and a boxed TV.
They passed around a pink box.
"Leave it to me, sir." The guy had tattoos along his arms leading to his chest. "I will take care of it."
He crouched down on his knees, trembling while moving things around in the box but also keeping his head low.
"I am the leader of this room." He said lowly. "I can't believe you've come to our room."
"It's an honor, Jake."
He heard as he was passed a cigarette. Someone in the room came quickly to light it for him.
As he opened his mouth they could see almost no teeth, just gum. There were traces of bleeding and he had a big scar that ran across his mouth.
Gun... I'm going to kill him.
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Started: May 25th, 2024 Finished: May 27th, 2024
I just gobbled down a whole rack of BBQ ribs by myself.
