Thanks to The Boots

Chapter Twenty-Eight

I stand in the middle of the path, why I chose to do the middle, I have no idea.

"Bri?" Felicity calls.

"Hey, I'm over here," I reply.

She finds me and gives me a tight hug. "Welcome back!"

"Thanks..."

"What's wrong?"

"I'm about to ask you a question that is going to make things very awkward if I assumed wrong."

"Okay...I won't get offended, so ask away."

"Are you in a gang?" I whisper.

She pauses, but then nods.

"Really? Who's in it with you?"

"I probably shouldn't say..."

"Please, Fel, what if I ask a name? Could you tell me if they are or are not in that gang?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"My parents?"

"No, not that I know of."

"Ryder Thomas?"

She pauses again, then nods. "Yeah, he is. How come?"

I frown, but then realize this could work to my advantage. "Do you have his phone number?"

"Yeah, what's going on?"

"I think I like him," I feel horrible lying to her, this is what Ryder would do.

"Ooh, here's his number," she hands me her phone and I type in the number.

"Thank you, Felicity."

"You called me out here to get a guy's phone number?"

"Uh, kind of. I wanted to know if you were in his gang and my parents don't exactly...approve," I choose my word carefully.

"Rival gang stuff?"

"Something like that. Thank you for coming out, sorry it wasn't for a lot."

"It's okay, I'll see you later?"

"Yeah. See you," I give her a quick hug and we part ways. She goes toward town, and I go to the gate. But I don't go all the way to it, I call Ryder first.

"Princess?" he answers, his voice showing he just woke up.

"Did I wake you up? I'm sorry, I'll call you in the morning," I apologize quickly.

"No, no," he says just as quickly. "I'm already up, what do you need?"

I go along with my mental plan, fingers crossed that it works. "What are you doing tomorrow night? Like really late, maybe early Tuesday morning?"

"Nothing, what do you need?"

"Can you pick me up?"

"Pick you up?"

"I can't stay with my family, Ryder. They don't believe that I was trained and they don't trust me to do anything. Please, Ryder."

"Yeah, yes. I'll be there. Where should I get you?"

"The gate near the wooded path, in my neighborhood? Do you know it?"

"Yeah, I'll be there at midnight tomorrow."

"Thank you, Prince Charming."

"Anytime, Princess."

I hang up the phone and run home. I climb up the tree until I'm on the branch across from the roof. I reach across and thankfully make it safely to the roof.