I grabbed his hand and shook it quickly. Sliding my hand back across the table, I watched him eat his burger. I couldn't believe what I just agreed to.
"This isn't going to be something that happens in daylight. I will do anything to keep this underwraps, got it?"
He smiled again.
"Will, I should get back to work."I said, sliding out of the seat
He said nothing, but gazed in my direction. I gulped and found Lara.
"What'd he want?" She asked
"Nothing..." I blurted
"How about you take the rest of the shift off, you look a little stressed."
I nodded and took off running through the kitchen. Opening my locker, I threw back a swig of water. My head was killing me, my stomach was in a knot, and my entire body was shaking. I hadn't felt this panicky since Jason died.
Jason was my older brother, and since I was born, he was my best friend. He was my caretaker and provider. My Father was The Lord of all crime here in Las Vegas. The Underbelly was practically his baby, and his entire life was making sure that the Underbelly stayed on top. What I loved about Jason, was that even though we had different moms, he made me feel like I was still his full sister.
"You're a Capelli, and so am I. And I will stop at nothing to make sure that never changes." He told me that every night before I went to bed.
When I was fourteen, I thought my world couldn't be any more perfect. My Father made appearances at dinner, and my piano concerts. He would stay home on the week nights, and his girlfriend, Lena, was wonderful. Almost like a Mother, since I never knew my own. She left when I was three, and I don't blame her. She caught him strung out when I was around and she couldn't handle it. She left, and said that he needed to become a Father. And he did, for the most part. He tried leaving the Underbelly all together, but he couldn't. It was his life. His addiction. It all started at my winter piano recital. He promised he was there, and he wasn't. I usually wouldn't have cared, but he was driving me home. Suddenly, I didn't have a ride, and he wasn't picking up his phone.
After my performance, I was ushered offstage by my teacher, Madame Ultgren.
"Riva, your father has gone missing."
"What?" I said uncomprehendingly
"He never showed up to work this morning, they found his car parked in an abandoned lot... They called the police..."
"No..."
"I've contacted CPS..." Madame lovingly told me
Jason came running just then.
"Don't call CPS, I'm 18, I'll take care of her." He grabbed my shoulders and threw me into a hug.
Madame understood, but still looked uncomfortable.
"I'll be fine Madame." I convinced her.
The first night was uncomfortable. No one was home besides us, that and the police. The police had been at our house for what seemed like a century.
I sat in my room... Playing my keyboard. I tried to push down the feelings I had bubbling up inside. I heard Jason come into my room.
"Didn't you remember what I talked about? No visitors in my room."
"You don't have anything to hide Riva, so I don't see the problem."
I resumed playing, trying to block Jason out. I couldn't handle it anymore. Crocodile tears streamed down my face as I played John Lennon's Imagine.
I tried to sing his beautiful lyrics. But it was no use. I fell to my knees and let myself cry.
"Why did he do this to us? Being involved in this?" I exclaimed
Jason bent down and rubbed my shaking back.
"Sometimes, people do things we can't control. And yeah, it hurts. Hell yeah it hurts. But sometimes, we need to let go of their choices and focus on our own."
"But he promised..."
"I knw he promised. But sometimes people break promises."
"It's not fair Jason."
"I know."
"Are they gonna hurt him?" I ask, already knowing the answer.
"I don't know." Jason lied
People against the Underbelly, weren't very nice. And knowing my Father, they'd find any medival torture methods... But I couldn't imagine thinking about that.
