To Tame a Gangleader

Chapter 6 ~Let Him Down Easy

A/N My crush found out I liked him I blame my friends because every time he would walk by my friends will call him by the code name we gave him. Do you and your friends do that like give code names to someone you have a crush on. 

Stay With Me by Sam Smith (I love this song)

Chapter 6 ~Let Him Down Easy

What is stronger than a human heart which shatters over and over and still lives ~Rupi Kaur

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James POV

"So what was so important that it couldn't wait till Monday" I ask April as I let her into my room.

She jumped onto the bed and looked at me "We need to talk about Axel" was all she said.

I sat on my desk chair and looked at her "What about him" I ask.

"You need to stop leading him on" she said I rose a brow "Let me explain. You're filling him up with false hope. Hope that you like him, hope that you might want to be his...you know boyfriend" she said.

"But it's not fake I like him a lot actually" I blurt out before I could stop myself.

Her eyes widen then she looks at me with sadness in her eyes "But you can't you see you're James Marshall you are a gangleader. Marisa and I aren't always with Axel and neither are you who's going to protect him while he is alone. Besides he is destined to be with someone else it...runs in his family sort've like arranged marriage" she said tears filling her eyes "I'm sorry" 

I put on my usual blank face the one void of any emotion but on the inside I was breaking down. On days like this I wish I wasn't James Marshall the big bad gangleader "How did you know. How did you find out" I asked her.

She looked up at me "Your last name sounded familiar like very familiar so I looked up old news articles and stuff I found an article all about your father's gang and your family in general. I also talked to Dylan he has a big mouth you know he told me everything I wanted to know" she told me.

"Who else knows" I demanded.

April flinched at my tone but I didn't give a damn I needed answers "Marisa" she answered uneasily.

"Don't worry I'm not going to hurt you or Marisa. Believe it or not I see you like a sister and I don't hurt my family" I told her.

She beamed at me "So does this mean I'm an honorary Marshall"

I rolled my eyes "I doubt you'll want to be a Marshall it's a curse. Plus my dad is homophobic" I said causing her to wince.

"Yeah I know" she said "I recall that conversation with him during dinner" 

"So arranged marriage" I asked. She frowned a look of regret flashed onto her face.

She nodded slowly "It's sort've like that" she said her voice just above a whisper "It's hard to explain" 

"So this false hope I'm giving Axel what do I do about that" I ask her

She looked at me sadly "Just let him down easy. Let him understand that you too are just friends nothing more and nothing less. I'll be there for him so don't worry" she said just as her phone rang. As she was talking on the phone I looked outside. It's not like I was going to make a move on him anyways there's my father, and my gang. Plus I'm branded as the school's 'straight' bad boy. There would be no us I'll only be a burden to him by constantly putting him in danger for being a gangleader and having a homophobic father. "I have to go James something came up at home. But I'll call later on tonight if you don't answer I understand" she said quietly before leaving the room.