The Gangsta's Salute

Chapter 12

-Alexi in the media box-

Chapter 12- Life and Love

" Do not fall in love with people like me."

" Pass me the remote." Jacoby requested, resting his legs on the coffee table while watching The Fast and The Furious.

" You have legs." I rolled my eyes as I walked past him, grabbing the keys for the gang's gym.

" You can't go to the gym when there's training on and I was shot in both knees!" He protested, staring at me with wide eyes, as though I was crazy.

" You still have legs." I walked out of the room, laughing at his shouts of complaint.

Strolling out into the backyard, I noticed Jude and Clayton stood at the front of the same men that were on a battlefield just days before. It looked like they were demonstrating something, mainly because Jude had a dark bruise blooming on his face,which wasn't there this morning. I noticed Maya stood on the sidelines. I went to her.

She didn't speak, so neither did I. The silence was awkwardly prolonged and made it difficult for me to start a conversation.

Finally, she spoke. But her words hit me so passionately and powerfully.

" They're teaching me how to kill. Who's supposed to teach me to love?"

Love and kill.

Two opposites.

The 1st one having little to no use in our world. It being seen as a weakness, a flaw.

Yet the 2nd one was the complete opposite to that. It was seen as good, and strong and respectful, despite being so negative.

Only one was accepted.

I remained quiet, unable to reply to such a dominant statement.

" How long have you been doing this for Alex?" Maya's small voice asked, her fingers moving in a nervous shake. Her brown hair ruffled in the wind and her small body shivered against the cold.

I moved my hair so that is was behind my ear, " 9 years I think, give or take a bit." I told her, my memory fighting to remember the life I've tried so desperately to forget.

" What?!" Mae gasped, her eyes widening. " How? You're only 23."

" I know." I nodded my head, attempting to remember my age when this all started. "I started street-fighting just before my 14th birthday and joined the Vipers before my 16th."

" How are you even still alive?"

I closed my eyes. " I barely am. I'm not the same person who started at 14. I've been dead a couple of times as well. " I chuckled, " I came into this kind of life too early. I didn't have a childhood as it is, I lost my teen years as well."

" Alex?" Maes small voice seemed loud in the silent atmosphere. I smiled while keeping my eyes shut.

" Yeah?"

"Who's Asher?" My heart stopped. I hesitated.

" My twin brother."

" Where is he?" She questioned further, however her voice remained circumspect.

" Dead."

" What...What happened?" She stuttered. I sucked in a deep breathe and she began to panic. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. You don't have to tell me. I'm sorry Alexi, I shouldn't have asked."