The Bad Boy's Mission

2|

I am only on the five minute stretch from my house, yet I feel the need to quicken my pace. As my family: me, my mother and my brother, are not the richest of families (being just the three of us), we live in a fairly rough area.

No there isn't weekly shootouts at our doorstep, it's nowhere near that bad however there is a fair amount of illegal activities going on in our parts. Hence why my mother is so against me walking to school in the mornings, because unless she isn't working that day - which never happens - she can take me herself. She only bares with it as in the mornings everyone is asleep, no one is roaming for the most part.

She makes me carry around a pocket knife, pepper spray and a rape alarm despite fully knowing activities that I used to take part in which allowed me to know how to hold my own. Despite this, I think it would benefit me greatly to just keep my nose out of other peoples means of income, and way of life.

This is why, as I was walking home and heard a slight altercation, I just continued on with my trek.

I would be lying if I said that I wasn't the slightest curious.

I would also be lying if I said that the pace in which I was walking didn't differ, more specifically, slow.

I would still be lying if I said that I didn't steal a glance at the situation.

So what we've learnt is that I am pretty much a living version of Pinocchio, in addition with my inability to keep my nose out of other peoples business.

Despite everything in my body screaming at me not to do it, I admit that I looked. I'm not quite sure what it was that I saw, but I do know three things for definite:

1. I recognised one of the people, I didn't risk looking long enough to see whether it was the one giving out the beating, or the one receiving, it which isn't very helpful in my case.

2. There was a knife involved, anyone would recognise the deadly glint given off by the razor sharp metal.

3. And finally, I am almost completely sure that two people went into that ally, but only one would come back out.

Defiantly rattled from those events, I increase my pace yet again.

Only 2.5 minutes now.

Right foot.

Left foot.

repeat.

I say to myself over and over that it is solely my footsteps that are merely echoing off an abandoned building, yet I know that there is another set, I know that I'm not alone.

Which means that it's got to be one of the men from the alleyway.

Left foot.

Right foot.

Repeat.

I can no longer hear the footsteps following me which causes the knot in my stomach to ease ever so slightly.

Despite this, I can feel it. I know it's stupid and implausible to feel a stare, and yet I can sense that someone is burning a hole through the back of my head. Their curious eyes following each step I take, each movement that my body makes. If my right hand twitches - they notice it. If my speed increases yet again - they see it. I can't explain it, it's almost as if it is some sort of sixth sense but I just can't shake the feeling of eyes watching me.

I don't look back, I know that this way I will never know if I was just being paranoid or if I was genuinely correct, however that's a price i'm willing to pay.

Trust me, you don't want to get involved in - what most likely was - gang crimes. If I were to turn around, that would enable whoever it was to see my face.

That was the biggest advantage that I had over whoever it was - that they were left in the dark on the topic of my identity - I would not hand away that advantage.

If they were chasing me it'd be a different story however they weren't - so it's not, thank god.

The second I make it safely back to my humble abode, I make sure to do a 180° turn as quick as possible and lock the door.

You'd be mistaken if you thought i'd react in any other way than frantically running around my house locking every single door and window available. Especially as my mum is working a late shift at the hospital and mason is god knows where. I don't want to even think of how i'll react if anything goes bump in the night.

I make my way to the kitchen and then proceed to squat in front of the freezer, evaluating my food options for tonight. Deciding that oven pizza is the safest choice for both my greasy needs and my inability to prepare even the easiest of meals.

Turning the oven's temperature up to 180°c whilst pressing the small button, who's function is to speed up the process of heating it up.

Boosting myself up onto the counter, I wait for the beep that will signify that I can actually start cooking my pizza.

Whilst doing this, my mind wanders off to what happened on my journey home. I hate myself for acting so melodramatic about it. Am I loosing my magic touch? Why was I so scared?

I tell myself that it was only because of the knife wielding gang member, and yet it wouldn't have been the first time I had been put in a scenario of that sort.

A small yet clear beep sounds, breaking off my chain of thought. Carelessly shoving the tray with the pizza on it into the oven, I set a timer for 15 minutes and jump down from the counter.

Walking out of the kitchen, and into the living room, I pick up a book that I had previously tossed onto the coffee table, due to finishing my reading session at the time. Deciding to make the most out of my 15 minutes to spare, I open it with the hopes of completing a few more chapters.

Despite my initial intention, however, I can't seem to comprehend the words that I am reading. I find myself having to read the same sentence or page over and over again in order for my distracted brain to grasp it.

Beginning to become agitated at my self for being unable to do the simplest of tasks, I toss the book back into it's original position and begin to think to myself.

I know that I shouldn't. So why am I thinking of it?

I battle with myself over and over.

Taking into account the countless, endless possibilities.

Can I really do it again?

No, I cant.

I can't do that to myself, especially not my mother.

Once again, the beeping of the oven interrupts my thought, I'm getting a little annoyed now, why's it beeping what seems like every thirty seconds?

Removing my pizza from the oven, and retreating back to the living room, I continue to think over my situation whilst tentatively picking at my scolding hot tea.

Something deep down in me knew that I'd always return.

I guess that I just anticipated that it would't be so soon.

This time, however, I'll be careful, much more careful than I ever was before. I would not make the same mistakes. I would not get sucked into the void containing the traumas of my past. But I will regain a part of me that was once lost.

It's time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

doonneee, yesss.

Okay so for the first 5 chapters or so, my updating/ uploading schedule will be a bit of a mess - by a bit I mean a lot.

Pretty much, what I mean is that I'll be adding chapters as quick as I can in order for the story to pick up pace a bit more but from then onward I'll add one every Wednesday I think it is that I decided.

Also, as with most stories on this site, my chapter length will vary - some being longer - some being shorter.

As I previously said, tell me ways to improve and if you like the plot so far.

- Silentwonderofsnow xx