Darlings of the South.

f i v e

How was it possible for me to have only met Julien once and experience such a broad range of emotions towards him? Why, given the warning my dad gave me, am I wanting to know more about him and this mysterious snake tattoo? What had overcome me?
I rush to my room and open up my laptop and type in gangs of New York, and in the tags, snake tattoo.
The Crimson Adders, a mafia-style criminal organisation.
The members of said gang posses a snake tattoo on the forearm, a symbol of dedication to the gang.
'Gang, snake, mafia, criminal organisation' all words screamed danger. Yet I was left wanting more. I admit, I was feeling absolutely terrified and like I'd just betrayed my dad, and I had no idea what I felt towards Julien, I'd only met him today for crying out loud. But when he got me away from David's friends, I felt safe. Something about him made everything okay. Get it together Maia, if you don't want to for yourself, do so for your dad.

A memory of when mum, dad and I would go to the diner flashed through my mind. I never thought anything of it until now. There were always motorcycles parked outside and always guys in leather jackets and pretty girls dancing around to the music. Even when Ashley and I would go, the gang was always there. They have always been around. Now I was beginning to wonder what thing they had done, to posses the cops of lower Manhattan to be on the look for them.
I think that I should let this go, it was bad news.

"Maia! You home?" Dad's voice called out to me, and I went to see him. My previous want to ask him about Sabine and her dad had passed. I couldn't even look at him straight, I felt guilty of something that was purely just a mistake.

"Hey dad, how was work?" I sit on one of the barstools and watch him make a coffee.

"Busy. How was school?" He gives me a sympathetic look, probably thinking I would have had to face the wrath of David, but I just shrugged and told him it was non eventful. He looked disappointed, probably hoping for some teenage gossip to take his mind of work.

"I left after lunch," his ears perked up. "School has been really getting to me, the people-"

"I know, I had a phone call from your English teacher. He's worried. Should I be worried too? I can always have you change school."

"No, I'm fine. I think I'm just learning new things about myself." Biggest understatement of the year.

"If you need to leave school throughout the day, do. As long as you keep up with the workload. I want my girl to get into University." I smile. He was proud of me, but if I told him everything I had been keeping from him, he would be so disappointed.

I leave the kitchen and head outside to the backyard. I didn't realise how late it was, and I'd also forgotten to get something to eat. It was around 10pm, meaning I must have been searching the Crimson Adders for a while. The air was fresh, but rejuvenating. I sat on the deck, my legs of the edge and contemplated the mess I had been thrown into. I could have said no when Julien asked to take me home. I brought all of this onto myself. Good one.I could hear a rumble of motorcycles carried in the wind. I immediately thought of Julien. He was definitely not my type. David was tall yes, but no tattoos, and definitely not muscled like Julien. When the air eventually got too cold, I went to bed. And this was the first night I had dreamt of Julien.