Partners

4.

A few days later

I woke up early on a Sunday morning which is my favorite thing, to be honest. I am an early bird. When I was small I always woke up earlier than my parents and Daren. I used to go around the house and enjoy the quiet of it. These moments were usually my favorite ones. After an hour or so of calmness Mom usually woke up and we would spend the morning together.

With these thoughts in my mind, I decided to clean the house a bit. Even though it was small, it looked even smaller with my waste clustered around it.

Elyssa and I exchanged numbers so she can tell me if there is some news about their weird war. Honestly what even are gangs? Let alone having gang wars?

Can't people just enjoy what they have and leave everyone else alone?

I sorted out the laundry putting the dirty stuff on a bag to take it over to the cleaning place. Then I moved on to the dusting off the table and putting my sketch pads and books in order. Though I am sure that they will be back to the ruined sate of theirs by tomorrow.

After an hour or so I headed out to do my laundry. As always, I plugged in my headphones to avoid extra conversations on my way out.

It is not like I hate everyone it is just I can't deal with them. I am not really good at chit-chat and keeping up with the gossip of the building so I just listen to my music to pass that phase of my day.

As I made my way to the Laundry place just a few blocks away. I noticed this particular car from the corner of my eye. Maybe I am imagining it but I think that it's following me. I took the long route to my destination hoping to prove myself wrong. But the car indeed was following me.

I ignored the feeling and walked into the laundry place. After putting my laundry in a machine and paying for it, I looked out of the window. The car is parked on the other side of the road. It seems to be empty but I can't say for sure because of the blacked-out windows.

I took out my phone to call Elyssa when someone pat my back. I turned and saw a boy.  It was a guy that I have seen in Elyssa's place before. His hair seems to be dyed to blond and his height was same as mine. Too tall for a teenager I might add.

I looked at him awkwardly. "Hey?" I asked not sure of what he wanted from me.

"So, Elyssa has some stuff she has to deal with and I have been ordered to bring you to the headquarters." He said in a low tone and scratched back of his neck. 

Cool, now I have 2 babysitters to keep me from dying. Great. And I also have to spend the day in scary location. Cool. Cool. Cool. Cool.

"Like right now? I have laundry to do you know." I pointed to the machine and he rolled his eyes. Then he looked around and after seeing that no one was looking, he went over to the machine and forcefully opened the door and put my stuff in the basket and gave it to me.

"Now that your laundry is done we can move on." He said casually with a cheeky grin. I angrily rolled my eyes at him and took the basket from him.

"Ugh, let's just leave this at my house before we go anywhere else. I don't need anybody going through my underwear." I said and walked out of the store. We crossed the street and went to the car that nearly gave me a panic attack.

"Is it your car?" I asked as we walked towards it.  He nodded and unlocked the car. "You are not good at following people."  I put my basket to the back seat and sat at the front.

"Shit, am I really that noticeable?" He said and I shrugged. "It is not your fault I guess, I am really attentive to everything around me. " He looked at me weirdly and then chuckled. "What are you?  Sherlock Holmes?" I rolled my eyes for the hundreds time.

I plugged my earphones black in and looked out of the window. Soon the-boy-whose-name-I-still-don't-know parked in front of my apartment. I put my stuff back to my house and thought about ditching the guy, but then remembered that this might result in me being found dead in some river.

I sat in the front seat and put on my seatbelt while the boy looked at me weirdly. "What? I take safety really seriously."  I said and then it was his turn to roll his eyes.

"And that's why you got involved in a gang deal at 5 in the morning?" He said and glanced at me sideways. "Touché," I said and chuckled. "I am Corey by the way. " He said as we stopped in the red light. and extended his hand to me. I shook his hand and answered. "Olivia" 

"I already knew that. You are the news of the week in headquarters. " I smiled awkwardly at that remark. "So, what are you doing there? Apart from talking about me?" I made myself comfortable in the seat and turned to look at Corey.

"Well, I am 'newcomer' as they like to call it. I am the one who does everybody's small work. Mostly Elyssa's though. " He said as we took a turn to the street where the headquarters was.  "Newcomer? Is it like a rank?" I asked curiously.  This stuff was more interesting than I thought.

"Yeah, it is like a rank. Elyssa, for example, has seniority over me.  A few people and I are juniors. We are inexperienced so we do the background work." Corey glanced at me a few times as he explained it.

"Who has Seniority over Elyssa? Or is she the leader?" I asked. Corey shook his head. "She isn't the leader. There are always others who are stronger. But this is the story for other time because we are already here." Corey parked in the back of the building. He shot me a smile but I still felt anxious as I went in.

There are always others who are stronger. Without even knowing why I started to worry about Elyssa.