The Letter

Chapter One: The Meeting

"You can hit me all you want," A small blond girl whispered as she slowly picked herself back off of the ground that she was thrown to so many time, "But I'm not going to say it." She spat back at the three kids that stood in front of her. They were roughly about the age of twelve, maybe a bit older than her. 

Recess, the time of day that she had came to hate instead of enjoy. Teachers turn the blind eye for her since her family left a sour taste in anyone's mouth when they mention it. Winter Amora Crossbind; the only heir to her father and by god did he hate the fact that his heir was a girl. The Crossbinds were famous around almost all the cities of California. Her great grandfather was head of a mafia back in the day near LA, and since then, they had feared the Crossbind family. Though the kids in front of poor Winter who was beating her limb from limb didn't fully understand on why the family should be feared. It was her great grandfather who forced hundreds of thousands of people to pay them protection money and failure to do so... well, I'm sure you understood when random people went 'missing' from their apartments. When Winter heard those stories told by her grandfather who passed down the business to his son, her father, she swore that she would never be apart of a mafia group. Not her families, not anyone. 

Winter rubbed her sore bruised cheek as a small boy with dark brown hair leaned over and picked up a heavy looking rock. He juggled it in his hand before throwing it directly at Winter, knocking her upside the temple. She dropped once more from the sudden dizzy spell and pain that erupted from the hit. Groaning, she rubbed her head and slowly stood up once again. 

"Keep hitting me." She hissed, "I won't say it." 

"Why won't you? The more you don't say it, the more likely we will believe the rumors." The boy in front of the others spoke with a sly grin, "It's okay to admit that your family kills for a living." 

Moments past as Winter could feel a warm silk like feeling running down her face. Blood, it was blood. The one thing she couldn't stand. The girl that stood beside the boy who threw the rock was now leaning over to pick one up. Winter's eye was already starting to swell as she watched the girl. 

"Maybe she is just stupid." The girl said with a sneer, "I heard they all are." 

Winter swallowed down that anger that was boiling in her veins as she closed her eyes. "Shut up and throw it already." She mumbled, 

But the hit never came, the rock never came and everything around them were now completely silent. She slowly opened her bright blue eyes to see a small boy, roughly her age. He stood a tad bit taller than her, green of green eyes, dark black hair. He wore some nice clothing, something that a child shouldn't wear to go outside and play in. His back was facing her as he placed his hands in his pockets. 

"Why don't you get out of here, I'm sure she had enough by now." 

The boy in the middle was frozen to the ground with fear as he took a step back from the other boy. "Ashe McCoy..." He mumbled as the two children behind him began to whisper back and forth in a quiet, timid whisper. 

Not even a second went by as the three children took off running and screaming, "We will get you tomorrow Winter!" 

The boy stood there for a second longer, watching those bullies run off in fear before turning towards her and looked down at the slightly shorter girl. He let out a grunt of disapproval before turning and walking off. 

"You didn't have to do that," Winter spat out towards the boy, 

"No, I have to." He mumbled as he stopped and turned towards her, "Because one day you will be joining our mafia when my father hands it down to me." 

Winter could feel her soul freeze inside of her, cracking under the pressure. Who was Ashe McCoy?