The Path to Love

Chapter 9

Xav added you and Luke in a group chat

Xav: Have you made leeway on your end of the bet yet?

Luke: No.

Hunt: Fuck that

Luke: Told you he hasn't and wasn't going to do it!

Hunt: She's my best friend. I'm not taking advantage of her like that

Xav: You agreed to the bet

Hunt: I know I did

Xav: So, you have to do it

Hunt: It'll ruin everything we have between us. She's my best friend guys, fuck off.

Hunt: I can't ruin what we have

Hunt: I won't

Hunt: Luke, you have a girlfriend. You must be terrified to lose her. That's the feeling I have when I think I'm going to lose Sam.

Luke: He does have a point, Xav.

Xav: We're his best friends too, Luke. He won't lose us. For all he knows, this could be the best damn thing that ever happens to him.

Hunt: Or the worst.

Xav: Well, you have until spring break. If something happens, you win. If not, you lose. Then we get to pick your consequence. Spring break!

Fucking fuck. I told him I wouldn't use her like that. I'll admit, I thought it was a good idea when I agreed to it, but when I got her opinion on it, I knew instantly how wrong it was. I refuse to hurt her like that. I can't. I won't.

My phone buzzed again, letting me know another text had come in.

N: Guess who got their money

Hunt: Fucker paid up, did he?

N: After he realized what you said yesterday was serious, he wasn't long before he handed over his money. Good work.

Hunt: I just punched him around a few times. He was drunk when I was there. I knocked him out cold though.

N: I'll have another job for you soon. Keep your phone on you.

Hunt: Got it.

This double life shit is starting to become stupid and a real pain in my ass. I love my best friend and I love the gang life, but I don't like having to separate the two. I don't like really keeping anything from her, but she'd never want to associate with me again if she knew I was in a gang. Would I blame her for that though? No. She probably is already a target. People are probably already watching her. At least she is oblivious, for now.

I can't lose her and I'm not ready to leave the gang. Fuck.

I put my phone away and leaned over to Sam and kissed her on the cheek. "Thanks for making a great meal. I have to get going, but I'll see you after. Okay?"

"Are you okay?" She asked me, full of worry.

"Of course. I just have a rendezvous to attend too." I replied, smirking at her. Rendezvous is our code for a fuck and chuck. She didn't like the terms one-night stand or fuck and chuck, so we settled on rendezvous. It works.

"Gross. Sometimes I can't believe how close we are. Have fun." She replied, picking up the dishes and heading to the sink.

I lied to her. I'm not going out with anyone, I don't have anything to do for the gang, I'm just going to my thinking spot. My thinking spot is a waterfall. I stumbled upon it one afternoon, by mistake. Sam and I had a huge fight about my sexual habits, and I left. I drove to a wooded area and started walking through it to clear my head. I found the waterfall and have gone back ever since when I had a lot to think about. No one knew about this spot, not even Sam.

I drove to the wooded area and got out of my car. I walked on the trail for ten minutes to the waterfall and sat on the ledge near it, watching the water fall over the edge.  I sat staring at the waterfall for two hours.

I thought about the bet, the gang, Sam, my parents and my habits. I couldn't change the fact I was in a gang. There was no way out, I didn't really want an out. They were a good group of guys and were always there for me when I needed them. I like that I always get to release my anger by getting to punch someone's face in. That gang gives me a sense of purpose I didn't know I was searching for.

I regretted making the bet though, I wish I didn't. Sam and I have a great friendship and she do trust me. I don't want to ruin that because of some bet. I love her and she loves me. What happens if we become more than friends and it doesn't work out? We lose everything that we built.

I was also starting to regret the fact that Sam's uncle, was going to die because of me. I know it is the best for her mentally, but I don't know if I'll ever be able to tell her that I signed his death certificate. Would I really be able to live with the fact that I helped kill someone? I guess I won't have any other choice soon. The plan was already set in motion.

I wish my parents would have been around my whole life, maybe then I wouldn't have made such stupid choices like sleeping with almost the whole female population at school or getting involved with a gang. Maybe I would have a better path laid out for me. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe.

I don't even know why I'm feeling sorry for myself. All these consequences are the results of my actions.

If there was anything I could do, I must be there fully for Sam when she finds out about her uncle. I have no idea how she's going to react.

I know I shouldn't have told the guys to take care of her uncle, but I can't bring myself to regret it. I can't keep thinking about it. I'm in a gang, this is supposed to be what I do.

I'm going to protect Sam at all costs, no matter what. And if that requires killing someone, then so be it.