𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗶 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗼: 𝗨𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱

Lionhearts Discontinued Version: Chapters 3-4

Chapter Three

Gabi's POV

I made it to a more populated area in downtown LA, constantly checking every direction for cops or my parents. I saw some cops, but they didn't pay me any attention.

I ducked into an alley, dropping my bags at my feet and leaning against the cold bricks. Sweat beaded on my forehead and I wiped it with my sleeve, coughing from how dry my mouth was. I bent down, taking my Monster from my bag and cracking it open.

"Lost?" a voice said as I took a long drink. Turning, I saw a guy with a cigarette between his lips and choppy black hair that went a few inches past his shoulders. He wore a white shirt tucked into his jeans and he was starign right at me.

"Sort of," I admitted. Los Angeles had been my home for ten years, but the city was still so foreign to me. I never got out much, being too young to be out alone, and then too controlled to do anything. I couldn't have friends over it go to a friend's house, and my parents had made it clear that if I snuck out something would happen.

"Where you headed?" His eyes dropped to my bags and he raised a brow. "Runaway?" He said it like he was shocked, like a girl who ran away is so rare.

I gulped down some more Monster before nodding slowly. "Come on," he said, tilting his head, gesturing for me to follow.

I picked up my bags and followed him deeper into the alley. I desperatly needed to sit down, but the alley was littered with cigarette butts and covered in God knows what.

"What's your name?" he asked, turning a corner where a girl and two other guys were all smoking and drinking from bottles inside paper bags.

"Gabi."

He turned to look at me and I noticed his eyes were so dark brown they almost looked black. "Cool. I'm Randy. That's Mary, Luke, and Travie." He pointed at each person as he said their name, them looking at me and waving their cigarette in acknowledgement.

Mary was a short blonde with a rose tattoo on her neck and bright red lipstick.

Luke had short brown hair and an ever-present frown as he stared at me.

Travie had darker, olive-toned skin and short cornrows. He flashed me a toothy grin before taking another drag of his cigarette.

"So, what brings you here?" Mary asked, her voice higher than I thought it would be. She looked barely older than me.

"I just had to get away," I said, earning a raised eyebrow from Luke.

"Away from what?"

"Parents," I said, shifting my weight.

"You need a place to crash? I have a little room with a sleeping bag," Mary said, throwing her cigarette down and stepping on it. Leaning back against the wall, she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Um, that'd be cool," I said, nodding.

"Cool." She grinned at me, and I felt an arm drape itself over my shoulders.

I glanced up to see Randy, a smirk on his face. "Or you could come home with me." He stunk of beer and cigarettes, but I couldn't move away.

"Don't be like that. You're scaring her," Travie said, starting to stand up from the milk crate he was sitting on.

"Hey, why don't you mind your business," Randy snapped at him, before stroking my face with his other hand. A lit cigarette was between his fingers and I expected to feel it on my skin at any second. "You know, Gabi, you're really pretty."