Chicago Royalty

♔ Prologue ♔

"Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do."

-Rob Siltanen

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Amber Sun

We all got our qualities, our good, and bad ones, it makes us who we are. For as long as I can remember, I've been trying to find the good in me. The good that makes me a better person than all of these broken human beings that I've considered family. It got to the point where I found it pointless to keep on searching. I've come to the conclusion that I have no good in me.

I'm exactly the same as everyone else. We started the same and we most likely will end the same. The past I currently hold is a common story between us all, so it's not like I don't fit in here. I belong here. After everything I went through, it finally all paid off. I got people I can trust and friends, that's enough for me.

"Want me to fill your cup?" I turn my head to see Bear, our gang leader looking down at me. Oh yea, the only reason I got to where I am, is by becoming part of the North City Killers... or just the North City Gang.

"Yes, I would very much like that." I hand him my empty red cup and he picks it up and fills it halfway with the contents of his own cup. My smile fades when I watch what he does and he takes notice of that.

"I can't drink much since I'm probably going to be someone's ride home and you can't drink much because you're only 16. Anyway, I have some important things to tell you when we get back to the complex." He explains, handing me back my cup.

"It's your damn birthday, Bear. You're getting old, you don't have long to enjoy yourself." I tease, taking a sip of my drink. The strength of the whiskey fills my senses, but it's not just whiskey... there's a hint of something else in it but I can't quite put the taste to anything right now. Maybe it's because I've had a little too much to drink...?

"Oh shut up, 27 isn't that old." He sits down on the stool next to mine, setting his drink on the table.

"Believe that if it makes you happy."

"Don't disrespect your leader like this, Amber." He chuckles, even though I've been in the gang for around 6 months, Bear has a soft spot for me.

I don't answer, instead, I look at the city ahead of me. Breathing in the warm spring air as the sound of the party going on inside of the apartment dances around me, sometimes the music gets tainted with the occasional honking or screeching of a car, or an emergency vehicle rushing to someone who's life is more normal than mine.

It's peaceful if you ask me, but there's an uneasy feeling in the air... like the hint of rain you can smell right before a storm, along with the aches and pains it gives you. Something is brewing and it's coming straight for us.

Bear notices the shift in my mood, he reaches for my hand but yanks it back. There are people on the other side of the glass behind us, anyone could see us and any slip up could end badly.

"What's wrong?" He asks instead. I sigh and look up into his golden-brown eyes, they show worry and care, which is a side not many people see of him.

Being the leader of such a massive gang means he has to be big and tough. Any weakness could be used against him so he only really shows who he truly is to certain people.