Do What the Bad Boy Says

Chapter 1

It was late and I was tired. Lectures had gone longer than I'd hoped and work had felt even longer than usual. I locked the doors of the restaurant and sighed. I pulled my hair out of the tight bun I'd had it in and let it fall messily down my back. It was greasy from handling food all day and I couldn't wait to shower.

It was cold enough for me to see my own breath. I could tell that it was going to start raining soon. I'd barely make it home before the rain started if I walked fast. I didn't have time to go the long way. Normally I wouldn't take an alleyway at this time of the night, but I was too tired to plan out another route for myself. I took the short cut.

It wasn't like a sketchy alleyway, more of a deserted one that they never bothered to board up like the others. We usually left our trash bags there, which gave me even more of an excuse to continue down as I dropped the two bags off. I came out the other side, not expecting to see anybody I knew.

Kit Finn was there with his little crew. I took a sharp intake of breath when I saw them and immediately retreated into the shadows again. It's not that I was necessarily scared of them, more so very intimidated.

They were talking crudely about some girls they'd met earlier. Nothing sounded serious and they all seemed to be pretty light hearted at the moment. I knew otherwise. I'd seen otherwise before.

They weren't lighthearted men. They were gang members and they were notorious for being ruthless. Maybe it was just a bored small-town rumour, but I wasn't about to risk it. So I stayed hidden.

I heard them stop talking for a moment before hearing a lighter flick and the smell of cigarettes quickly floated itself over to me. I gagged slightly. I hated the smell. I couldn't stand it without gagging at least once. Being too close to the smell would make me feel ill.

"You hear that?" One of the boys asked, making the others immediately shut up.

I tried to silently walk backwards to make it appear as though I hadn't been spying on them for a moment. Only I tripped over a child's old bicycle and landed loudly on the ground as the handlebars toppled off. I grunted slightly, feeling the skin on hand and my opposite elbow peel off meaning my jacket had ripped.

I heard their footsteps coming quickly before the smell of cigarettes became stronger and their large figures blocked the light of the street lamp. I hurriedly tried to detangle myself from the small bike, but it was resting on one of my legs while the other was on top. In the dark it was difficult to realize this.

I heard them laughing before the flashlight of a phone came on. I blinked a few times before my eyes adjusted. I made to move the bike, but somebody moved it for me and pulled me to my feet.

"Thanks." I said quietly, not really prepared to be confronted by the four of them.

"What are you doing?" I'm pretty sure Kit asked, though I couldn't make out their faces as they stood behind the flashlight.

"Walking home. Why?" I was not about to put on display that I was kind of scared.

"In an alley, by yourself?" Somebody else deadpanned. "That's not very smart."

"I'm trying to get home faster." I replied, feeling my cheeks turn red.

"We'll walk you then." The first voice decided. "You shouldn't walk by yourself at night. It's dangerous. Especially right now."

"Don't scare her, Kitty." Somebody mumbled confirming who was talking.

"Don't fucking call me that." Kit spat before looking back at me. "You. Let's move, please."

I walked through them and felt awkward as they all silently followed me home. I'd gone to elementary and high school with these boys, yet the only thing I could do was match their faces to their names.