Love, loathe, betrayal - a gang story

Chapter 19

"Urm who is that?" Layla asks breaking me out of my dangerous thoughts, "Layla this is Clayton, Clay this is Layla" they wave at each other hesitantly. "Layla is a friend from school, Clay is urm, one of my brothers friends, brother" I waffle. Layla seems satisfied and says "nice to meet you Clay" he smiles back at her and we're stood in silence for a minute "so," I say "I'll be off then" Layla states and I walk her to the door "I want to hear everything tomorrow" Layla giggles and gives me a playful wink, I roll my eyes an practically push her out the front door "nothings happening" I huff as she waves going down the path. "Whatever you say Flo" I close the door and go back to the living room where I find clay looking at a photo of me and Will on the mantlepiece "oh no you don't" I cry snatching the photo from out of his hand and putting it face down back on the mantlepiece "I was like 9 in that photo!" I snap and he just giggles "I'm sorry, you guys were so cute." "Oh shut up" I giggle back trying to keep a stern and straight face. "So what's happening with my brother? Is he okay?" I ask anxiously "oh yeah he's fine" he says and I instantly sigh with relief "he just wants me to take you back to the compound" I raise an eyebrow "why? I thought I proved I wasn't really gang worthy" he releases a smile "well, he lost his phone or he would have just called and he's pretty busy so guessed I'd be one of the only ones you'd trust or something like that" he says flattering himself "so why do I need to be back at the compound?" I ask still unsure "he didn't specify but something about Walter, and knowing where you live..." Clay trails off and I can automatically hear my heart thumping in my chest and I feel my throat closing in on itself, if Walter knows where I live their is nothing stopping him or any other of his goons from coming here and crushing me like a bit of dirt in his shoe! "Are you okay Flo?" I slowly nod trying to control my breathing "is he planning anything?" I stutter "who Walter? I'm not sure that's why Will wants us all together including you, were stronger in numbers" I nod a small tear threatening to escape my eye "I have no idea how he found your address though" Clay adds "I do, he worked at my school so he has everyone's addresses at his fingertips, he's a dangerous man can we leave now?" I ask calming ever so slightly "sure get a few bits of clothing I think Will is planning on keeping us together for a few days" "a few days?"  I repeat and he nods "you seem very shocked when I started speaking about Walter, I didn't think you had much to do with him?" He says and I grunt in disgust "he urm, never mind"  I say taking another slow step up the stairs "have you met him?" He asks, the memories come flooding back of the night I had a run in with Walter. I ignored his question and keep on going up the stairs. "Flo?" "Yeah I've met him!" I snap snapping my eyes shut. "When?" He pushes "that night I ran into you in the woods I stumbled into him" I say unsure of my own words "and he just let you go?" He looks shocked "not exactly" I say quietly, I take a deep breath tell him anything he wanted to know, his eyes growing wide with each word. All he kept saying was "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry" we were both in tears and we have been sat on the top of my stairs with his big strong arms wrapped around my little body I felt so protected and he was really understanding of everything. "Anyway we need to be heading off, Will will wonder where we've got to" Clay ushers next into packing a few things. I left a note to mum saying I was with Will safe and will be back soon. Clay helps me into his car and we drive to the compound, I felt some kind of relief telling Clayton about my run-in with Walter.

We get to the compound a little while later, my leg feels a bit better now but still need crutches to get about swiftly. I get a text from Jade, the girl who previously made me chug a bottle of vodka. "Anyone important?" Clay asks opening the car door for me. I roll my eyes "just an old friend" I stutter on 'friend' "she wants to meet up" I sigh "you don't seem too happy about that" he giggles almost mournfully "well friend is a broad term, she's a bit of a urm... bitch" I state "what did she do to you?" He asks cautiously, when I fall silent he laughs and says "nevermind," I hold his arm "no it's okay, I was friends with her and some other girls and we were urm, out and I didn't want to drink much so I tipped some of the vodka out and then they kinda pressured me into downing nearly a whole bottle of vodka" I say a bit embarrassed "jeez a whole bottle of vodka, I'm surprised your still functioning" he says as we walk towards one of the caravans "well, I passed out in the woods and believe it or not it was the night Jordan found me, brought me back here, I escaped and ran into you then got kidnapped again by Walter and you know what happened then," his eyes soften and he puts his arm around me "you haven't spoke to her since?" "Not really, she never was a good friend to me really, there was a big group of us but me and Layla are the only strong ones" I say tears threatening to fall down my face remembering the memories I had with my previous friends. I explain some other nasty things Jade, Holly-Anne, Maria and Tiara did to me and others. "Your probably better off without them then" he says numbly as we walk through the biggest caravans door which I remember is Jordan and Wills, When he's there.