CHAPTER 11

            Aidan showed me what Katie did to make money last night. I couldn't believe at first that Katie was an actual prostitute, but after a while I put the pieces together to find out how obvious it really was. Katie reassured me that it wasn't as bad as it looked, what she told me made some sense to me. People like us can't get real jobs, and we still need to eat, so I suppose it's better than nothing. Last night wasn't bad at all anyway.

            I sat up carefully, trying not to wake Aidan who was laying right next to me. Katie and Isaac were still fast asleep at the other end of the room. I looked around a little, being able to see little with the early morning light. I could see what was left from the night before, and could tell that Katie and Isaac had shot up, but I couldn't remember if I had.

            I pulled the blankets off of me and put them over Aidan without waking him. I stood up and snuck out of the room and headed up to the bathroom. I looked myself over in the mirror for several minutes. I could make it as a prostitute, I've got the body. Easy money, I thought. I'm running out of cash now, since I've paid for food for Maria, Katie and I. I needed more money, and I had to find a way to get it back.

            I made sure to lock the door behind me before I got into the shower. The warm water felt so wonderful that I didn't even want to get out. The cold mornings really get to you after a while, but I figured that winter was just finishing off, so it was bound to warm up eventually. I let the water cascade over me as I tried hard to imagine myself anywhere else but here.

            I imagined how my life could have turned out if my parents hadn't died on me. I thought of how I could have been happy at home now, not having to worry about how I'm going to make money to feed a gang and to buy drugs. How I could have been happy, with the only problems I'd have to worry about being whether or not I'll pass the math test. How I wouldn't have gotten beaten, or ever started cutting.

            I ran my hand over my tattoo as I realized that this really was my life, whether I liked it or not. This tattoo was my way of signing on the dotted line, showing that I had accepted this life and everything that comes along with it.

            I almost fell as a knock on the door brought me out of my trance like state. I waited a second for them to knock a second time just in case, "Hold on, someone's in here!"

            "Ah thought that was you, Taya," said Katie from the other side of the door, "Hurry up, I'd like to get some, too."

            I shut the water off and stood dripping in the tub, "Alright, just give me a minute."

            I reached out and grabbed a towel and dried myself off. The bathroom hadn't even started to steam up yet, so I knew that I took a short enough shower. I got myself dressed as I let my hair hang damp, leaving me with chills. I then finished drying my hair, and brushed it out with a comb that was left in the bathroom. I tried hard to put my old life behind me and accept the new one I'd fallen into.

             As I opened the door, Katie turned to me and smiled, "So, chica, now I teach you the business."

            Isaac walked by just then, giving Katie a kiss and then turning to me, "Not quite yet, you still need to hang out here until the cops clear out."

            Katie kissed Isaac on the cheek lightly and hugged him tightly, "So, baby, you feel like a shower?"

            Isaac grinned wide at Katie as he followed her into the bathroom, shutting the door on my face. I'd forgotten my shoes, which I had left on the floor, but I figured I could just get them later. After all, Katie and Isaac were enjoying themselves.

            As I walked down the stairs and headed to the living room, Aidan stopped me. He didn't say anything at all, he just looked deep into my eyes, and all I could do was smile. I almost laughed at him, but instead leaned in to give him a kiss. Who ever said I was too young for this stuff? I think I know my way around pretty well, actually. It felt good to be in Aidan's arms. Strong, masculine arms, that not only loved me, but would protect me. I had never felt as safe as I did with him.

            Aidan stopped and leaned back to look me over, "You're the prettiest thing I've seen yet."

            I blushed slightly and looked into the living room, seeing Spencer, Ethan, and Zach quickly turn away. Marco smiled at me and raised his right fist high in the air, "Go Aidan!"

            Aidan turned and grabbed a cassette tape off of the table next to us and threw it at Marco, "Can't you see I'm working here?!"

             Marco started laughing, soon having the other three follow him. Aidan shook his head at them and turned to me again. I could tell what he wanted just by his eyes, and didn't feel like putting up a fight. He grabbed me lightly by the arm and dragged me downstairs to where we had slept the night before. A nice and quiet room with only two twin beds. He locked the door behind us.

            Aidan lifted my shirt up over my head, leaving me only in a bra and my jeans. It seemed like hours of us just kissing, I thought he wanted more than that. But as suddenly as it had come on, it was over again. Instead he had me sit on the edge of the bed with him, while he pulled out a kit from underneath the mattress. I'd done so many drugs in the last couple of days, I didn't really think more would hurt.

            He told me he was going to give me wings, whatever that meant. He called his stuff an h-bomb, but wouldn't tell me more than that. After he had it all set out and ready, we started hitting up. He showed me how the first time, and then we just started taking turns. That voice that hovers in the back of your head and tells you what's right and wrong wasn't there anymore. I didn't even think of what I was doing, and it no longer seemed bad to me.

            Aidan finally told me that we needed to lay off before we zoinked. I'm still convinced that I need to learn these words, it's as if they're speaking a whole new language. Either way, zoinked didn't sound good, so I had an idea of what that meant.

            Aidan laid down on the bed, making room so that I could lay down next to him. I could feel my skin tingle, and I felt warm. I was also amazingly calm. You'd think that when you feel like this, with your heart pumping faster, and sweating like a pig, you'd be worried, but I wasn't. Aidan told me it was normal, and to just enjoy it. The room seemed to explode, and I saw it in a way I'd never seen it before.

            Aidan hung his arm over me as he pulled in right up against my back, "How do you feel?"

            I didn't move a muscle, and just continued to stare at the painting on the wall in front of me, "This is amazing. We didn't overdose, did we?"

            Aidan hugged me tight, "Now, would I do that to you?"

            I shrugged my shoulders slightly, "I guess not."

            Katie came up and knocked on the door after finding it locked, "Hey, guys, I need to get in there."

            I rolled over slightly so that Aidan and I were nose to nose and smiled at him, "Go unlock the door, will you?"

            Aidan got up, tossed my shirt at me and went to open the door. I was still pulling it over my head when Katie walked in. She just smiled and winked at me, as she shut the door behind her and went to sit down on the bed across from us. Aidan came back and sat down next to me, running his fingers through my hair.

            Katie grabbed a sweatshirt that she had set next to her bed and pulled it on, and then looked at Aidan, "You gave her wings, didn't you?"

            Aidan smiled at me as he reached around and gave me a light squeeze, "Yeah, I figured it was time."

            I stayed out of the conversation, since I didn’t know what they meant. I just stared at the floor and tried not to zone out.

            Katie walked over and sat on the other side of me, putting an arm over my shoulder, "Don't know what we're talking about, do you?"

            "Not really, no," I replied as I shook my head at her, "But I suppose you'll tell me, huh?"

            Katie bumped me slightly and then reached over to high five Aidan, "Nah, you'll figure it out eventually, just go with the flow."

            Katie, Aidan and I jumped as we heard the front door slam upstairs, followed by a lot of shouting. Katie looked at me and then Aidan, shaking her head as she held her breath and tried to listen to the voices upstairs.

            Katie stared at Aidan, "What do you suppose that's all about?"

            Aidan shook his head as he stared at the door, "I don't know, but we're going to find out. Come on."

            Aidan walked ahead of us, with Katie and I following from a distance. If it was the cops, we were in serious trouble. All I could think about was how I'd end up getting sent back to hell, to the home that I left behind. Thoughts and images flashed through my head as Katie and I held each other close as we walked up the stairs.

            In the living room I could see Xavier, Trevor and Hunter standing in the living room with their red headbands tied tightly over their head. Garrett, Spencer, Lucas, and Isaac were also in the living room trying to calm the three of them down. I could tell by the way they wore their headbands that they had been out watching the streets. Katie told me that the gang colors were always displayed as a warning when the members were out patrolling.

            Aidan ran into the living room and pushed his way in next to Spencer and Isaac, "What happened?"

            Katie and moved in closer so that we could hear. It looked like the three of them had been in a fight. Hunter had a rather large cut above his left eye, and some scrapes up his arm. Xavier's right eye was purple, and it looked like he had a broken nose as well. Poor Trevor looked liked he'd been flat out tortured. His face was a bloody mess, and I couldn't tell what wound it was all coming from. He had a fat lip and a black eye as well.

            "Dude, they crossed!" Xavier shouted as he shook his head violently.

            Spencer sat the three of them down on one of the couches, "Who crossed?"

            Hunter looked over at Trevor, "The Tags. They ambushed Trevor, but Xavier and I were able to chase them off."

             Spencer shook his head, "This isn't good."

            Xavier shook his head and looked at Spencer, "They assured us they'll be back to raise hell."

            Spencer paced back and forth, saying several choice words under his breath, "Alright, we need to step up the watches. I want three people groups, no less."

           Trevor looked around the room, "There's not a lot of us here."

                        "I'll call Rick and let him know what happened," Spencer replied as he pushed past Katie and I, "He'll hike up his watches as well. We're not letting them through again."

                        Katie leaned over and whispered in my ear, "The war's on now..."

             I shook my head as I stared at Katie, finally seeing what I had gotten into, seeing just how bad the war of the gangs really was. Katie told me that our gang was known as Demostrate, which meant 'army of the people' in ancient Greek. Our biggest rival gang was simply known as The Black Tags, a young gang that was set on dominating the city. She didn't know how that gang had grown so big, seeing as how many of their members end up getting arrested. She just knew that they were big dealers in the inner city, and don't like competition.

           I dragged Katie into the kitchen. I grabbed several rags, running them under warm water and wringing them out so they just remained damp. Katie got a couple of storage backs and filled them with ice, grabbing a couple dry rags to take along. Together the two of us headed into the living room to clean the three of them up.

           I tossed a couple rags to each of them, and took a bag of ice and a dry rag from Katie, handing it to Trevor, "You look pretty bad."

           Trevor wiped the blood off of his face, showing the wounds had stopped bleeding enough to be examined. I may not have professional training, but when it comes to cuts and blood, I know how to judge them and care for them. There was one that was fairly deep above his right eye, and about three inches long. For that fact alone, I knew it should be closed.

           Katie seemed to read my mind as she tossed me a box of butterfly strips that she had gotten from the kitchen cupboard. I carefully determined that we needed at least four, if not six strips to keep the wound closed. I grabbed Trevor by the arm and took him to the kitchen sink to clean the cut, carrying the box of butterfly strips in my other hand.

                        "Alright, I'll let you do the rinsing here," I said as I turned on the faucet and motioned for him to get over, "Once it's cleaned up enough, I'll dry it and use the strips to close it."

                        Katie looked at me with a confused look, "Hey Taya, how do you know what to do?"

           I shrugged my shoulders slightly, not letting my eyes leave Trevor, "Let's just say I've had experience..."

           I set out six butterfly strips on the counter next to us, making sure they were ready. Trevor turned to me after about five minutes, and I turned the faucet off. I wouldn't let him stop rinsing until I was sure it was clean. He remained silent the whole time, not making a sound as I carefully dried the cut with a paper towel and stuck the strips over his cut, holding it closed. I checked and then double checked to make sure they were on well enough.

           "You know," I said as I stood back to admire my handiwork, "When you run out of strips, duct tape strips work just as well, if not better."

            Trevor walked over to look at himself in the mirror hanging next to the front door, "Wow, Taya, we need to keep you around. Man, I so did not want to have to go get stitches and have to explain where I got this cut. They know me there already."

                        Katie grinned at me as she finished cleaning up Xavier and Hunter, throwing the bloody rags into a plastic back, "Yeah, we're keeping her around for a long time."

           Spencer stormed into the room, not even noticing how well I'd taken care of Trevor, "They tell me that they had an attack just like ours, but they actually killed Colten."

           My eyes grew big as I looked Katie in the eyes, hers were just as big as mine. This really was getting serious, and I didn't know what to do. I'd completely forgotten about the threat from the cops, and all I could think about was the threat that came from a much bigger army. This was no game, it was real.

           Spencer looked at Katie and then at me, "You guys will not leave this house until I say you can. I'm going to get the others in our house to stay here as well."

           I had to speak up, but wasn't sure exactly what to say, "But sir, I... I have all my stuff back at the house?"

            Spencer shook his head and stared at me for a couple minutes, I thought I'd done something bad, "Katie, Taya... I will get an escort for you two to go get your stuff and bring it back here, I'm not letting you out alone."

            I nodded, "Okay. Is there anything else we can do to help out?"

            Katie looked at me, raising an eyebrow, "Taya..."

            I just shrugged my shoulders at Katie and looked to Spencer. Spencer nodded his head, "Yeah, I need you two to stay here and help take care of anyone who gets hurt, like you did this afternoon. Trust me, you don't want to be on the streets."

           Aidan pounded a fist to his chest, "Yeah, we men will take of you girls, and you take care of us."

           Trevor nodded, "They aren't getting away next time."

           "We're rallying up now," Spencer started off as he turned to all of us, "Rick is gathering his people up, and I'll do the same here. We'll know more tomorrow, but for now, I need everyone to do what they can. I don't want anyone ending up like Colten."

                        Aidan shook his head and looked over to me with a saddened look, and all I could do was shake my head in reply. Katie slowly and ****ed her head to look up at Isaac who was staring right back at her. The whole room remained silent for a minute as we all mourned the death of a fellow gang member. I'd never even met him, but the fact that he was one of us and had died, was more than enough.

                        "Alright everyone listen up!" Spencer shouted, making everyone pay attention, "Isaac, Trevor, Hunter, Garrett, Lucas and Aidan, I want you all to escort Taya and Katie to get their stuff. I'm going to have the rest of the gang here go out and search out the other local members."

                        Katie and I followed Garrett and Lucas as they led the way. Aidan was on the outside of me, and Isaac was on the other side standing on the outside of Katie, with Trevor and Hunter following behind. A perfect ring of protection, it made me almost forget the fear I had just knowing that there were other people out there that would actually kill us.

                        When we got to the house, Garret and Lucas searched every room and closet for anyone who could be hiding, and then we were allowed to go to our rooms and get our stuff. There were three of the guys to each of us. I had Hunter, Aidan and Lucas. Katie had Isaac, Garret and Trevor. I made sure to grab everything out of the room, sticking my book into a bag and holding it tightly. I didn't have much to get, but Katie did, since she was getting all of Maria's things as well.

                        Aidan leaned over and kissed me on the neck, "Don't worry, I'll never let anyone hurt my girl."

                        Isaac nodded at Aidan and I, and then turned to look Katie in the eyes, "Same goes for me. You're safe with us.

           We finally headed back to the house, carrying several bags each, with everything we owned in those plastic bags. There would be no going back to that house for a long time, not until the gangs got their peace or victory. All I knew was that I was actually needed now, and that gave me even more security than I could have ever hoped for.