Chapter Three

Derek's P.O.V.

I cut off the engine when I turned into my house. Just the sight of it made me sick. It made the qualifications for a house, so it's legally allowed to be called a house. Sure, it is a house, but it ain't home. I made my way up the old stairs. They threatened to break under my step with each stride my legs took. The door I had to be careful with or it would have fallen off the hinges. It was cheap and all that was available.

Inside was better than the outside. It smelled of rain inside. That good rain that smelled like the earth. Not like home, but it was a start. I missed home. Missed how warm the sun kissed ya skin. I shook my head. Doan you think bout' that now.

My pa came out of the kitchen and gave me a smile. I scoffed. What's he so happy about?

"Derek! You're home!" He said.

"Yeah pa, school uh...let out early today. So much snow here you know?" I said.

I tried to play it all off and my pa looked at me and shook his head, but he accepted my answer, even if he didn't really. I should be glad, but I hate lying to my pa. Crazy cooyon took me in when no one else would. Even after what you didn. I shook my head.

I looked down in confusion. My pa had...oven mitts on? I sniffed the air and walked into the kitchen. Was he tryin' to...cook? I looked back at him.

"Oh, I was making our Cajun shrimp and quinoa casserole!" He said.

I knew what he was makin'. I could smell it. Smelled like home. God…made my mouth water. Mhm! Just as I was walking to the over to get some, my pa smacked the back of my neck.

"Ow!" I yelped.

"That's not for us!" He said.

I pulled my hand back as he swatted it and my face hardened when a thought passed my mind. I looked at him. We doan have any friends here. Hell, we doan even have family members here. I tilted my head slightly.

"Who is it for pa?" I asked.

Then his face lit up as he spoke. My ears can't believe what he said. There is no way.

"We got invited to a party. Or I think that's what they call it." He said.

My pa learned English alot better than I did. Me? Non, I liked my roots better than this Cooyon tongue. My eyes narrowed. Why would someone invite us? Make us look like the Cooyons? I shook my head. Or was it a trap?

"I ain't goan!" I snapped.

Before he could say anything, I left the kitchen and headed for my room. When I am in there, I slammed the door behind me. It made the house rattle. I doan care though. My body turns and I stared at the room. My bed is shoved in the corner. I put it there when we first moved here. My thoughts were if it was outta sight, it was outta mind.

The mattress was old and used, but cheap and available when we moved here. I just tossed a blanket on it as a sheet and used whatever I can to cover with if I'm cold. It wasn't much. Hell, it probably woan even the bare necessities.

My body moved forwards until I threw myself on the creaky mattress. It groaned under me as I lay there. I looked up at the ceiling. Dark spot. Water damage. Great. I shook my head slowly. Why here pa? Where it's so cold and different from all we ever knew. I sigh. Pa musta' left by now. The house was too quiet. Guilt gnawed at me. Damn it all. At least try for him. You're the reason we are even here.

"Well Derek, looks like we goan to crash ourselves a little party." I mumbled to myself.

Aria's P.O.V.

"No way." I said.

"Oh, come on! It isn't that bad!" Rosa replied.

I eyed the dress she handed me. No. There is no way I could wear that. In no way was that me! Rosa shoved the gown into my arms and pushed me to the changing room. She pulled the door shut and I could only stare at it. Damn you Rosa!

"Don't come out until you have this on! I want to see it!" She commanded me.

I grumbled, but I entered the room. I took off my warm clothes and shimmied into the navy-blue gown. It went all the way to the floor. It hugged my curves gently. Despite me wanting to admit it, it actually looked good. The dress isn't too tight, or too loose. There were a few gems on it. It had a few at the bottom of the gown, and one large stone in-between my breast. It was very formal. The straps were very thin, and the gown had two of them. I hate one strap dresses, and Rosa knew that thankfully.

"Alright I'm coming out." I told Rosa.

Just as I moved, I gasped in horror. Rosa! I looked down as I noticed a slit on the side of the dress. It rose to my upper thigh. I turned and busted out of the dressing room.

"Rosa! This-," I motioned towards the slit. "Is not okay!" I snapped.

She just laughed at me as she grins wickedly. She knew what she had done. Oh, she is so evil at times! Just then a few guys outside of the store saw me through the crystal glass and whistled. My eyes went wide as I looked at Rosa. She is all smiles, and I shook my head in disapproval. I mean to go hide in the dressing room, but Rosa blocked my way.

"Say you will buy and wear this dress tonight!" She said to me sternly.

I bit my bottom lip as I contemplated it. I shook my head and she repeated what she said. I rolled my eyes and sighed. She won't let me change unless I agree to it. I snarled in frustration. She knows I won't break a promise. She is so frustrating.

"Fine!" I snapped.

She easily moved and I rushed behind the curtain and sigh with relief. Then it hit me. I have to wear this to a gathering tonight. I leaned my back against the wall. Why does mom do these things, dad? Why did you have to leave?

That's what I mentally asked myself often. I shook my head. Why was I thinking of him at this time? I sighed and changed back into my day clothes. At least now I was warmer. I stepped out and Rosa smiled gently at me. She came over and slings an arm around me.

"Your dad would have wanted you to live a little." She said softly.

I smiled because I know she is right. I leaned my head on her shoulder as we paid for the dress and headed out. She lets me. I am glad we are friends. Despite both of our pasts, we never let it affect us and how we decided to live.

She steered me into the food court. I managed to pay for her meal before she noticed, and she scowled, not liking it when I spoiled her. Why wouldn't I? She's my best friend. Also, it's not like I don't have the money. We sat at the table and I sipped my strawberry milkshake. She pigs into her triple bacon stuffed cheeseburger while I grinned.

"You're gonna choke on bacon if you don't slow down." I said softly.

She shook her head and finished her burger. I sighed and shook my head. Such a foodie. I hadnt the slightest idea where she put all of that. At least she wiped her mouth gently with her napkin. I nodded in approval. Then she burped. Very loudly. The whole food court was silent for a few seconds before it resumed its sound. I slowly slammed my head into the table. One step forward, three steps back.

"I'd have called that a bear noise if I didn't see it with my own ojos!" A voice says.

I looked over towards the voic and gasped. It's Riko! He's here! He must have skipped school just like Rosa and I did. If he told on me, I would be so dead! He seemed to have seen my panic and held up his hands.

"I won't snitch if that's what you're thinkin! I look out for the skippers." He said.

"I am NOT a skipper!" I snapped with wide eyes.

"Then...what are you doing here instead of at school? I don't know what your definition is of skipping, but I am pretty sure when you are not at school during open hours well...that's skipping." He answered.

I hated this, but he is right, and I cannot deny what he has said. I glared at him. He took notice of my lack of reply and smirked. I glared harder. Oh, the nerve of males and their hubris. I see several other males, three in total, come up behind Riko. None looked friendly. The male in the middle had black hair with a scar across his right eye. On the right side, the male had dark brown hair and sun kissed skin. The last one has brown hair with pale white skin. All wearing t-shirts jeans. I noticed Riko's smile faded as he caught sight of them. Rosa looked at me and narrowed her eyes in suspicion. Both of us were one edge now.

"Ayee me amigos!" Riko laughed softly.

I know it was just to lighten the mood. Funny how that turned out. The main male stepped dangerously close to Riko and Rosa stood up and slid in-between then with a sly sense of ease. God Rosa! Why couldn't you stay seated! Rosa just smiled wickedly.

"Take one more step and I'll consider it a threat." She said deathly low.

I noticed the two males on the side of him step toward Rosa. I glared and stood, my emotion drained from my face. My body reacted without my mind's approval. Before I knew it, I had stepped forward, and then I had shoved the middle guy back a few feet. I watched as he struggled to catch himself, but sadly he didn't fall on the floor.

"Touch her and you'll regret it." I snapped.

He scowled at me before he got right into my face. His two buddies held both of his arms. They mumbled words in Spanish. Something about later, and not now. I couldn't seem to catch all of what they were saying. What could they be talking about? His friends eventually managed to drag them away. Riko was the first to break the silence.

"I should get outta here. I'm sorry this all happened." Riko said.

"We should get going as well Aria. Your mom's probably wondering where you are." She said.

I could only nod in agreement as we decided it would be best to separate, and then we left. Rosa and I were out in the parking lot of the mall. It was really dark. It might as well have been pitched black. I clicked my tongue. We really stayed out this late? Even so, I was thankful for the lights in the lot.

I was fiddling with the keys in my hand when I saw shadows rush behind my car. Rosa and I quickly stopped. We looked at each other, and it was then I knew we had both seen it. At least I was certain of that. I looked at her as she looked back at me. Then we looked at Rosa's car.

Rosa walked towards the car before I could stop her. Two shadows lunged out of hiding and both tackled Rosa. I gasped and I ran towards Rosa. I managed to yank one of the guys off of her and threw him to the ground. I heard him shuffle to get on his feet, but I slammed my foot into his gut. I heard him groan in pain. I kept kicking. Leave none alive. Then I felt it as I was tackled to the road. I screamed and hit the ground hard. My head slammed into the road and I gasped in pain. My vision was a bit blurry, but I had to stay focused.

"Aria!" Rosa yelled.

Just as the man is about to slam my head into the road once again, he is lifted off of me.

Thank you, Rosa, I scrambled to my feet in time to see who it was. It was the guys from the food court! Rosa locked the man in a death choke hold. I see him struggle for air.

"Rosa don't kill the guy!" I snapped.

"Why? The asshole deserves it for coming after you!" She growled.

I ignored that comment because to be honest, I couldn't deny that. However, I didn't want to draw the attention of a murder in this town. I looked around in time to see an old rusty crowbar in the shadows. I quickly grabbed it without a second thought and slammed the bar down onto the guy's back. I felt the impact vibrate through the metal and I heard the guy curse loudly. I hit him again but harder and saw him hit the ground.

I dropped the crowbar. I didn't even wait for it to move on the ground before I unlocked the car and Rosa jumped in. I shoved the keys in and turned the key roughly. The engine roared loudly. Some say it's a sexy song, but tonight it meant life or death for these guys. Move out of my way or stay the fuck there. Luckily for them they move out of the way just as I floor the gas drifting out of my parking space.

I heard the tires screech before I smelt the burnt rubber. I shook my head checking to see if they're following us in my side mirrors. I heard Rosa curse for me. She sees it too. Three bikes just pulled out of the parking lot and were fast on our trail. I narrowed my eyes and shoved my foot all the way to the floor.

"Um... Aria....there is traffic like 20 feet away! You might wanna hit the brakes!" She said, clinging to her seat.

I shook my head and grabbed the steering wheel harder. Better hold on Rosa.