Don't Tell A Soul

"I'll call you later okay?" Max asks as we walk into school. "Please, Marley be careful with that Michael guy today, please."

"Yes daddy, I promise." I joke, smirking.

"I like the sound of that." He laughs.

"Like you would." I immediately close my mouth after that. I meant to make it sound like a sarcastic joke, but it came out more blunt than funny.

Max bites his lip and grabs my face in his hands. He presses his mouth to mine and slips in a tongue, sucking on my bottom lip. I stifle my moan and breath into his mouth, pulling away from our session. Max swallows hard and looks down at the ground. "Come over to my house after you get done with your friends." He bites his lip, his face flushed and walks away. I watch him wipe his hands on his jeans and shake them out as if he was nervous to do that with me. That was the first time we ever made out-even though it was brief-in public.

I blow out air I didn't know I was holding in and let my mind race with all the profanities I'd love to happen for tonight. "That was hot." Michael chuckles closing his locker.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"I came in on the low blow of a joke you sent out to him. H-" Michael's smile goes away and he instantly changes the subject. "Anyways, we're going to have so much fun today."

"Yeah, but what were you about to say?" I wonder as we begin walking down the hall.

"Hmm?" He hums.

"You heard me."

"I didn't say anything. I said that we were going to have fun today."

"No, you were about to say something else. Something to do with Max."

"No I wasn't, Marley." Michael defends himself.

"But you were." I debate again.

"I was not. Please let it go." His voice booms, making me stop in my tracks. "Sorry."
"Okay..."
As we stand by the classroom door, I prepare to tell him that I'll see him after lunch, but Michael speaks before me. "Since you're going to hang out with me, how's about I let you in on where I go when I skip class."

"Are you asking me to skip?" I clarify, even though I already know that I'm right.

Michael nods. "Come on it will be fun. We'll be back before anyone notices."

"I don't think so." I shake my head. "That's not what I do."

"Because Max doesn't like it?" He tuts.

"Uhm.. because I choose not to. Michael this is ridiculous." I roll my eyes at him, beginning to fiddle with the thread on my sweater.

"It'll be easy. We've been here long enough for attendance, plus it will be easier since you're new and nobody really knows you."

"You're being serious." I begin to giggle at this stupidity, and what I was getting myself into.

"Dead."

I pause for a moment as I hear the bell ring, signaling that you're late. "It's either late, or people just assume you're present."

I sigh and stick my tongue out at him, gesturing for him to lead the way.

~*~*~*~

Reluctantly, I follow Michael into a local pizza shop where he instantly got noticed by a worker. "I don't come here a lot, I swear." He says.

"Good to see you Michael. Who the lovely lady?" Another worker in the pizzeria smiles to him, looking me up and down.

"This is Marley. A friend of mine." He says, and I politely nod. As we walk through the shop, I give him a look while raising my eyebrows. "Okay maybe I come here once a month."

"Hey, Mike the regular?" A woman with a long ponytail grins, earning a nod from Michael.

"Okay maybe once a week." He changes his words.

As the woman comes back with a lot of food, that would be way too much to remember but just an every week basis, I give him another look. "Fine. Everyday." He puts his hands up in defeat.

I laugh and take a slice of pizza, shoving it in my mouth. "I can't believe I'm doing this with you. If my parents found out, they would kill me."

"They won't know."

"They better not know." I roll my eyes and we chat some more. I found out that Michael's favorite food is pizza, and that he dyes his hair too frequently, and that he lives on his own without a family-which is sad, but he said that he's got another family that he copes with.
"Thanks for today." Michael says, pulling out his wallet.

"No it's okay, Mikey. It's on me." The waitress giggles and flicks her hair over her shoulder.
I bite down on my lip, trying to stifle my laughter. Michael blushes as he walks out of the shop, and I can't help but start dying of laughter. "It's okay, Mikey!" I imitate her voice.

"Shut it, Perth."

"Sorry, Mikey." I laugh once more.

~*~*~*~

We start diving down the road in Michael's mustang, and my gut starts giving me the feeling like something is wrong when I notice we're starting to leave the familiar surrounds. I know I haven't been here for more than a month so I know that I don't know the surroundings farther than my house and the school, but when you start driving away from all the local buildings and you're surrounded by trees the situation starts becoming iffy.

Michael looks over and notices me starting to get all stiff. "You okay over there?"

"Um.. Where are we?" I stutter.

"On the road to my flat. Sorry, I live far away from everything."

"I can tell." I murmur.

"We'll be there shortly, Mar. Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you or anything." He laughs, and I lightly chuckle letting him know that I really hoped he wouldn't try any of that.

Soon enough, Michael pulls up on some gravel and rolls up onto a brick building that doesn't even look like a home, or in this case a 'flat'. Random people stand around in the gravel, smoking, talking, or fighting. My breathing starts to increase as I feel myself falling very out of place. "Here we are." Michael says, putting the car in park.

"Here we are." I say through my teeth and take a deep breath as he walks to the other side a opens my door. All heads turn in my direction as soon as my feet touch the gravel. I swallow the lump in my throat and walk closely behind him. My posture seems to become a little less tense as I spot Ashton, Luke and Calum. Yeah the other two may hate me, but I'd rather see a familiar face. "This is.. your home?" I hesitantly say.

"Is there a problem?" Michael snarls, looking me up and down. I scrunch my eyebrows together, shaking my head no. And just like that, everything I thought Michael was, vanished and his tattoos seemed to be glowing with venom. Michael's top lip turns up in a curl as he stares straight through me.

"Marley, meet my gang." He gestures his hands to about five or less, maybe more standing around in the gravel. Did they know I was coming? What were they going to do to me? Was I some type of weird sacrifice that people like them make? Or am I thinking of something else. I blink a few times, remembering Anna's warning to me. 'Watch out they could be a gang. Sydney's very popular with gang activity.'

"This is Lee, or Sniper. He's in charge of all the ammunition. He's finds us the best kind of guns and armor to defend with." A tall broad boy with redish locks, holds a stern face with his arms crossed over his chest. "This is Andy, or Sharkbait. He's our 'good guy'. He manipulates people into thinking he's on their side all while getting a scoop of them himself. He learns their weaknesses, and we use that against them. He's our spy if you will." A short guy, about my size, stands with his arms to his side and I can't tell if he was putting on an act now, but he really didn't seem like he wanted to be here. "This is Danni, short for Danielle. She keeps the cops away. She's our runner. Luke and Calum are our recruiters, and Ashton is in command with me. Me, my dear. I'm the leader of this place." Michael grins and spreads his arms out, proud of what he has put together.

I stand there, letting the sun engulf me, hiding my face in the blazing light so no one could tell I wanted to cry. "Um.." I clear my throat, Luke cuts me off before I can say anything.

"We want you to become part of us, Marley." He rolls his eyes as if he were already bored with this whole meeting type deal. "We need more recruiters. The two of us aren't doing it anymore, and we think you would be perfect."

"Oh, I-I don't-" I begin taking some steps back.

Michael steps near me sensing that I was feeling uncomfortable. "Luke." He warns.

"What? No one here knows you yet, so it's not like you have a reputation to ruin. What's the harm?"

"I think I have to go home now. My dad wants me to be back before dinner." I manage to get a full sentence out.

Michael sighs and nods, "Don't tell anyone about us!" Danni yells.

"What?" I ask Michael.

"It's the truth. We're a pretty strong gang and we don't need you spreading word about a failed attempt to recruit."

"What if I do tell?" I ask thinking about Michael.

"Well I know you won't do that, Perth."

"Ho-" Before I get a word out, I hear a click next to my temple and feel the cool metal of a gun. I stiffen up, trying not to show how scared I really was.

"Get in the car." He tells me, I do as I'm told.

~*~*~*~

The whole ride back was torcher. Neither of us spoke. Michael kept opening his mouth as if he were about to talk, but no sound came out. Finally as we pull up on my drive, he asks. "Are you mad at me?"

"No, Michael. Why would I be?" I sarcastically respond, rolling my eyes, and trying to exit the car, but he locks the door.

"Please don't be mad."

"You played me Michael."

"I didn't mean for it to go like that."

"Then what were you expecting? For me to comply with you and join you're fucking gang and to be best friends forever and ever?!" I shout and a tear escapes from my lid.

"Don't cry, Mar. I didn't want this to happen. I'm sorry."

"Whatever, just unlock the door and never talk to me again."

He sighs. "I may have been nice to you before, but I will go to any extreme to protect my gang. Got it?" He warns.

"Michael unlock the damn door!" I shout again, fidgeting with the door handle.

"Do you understand?!" He screams back.

"I got it, I got! Let me go." With a click he sets me free and before I go I spat, "Fuck you." And troll down the street to see Max.

---
"Hey." Max smiles at me.

Surprisingly he couldn't tell that I was upset. "Hello my love." I lean in to a kiss.

Suddenly, he throws me on the bed and begins kissing down my neck. I run my fingers through his hair enjoying this moment. "I'm sorry for not treating you like I should have. I want to make it up to you, and show you how much you mean to me." Max breathlessly speaks.

My eyes widen slowly figuring out what he meant. "Are you sure?" I question.

"Positive."

With that he begins unclothing me and himself, sending me over the edge of tonight.

Notes

Hi guys! So I know that's it has taken me a while to update, but school has started back and I have choir lessons to go to so it takes time out of my day. Nonetheless, love you all and I hope you liked it. I tried to make it long for you :) Vote, Subscribe, and Comment if you wish.

U.K. xx