Bad Girl Meets Not-So-Bad Boy

Chapter 7 - Bad Girl Meets Not-So-Bad Boy

Chapter 7 – Bad Girl Meets Not-So-Bad Boy

"Guys," I called the attention of my friends inside the bowling arena. "I've got something to tell you,"

"Well, spit it out, love," Harry told me as he made a not-so-decent strike. It was obviously just a lucky hit. He looked so pleased with himself that he flipped his curly brown hair to the side.

"I've got to go," I told them.

"We can go with you," Perrie offered. I guess that Zayn already told her that the two of us were just making her jealous. She was holding hands with Zayn which somehow bugged me without an explainable reason.

"I need to go," I cleared because obviously, they didn't get the direct message.

"You need to go?" Louis repeated and tried to sink in the words inside his head. "As in leave us and not come back?"

"That's it," I nodded. "I'll just send to Zayn's flat the money that you gave me,"

"Why so sudden?" Eleanor bluntly asked.

"Where are you going?" Danielle asked.

"I just really need to go," I explained. "I'm going to go somewhere where our paths will never ever cross again,"

"Bu—"

Before Liam could even speak a message, I spoke something first. "I don't want to be a burden to you. Who am I to hang out with you guys anyway? I'm just some random gang member that you found bloody inside your studio. I don't have the right to be hanging out with you. I don't even deserve to be one of you,"

"But you're our friend," Niall reasoned out whilst the others were still shocked of what was happening. It wasn't like I had a choice. Well, I sort of did, but my opinion didn't count. I didn't want to count on these lads forever. I needed to do something of my own. I didn't want to bring their lives in danger because of what I was.

I knew for myself that I wouldn't be able to run from my past. I wouldn't be able to run from being a gang member. I knew it would always keep up on me. If I knew that it would already happen sooner, why not make it earlier, right?

Why not grab the chance before it could even catch up to me?

*Flashback*

"You know," Jake cupped my face and looked me straight into the eyes. "If I were Travis, I would have treated you better,"

After a moment of silence, I finally broke it by making fun of his statement. "Yeah, right," I rolled my eyes. "Why would someone treat me better? I'm just some girl living in the streets. You obviously don't know what you're talking about,"

"I know what I'm talking about," the seriousness in his eyes never went away. "You're beautiful,"

"Maybe that's just it," I pushed his hand away from my face whilst a fight continued on the other side of the wall. "Maybe I'm just pretty. Maybe that's just the reason why Travis never wanted me to go, far away from him, and from the gang,"

"That's just one factor, I agree," he said. "But you're an asset. You're smart. I know that you're the one who whispers the techniques, ideas, and moves to beat your opponents. I know how great your mind is. You can get out of a trap in numerous ways. I know and clearly heard of you,"

"How?" I blurted out. "My skills are never to mentioned by anyone outside the gang,"

"Remember Johnny?" he asked and I nodded. "When he disappeared from your gang, he went to mine. And he told me everything about you. He remained hidden every time there is a fight between your former gang and my gang. And by what he said, I was curious, so every time our gangs crossed paths, I always watched you with intent,"

"So what?" I raised my eyebrow at him. "What are you going to do now? Beat me until I agree to join your gang? Beat the shit out of me until you own me?"

"Why the hell would I fucking do that?"

"Because everyone in the world is like that, Jake," I told him. "Everyone just wants to own everyone. People are possessive, and that's never going to change,"

"Travis is possessive, but me? I'm giving you a choice," he stated. "You can join us and leave as you please. Every choice is in your hands, Avarielle. I'm not going to pursue you to do something that you never want. The gang will treasure you. I will treasure you,"

"A gang leader treasuring me?" I questioned. "That's impossible," when he didn't say something and just looked at me with his eyes full of seriousness, I finally gave up. "Fuck my life. Alright, you win. I'll join your gang,"

*End of Flashback*

"I am your friend," I told everyone, not just to Niall. "But being my friend will put all of your life in danger. Sure, the gangs don't kill, but we do bad things. We can beat you up easily. We can even beat you to death,"

"We aren't kids, Ava," Perrie said, and that somehow shocked the hell out of everyone, including myself. "The lads can handle themselves. Being your friend, it's a choice that they already made. They already put their lives in danger,"

"And I want that danger to go away," I continued.

"We already took the risk," Liam added.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" Zayn blurted out and I looked at him with confusion. "It's something important,"

Zayn detangled himself from Perrie and walked away from the gang. I looked at the group once again before walking to the direction of where Zayn went.

*Flashback*

"But I'm not going to join your gang today, or this month, Jake," I eyed him.

"When do you plan to?"

"A month," I said. "I want to be free for one month. One month and my knowledge about fighting is all yours,"

"You do know that your knowledge is not all I want, right?"

"I don't care," I told him. "Just agree with what I'm saying,"

"As you wish, Avarielle," he mocked his bowing. "I'll be waiting for you in this very spot after one month,"

"You can count on me," I said. "Now go and help your gang,"

*Flashback*

"What is it that you wanted to talk about?" I asked him as we were outside the bowling arena whilst the others were still inside.

"Are you really going to leave?"

"What do you think?" I asked. "I don't joke around if I'm talking about things like these, Zayn,"

"You called me Zayn,"

"So...?" I asked all confused by how he reacted about it. That's his name, right?

"You always call me Malik,"

"Things are different now," I explained. "Maybe I already found you rather...cool,"

"There's a slight problem,"

"Well, is it about Perrie?"

"Yes..." he whispered.

"Then what is it?"

"I think I don't love her anymore," he looked at me directly into the eyes. "I think I like you,"

Well, I didn't really expect to hear that.