bad habits and broken smiles

~Chapter 16~

* 3000+ reads is amazing I'm so happy, literally excited! Okay so this isn't going to be a carry on from last time, but instead a flashback*

•Mitch•

I remember the first time I saw a boy robbing someone in the street, it looked so scary and he looked so aggressive. He held a knife pointed at the neck of a middle aged- middle class woman. The muffled screams that escaped through the cracks of his fingers, the pain in her eyes.

It was an alley, in New York where I visited my parents. They live in a very sketchy neighborhood, where nobody leaves at night due to the risk of being robbed or raped. I had the chance so I carry a handgun on me while out at night.

I don't know why my parents lived here, my mom pictures it as some sunshiny neighborhood where everyone is friendly, and happy. But whatever she wants, my dad backs up.

As a kid, I've always kinda watched this happen. Robberies, women being taken away, women prostituting themselves. Well, on the news; I've never seen really anything real happen.

Anyways, after I witnessed the robbery I wasn't scared, in fact it looked......fun.

It sounds like I have a sick mind but I don't, just curious I guess. I've always been a little bad, I've robbed stores before; but never a person. This is something I wanna try. I mean, live life to the fullest, right?

A few nights later, I snuck out the apartment window onto the cheap metal steps. I slowly walked down, weaving through the spots that creaked on contact so I wouldn't wake the neighbors. I jumped from the second floor level onto a dumpster and off that to the ground. I wore a black hoodie and jeans, the gun in my pocket. Tonight is the night.

Many situations come and go through my head, they race like a bunch of cars. I could be attacked, I could get caught. You never know in this neighborhood, it's pretty unpredictable.

I make my way to the sidewalk and I walk fastly. My heart pounds louder in my head as I look around, I pop my head above my brown hair and look around. I see a few people, two prostitutes,and a man in about his mid 40s. The stores were all dark, dim lights in the few rustic apartment building and also the dim street lamps bringing dull life to the empty streets.

I walk with my head down, I look both ways occasionally to see any "potential victims", walking past a small nail salon and a bell rings, a blonde girl bumps into me. "Oh sorry" she laughs, I toothlessly smile back at her.

I scan her head to toe, she was skinny with blonde hair cut to her shoulders and front bangs. She has hazel eyes and perfect, white teeth. She wore a blue best over a black shirt with a tight, short, black miniskirt along with some small heels. She was shorter than me, by about a head and a half and a petite figure.

I stand and look at her, she turns "can I help you?" Her sarcastic tone hits me like a door, I look down at my feet "uh no, sorry" I turn and walk away. As soon as I get a few feet away, I turn around. This is the one, who I'm going to do this with; the thought runs through my head as I walk towards her.

"Actually, do you know where bridge street is?" I say licking my lips and looking at her. She turns and smiles"yea I do, want me to take you there? I know a few shortcuts." She laughs and I chuckle silently. She locks up the store as I stand I study her, she has barely any muscle mass, except in her legs. She doesn't seem to carry much protection, maybe in that little black handbag but that wouldn't hold much.

She walks beside me "I'm Amirella by the way, sorry about being so rude" her voice is so sweet. "I'm Louis" I lied. She looked down "what do you do? Like for a living." She says, attempting at small talk. "Oh uh nothing actually" I say pressing my lips together. "Oh. I'm sorry. Are you new around here?" She looks at me "I've never seen you before" I just remain eye contact with the ground and speak slowly "no, I'm from Florida." Lie.

We walk beside a small shop, a pet store I think. And she stops "take this alley and you'll be there in like 20, haha good luck Louis!" She smiles and waves and begins to walk away. As she turns, I put my hand over her mouth and drag her into the alley. I take her small shoulders and slam her back to the wall, her screams still silent. "Give me everything you got Amirella" I pull the gun from my pocket and cock it. "And you won't get hurt"

She tries ripping my hand off her mouth and I take her shoulders again and slam her. She lets out a high pitched yelp and I put the gun to her head "now" I say through clenched teeth. She takes one shaky, pale hand and rummages through the small bag. She pulls out a pink wallet and hands me a handful of bills. "Take it, take it but please don't hurt me" she cries.

I push her out of the alley and look at her "tell anyone about this and I swear to GOD I will find you" I growl as she nods her head wiping away tears. She runs off looking back at me as I turn and walk the other direction. In the alley I hear boys chanting, saying hey you, probably in some sort of fight. A group of three boys, that looks identical to me except one has blonde hair and a big nose, the one darker, and the one with black hair and blue eyes and a cut on his left cheek.

"What's your name?" The black haired one says "I'm Zeke and these my boys Ethan and Donatello." He says signaling to the blonde, then the darker one. "We saw what you did back there, and we wanna make you one of the Durons (der-on-s). I smiled and nodded my head.

They took me to a small apartment and we had a long meeting with Head Honcho Mr.Big. Yea, a chocolate bar name so scary, right? Anyways, he explained on how everything worked. We were all basically a bunch of thugs. They even had it in Florida all the way into Canada. Even some in Russia!

Of course I agreed, money for me! I needed a job anyways...

~present day~

Now I'm head man in Florida, the one who gets the most but doesn't do a damn thing. Arms covered in tattoos including our symbol. A eagle breathing fire, it was cool. I boss everyone to do my dirty work.

Even on Matt Espinosa.