Little brat

2. If you could choose one superpower to your liking, which one would it be?

I stayed inside the whole weekend long, afraid of being spotted by Jared or someone else. I took my mind of things by cleaning the whole youth centre I'd been staying at for the past year. It wasn't until Monday morning something else happened.
''If you could choose one superpower to your liking, which one would it be?'' Kyle sat at the back of his daily piece of chocolate.
''Probably flying.'' I answered.
''That's boring.'' He tossed the wrapping in the bin.
Since my best comeback was 'You're boring', I asked him what he would choose. But just then, the teacher walked in and stopped our conversation. It wasn't until after class, Kyle answered.
''I'd choose to have the ability to control everything."
''You want to control everything?'' I asked with disbelief.
''You know, certain situations.'' He didn't explain it further but I wasn't about to let this go. We walked to our next class and sat down next to David.
''What kind of situations?'' I asked.
''Well hi to you too. What are we talking about?'' David leaned in closer to be part of our – well, more like my monologue - conversation.
''Kyle, why would you want to be in control?'' I asked again, ignoring David.
''Just because.'' And that was all I was going to get from him. David whispered into my ear, ''Leave it for later.'' So I left it at that.
''Do you know that kid in the back?'' David asked and I turned around. There was someone I'd never noticed before who was staring right at me. It was creepy even. I turned back to David and said I had no idea who he was.

The bell rang again, announcing lunch break. As soon as I'd found the boys, I wanted to talk to David alone but he was standing with Kyle, Laurence and some of his girlfriends.
''What's going on?'' I asked, slipping in between Kyle and David.
''There's this rumour...'' David started but stopped and waved his hand at Laurence and the girls. ''You know that creepy boy – what's his name – from English, who-'' I cut him off.
''Dilton, his name is Dilton. What about him?''
One of the girls – I think her name was Cherise - wanted to continue the story but Laurence didn't let her. ''Bitch, don't steal my thunder.''
''But I was the one who told – ''
''Don't care. Anyway, this weekend, apparently, he was taken into the hospital.''
This got my attention. ''Why?''
Kyle snorted. ''Didn't know you were friends with him?''
I rolled my eyes. ''I'm not. I just feel for him.''
David put his hands on my shoulders and gave me a quick squeeze.
''Tell her why he was taken to the hospital.'' David urged Laurence to continue.
''Apparently, he'd gotten into a fight with some people. He got hurt pretty bad.'' Laurence added, ''So glad it wasn't my precious face that got beaten.''
''Why would they beat you up?'' I asked.
''Because you're gay?'' Kyle asked, ''If anyone would ever give you any problems-'' Kyle was stopped by Laurence's ''Ooh, how sweet. But no.''
I raised my eyebrow. ''What was the fight about, Laurence?''
"Drugs.'' Cherise said. She was inching closer to David by the second, while her friend Joyce was ogling Kyle up and down. Gross.
''We wanted to buy us some fun for the night and as always, we went to Dilton,'' Cherise started and Joyce finished. ''But when we got to his usual corner, he was arguing with a group of rough looking people.''
"Laurence..." I sighed. I knew he sometimes used but I hated it.
"Don't start, miss goody two shoes.''
"I wonder who those people were, though.'' David said. ''I mean, who would bother Dilton?"
The bell rang a second time and lunch break was over. As we parted ways, I thought I saw the kid from that morning again, hiding in the crowd but it had been so swift, I wasn't sure. At the end of the day, David and I walked out of school, like usual. Except this time, I had someone waiting for me, someone I'd hoped to never see again.

And he wasn't alone.

As I see Mario, my brother's best friend and most trusted person, standing there surrounded with some other gang members, my world stopped. I had only one thought at that moment.

My new life is over.

I already knew I'd never see David, Kyle, Lennie or Laurence again. My brother wouldn't let me keep attending this high school or any high school probably. Not since I've run away. That's when it hit me loud and clear: my brother had found me and is having me taken away. I stopped and couldn't move another inch. David bumped into me because I stopped so suddenly.
''What's wrong?'' He asked.
''David, I like you. A lot. We might not see each other for a long time.''
And it was right then and there that I didn't care my brother's people were watching, I kissed David more passionately than I had ever done before. It ended – too soon for my likings, not soon enough for Mario. He moved to come over but I quickly pushed David aside and met him midway.
''Still doing his dirty work?'' I asked and crossed my arms. I wasn't going to go easy on him.
''So glad our little brat is back.'' Mario said and took me by the arm. He dragged me to his motorcycle. ''Who's that guy you kissed?'' A couple of the gang members were already leaving.
''No one. Can I convince you to pretend you didn't find me?''
Mario chuckled. ''Still funny, I see. Here, put this on." He handed me a helmet, gloves and a leather jacket.
''I'll come quietly if you don't tell on that kiss.'' I said, strapping on the helmet.
"Fine. As long as it never happens again.''
I rolled my eyes but thankfully, he didn't see it. I should be getting back used to being told what to do. One of the 'perks' of your brother being a mafia boss, is that not only he himself can control me, but has a whole gang to do so. It's one of the many reasons I left.

After one last glance at David, next to whom Kyle now stood, I whispered 'goodbye' and didn't look back the whole ride.