When the Gangs Unite

Chapter One

"It's going down! I'm yelling timber! You better move, you better dance! Let's make a night, you won't remember! I'll be the one, you won't forget!" I sing as I dance around my room.

 I take a deep breath and rap, "Swing your partner round and round end of the night, it's going down, one more shot, another round, end of the night, it's going down, swing your partner round and round end of the night, it's going down, one more shot, another round, end of the night, it's going down," I breath heavily and flop onto my bed as Kesha keeps singing through my speaker.

"Nikki! Get ready! We leave in an hour!" I hear my mom call to me from downstairs. I get out of bed and open my closet. I grab the white sweater and a pair of baggy, ripped, light wash jeans that I already had laying out. 

I pull on my Air Force One's and go to the adjoined bathroom. I curl my long brown hair, accentuating the natural golden highlights from the Californian sun. I put on mascara to bring out my blue eyes and put on a little blush. I clip on my hoops and and and apply some clear lip gloss, bringing out my plump lips.

I stand back in my room, I look at myself in the body mirror that is set on my wall. Satisfied with my look, I grab my phone and run down the three sets of stairs to my kitchen. My mom and dad are already there, in their white tops and light blue bottoms. We are going to the beach for family pictures.

"I'm ready!" I sing out as I hug each of them. They laugh and we get to the car, even though we could've walked. I turn on the radio and we all start singing at the top of our lungs. My parents look back at me and smile. They then look at each other with a sad smile.

"What's wrong?" I ask, furrowing my eyebrows.

"Nothing, Sweetie," my mom says, giving my knee and reassuring squeeze. Still, confused, I brush it off and keep singing along with Ellie Goulding. "Hate me, hate me, wish you never dated me, lies tell me lies, baby tell me how you hate-" I stop. And look around. "Um, dad? Where are we going? The beach is that way," I say, pointing in the opposite direction.

"I know sweetie," he says without looking up. I look at mom. She doesn't look at me either.

"Guys?" I say as my dad drives into downtown San Francisco. They don't respond. I look out the window and watch as we drive down a deserted road into a neighborhood I've never been in before. The houses are run down and there are little kids running in the streets, but they scatter when my dad honks at them. 

He drives through until he gets to a huge mansion like ours back home. It stuck out from all the rest. It's lawn was neatly kept and there were flowers lining a walkway up to a tall doorway.

My dad pulls into the driveway and I follow them as they get out of the car and head to the door. Neither of them say anything, so I stay quiet too, even though I am super confused. My mom knocks on the door and it immediately opens. Standing there is a tall buff guy with lots of tattoos.

"Sir," my dad says nodding, my mom copies. The man nods back, his eyes land on me and it takes all my willpower not to cower behind my dad.

"Is this her?" he asks. His voice is deep and raspy.

My dad nods again. "This is her. Nicole, step forward and shake his hand."

I hesitantly walk forward and hold out my hand. He grips it tight and I wince a little but I don't pull away until he does.

"Come inside," he says motioning us in. We follow him into a huge foyer with a beautiful chandelier hanging from the ceiling. He leads us to a room with a huge desk in the back and a couch facing it. He takes a seat behind the desk and we sit on the couch. "Is she ready?" he asks my parents.

"Yes, she's been training since she was three," my mom says. I furrow my eyebrows, what is she talking about?

"Good, good," the man says, keeping his gaze on me. His piercing green eyes bore into my soul and I squirm a little in my seat.

"Is the deal still on the table?" my dad asks.

The man nods. He takes an envelope out from a drawer and hands it to my parents. They open it and look in, counting something. I peek in to see a bunch of money. "Thank you, sir." my dad says hurriedly.

"You can leave." My parents stand up and I'm about to stand up too, but a deep voice stops me.

"Not you," the guys behind the desk. I look at my parents and they look at me guiltily and leave the room.

"Mom! Dad!" I yell, but they don't respond. I turn back to the man. "What do you want? Where are they going?"

"They are going home," he says.

"Why can't I go too?"

He cocks his head. "They didn't tell you?"

I shake my head. "They told me that we were going to the beach to take family pictures, but they lied."

The man leans back and lets out a laugh. He then leans forward with his elbows on the desk and looks at me. "Nikki, honey. Your whole life has been a lie."