Quietly, I followed Hayden.

I stayed a couple yards behind him so that he wouldn't notice me and tell me to leave. Luckily he didn't and soon I was standing in an old parking lot with almost 50 other people.

The difference between the two groups was as clear as night and day once again.

There were no cars in the parking lot and the only ones here seemed to be the ones watching the fight.

I hid behind a tree as best as I could. It didn't give me much coverage but it was better than standing in the open and getting noticed by everyone.

Marie and the other girl that told her about the almost-fight were also here and standing with the other Elites.

As soon as Hayden stepped into the middle of the crowd, a circle formed around him.

I tried to see over the other people's heads but I could barely see the top of Hayden's head because I was so far away.

I got an idea and looked up at the tree I was hiding behind.

There were enough branches for me to climb up on and enough leaves so that I wouldn't get noticed but would still be able to see everything.

I grabbed onto the lowest branch and hoisted myself up, grunting quietly while pushing myself up and climbing higher. Once I decided that I was at a good hight, I sat on a sturdy branch and directed my attention to the crowd of people.

Hayden looked bored out of his mind as the guy that he was arguing with this morning stepped into the circle the people had created.

"Hello again, Hayden," the guy said, spitting out Hayden's name as if it left a disgusting taste on his tongue.

"Look here, Max. I've got other things I gotta do today. So let's do this, aright?" Hayden spoke.

"Fine. Let's do this," Max said and put his fists up.

Hayden however didn't do anything to prepare and just stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "Come on. I'll even let you have the first swing."

Max gave him a confused look, as if he didn't quite understand Hayden.

Hayden sighed. "Any time now."

Max got a determined look on his face and swung his right arm. I winced at the pain that Hayden was about to get but instead he quickly grabbed Max's fist and stopped Max's fist inches from his face.

He threw it back at Max, who stumbled back but quickly regained his balance.

"You can do better than that," Hayden told him, still looking like he'd rather be anywhere else than here.

Max got into fighting position again and swung his left hand. He used it as a fake out though and quickly swung his right.

Hayden however expected it and grabbed both of Max's arms. He twisted them and Max let out a small cry of pain.

I winced again and readjusted myself on the branch I was sitting on. I didn't watch out though because I broke off a smaller branch that then fell to the ground. My eyes widened in horror that I would get caught. If anyone were to find me, especially Hayden, I was dead meat.

No one seemed to notice though.

I let out a quiet sigh of relief but apparently a little too soon because Hayden looked up at the tree I was in with wonder.

I held my breath and didn't move a muscle. I was praying that the wind wouldn't blow my hair around and for once it listened.

I thought I was off the hook when Hayden's gaze collided with mine. My breath caught in my throat.

Pure coincidence, I reminded myself.

There was no way he could actually see me.

Hayden let go of Max's arms and searched the tree with furrowed brows for whatever made the branch fall.

I thought that he had seen me but fortunately, that's when Max's fist came into contact with Hayden's face.

Hayden's face snapped to the side.

I winced even though I wasn't the one that had gotten hurt. I was however partially the fault that Hayden's attention was somewhere else, giving Max an opportunity to catch him off guard.

Hayden didn't seem fazed by Max's hit though, because he straightened up again with a murderous look in his eyes.

Max quivered slightly but didn't let it show. He kept his stance and waited for Hayden to swing.

Which he did. Hard.

Max fell the the ground, blood dripping from his nose where Hayden had hit him. He stood up again and wiped away the blood with the back of his hand.

Hayden had gone back to his 'laid-back' look. He just stood there as if he was bored and couldn't wait for all of this child splay to be over.

Max however didn't seem as if he was giving up so easily. He swung at Hayden who easily dodged, making Max stumble forward, once again falling onto the ground, face first.

"Just give up," Hayden suggested and watched Max as he picked himself up off the floor.

"This isn't over, Bandit," Max spat, blood coming out of his nose again and his now busted lip.

"It never is," Hayden replied and walked over to where the rest of the Bandits were standing.

When he walked to them they all gave him claps on the back, happy and proud that he was the one walking away untouched.

Max was immediately surrounded by all his friends, but he just shoved them off and walked away, a mad look taking over his face.

The whole time I was incredibly fascinated by just how different these people were and how much they hated the other.

Soon, the old parking lot was cleared and the sun was setting. Sending a mysterious look over the lot and a chilly wind.

I regretted taking off the sweater before.

I rubbed my hands aver my arms, trying to get a little warm. Even though everyone had gone, I didn't feel like leaving the tree just yet.

I had no intention of going back home where my father and I would just go back to arguing. Nor did I want to walk around town, since I would probably run into some Elites or Bandits and I did not want to deal with either them.

So I just climbed on another big branch and leaned against the trunk of the tree, watching the last rays of sun disappear and darkness covering every bit of space.

I closed my eyes and just listened to the soft howling of the wind when suddenly something else caught my attention.

Whistling filled the silence that had taken over.

My eyes snapped open and I sat up to see who had come back to the lot.

Through the branches and leaves of the tree I saw Hayden walking across the pavement of the parking lot.

I watched him as he walked under the tree where I was sitting.

Holding my breath, I sat completely still, not wanting to give away my hiding spot.

I prayed to God that he would just decide to leave and walk away.

But instead, he causally leaned against the trunk of the tree and took a pack of cigarettes out of his jeans pocket. He lit one and took a long drag, the smoke slowly escaping through his lips and disappearing into the air like I was used to seeing when looking at him.

After waiting a while, he hadn't left yet.

I was getting impatient and cold. I rolled my eyes in annoyance at this boy and as soundlessly as possible leaned back against the tree trunk, preparing myself for the many more hours I'd probably have to spend here.

Even though the sun was completely gone and there were no street lamps shedding any light, the moon was bright and giving off enough light to be able to see.

Which I was very thankful for.

This situation would be 100 time worse if it was completely pitch black.

Bored, I started to braid my hair, not knowing what else to do. I kept watching as Hayden dropped the bud of his cigarette and stepped on it, fully extinguishing the embers.

"Didn't I tell you to go home?" he suddenly spoke.

My eyes widened in surprise and my hands let go of the braid I was almost finished with.

Was he talking to me? Did he now I was here? He couldn't possibly know I was here? How would he?

He was probably talking to someone else. And I was probably just imagining things because I was tired or the cold was getting to my brain.

I stayed completely silent, incase he actually was talking to somebody else.

But then, he grabbed onto a tree branch of the tree I was sitting in and climbed it without any effort. He looked so graceful doing it, compared to him I looked like a baby elephant trying to climb a tree.

I just watched with wide eyes as he lifted himself onto a branch not too far away from me and sat right next to me.

He propped up on knee and and leaned his elbow on it, running his thumb over his bottom lip.

"Hello again, K.C," he said.

I opened my mouth to speak but no sound came out. I had no idea wha to say. Last time I talked to him he told me to stay away from here. And what did I do? I followed him and did exactly what I wasn't suppose to. But that was kind of my thing, so...

He chuckled humourlessly at my speechlessness and leaned comfortably against the tree trunk.

"Look, I don't wanna be the bad guy here but it's time for you to go back to your nice neighbourhood with the white picket fences and and hand-knitted curtains."

I narrowed my eyes at him, not liking the way he was treating me like a kid.

So instead of complying and going home I asked: "How did you know I was here?"

"K.C. I'm serious. If anyone sees you here you're in a lot of trouble and I have no interest in getting you out of it. I've already warned you on two separate occasions. I'm not doing it on a third one."

"Why would you care what happens to me? It seems like you might actually have feelings in that heart of yours despite everything I've been hearing," I teased.

"I'll have you know that--"

Suddenly Hayden got interrupted by more voices.

I looked down to see three more people, two guys and one girl, walking across the parking lot. From their black leather jackets and motorcycle boots you could clearly tell that they were Bandits.

"Where're you taking us?" the girl asked the guy who was walking at the front.

"Will you shut your mouth?" he replied. "Or else he's gonna hear us."

"Dude," the other guy spoke. "Why are we even following him? What the hell could be so interesting that Hayden is doing?"

At the sound of his name Hayden perked up and watched the group intently.

"Because, you morons, he's hiding something. I know it. I just don't know what."

"Why would he be hiding something? And especially here," the girl responded in exasperation, clearly not feeling like going on a wild goose chase.

"He just suddenly left. Why would he have to go somewhere at this hour? Unless he's hiding something."

The girl groaned and looked around. "He's obviously not here. So let's go back."

"No. We'll climb the trees so that we can get a view over the lot."

The guy started walking towards the tree Hayden and I were in. Panic struck through me.

What was going to happen if he found me?

Before I could come up with a plan, Hayden jumped off of the tree branch and landed smoothly onto the ground. "Heard you were looking for me," he said to the guy, who was about to start climbing the tree.

"Well, hello Hayden. Whatcha hiding up there?" he asked and looked up, trying to look through the thick leaves.

"Why would I be hiding something in a tree?" Hayden replied cooly, not giving off any type of emotion.

"I don't know. But if you're not hiding anything you won't mind if I take a look, right?" The guy grabbed onto a branch and pulled himself up but Hayden grabbed his arm and pulled him back down.

"There's nothing there. Let's just go back," Hayden said to him.

"Dude, piss off," the guy said to Hayden and roughly pulled his arm out of Hayden's tight grip.

He tried to climb up the tree again but Hayden wouldn't let him. So he punched Hayden and told the other guy to hold Hayden back. The other guy grabbed Hayden by his arms, who then started fighting with the guy.

The 'leader' started to climb up the tree again and that's when I began to really panic.

Not thinking of anything better, I climbed down a few branches on the other side and jumped onto the ground. Although I didn't land as graciously as Hayden and more like plopped onto the ground.

I thought that no one had noticed me until the girl screamed: "There's a girl right there!" and pointed in my direction.

The guy jumped down from the tree and Hayden stopped fighting to look at me.

Immediately the guy walked towards me and once again not knowing what to do, I ran.