Amy's POV

It was a week before the poison was fully out of my system. It was another week after that that I was able to do any physical movements with my sore muscles. And, by the time I was actually able to see and interact with anyone, it was already nearing the end of March.

During my second week of recovery, Wendy let the facts accidentally slip from her mouth. Apparently she wasn't supposed to tell me anything until I was fully recovered, but once she let the word engagement slip, I was all over her.

I was furious that they had decided to make this decision without me. While they had been planning our certain demise, I was in bed trying not to die. I should've let it end while I had the chance.

Sophie and Parker were relieved when they saw me for the first time in months. Emily was the first to burst into tears and everyone else soon followed. Despite the emotional outburst, Emily has been distancing herself from me. When I brought it up to Wendy, she shrugged it off. There was something they weren't telling me, and Emily seemed determined not to say it.

According to Macy Black, the school had excused me easily because apparently the school district had an awful case of the flu going around therefore my disappearance more or less went unnoticed.

Despite our fake engagement, I haven't talked or seen Alexander since the day he pretty much told my almost-corpse self that he didn't like me. I translated that as, 'I don't really care whether you live or not' since he so rudely stated that while I was in bed. 

It stung, but personally I wouldn't mind his death either. It would make things much less complicated.

The time to start my plans was soon. Little did I know, the timing would be more than perfect for me.

-------

"The poison may not have killed me, but you surely will!" I growl at Wendy.

In less than a week from today, I will be back to fighting in the underground. Apparently as part of some deal they made, my father had to give up some resources and men to the Black Knights. Of course, I would have to earn all of that money back with some fights.

That meant I needed to get back in shape. Apparently, I had 'raw talent'. In my dictionary, that was an excuse to kill me personally instead of leaving it up to the enemy.

"Come on! You only need to do ten more!" Wendy tried to be enthusiastic, but I was going to bite her head off. The poison had drained my body the last month and because of that, I missed my period. Of course, after beginning to get back into shape, it came back.

Cramps weren't a good enough excuse to take a week off. Instead, since my abdomen was already in pain, they decided to test my pain tolerance by giving me core exercises to do. I've never heard of half of these. 

My breathing is heavy and it sounds so abnormal to my ears. Russian Twists were simple, but after an hour long gym experience, one-hundred of them didn't seem simple anymore.

"I'm done!" I pant, dropping the weight ball I was holding. I stand up and put my hands over my head, knowing that if I sat down and held my limbs together, I would cramp up. "You know, it's recommended you only work on your abdominal muscles for only around ten minutes, right?"

Wendy shrugs her shoulders. "I'm only following orders."

"Well, do those orders state that we're finished?" My abdomen no longer burns from cramps, but rather from overuse of abdominal muscles. If I don't get a six pack after today, I'm suing. 

"Sure do!" Wendy giggles. "After you run a mile."

My lower body burned after completing the mile. It took me twenty minutes, an all time low for me. Mrs. Black had told me to take it easy the first few weeks, but apparently, one week was more than enough time to recover.

"What are you doing tonight?" Wendy asks me. 

"Homework," I mutter. "I'm a month behind on everything."

She flinches. "Ouch."

"You?"

"I was cleared to finally see people besides you, so I'm finally going to go visit Josh."

"Josh's your boyfriend, right?" I ask while using a towel to wipe my face.

She nods and her face glows with happiness. "Yup! Come on, I'll drop you off!"

We pack up our stuff and leave. It's nearing April - spring - but the snow looks as though it's here to stay. Apparently there's to be a snowstorm this weekend.

"So," Wendy starts a conversation once the heater's turned on in the car. "Are you going to Alexander's birthday party that Kylie is throwing?"

I raise an eyebrow. "Considering I didn't even know it was his birthday, much less that he was having a party, I don't think I'm invited."

"Of course you are!" She exclaims. "You're his fake fiancee and your father is sending you anyways."

"I hate parties."

"That was before you met me," she winks. "Besides, I think your father is planning to have a real engagement between our gangs if this plan goes in favor of us."

"What?" I screech bewildered. "Alexander and I, actually getting married?"

"Well, that's what your father was hinting at, I could be wrong."

What I'm planning just turned a tad bit more complicated . . . .

Alexander's POV

"I still don't see the point of this."

"Well little bro," Alec slings his arm over my shoulder. "This is more for business than celebration. Plus, it's your engagement party as well. All in all, we're killing three birds with one stone!"

"But why today?" I whine. "I have not been in the mood to celebrate for the past four years, what makes you think I'll want to celebrate this year?"

"The fact that the survivorship of our alliance all depends on your agreement and willingness to this plan. If you want, don't think about it as a celebration for your birthday, rather for the union of enemies. A celebration for a splinter disappearing from our side!"

"That doesn't make it any better. Why did it have to be today, of all days?"

"Just stop your complaining. This is happening, whether you like it or not!" Kylie snaps at me. "Go get dressed, and take a shower while you're at it! You heard your mother, you kill Amy, she'll kill you! If your stench is any indication, you'll kill half the guests before they enter the party!"

After flipping her off, I showered and got dressed. Since this was more formal than the average birthday party, I ended up wearing black dress pants with a white button up shirt. I rolled the sleeves up to below my elbows and left the collar up, with the first button undone at the top of my neck.

When I exited the room, there was half an hour still left before people actually started to show up - the party technically started half an hour ago.

My mother was waiting for me in the ballroom that came with the mansion. She smiles broadly and lets out a low whistle when she spots me. "I knew it! I knew I gave birth to two men!"

"Well, I don't know for sure if you gave birth to two, but you got one, that's for sure!" I grin before enveloping her in a hug.

"Smooth bro, real smooth," Alex knocks me upside the head when he enters the ballroom.

"It was two!" My mother happily claps at Alec's attire.

Kylie, Bree and Lola all laugh when they enter the ballroom. Since they weren't the ones who'd be doing interactions with people, they were dressed in a more casual sense of style - in true teenage party fashion. 

"Well?" Kylie looks up at me with a raised eyebrow. "Aren't you gonna compliment me?"

She was wearing a black skater skirt with a dark green shirt and black heeled wedges. Lola was dressed more like a nun, with a pretty blue dress that went down to mid-shin and showed no cleavage, only showing the top of her collarbone where it met her neck, with nude heels. Bree was wearing black skinny jeans with a long sleeved dark blue v-neck shirt.

"Y'all are looking smoking!" Alec says with a stupid grin on his face. My mother smacks him upside the head, but doesn't make any further comment.

"Kylie, oh, my dearest and I think only cousin, whom I love so much, please, accept my compliments as I give them to you," I state sarcastically. "Number one, that green shirt really brings out your eyes. Number two, that skirt really shows off your legs. Number three, your hair up really showcases your slender neck. Number fou-"

"Okay, okay, I get it," she rolls her eyes. "Sarcasm wasn't necessary."

"Only for you."

We all walk around doing our own thing for a bit before the first guests truly begin to arrive. Fred finds me first.

"Alexander," the old man greets. "Congratulations on this triple celebration. How are things with you and your gang? All good?"

"Of course," I mutter. "Everything needs to be good within the best gang in the country." 

There was bite in those last words and it doesn't go unnoticed by him. His left eye twitches before smiling widely and broadly. "Well, have you seen my daughter, your fiance? The dress she's in is truly fit for a princess."

The irony.

"Not yet."

"We've decided to announce the engagement at midnight. Until then, I'll be working on getting more alliances from the smaller, more local gangs in the area who've sent representatives tonight. I expect you'll do the same."

There's an exchange of handshakes before we make eye contact, and nod firmly at one another. "I'll see you later."

I take my leave. There are still people arriving. This thing started over an hour ago, yet people tend to show up in groups, no one wanting to be the first ones here, no one willing to risk coming alone.

Different shades and variations of style fill the ballroom. Typically, if I was throwing a party in which I would invite people from school, the party wouldn't be held in here, or even in this location, but rather in one of the various warehouse locations we have near lakes. 

That's the one good thing about this state, the wilderness hides what people want to find. They carry our secrets because they can't talk.

"Alexander Black," I turn and notice an African American girl who wears high waisted black jeans, a white tank top with a black cardigan on top that goes down to her knees. "I'm Zumeya Pitts. Daughter of Aaron Pitts. The heir to The Spades. Well, heir if I get married by the age of twenty one. That's besides the point."

"Welcome," I greet her and hold out my hand for a hand shake. Her rough and callused hand touches mine in a firm handshake. "I'm glad The Spades could send their representation. I look forward to what the future may hold between our two gangs."

She smiles and her eyes crinkle at the sides. Her hair is brown and curly and her eyes are grey. She giggles. "I'm actually not the representative, but even if I'm not, I can tell you straight up that The Spades won't be doing any alliances with the Black Mississippi gang, nor with the Black Knights - not as long as you're engaged to Amy Kuether."

"What do The Spades have against her?" Immediately I'm intrigued and suspicious.

"Oh, it's nothing major," she giggles again. "It's just that us African Americans have never really gotten along with those Mexican gangs. It's just the way it is. The heir of the Night Howlers, a now Hispanic dominated gang, isn't really as praised amongst our gang."

(A/N: Don't hate on me, I got like half that line from a movie)

"I see."

"Well, I must be off. If you ever break it off with the fake taco, well, look to The Spades for anything you may need," she winks before walking off, her hair bouncing behind her.

"I wouldn't call Amy a fake taco," Riley murmurs, suddenly next to me. "Sure, she looks Hispanic, but she technically isn't really classified as Mexican-American since her mom was born here. Now, she's just American."

"So the spy had the guts to show up to one of the biggest gatherings of the Illegals," I mutter while glancing around the room and not at Riley directly. "Where's Shawn? I hope you realize he's the only reason you're able to roam about right now."

"Bathroom," she mutters. "Listen . . . how much do you know about the creation and founding of the Black Mississippi gang?"

"Why?" I turn sharply towards her.

"No reason," she shrugs and stalks off.

It turns out, Riley was far more important than any of us ever realized. Letting her walk around freely, it would prove to be the biggest mistake I've ever made.

Hey! 👋

So, I hate this chapter. A lot. How'd y'all like it?

I was gonna make it longer, but decided it would be best to cut it off here.

So, I have a whole list of excuses as to why it took me so long to update, but the main reasons are:

1 - I lost motivation to do anything

2 - I ran out of pre-written chapters

So ya ... also, I'm obsessed with Hamilton right now, and well, I'll put in some song lines throughout the next  chapter 😂

Till next time!

Bye! 👋