This is a double update- Chapter 4 was updated before this so please make sure you read them in the correct order :)

♛Cameron Dawson♛

Irony.

Oh the fucking irony.

After everything I've done to try and escape the life that I was once forced to live, I just get pulled back in and get stuck at square one. After completely changing who I am, I still can't escape it. I still can't outrun this life. Even after putting my parents in jail and tearing one of the most powerful cartels in Colombia apart, here I am- having to join a gang.

The receptionist at the college administration doesn't hide her distaste that Harley and I have officially pulled out from this semester. And to say that I'm disappointed is an understatement. This was my last year, my last year before I got my degree and I could finally start up my own business and start a life on the straight and narrow and now I have to set it back. For who knows how long.

Harley is silent beside me as we make our way back to the car, no doubt as pained over this as me. But I know she's still feeling guilty from not telling Olivia. But I have to agree with her- it would only cause drama that we don't want and the last thing we need is for Olivia to come back to Oregon from Nevada to try and talk sense into Harley amongst all this gang related shit.

I drive over to the Retro Diner where we'll be meeting Caleb and Audrey to let them know we'll be leaving. My hands grip the wheel tightly and when we're parked in the parking lot, Harley doesn't climb out immediately and instead stares blankly at the dashboard.

"Do you think we'll ever get a degree?" She eventually asks and I purse my lips. With the way everything seems to constantly turn out and life seems to piss in our faces, I wouldn't put my money on it. But I'm not going to say that to Harley... she needs hope to cling onto amongst all of this and so do I.

"Maybe." I respond before giving her thigh a squeeze. "Come on. They're already waiting for us inside."

Harley nods and we both make our way into the diner. It seems as if nothing has changed from the last time I was here. Music still plays from a jukebox in the corner while there is still the rather hideous checkered red and white cloths over the tables. The smell of bagels is thick in the air and even the hair of some of the waitresses seemed to be styled old fashionably.

Audrey and Caleb have taken a booth by the window and talk quietly amongst themselves, a smile on both of their faces, and they turn their attention towards us when we slide into the booth.

"There you two are! What were you doing? Getting it on in the car?" Audrey teases just as I give Caleb a handshake over the table.

"Kind of hard to do that with the type of cars Cameron owns." Harley replies and I shrug with a laugh. I suppose getting it on in my Aston Martin would be a tight fit but then again, I'm sure we could get it to work.

"Remind me to test that out tonight." I remark and Harley hits my shoulder playfully as I chuckle. "So how was your game last night?" I ask Caleb and he leans back with a smile.

"It was great. We won by a long shot."

"So you're going to the state championships?" Harley asks and he shakes his head.

"We still have to play one more game before we can do that. If we win the next one, then yeah we'll make it."

"That's good though."

"Yeah but I'm exhausted, man. I mean, when was the last time I watched one of your races? All I do is play nowadays." Caleb explains and Audrey sits back with a sigh.

"It's your fault you decided to become a star quarterback."

Caleb rolls his eyes before throwing his arm over her shoulders and pulling her into him.

"You love it Auds,"

She smirks innocently, "Maybe I do."

Before the two can start making out, a waitress comes to take our orders. Audrey and Caleb order quite big meals while Harley settles with a large bowl of fries and a vanilla milkshake and I order a steak with hash browns.
While we wait for our orders, we talk about trivial things and I take the time to appreciate the moment of just sitting with my best friend, my beloved by my side with her own best friend, while we sit and talk and laugh like there isn't a care in the world.

A little while later, the waitress comes over with our food and I don't hesitate to dig in. The delicious flavors of thyme and rosemary melt in my mouth and I come to the realization that this place sells the best food ever.

"So, what cars have you gotten your hands on lately?" Caleb asks as he takes a bite of his burger.

"I actually got a McLaren last night." I tell him and an impressed look crosses over his face.

"Shit. That's a sweet ride. You'll have to show it to me sometime Cam."

I'm about to say something else when I hear Audrey say to Harley: "And what's up with ordering so little Harley? You got a bun in the oven or something?"

Harley splutters on the milkshake she was slurping on and breaks into a fit of coughs that leaves her with tears and heaving for air. I hit her back gently as she gets redder by the second and I'm not sure whether it's from embarrassment or the fact that she's choking- probably both. As people begin to glance in our direction, even Audrey's cheeks redden a little from the scene she just helped cause. When Harley has calmed down, she whispers: "Shit, I was only joking."

Harley shakes her head. "Well, that won't be happening for a while still."

Audrey leans back with a smirk and I already know something snarky is about to leave her mouth.

"You know, the pull out method doesn't really work."

"Bold of you to assume that's the method I use." I clip back before chewing on my steak.

"You know what method is full proof?" Caleb asks before answering himself. "Abstinence."

Both Harley and Audrey frown before shaking their heads and we all let out a chuckle as we finish off our meals. It's then that Harley and I sober up slightly, knowing that we finally have to talk about what we really came here to do. Sensing the shift in atmosphere, Caleb frowns and looks between us.

"What's up?" He asks with knitted brows and I lean back in my seat.

"We're moving to California tomorrow."

"Wait, what?" Audrey exclaims in disbelief.

"Why?" Caleb asks and I purse my lips, Harley beating me to a response.

"I did something really bad a while back." She begins, playing with the straw in her glass. "And Cameron helped me out of it. But, we didn't cover our tracks as well as we thought we did and now-"

"Now we're getting blackmailed by some people which is why we have to move." I end off. "And that means that we can't see each other for a while. Or, at least until we know what we're dealing with."

Both Audrey and Caleb stare at us with frowns.

"Why dont you go to the police?"

"We can't." Harley responds.

"What do you mean you cant?"

"It's complicated Audrey." I sigh and she lets out a long breath. It's quiet for a moment before Audrey gives a hopeful smile.

"Promise you'll send me pictures of the hot guys on the beach?" She attempts to ease the tension by saying to Harley and both Caleb and I snap our heads in the direction of our girlfriends. "Kidding!" She holds her hands up in surrender before winking at Harley so that she laughs lightly.

The tension seems to ease then and we pay for the bill before walking to the cars. However, it's when we're in the parking lot that Caleb pulls me aside to talk. He slips his hands into the pockets of his varsity jacket.

"You know I always have your back right? And that I'll always help you where I can?" He asks and I smile.

"If you're referring to the mess that Harley and I have gotten ourselves involved in, trust me when I say you want no part in it Caleb. Why do you think Harley's changed so much? Because what she did has ripped her apart and I'll be damned to let it fuck up your life as well." I explain. "You're a good guy, man, and you have something going for you here, I'm not about to change that by dragging you into my mess."

He chews on his lip before nodding. "You two are involved in a lot more illegal shit than just racing, aren't you?"

I offer him a sad smile in response. "I can't seem to outrun it."

My best friend let's out a sigh before pulling me in for a hug and I savor the moment. Sure, Caleb and I are very different but even though he knows I don't have a clean past, he's never shunned me. He welcomed me into his family and has treated me like a brother from day one. I have a lot of respect and love for this guy and I just hope that I won't have to say goodbye to him forever.

"I hope you sort all your shit out Cam. Oregon won't be the same without you.

I nod before joining the girls. Audrey gives Harley a tight hug, saying something to her that makes her laugh before pulling away and turning to me. I give her a hug as well and before she pulls away she whispers in my ear: "Look after her Cam."

"I will." I whisper back. After squeezing Harley one last time, they let us climb into the car and with one last wave from Audrey and a nod from Caleb, I put the car in reverse and drive out of the parking lot.

****

I allow myself to just absorb the image of the track. With my back against the car, I take it all in- the lights, the laughter of the people, the rumbling of the engines and the racers preparing to hit the road. I don't think I've ever felt quite at home as I have here at the track. Not even where I used to race back in Colombia brought me a sense of ease and calmness like here does and I wish I didn't have to move nearly eleven hours away. I'm going to miss coming here to race every other night and getting a new set of wheels. I'm going to miss the atmosphere. But I know that even though I'm moving, I'll always come visit. I'm not saying goodbye forever. I don't even know what exactly moving to California entails yet. All my cars are still here anyway, and they're going to stay here for a little while longer still.

A sigh escapes my lips as I get up from off of the car.

"I'm going to Emery now. You coming?" I ask Harley and she continues to chew on gum as she shakes her head. I frown. "Why?"

"I... don't think he wants to see me." She admits with a shrug and I know she's referring to the constant arguments about her conning.

My lips press into a thin line. "Emery adores you Harley." I tell her honestly. "Trust me, he'll want to see you."

A small smile slips onto her face but she shakes her head again.

"If I go in there, it's going to feel like I'm saying goodbye. I don't want that. I'll see him again and maybe..."

"Maybe you'll be racing again?" I complete her sentence and she gives me a one shoulder shrug. I nod, understanding what she's saying and I toss her the keys to the garage before heading to Emery's office. I knock twice at the door before he mumbles permission to enter and I walk in, closing the door behind me. The bald headed man then looks up, eyes crinkling as he smiles.

"Cameron, how are you?" He asks, leaning back in a plush leather chair. His office has always amused me simply since his was so different to my father's even though Emery's one, too, consists of dark furniture with a big chair behind a shiny table that's clear except for a few piles of paperwork. In front of his desk is two chairs and I slide into one. The thing that really differentiates his office from my father's office is the smell and the clutter. My father's office always smelt of cigars- cherry, mainly- and there was nothing of personal belongings lying around. With Emery, though, his office just smells like his musky cologne and a variety of personal belongings lay around, on his shelfs, bookcases.

"I'm good, how are you Emery?" I ask as I rest my elbows on my knees.

"No complaints. What can I do for you today?"

I let out a sigh at his question, leaning back in my seat. "I'm going to be gone for a while."

Emery's eyebrows draw together and he clasps his hands on the table, leaning his chin on them. "How long is 'a while'?"

I shrug. "I'm not sure. Harley and I are leaving for California tomorrow."

Emery cocks his head to the side before nodding. "What brought about this decision?"

How do you tell someone it's the murder you helped clean up that has forced a gang to come after you and make you join them?

"Some bad decisions." I reply with a sigh and Emery narrows his eyes before letting out a breath.

"You're a good man Cameron. And I have a lot of respect for you. I'm not going to ask you what exactly is going on because I can only imagine all the things that it could be but I want you to know that I will support you where I can if needed." He tells me seriously. "I, too, have done things that were not to be done and so I wouldn't judge you. Or Harley."

I give him a grateful smile. "I know Emery. And I appreciate that but I have to do this on my own. I just don't want you wondering where I am when I'm not around."

He casts me a smile. "Thank you for telling me. Where is Harley though?" He asks.

"She said she'll see you soon. She didn't want to say goodbye."

He gives me a sad smile. "Is she okay?"

I frown. "What do you mean?"

"She's just... she's different to when I first met her. And not just because of the now blonde hair but just her... attitude." He words carefully and I purse my lips.

"She's... healing." I respond and he nods. It's silent for a moment and I stand up just as Emery does so. He shakes my hand firmly. "I'll see you soon. Please look after my cars." I chuckle and he grins.

"I will. Good luck in California Cameron. Call me if you need anything."

"I will." I respond before leaving his office and making my way back outside. Mason is already waiting for me by the car. He looks up when he hears my footsteps and pauses from playing with his lighter when I take a stand beside him.

"So, moving to Cali huh?" He asks and I nod. "At least there's hot chicks in bikinis there."

I roll my eyes. "I have Harley."

"Ever heard of a threesome?"

I snort at his words before he frowns.

"You going to tell me why you heading there?"

I sigh, rolling my shoulders before I explain Percy and Isaac breaking into the house and dragging us to a stop house for the gang they were a part of. I tell him about Jack who is forcing us to join or he will rat us out to the FEDS and with each passing second, I see Mason's face getting harder. I ask him to look after the house by checking up on it every now and then and he agrees.

"Where exactly are you guys going in Cali?" Is his first question and I think about where Isaac said the gang was in the car.

"Concord."

Mason looks away as he mutters curse words under his breath and I feel my stomach drop. "What Mason?"

He looks back at me in concern. "That place is overrun with gang activity Cam. The rivalry there is... insane. It's a war zone."

My heart thumps harder at his words.

"My own gang doesn't even venture into that territory anymore. They'll kill anyone who isn't on their side."

"They?" I ask and he sighs.

"The Slither Gang and- their rival gang- The Kings. They're fighting. They have being for years."

I gulp, trying to calm down but Mason's next words prove it a difficult task.

"And you're only going to get dragged into it."

vote•comment•share