I look around. Nobody is here, that will make the task ahead much easier. I grab what I need and run all the way back. I open the box looking inside. I take out the contents then turn on my computer. I log on and enter all of the required information. I then clicked the red login button. This is it. I can finally relax, watch Netflix, and eat waffle cones. Yes, I sometimes eat an entire waffle cone alone. Fight me. I snuck the cone into my room so I can snack on the deliciousness while I watch The 100. It is actually pretty good. After a half-hour, I switched off the computer and decided to start on my homework. I started with math, but for some reason, my mind could not focus. All I could think of was detention with Leo yesterday. Maybe I was a bit harsh on him, but the sooner he realizes to stay out of my way, the better. I sigh at my last failing attempt to do the equation, closing my computer. I decided that a little late-night bowling never hurt anyone. Looking out the window, it was still light outside. I got up and headed straight for the alley. I got my shoes and my lane. Not long ago, I joined a bowling team here, meaning I get to bowl for free whenever I want. I showed my pass and headed for an empty lane. Pinking up the familiar pink ball, I started my game. I was so lost in my own world, I had not realized how dark it was. 

"Ma'am, we are closing the place down." I heard a familiar voice say. Spinning around, I realized it was Leo.

"Elaina?" Leo questioned, scrunching up his eyebrows and nose.

"Hi, Leo."

"Where is your car, there are no cars parked in the lot?"

"Actually, I walked," I replied staring down at my feet, realizing my stupidity. I can't walk back home. Especially not this late. It is too dark and what if something happens to me.

"Elaina," Leo sighed, "Come, I'll give you a ride." I slowly nodded in response. Now was not the time to deny a ride. Riding with him was safer than walking home alone. I got into Leo's black car and texted my mother letting him know I may be home late.

"Soooo, bowling, huh?" I slowly nod my head.

"It is a great stress reliever. I feel like I am in an entirely different world." I explain attempting to reduce the awkward silence in the car. I look through the rear view mirror on the right and realize something strange. I could've sworn that car has been following us.

"Leo, is that car following us?" I ask pointing behind me.

"Shit!" Leo exclaims looking behind and ahead frantically.

"Leo, what is going on?" I asked, attempting to sound as brave as possible.

"Well, either we can both pray you never find out, or if what is happening is what I think it is, then you will find out very soon, sweetheart." Please don't let it be what I think it is. For some reason, the car looked extremely familiar. Like extremely, extremely familiar. This is not the first time I have been chased down by a gang, which is how I knew what was happening and why I developed a good eye for it. It is also how I knew what to do in a situation like this. I opened the dashboard before Leo could protest very well knowing a gun would be there. Well, it was more of a prediction since he kept his gun in there as well and so did all of his gang members, but it was right none the less.

"Sweetheart, I...I...I can explain...DON'T TOUCH IT, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Leo starts freaking out, losing control of the car a bit before regaining control.

"Sweetheart," I start imitating him, "You really don't think this is my first time being chased by a gang, do you? Otherwise, how would I know I was being chased by a gang and where the gun is?" I fake mock a smile, before rolling down the window a little and start shooting at the car to slow them down. Namely the tires. Luckily, I was forced to learn to shoot a gun because of him again and am a pretty good shot. At least something good came out of my past.

"Nice shot," Leo smirked clearly impressed.

I fake blew off the "smoke" from the gun "Thanks. Nice drive." And with that, we made it to what I presume was their base.

"Hey, putas," Leo shouted. 5 other greek gods whom I recognize from school are there. Like damn their jawline be so sharp, it can cut through hundreds of diamonds at once and their muscles clearly show through all of their white muscle Tees.

"Yaaaay a girlllll!" One of them with light brown hair speaks up and caramel brown eyes with tan skin screams hugging me. Under his hug, I go rigid as the memories threaten to come back, but I soon realize he is less harmless than a pair of fluffy shoes.

"Guys, this is Elaina Michaels." Leo introduces.

"I'm Dylan and your eyes are pretty!" He eagerly says staring into my eyes.

"Okay, who gave the kid something and was it sugar or drugs?" I yell. Leo chuckles as Dylan pouts at me with fake sadness.

Then a boy with dark brown hair, fair light skin, and hazel eyes, speaks next, "The names Will, Jayden Will, and I loooooooooove action movies. Please don't tell me you are into chick flicks."

"Nahhh, I prefer thriller and action, but have always wanted to try horror!" I laugh back. I can already tell I am going to be great friends with these guys! Yay new friends!

"Jace, and I love reading." The blond with blue eyes.

"Jace, you should definitely check out this website called wattpad!" I reply, definitely knowing that he will find awesome books there.

"Wattpad?"

"Just check it out dum dum." I reply shaking my head.

"Dum dums! Whereeeee?" Dylan jumps up and down eagerly.

"I'm Jake and I love sports. You are looking at the captain of the track team, basketball team, football team, and soccer team!" Jake says flexing his muscles as I chuckle.

"And I am Alec, complete computer geek! Want to hack into anything or create a program to do something, I am your guy." Alec responds.

"Yeah, you are also married to your computer!" Jayden argues.

"No"

"YES"

"NO"

"YES"

"NO"

"YES"

"NO"

"YES"

"NO!!!"

"Anyways, you boys need nicknames!" I clap excitedly.

"Nicknames?" They all yes in unison as I nod.

"Jayden is Jade, Dylan is Dyl, Jake is Jay, Alec is Al, and Jace is Ace!" I clap.

"What about Leo?" Dylan asks, scrunching his face up adorably. Yes, he is a senior who is freaking adorable, screw me. But more like younger brother adorable since despite his physique and height, he does not look over 13.

"Elaina, don't you dare!" Leo responds as I smirk.

"But Leeee, why not?" I whine.

"You gave Leo a nickname?!" Jay asks.

"And you are still alive." Al finishes.

"Yep, I am tougher than you think! And smarter! For example, considering there are only 6 of you here and you all know this place, which is well hidden. You guys are the inner circle and this is the warehouse slash base slash hideout. Also given how serious Leo is, he is definitely the leader of the gang and someone you should not mess with, which won't stop me FYI. I never was one for following rules." I shrug as if it was the most casual conversation and I watch as everyone's jaw drops.

"Leo did you tell her this?" Al asks.

"If I did would my jaw be hanging open for flies to catch?" He spits back.

"So how did you know Ellie?" Ace asks.

"Well, this is sort of not the first time I have been involved in gang shit," I respond bowing my head down.

"What gang were you a part of. How high were you, must have been pretty high to figure out someone was tailing us before I did, then to figure out where the gun was hidden before I even mentioned us being in a gang." Leo asks narrowing his eyes at me. At the memory, I feel tears stinging my eyes as I try holding them back, not wanting to cry in front of the boys.

"Look what you did to her Lee! Apologize" Dyl pouts.

"Not happening, this is a valid safety procedure! She could be working for our rival gang for all we know" Leo exclaims.

"Lee, logistically, if she was working for the rival gang, would she really tell us that?" Ace fires back.

"I am with Dyl, girls don't cry out of nowhere. I say Apologize!" Jay huffs folding his arms across his chest.

"I third that!" Jade replies tilting his head to the left pointing at himself.

"Guys, it is okay I am fine, just some bad memories. Now that you mention it though, that car was extremely familiar. Also, I was never officially part of a gang, but my ex was." I reply looking at my feet.

"EX?" Leo asks narrowing his eyes.

"Can we not talk about this?" I ask staring at my foot.

"Look, you made my sister sad! How dare you!" Dyl attempts to look angry at Leo.

"And we still have not heard an apology!" Ace replies.

"You too Ace?" Leo groans.

"What? I just checked out wattpad and it was amazing!! Millions and millions of books! And just when I was running out! She is a hero!" 

"Fine, I am soo sorry Ellie." Leo groans facing me.

"It's okay," I mumble, then straighten my face back to my normal peppy attitude.

"Soooo who is up for ice cream?" I ask.

"MEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!" Everyone, but Leo shouts.

"Great, Leo's paying!" I scream and hear Leo mumble something along the lines of "Why her out of everyone?"

"Leo, can we keep her?" Dyl pouts. Oh my god, how do you resist that face? Even Leo can barely resist it, his eyes have gone soft, but he is still not convinced, so the other 5 boys join in. Damn it, he is still not giving in. Until an idea hits me! I pout my lips, scrunch up my face, and quiver my bottom lip.

"Pweeeeeeeeese Leo?" I beg as though I am asking to buy candy instead of joining a gang.

"Fine!" Leo sighs. YAaay! Not even a fearful gang leader can resist a girl pouting. 

At the ice cream parlor, Dyl orders Cotton Candy, Jade orders cookie dough, Jay orders chocolate/vanilla swirl softie, Ace orders strawberry, I order cake batter with brownies, sprinkles, and hot fudge on top. YUM! And Leo orders plain vanilla. Figures. After we get our ice cream, we try to find a place to sit a the booths.

"I wanna sit next to Ellie." Dyl pouts.

"But I wanna sit next to her too!" Jay replies.

"I call dibbs!" Al says.

"But I call shotgun!" Jade fires back.

"Noooo Ellie has to show me more books, then we will talk about our favorite wattpad book, get married, and have three children named Jace!" Jace announces.

"What the unicorn fudggeee?" Dyl laughs.

As the boys continue to argue over who sits next to me, Leo slips in unnoticed.

"Sneaky..." I whisper leaning over to him. 5 seconds later, the boys realize what happened and glare at Leo.

"What, I bought you guys ice cream and I bought her ice cream!"

"GET. AWAY. FROM. MY. WIFEEEEY!" Ace screams. 

"Hey Lee, I would advise you to run. You do not mess with a married man's wife!"  I laugh. I can hear Lee gulping. Well, this is new, the gang leader is afraid of a bunch of kids who act like 5-year-olds. Well, actually anyone who saw Ace's face would have freaked out.

"You go, hubby!" I cheer as he chases Leo through the ice cream parlor.  It is fair to say we were kicked out of the place and now Leo is in a headlock as the boys beat the shit out of him.

"Help!! Ellie, bowling girl, help!!!" Leo screams as we all stand outside the parlor. The boys already finished their ice cream. To be fair, they were biting their ice cream. Who bites ice cream! 

"As long as this cannot be traced back to me by the police I don't give a flying unicorn  shit!" I yell licking my delicious ice cream on a cone.

"Oh also no blood, I don't want the boys to get in trouble!" I yelled as the boys nodded and eventually got bored of killing Leo.

"You are such a slow eater!" Jade whines.

"If you let me eat in peace, we can have an action movie marathon later," I say taking another lick of this delicious piece of junk.

"Eat away my princess!" Jade says bowing before me.

"Thank you, kind sir!" I curtsy in my imaginary dress.

"Now, I have to use the bathroom guys, be right back!" I skip to the girl's bathroom licking my ice cream when suddenly a muffler towel is held over my face, no doubt with a sedative to put me to sleep.

OMG 2277 words!!!! That was a lot and took me a while to write. It is literally 1 in the morning and I have school tomorrow at 6! Welp wish me good luck!