I STARED AT MY mother and father in complete disbelief as they held their hands tightly. Lately, they had taken on a paler complexion than usual, and sweat trickled down their foreheads. They're going through withdrawals, I thought, shock coursing through me.

So, not only were my mother and father withdrawing from their drugs, they were using me as a damn payment for it all.

"You have two hours to pack what you need, Thalia," mom said nervously, running her tongue down her dry bottom lip and looking at me from her delicate grey eyes. "They promised us they wouldn't hurt you as long as you complied."

I threw my hands in the air. "Mother, that's what they say. That doesn't mean they won't hurt me anyway!" I responded snarkily, heaving a sigh of frustration. "Are you guys joking with me right now? You couldn't have done something else? Called the police? Offered something else?"

"They wouldn't take anything else. We tried to change their mind, but their leader is persistent. Money or human payment," my father pleaded, rubbing my mother's hand. "We didn't have the money, and we can't risk your life or ours. You'll be okay."

"Are you hearing yourself right now?" I asked, trying to be as calm as possible. I did my breathing steps to prevent an anxiety attack, but it wasn't really working. My parents literally just told me to pack up and get ready to go live with a bunch of gang members who deal drugs and weapons. "They'll kill me."

"They won't."

Why did they sound so doubtful of their own words? Why did it hurt? "I'm your daughter."

"We know, and we love you, and we're so sorry," my mom whimpered, wiping her nose and looking at me with pain.

"Call the police." At this point, I was trying anything to get them to let me stay. "They'll protect me."

"Do you want us to go to jail?" My father demanded, eyes widening with hurt. "Thalia, you'll lose us if you do that."

I shut my mouth, clenching my fingers. "I'm not packing anything. I'm not leaving, they cannot force me."

"We can if we have a gun to your head."

Shit. I turned around and saw the door standing open with three males, all around my age and older, waiting in the doorway. They were dressed casually, wearing jeans and t-shirts, and were all exceptionally handsome.

Too bad I wasn't into guys.

Just last night I was at a party, enjoying life, hanging out with my best friends — and now? Now I was being sold to a goddamn gang because my parents couldn't pay their drug bill.

Other people say they have family problems, but I feel it's completely right for me to say that they're full of absolute shit at this point. Until they've been sold to the mob as a payment for drugs, I don't believe family problems can really be compared to each other.

"Thalia Brookes, a pleasure." The first guy stepped forward, the typical New York accent being the first to be noted. The second was the scar that ran from the corner of his eye to his lips. "We're here to take you to our head leader, the Boss you could say."

I settled my lips into a thin line and put my hands on my hips. "Excuse me?" I drawled, raising my brow. "I don't think so. I just got through telling them—" I pointed to my parents on the couch, "— that I have no intentions of going anywhere."

A smile quirked the edges of the man's lips, causing the scar to curve up slightly with them. "Oh really?" he mused, pushing his sunglasses up hid head. His eyes were dark brown, like dark chocolate. "How defiant."

"Not defiant, just smart."

"Stupid, actually," he snipped back, smirking at me as his gaze ran up and down my figure. "Perhaps Brooks will be able to put you in my section. I need more legs down by Central Park."

"Tell your Brooks he can fuck off," I snapped, starting to lose my patience. The feeling was a nag, a tug in the pit of my stomach.

He glowered and stepped forward, his fingers lashing out to curl around my wrist. "First of all, she," he snarled, nails digging in, "Second of all, I would heavily recommend capping that 'tude. Madora will tear you apart."

Madora Brooks? Suddenly, the sting from his fingers digging into my skin no longer mattered. It was nearly non-existent, replaced now with but a dull throb that is easily ignored.

Madora Brooks. Madora Brooks. I rolled the name over in my head repeatedly, flicking my gaze up to the frustrated one of the man. "Your leader is Madora Brooks?"

He scowls, releasing my wrist and flicking his hand as if I were nothing more than a pest to be shoved away. "Yes. You know her, then?"

I pursed my lips, not responding. There was simply no point, he wouldn't care and it wouldn't affect him in the future.

Of course I did know Madora Brooks. She went to my high school, she was a year ahead of me. The first time I saw her my freshman year was like seeing the Goddess of Beauty herself.

—~—

"Have a good day, sweetie." My mom offered me a weak smile from the driver's seat. She looked as nervous as I felt, her fingers dancing against the steering of the car, her legs twitching underneath her, her tongue rolling across her lips.

She was going through withdrawal. Again. I swallowed as I raked my fingers through my brown-blonde hair and sighed, opening the door. "Thanks, Mom. Love you."

"Love you, too," she got out nervously, watching me with her sunken eyes as I shut the door. She drove off quickly, leaving me alone on the concrete to start off my new day in a new school.

I turned on my heel, causing the sound of the wet concrete to scrape against my heel. My heart raced in my chest as I headed forward toward the school, blood rushing in my ears.

I can't do this.

I have to do this.

Without my consent, my legs began walking towards the doors of the school. Students were piling in themselves, ready to start their first day of school after a long summer break. My heart pounded in my chest so hard it made my stomach hurt.

I pushed through the doors and looked around, watching students greet their friends joyfully, hugging, laughing, talking.

I needed friends, or I would be doomed in this school very quickly.

I felt a brush against my shoulder and I jumped, startled. I whipped around to see a blonde girl with startling blue eyes looking at me. She was ... well, she was beautiful.

Her hair was up in a high ponytail with a strand in front of her face, she wore black skinny jeans, black ankle boots, a white tank top, and a black and white flannel.

Her eyes were surprisingly ... cold. Not mean, not menacing, just shut off, firmly put away. "Sorry," she said, giving me a nudge of apology.

"It's okay," I said. I watched her go, disappearing like a stalking lioness through the crowd.

I figured out much later that this female was Madora Brooks, and I was given a warning:

Stay away.

—~—

I took the advice, but I wished I didn't. Madora Brooks was a dangerous woman, and she always had a new girl every week.

I couldn't put myself in that position.

"It can go either way," the man said, stalking forward again and taking my jaw and pulling me closer. "You'll get your cute little ass up those steps and get some belongings you wish to have, or —" his lips curled up, his eyes twinkling, "—we take you by force. Any means necessary."

"Kiss my ass," I spat, turning my burning glare to my parents. "Aren't you going to stop them?"

"We're sorry," was all my dad said.

I was filled with a sudden burst of pain as I was shoved to the ground, my arms forcefully being twisted behind my back and tied together. Where the hell did he get rope?

I reared back, slamming my head into his nose. It hurt the both of us, but something told me he got the worst of the pain. He yelled and released me to grab his nose, sending curses my way.

I scampered away, giving my parents pleading eyes. "Mommy. Daddy. Please," I whispered, my throat bobbing as a sob threatened to escape. They wouldn't look at me.

"Baby, don't struggle," my mother whispered, choking on a sob herself as she stared at her lap. "You'll only make it worse."

"Yeah," the guy snarled as he stormed over to me, wiping blood from his nose. He stomped on my back, sending a jolt of pain through my entire body. I whimpered.

He bent down and I only saw black as he wrapped a cloth around my eyes.