"My friends and I we've got a lot of problems..."

___

"I uh...I'm here to buy some 'X.'"

Loud laughter rings out into the night air. It's dark and it's relatively warm out for the beginning of September, but the two boys are clad in all black, each of them with hoodies pulled over their heads.

"Sorry, mate," says one-the one with the dyed hair and multiple piercings. "I think you're in the wrong place."

"No, wait," he shakes his head, "I'm not, I promise."

"Look," says the other, the one with the overgrown black hair and patch of blonde over his eyes, "you can get candy out the  store. mate."

"Ha, yeah. You've got the wrong ones."

"What!?" This kid exclaims. "I heard you dealt! You're," the boy checks his phone, hands shaking. "You're uh, you're Michael Clifford, right?"

Mikey sends a short laugh into the night air. "You've got it right, kid," and he pats the kid on the head. "I am Michael Clifford," and he adds, whispering, "I just don't sell to Freshman."

"Why? I'm good for the money, promise!"

Michael turns his back, nudging his friend beside him. "Call me when your balls've dropped."

"Hey! Wait! Wait up! It's not for me, I swear!"

Michael stops, Calum laughing beside him as he rolls his eyes, adjusting the black hood on his head. "Who's it for, then?"

"Jesse Fisher," the kid says, and the faces of both boys drop, scowls replacing smiles. "He's uh, he's gonna throw this party when school starts and said I could come if I, if I bought his stuff. See?" And the boy holds out a wad of twenties. "See-Told ya I was good for the money."

Michael sniffs disdainfully, and he crouches down to be more eye-level with this kid.

"What's your name, mate?"

The kid pauses, "Uh..."

"Fine," Michael stands, turning. "Fuck it. Don't go to that party, then."

"It's Ben," he spurts, and again, Michael stops. "It's um, it's Benjamin."

"Well," and Michael laughs, "Benjamin. Ben, Ben, Ben..."

The boy flinches. "Please, Michael...Please, don't eat me."

"The fuck-? What?"

Calum falls backwards, laughing loudly.

"I said..." Poor kid looks like he's going to pass out. He whispers, "I said, don't eat me."

"First of all," Michael spits into the grass on the twenty-yard line, "Eew. Secondly, cannibalism is a crime, kid."

"I know, but-"

Michael wrinkled his nose. "Where the fuck'd you hear that from?"

"You mean, you're not gonna eat me?"

"Who the fuck told you that, Ben?"

"Jesse! Jesse did!"

Michael's jaw clenches, vein popping. "Is that why he's not here himself, huh? S'why he's got a ten-year-old buying his shit for him? Fuckin' coward."

"I'm fourteen."

"You're not," and Michael nods towards the money in his hand. "How much'd he give you, anyway?"

"I uh...I didn't count..."

Michael holds out his hand, "Give it to me."

Calum sighs, shoving his hands into his pockets. Eyes beneath hair long overgrown, he scans the street for any sign of federal activity.

Ben raises a brow. "How much is it?"

"Five hundred," is Michael's reply.

"That's half a grand!"

"So, he counts!" And Michael pockets every dollar into his skintight jeans, slapping into the boy's hand a small plastic bag. "Give this to that dick and tell him to take all of 'em at once."

"That's it?" Ben holds up the bag, eyeing its contents, "That's how much this costs?"

"For Fisher," Michael flashes a smile, "prices go up. It's called 'inflation,' Ben. Blame the market," he shakes his head, "with these damn fiscal caps and refinancing and 401k's and shit..."

"What?"

"Just get the fuck outta here," he scowls, as Calum hides a little laugh and Ben turns towards the gate. "Find that fuckin' ass and tell him something for me, yeah? Tell 'im it was nice doing business, and one of these days," he shakes a finger, "now, don't forget this Ben, 'cause here comes the important part," Michael drops his hood, "Tell him that one of these days, I'm gonna fucking kill him."

They watch the freshman run from the school grounds.

Calum watches Michael recount the money.

"You ready?"

It's his last day of summer, and he's not trying to spend it here.

He nods. "Call Ash. Let's get the fuck outta here."

__

HOW COOL IS THAT GIF DOEEE

okay so sorry this is short but it's to show you to the boys' characters. they don't run in the same circles as royce. 

also michael and jesse literally hate each other. don't forget.

each chapter's gonna be named after a song and I'll attach each one so you can listen to it if you want. :)

this one is  american candy || the maine