I was on my way to my house.

Until I heard heavy grunts and shocked gasps, I stood still and debated on whether I should fight or flight. My skin itched from the burning curiosity to look around the corner – maybe I had the soul of a dragon fighter, but then again, high school were full of dragons. I was close to holding Alina in my arms and cuddling up with her, but the sound only increased.

In the searing of a forgotten alley, where shadows clawed desperately at the last shards of daylight, two figures clashed in aggression.

Their movements were a whirlwind of fury and desperation, each strike a symphony of pain and defiance. The taller one, his face a mask of grit and determination, moved with the calculated precision of a predator stalking its prey. His fists shot out like lightning strikes, each blow carrying a heavy impact on the other guy.

Opposite him, a shorter man with a wiry frame danced nimbly on his feet, evading, parrying, and striking back with an almost feral grace. His eyes burned with a mixture of anger and fear, a volatile cocktail that fuelled his every movement. He bobbed and weaved through the onslaught, his own fists moving in a blur as he sought openings in his enemy.

The air crackled with tension, punctuated by the sharp sounds of impact as flesh met flesh. Grunts and curses erupted between breaths. Blood mingled with sweat; the stench was evident as I crinkled my nose with a grimace.

The tall guy won the moment he landed a fist on the other guy's jaw, it blew him out like leaves in fall. I was sure he was dead by now or in a coma. My feet wouldn't move, and my mouth parted only to close again in shock.

"You like the show, little kid?" A teasing smile played upon his lips while he took off his dirty white shirt, revealing straight out of the gutter packs.

I didn't reply, my tongue seemed to be frozen. The only thing I did was shake my head.

He saw my gaze at the flopped guy in the blood pool, then his mischievous orange-like eyes glinted under the lamp post when he looked at me.

"He's going to be alright. Make sure you don't call the emergency on him, or you'll be in big trouble, cheerleader."

I gaped at him; eyes caught in headlights. "Wait, how the hell do you know?"

"From Lakeside high too, that's real interesting." He mused, he seemed to get excited about leaving me with a dumbstruck look on my face.

His face was chiselled, with strong, angular features softened by a hint of mystery in his piercing eyes and a faint, enigmatic smile playing on his lips.

"I never saw you around." I said as I examined the dangerous guy, who was nearer than before. My legs automatically stepped back, the smell of cigarette was added to the mix of blood and sweat.

"Tell my brother I said hi." He chimed, the muscles on his back were fully shown and his shadow was faint after I could hear him when he added, "as for the cheerleader, I could see through the plastic bag, sweetheart."

  He was already gone before I could even ask.

My cheeks tinted at the sight of the edge of my skirt that poked out of the plastic bag. I scratched my head when I glanced at his face which was swollen and bruised, with cuts tracing jagged paths across his cheeks and a split lip that oozed blood. He warned me not to call anyone for the guy, but I wasn't going to let my guilty conscience get the best of me tonight.

I gnawed on my lower lip and decided I would report the incident as anonymous. I clicked on report and closed my phone – I wondered how the fight happened, even more so, the brother he mentioned. That prick made sure to keep me in my guesses on purpose.

The warmth filled me whole at the sound of Darla and Alina, a childish smile climbed its way up to my lips at the aroma of Darla's famous blueberry cheesecake and my stomach reminded me of the intense workout we had, I didn't want to remember the back ache that was caused 'by accident' from Atlas. It wasn't anything serious, but I gave credit to my strong body.

At least the dessert made me momentarily forget the nauseated smell from before. An instant shiver from the reminder passed the moment Darla appeared with a giggling Alina.

"Cali, you're here." My sister yelled excitedly when I gave her the biggest hug.

I kissed her neck, and she bubbled an infectious laugh, making me laugh with her as we twirled around the room.

She was an old lady with a kind smile and gentle eyes, wearing a cozy sweater and sitting peacefully in her favourite armchair by the window with a heartfelt smile when she watched us dance.

"Hi, sweetie. Let's put a plate of food for you – you look like a skeleton dear!" She gave me a disapproving look before she stood up and walked to the kitchen to heat some food.

Times like these were what made me grateful for my other life here – the life I wanted to keep hidden forever. Not because there was something wrong, but because of the fear inside of me that if it wasn't hidden, something as special as this would be tarnished. I would never let the two most important people in my life suffer.

"Thanks, my love." I shouted over to her.

"No problem, my everything."

We had this tradition where we would call each other endearing names, it started ever since she moved as our new neighbour. She taught me to say the things I felt because life was short, and I was taller than it. Life would end when I won it in a race of speaking feelings out.

"Daddy didn't come home today." She told me.

It hurt me to see that Alina missed dad often, and I couldn't do anything about it no matter how hard I tried – dad was dad, the overworking bear that provided for us, but there were days he wasn't there. We barely saw him once a week.

He wanted to forget the pain after mom had left him for another man. Some expressed their feelings harder than ever; he needed Darla's life lessons.

"Let's see a movie, how about Frozen?" I changed the subject, something I would always do, and the smart curly-haired girl sensed it.

She clapped her hands together and nodded in a frenzy as she wiggled out of my hold when I crouched down, running to get the television open.

I waltzed in the kitchen, throwing any negativities out of the window at the sight of my stuffed plate on the table. I threw over a grateful kiss to Darla's cheek and tasted her famous lasagna. The instant cheesy flavour in my mouth was enough to make me lean back and moan, then opened my eyes to see an amused old lady that chuckled at me.

"This is heaven right here." I pointed my fork to the lasagna, and she placed an arm around my shoulder.

"I'm glad you like it, sweetheart – I should head home but you, young woman, we're going to talk later." She warned in a joking manner with the knife aimed at me and I raised my hands up, faking a fright making us both laugh.

"I promise. Sorry I have been home late a lot." I voiced out, I didn't like it, but priorities were priorities if I wanted to get my family out of this hellhole.

"Don't worry over it, dear." She leaned down and kissed the side of my head after she settled the knife down on the counter. "Oh, and I left you some cheesecake in the fridge, don't eat it after the lasagna, your stomach will hurt."

  "You're the best!" I yelled to the retreating kind lady.
 
    "I know I am." I could hear her reply from the entrance and I chuckled.

Alina had made up a fort of blankets on the couch and after I wolfed down the food, I was satisfied when I cuddled my sister, I was still in my clothes, but I was shattered now. The hot shower didn't help with my drowsiness.

I managed to get my ass beat, literally, then I had to watch a fight, moved forward to the guy killer that spilled something about a brother. If my life would be a movie, it would be called end me.

"Look, Elsa is so pretty here." Alina fangirled as she flailed her arms, before she settled back on the couch.

"Not as pretty as you are." I whispered to her, and she playfully squealed due to her sensitive ear.

For two girls in one house, nobody ever visited us. It was usually Darla or dad, nobody else, but when a knock was heard, my big sister instincts kicked in as soon as I put sleeping Alina in her room. I was in fighter mode, minus the pain I felt all over my body and my droopy eyes.

I couldn't catch a single break, I clutched the baseball from behind the door as I peepeed through the hole, only to find that it was James.

His golden curls were tied to the back, which only added to his roman appeal, he looked far too good in just simple dark green shirt and denim. He patiently waited for me to open the door.

"How the hell do you guys find my house?" It was the first thing I said when I pulled the door open.

"Hello to you too," he rolled his eyes at me, then his stance turned steady as he said, "there is something important that you should know about."

"What is it?"

"I'm freezing cold, can you let me in?" He urged annoyingly.

"For only five minutes, but first you have to tell me how you found my house."

"It wasn't hard to figure out, I had a little help from your coach. But then again, you couldn't stay away from Atlas, and I had to wait."

My cheeks involuntarily turned into a delicate shade of pink, betraying the embarrassment or shyness I felt. It was a good thing I was behind him, not the other way around.

"I did stay away. He's always around me." I countered. I still saw the aftermath of bruises in his face, the faint colouring around his eyes and the gash healed.

"Try harder then, because I know something about that night."

Yep. It got me leaning forward on my couch. A million drag race of thoughts whirred in my mind, my stomach dropped uncomfortably, and I wanted to know more than ever. In some way, that night was important to me. It was the normal me, pretty with skirts, long silky hair, showed off my lavish body to everyone. Broke so many hearts, including Jake and I didn't regret it one bit.

I didn't owe anybody anything.

"I heard Linda when she said that she saw us drinking and dancing, she made a girl act out a whole scene on Jake's bed and she had the same hair as yours, they made her dress like you and taped it. Her back only showed with the hair and the outfit." He explained, catching a breath before gauging my reaction.

The untamed bitch had to stoop that low to do this.

James saw the confused glance towards his way, and he rubbed his jaw, before he leaned back and proceeded, "she didn't put out the tape, she wanted to wait for the right moment. We need to get to that tape as fast as we can."

"I think I know what to do."

It was his turn to raise an eyebrow at me.

"James, we need to get back in that group. I will take one thing Linda wants the most."

"No, it's too dangerous." He turned down the idea in my head.

"They wanted dangerous and they will get it."

"You will fuck up her cheerleading dream?" He guessed

"And take Atlas from her next."

"How will you do that?" He questioned again.

"Simple. We will create the real crush scandal."