© Jojo B 2016

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*N.E.V* The Seven Deadly Simpson Brothers

33

(Picture is Gio)

"Coral?" Walter asked me at lunch. "Are you working after school today?"

"No," I shook my head. "It's Friday today. How come?"

"No reason," Walter shrugged, giving me a smile. "I lose track of the days you work, that's all."

"Did you have any plans?" I smirked at him.

"Well," Walter said, dipping his head forwards. "I'm not going to give anything away."

"Good," I beamed. "Well in that case you can go shopping with me, maybe we can get Landon to drive us."

Walter hesitated, clearly having something else on his mind.

"Landon is busy this evening," he said. "Phoenix is too."

"Damn Walter," I threw a piece of lettuce at his arm. "You should really learn to drive."

"Yeah?" he cocked an eyebrow at me. "And what's your excuse not to?"

"Um...I..."

"Exactly," he grinned triumphantly. "Neither of us can be bothered."

I had nothing to say, he was right. My silence, along with my defeated face made Walter laugh loud.

"Aren't those the triplets?" I frowned when I noticed action outside behind him, "...and a dog?"

Walter turned around in his seat to see Gomez, Gio and Severn running across the school fields laughing as they got chased by the School Marshal and the Deputy Head. Gomez had a little dog in his arms which looking like it was enjoying the game of chase.

"What have they done now?" Eli muttered as he came to join our table with Hayley.

"Must be serious," Hayley craned her head so she could get a better look. "They've even got big man Steve running."

Big man Steve, or the Deputy Headmaster, was clearly struggling to keep up and the triplets kept splitting up and running in circles, dodging the much more agile School Marshal.

"I can tell they won't be coming to school after this for a while," Walter said, turning his back on them and getting back to his lunch.

Walter had been right.

The triplets all got expelled that very same day for the attempted theft of the Headmaster's dog, which had been in for the day, as well as for verbal abuse directed at senior members of staff. To be honest, the whole thing was too funny to be taken seriously. I knew the triplets wouldn't try to enrol in another school and it was a shame because they needed as much education as they could get at their age. The only thing that bothered Severn about it was not seeing the girl he liked as often anymore.

After school, Walter had gone out with Phoenix for business he hadn't want to tell me about. I assumed that I didn't want to know. He didn't want me mixed in with the illegal side of the gang and I wasn't complaining. I was only worried about him.

"Gio," I said, leaning in the doorway of the triplets' room. "We still up for the food shopping?"

"Yep," he got to his feet.

"We have to eat balanced," I said to him, trying to make sure we were on the same page.

"Yeah," Gio nodded. "Fifty percent carbs and fifty percent meat, my kind of balance."

I shook my head at him playfully and waved goodbye to Melody who was playing on the floor whilst Gomez and Severn supervised her. I'd asked Gomez to come with me because I needed someone to help me carry the shopping and I knew he'd be enthusiastic about food.

"Let's go," I said to him.

"After you," Gio held the door open for me as we walked out.

"Thanks," I smiled at him.

"No problem," he said, closing the front door after him.

"So what possessed you to try and steal the Headmaster's dog?" I had to ask as we walked in the wintery afternoon

"Oh that," Gio grinned widely.

"What do you mean, 'oh that'?" I cried. "You're telling me you forgot you got expelled today already?"

Gio started laughing, "Only momentarily. We didn't go that often anyway so it doesn't that much of a difference."

"Okay," I raised my hand. "Fair enough."

"We were going to kidnap it and make him pay a ransom," Gio explained.

"Right," I blinked in utter disbelief. "Gio, even if that plan had worked...you've got enough money anyway, what do you need ransom money for?"

"It was Gomez's idea," he said. "He's always after things. He loves taking, I'm pretty sure he's a kleptomaniac."

"Don't say that," I couldn't help but smile in amusement.

"I'm not joking," he cried. "Gomez can't stop stealing, he always wants more. Nothing satisfies him, ever."

"Well that's something he'll have to address someday," I said, "before he ends up in jail."

"Oh juvenile detention?" Gio said casually. "That's bearable."

I shook my head to myself, "Will any of you ever learn?"

"No," he responded without delay.

When we reached the supermarket, Giovanni literally grabbed me by the arm and pulled me to all his favourite aisles. It took longer than I thought it would, mainly because Gio wouldn't stop talking about random things like frozen calamari and pickled gherkins. In the end I told him we had to stop because we wouldn't be able to carry it home, which made him start stuffing the smaller items in his pockets.

"That's stealing," I said quietly.

"Coral, it's calm," Gio grinned at me. "What do you like? Mars or Snickers?"

"Neither," I said before he could grab any more. "Let's go and pay."

I paid with the money Phoenix had given me after he'd asked me why I was writing a list. I had told him that I was planning to buy proper food for the house and he simply told me not to use my own money before leaving the kitchen only to return with a large amount of cash. 'For the house', he had said, and even muttered a little 'thank you'.

On the way back home, Giovanni asked us to walk fast so that he could get home and eat quicker (as he was currently unable to because he had both hands occupied with the shopping). I couldn't stop laughing because I knew he was being genuine and I asked him to allow me to just pop into work for me to collect my payslip as it was now the end of November.

But things never turned out that way.

It was already dark out when The Dartfish came into view and Gio and I were still a small distance away when we saw a couple of the Santiagos leaving the pub and entering the street lit pavement outside. I recognised Diego immediately, his unkempt hair and cocky gait was unique only to a scumbag like himself. With Diego, was a slightly taller man, and Giovanni murmured 'skull face' which confirmed that it was Carlos. The blockheads were also there, and they weren't the only ones who were surprised when Landon Simpson and his brothers jumped out of the shadows at them.

I stood in disbelief, watching the fight unfold itself on the street. Walter was there and he was fighting Diego as Eli was battled one of the twins. Landon already had his knife out, and he was slashing expertly at the other twin, like he was playing a deadly game of fencing. He was amazing, very skilled at striking and dodging. But not as good as Phoenix...who of course I had built up to be one of the best fighters.

I sure wasn't let down.

Phoenix hit Carlos with his bare fists and Carlos struggled to shield himself at first, as he was caught unaware. I saw metal glinting on Phoenix's knuckles and realised that he had knuckle dusters on and was most likely doing a lot of damage to Carlos' exceptional facial structure. The force at which Phoenix rained down his blows was frightening, and now I knew why Walter had wanted to make sure I was nowhere near work when this happened.

Carlos didn't falter for long. He too had a mean reputation for a reason and he had slipped out a blade quicker than I could blink. He lunged at Phoenix and for a second I'd thought Phoenix had been impaled right in the gut. It was a miss, but only just. Phoenix had been cut, but not as badly as Carlos wanted.

My attention was brought back to Landon as he cried out, punching and violently kicking one of the blockheads in a mad frenzy. The kid didn't stand a chance. Landon knocked him out cold and stood over his limp body, his chest rising and falling as he caught his breath. He swore and spat on the Santiago before turning his attention to fighting the other twin along with Eli.

"Let's go," Gio nudged me. "As bad as I want to join the fight, the ice-cream is melting."

I blinked a couple of time as he brought me back to my senses. Ice-cream was another one of the things Giovanni had insisted on. Who else would buy it in the dead of winter? I followed him back where we passed and we took another route out of the town centre and back into West side territory.

"Did you know that was going to happen?" I asked Giovanni, still unable to take in the level of anger I'd just seen coming off from all the Simpson brothers and not just Walter.

"Yeah," he answered. "But I didn't think we'd walk right into it."

"Walter didn't tell me," I said, feeling dejected.

"He didn't want you to worry," Gio gave me a smile.

I knew he was right, but it didn't make me feel much better.

I fixed up a quick stir-fry when we got home and the triplets ate so much, that I had to make a second batch just for the others when they got home. Melody sat and copied the boys as they purposely slurped their noodles messily, getting sauce all over her face.

"Yes, that's right," Gomez said to her. "Show your mum that beautiful way to eat your meal next time."

"Yeah, well who's gonna clean her face?" Severn questioned. "Didn't think about that did you?"

I smiled and tried not to think about how Walter hadn't been so honest with me. That's what was bothering me, not the fighting, but the way he'd led me to believe he was going out to handle something that concerned illegal substances. I don't know why he hadn't just told me the truth, I wouldn't have tried to stop him. I was mad about the near abduction of Melody too.

When the older boys finally arrived home, they acted like normal. Which I guess a fight was, for them. I looked for any signs of serious injuries and was relieved when I saw none. I noticed Phoenix applying pressure to his abdomen, but I knew he'd decline any help, so I didn't ask.

"Melody," Landon beamed brightly when he saw his daughter sitting in the living room sofa watching TV with us.

"Mummy," she cried, pushing herself off to go and give him a hug.

Landon got down to his knees and engulfed her in a massive bear hug. When he let her go he pulled out a cuddly animal from his back.

"Look what Daddy got for you," Landon widened his eyes and grinned.

Melody took the toy dog and smiled so widely, I would have squealed if I wasn't upset with Walter.

Melody just had no idea what her daddy had been up to today.

"Hey," Walter came and sat on the arm of my chair.

He had a forming bruise under his right eye and I was just so relieved that Diego's fist hadn't found the healing cut that was on the other side of his face.

"Hi," I greeted him, dropping my gaze from his wounds and looking back to the TV.

Walter immediately sensed something and he gave me a concerned look.

"What's wrong?" he asked me.

I refused to say anything in front of those in the living room, so I stood up and asked him to come with me. Walter did so without a word and we went up to his room where it was quiet.

"Why didn't you just tell me you went to fight?" I asked him quietly.

Walter swallowed, "I didn't want you to – "

"It's not about that," I cut him off. "You were dishonest Walter, and that hurts. Everyone knew except from me, and I wouldn't have even tried to stop you going."

Walter sighed, giving me a heartfelt look, "It wasn't my intention to make you upset, like I said, I was trying to do the opposite."

I nodded, "I know, but I just wanted to tell you how I felt about it."

"I understand," Walter said, looking down at his carpet.

"I made dinner," I said after a pause. "It's in the kitchen."

Walter glanced up at me, "You've eaten?"

"Yeah," I nodded, sitting on the bed. "I'm gonna get an early night."

"Okay," Walter stood there for a second longer and then he turned to leave. "Sleep well."

"Night," I said, looking at the back of his broad shoulders before he closed the door after him.

Well, there was our first 'fight'.

It wasn't really an argument or anything explosive, but neither of us were feeling too great about it. I was half asleep when Walter returned hours later, and it was strange not cuddling up like we usually did. I felt awful and I knew he did too. Hopefully tomorrow it will have washed over. I didn't have the courage to try and speak to him in fear of making things worse.

I woke up with a jerk as my sleep was torn apart by nightmares. Panting in the dark, I tried to breathe properly and relax. Beside me, Walter was still asleep, breathing deeply. He would have woken up if he'd been holding me, he would have told me that I was okay, I was safe with him.

Letting out a shaky sigh, I sat up and got out of the bed. I couldn't face trying to go back to sleep only to be plunged right back where I'd left off. It was strange not being at home in the middle of the night when I used to do my homework. I walked out of Walter's room and into the darkness in the corridor. I jumped about three feet in the air when one of the bedroom doors opened and a shadowy figure walked out.

"Coral?" I recognised Severn's voice.

"Yeah?" I tried to make him out in the gloom.

"What are you doing?" he walked up to me.

"I couldn't sleep," I whispered, able to make out his blond hair and smiling face.

"Same here," he replied. "Usually it' just me, but tonight I've got company."

"Count me in," I joked, swinging my fist in an arc-motion.

"Were you going down to have a midnight feast or something?" Severn asked me.

"Oh, no," I shook my head with a little laugh. "I was going to get some water."

"Well I'll escort you," he grinned, holding out his arm.

I was glad I had him to hold onto, because the walk down the pitch black stairs would have been treacherous alone, and I wouldn't have wanted to have to turn on the light and burn my eyes as well as risk waking anyone else up.

We got into the kitchen and Severn flicked on the light.

"What time is it?" I asked him as I poured myself a glass.

"It's three in the morning," he replied, not sounding like he'd been asleep one bit. Severn was wearing grey jogging bottoms and a loose white t-shirt.

"So you've been awake all this time?" I asked, leaning against the sink to face him.

"Yeah," Severn sighed. "It's annoying as hell, but that's what my condition does to me."

"Narcolepsy," I said. "Walter told me about it once."

"Yeah," he nodded. "That's the one. I slept like six hours during the day so I couldn't get to sleep in the night."

"Don't worry," I smiled. "Like you said, you've got company this time."

"Wait," Severn rounded his eyes. "You're not going back to sleep at all?"

"No," I said, trying to make a light subject out of it. "I'll catch up some other time."

"Sure," Severn said, shrugging it off. "Well do you want to go sit in the living room? It's kind of cold in here."

"I agree," I said, hoping that it wasn't evident through the front of my shirt.

Severn didn't seem to notice and we walked into the living room and sat in one of the sofas.

"I wonder what's on at this time," I murmured to myself as I pointed the remote towards the TV.

"Nothing but shit and teleshopping," Severn said in a bored voice, clearly having gone through the same thing hundreds of times.

I didn't even bother switching it on and turned to look in the corner where a small coffee table was placed.

"Anything interesting to read?"

Severn gave me a dull look, "Do I look like I read?"

I laughed, "Reading isn't that bad, you should try it sometime, I bet you'll find something you really like."

I leaned over to the coffee table, rifling through the messy pile of magazines found there, as Severn pleaded with me not to. I didn't find a single reading book, but ended up picking a wine coloured folder which looked like a photo album.

I turned to face Severn with a grin, "Will I find embarrassing baby pictures in here?"

Severn's face said it all, and I jumped back into the sofa next to him with the album on my lap.

"Warning," Severn said in a monotone voice. "The following piece includes plenty of nudity, some of which viewer may find disturbing."

I laughed, trying (and failing) to keep my voice down.

"I hope you're joking," I bit my lip, opening the first page.

"You know I'm not," Severn replied with a childish grin.

Stuck in on the inside of the front cover was a picture of a couple. The man was tall and well-built with dark hair and the woman had long blonde hair and dimples. They were both wearing expensive looking clothing and no smiles. The picture had been taken from too far away for me to see the colour of their eyes, but there was definitely a resemblance between them and all seven of their boys.

"Your parents," I murmured, staring at the photo.

"Yeah," Severn nodded.

The only clue that would show that they were criminals ruling a mini drug empire, would be the cold expression Severn's father held on his face and the similarly vacant expression on his mother's.

"What were their names?" I asked quietly.

"Dennis and Cassandra Simpson," Severn said, looking at the picture with a frown. "They died in a road accident after they left us here, just like my sister a couple of few years earlier."

I sighed, the same thing twice? How tragic. No wonder Eli hadn't had the chance to say goodbye to Eunice, she'd probably died instantly.

"Can we turn over now?" Severn said impatiently, looking away from the image of his parents.

I did so and saw that the next page was filled with pictures of Phoenix. Being the oldest, it made sense that he came first. Some he was his age now, but others he was considerably younger. His expression was always reserved, even from when he was a young teen. It reminded me of the picture I saw of his father and it was a little bit sad.

Flicking over the next couple of pages, I came upon Landon's pictures. The first photo made me laugh. Landon was about two years old, stark naked and posing with his hands on his hips. Severn grinned.

"Who took this?" I asked still smiling.

"Mum. She took a lot of baby photos."

We looked at the photos of Landon. There was one where he was maybe thirteen, holding up a magazine with a girls butt on it. The boys must have taken some of the pictures themselves. Landon had an amazing smile and he must have gotten his piercing when he was fourteen, fifteen. In another photo he had his hand down his pants and was giving the camera a sexy wink.

I laughed, looking forwards to Walter's pages.

"Who organised all this?" I questioned Severn.

"Me and Giovanni, it took ages," he replied.

"You did a great job," I praised.

"Thanks," Severn said lazily and then he groaned. "Enough of Landon, turn the page."

I rolled my eyes playfully at him and I did as he requested. Turning onto Walter's section, I found there were only a few pictures, much less that what Phoenix and Landon had. In the first one, he was a tiny baby and was being held by his mother I assumed. I couldn't be sure, because her face had been scratched out, but the woman had blonde hair.

"Did Walter do this?" I asked, rubbing the damaged material with my finger.

"Yep. He hates them," Severn said. "He pretty much destroyed all the pictures of them...and the ones of Eunice too, but Phoenix saved some. I guess seeing her face is...too much for Walter to handle."

The next picture of Walter was one where he was maybe around four or five. He was red in the face with his arms tightly crossed around his small body. Severn smiled widely, his greeny blue eyes alight.

"I don't remember why he was mad, but it's funny," he chuckled.

I gave a faint smile. Walter had had his attitude from a very young age. There was another photo were Walter was mad again, older this time. He was sitting on the floor, in his early teens and was glaring at the person holding the camera, his dark hair a mess. In fact, the only photo of Walter smiling was one where we was side on from the camera, wearing only jeans and an unzipped hoodie, underneath which he wasn't wearing anything. In his hand he held a penknife and the smile on his face was frightening, but sexy all the same.

Turning over to the Eli's part, I almost scrunched my toes in delight. Eli was easily one of the cutest babies I had ever seen. The blond hair and the dimples did it for me. In one picture, Eli was staring intently at someone to his left in annoyance, the camera picking up all the detail in his tousled hair and the muscles in his clenched jaw. Eli didn't have many pictures, but he smiled in more of them than Walter did.

Looking at the triplets when they were just toddlers, I definitely could not tell the difference, but they were all adorable. In one picture two of them were wearing only nappies and hugging, while the last was crossing his arms, as if to say he wasn't taking part. In another, all three of them were reaching for the camera. There were a few more pictures were the triplets were older, smirking, winking, and throwing hand gestures. They just had so much fun together.

Flicking through the last few occupied pages I came across group photos.

Eli and Phoenix, their arms round each other as children. Walter and Landon fighting outside, Walter with his hands wrapped around Landon's neck, and Landon kneeing Walter in the gut. They looked so similar when they were angry.

I started laughing when I saw the photo of Severn sitting in the sofa, being kissed by a much older girl with dyed black hair in a very tiny dress and stiletto heels. The next one was of Severn again, this time slouched asleep in the same sofa up against Giovanni who was in hysterical laughter and Landon who was crouched down at the front, pointing at Severn and looking at the camera with a massive grin and wide eyes.

"You need to explain this one to me," I said to him, laughing so hard I almost cried.

Severn smiled, trying to hide his face.

"Landon's girlfriend of the week came round and he knew I thought she was hot so he asked her to kiss me and well...I was really thrilled one second and asleep the next," Severn said, looking at the memories. "It happens sometimes."

"You kill me," I held my stomach tightly as I struggled to control myself.

"Yeah, no one let it rest for quite a while afterwards," Severn shook his head.

I grinned turning back to the album. A young Phoenix showing a tiny Walter how to put on one of those kiddie watches. It was the sweetest thing ever. Eli and Walter hugging, the sides of their toddler faces pressed together. Landon and Phoenix were having an arm wrestle, both their biceps double the size they normally were. There was a photo of a fight, this time it was Giovanni and Eli, and Landon was pulling them apart, then another of the triplets trading knives. A photo of Landon and Gomez shirtless, posing at the beach. Walter and Eli sharing bed as little kids, Walter was not happy about it one bit. Another with Eli and Landon sharing a bubble bath, baby Eli putting a load of foam onto Landon's head, who was crying.

The last couple of photos made me really smile. There was a picture of all seven of them, walking together wearing snapbacks with hoodies drawn over them. Phoenix was younger, they all were. Severn was giving the camera a lazy grin and Giovanni and Gomez giving hand gestures. Landon was grinning, his arms around Walter and Eli. Walter wasn't even looking at the camera, but he looked absolutely gorgeous.

The rest of the pages were empty and so I began to close the book. The back cover had come apart and in trying to find a way to fix it, I saw a corner of another photo poking out. I slowly pulled the hidden picture out and felt shivers run up my arms. The photo was of all the Simpson children, including Eunice. She looked seven or eight and so I guessed it must have been taken at a time close to her death. She had her little arms hooked around Eli and they were both grinning showing their identical dimples. They really did look so alike. The triplets couldn't have been more than six years old and they too were smiling widely. Walter was even smiling and so were Phoenix and Landon. It was the cutest, yet saddest photo because none of them knew that their dear sister would be ripped away from them so soon afterwards.

I slipped the photo back in its hidden place and closed the album, feeling my throat tighten. I just had so much emotion for the beautiful girl I'd never had the pleasure to meet.

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And now for the extra photos!! xD

Gomez and Giovanni feeling themselves (Severn sleeping on the bench a couple steps away)

Landon and Walter turning it up

Walter and Diego, as if this would ever happen xD

Carlos and his brother Diego feeling flyyy :o

Landon and Walter bros for life x

I don't even know what this is but it's hilarious! Diego XD

XD XD XD

So what did you think of the chapter?!

J