There was a small knock on my door.

"Naomi?"

"Come in," I called out half-heartedly from my bed.

The door slightly opened and my mom's head poked into the room. Her brown, concerning eyes looked at me, but I was avoiding her gaze. Instead, I was lying on my bed, earphones in my ears playing music, and my eyes staring up at the ceiling. 

"Yeah mom?" I asked, my eyes still on the ceiling.

She entered the room with my dad following right behind her. The both of them were standing in my room, their eyes on me. But I still stated at the ceiling as if a giant black hole will appear on it, swallowing me in.

"Naomi, we're worried," my mom said.

"About what?" I asked, barely paying attention to them.

"About the dinner with the Meyers," my dad answered me.

My eyes flickered towards them, at the words "dinner" and "Meyers", then back on the ceiling. Suddenly, I shifted to my side on the bed, facing away from them and towards the wall.

"I don't want to talk about it." 

"Well, we do," my dad argued.

"We want to know what happened that night," my mom said. "You, Raymond and Declan went upstairs. Suddenly Declan had Bennett stop helping me with the dishes and Jordan stop at the middle of his story and go upstairs. Then Raymond went downstairs and left the house, saying he's going home by himself. The Meyers were forced to follow after him. And just when anything get any worse, your friends left without another word too. What happened?"

I didn't say anything.

"It's been a week, Naomi." My mom continued. "You haven't left this room for a week and didn't go to school this week too. I know you're not sick the moment you said you were and didn't want to go to school. It was always me who had to drag you to bed when you were sick as you try to run away to school, not wanting to be miss even one day. But I let you stay, your grades won't get affected, and something happened that night. You owe us an explanation."

A long silence hung in the air. I stared at the empty wall in front of me until I sighed. I sat up from my bed, then leaned onto the wall, facing them. I pressed a button, pausing the music as the singer was singing the chorus. Then yanked my earphones off.

"It was nothing, okay?" I asked, getting very defensive. "Raymond and I had a little argument, and the guys sided with him." My gut was dropping every word of this lie came out of my mouth. "Then I told them to leave me alone, and they did."

My dad ran his fingers through his hair. "Are you sure that's all, Naomi? That must be some argument for you to miss school for a whole week. Just talk about it with us. Maybe we can help."

Yeah, I thought, help you get a heart attack. 

I know I couldn't obviously argue them with this. But I wasn't actually going to tell them what really happened in this very room. Not only telling them that Raymond not only bullies me every second I'm at school, but that he harasses me in this very room is a death wish. Especially after I kept this secret for eleven years from them, I'm not going to turn myself in now.

I shook my head. "No, it's just a little spat. It'll blow over once I get back to school. Friends argue, if friends don't argue, they're not friends."

"She has a point," my mom pointed out.

"I'll go back to school," I promised them, before slightly looking away. "I didn't go to school because I didn't want to face them. But I will at Monday, I promise."

But the truth was, I didn't go to school because they weren't there to face. The three of them were suspended for a week by Principal Barnes. And if I went there without them, the bullying will come to me by tenfold. But now that I think of it, it wouldn't make much of a difference now. After what the boys did, or well, didn't do, I doubt they'd want anything to do with me, or I want anything to do with them...

"Okay, sweetheart," my dad said with a sigh of relief. "I'm just glad it wasn't anything major-" I coughed "- like your friendship being hurt- "I coughed again "-or even life threatening-" I was coughing like it was the plague.

"Naomi, are you alright? Did you get really sick after pretending to be sick?" My mom was doing her best to keep from smiling.

I waved her off. "No, I'm alright. Sorry."

"Naomi?" My mom asked me hesitantly.

"Yeah?"

"You weren't sleeping over with your girl best friend last week... were you?"

My mouth went dry at the sound of the question. I looked at them with panicked eyes. I was about to deny the whole thing, telling them I really was. But she shook her head.

"I-I'm not mad," she began carefully. "I just want to know... If they take care of you. That's all I want to know."

I paused for a moment before looking down at my lap. I slowly nodded, not only assuring them but myself.

"Yeah," I said, "Yeah, they do."

Another silence hung in the air. Until my mom cleared her throat.

"Okay," she said awkwardly, sharing a look with my dad. "We'll leave you now."

My dad was already at the door, turning the knob when he paused. "Oh wait, Naomi. Your mom and I are going to spend the night out. Are you okay staying here by yourself?"

I unconsciously smiled at them. I don't know the last time my parents went out on a date besides with the Meyers. It was a perfect Saturday night for them to spend time with each other. 

"I'm fine, I'm fine. You two have fun. I have some books to read, food to eat, bed to sleep, I'll be fine. Now go."

They hesitated before smiling back at me.

"Okay, we will. Be good-" The both of them snorted.

"I can't believe I said that!" My mom exclaimed.

"I can't believe you said that!" My dad agreed. "You actually said be good... to Naomi!" 

"Guys," I said.

"I know! Who does that? Be good Naomi! It's not like she'll do anything but be good."

"Guys," I repeated.

"What will she do? Drink beer? Join a gang? Get a tattoo?" 

"Guys!"

My parents turned to me.

"Go while the night is young!" I said urgently.

"Right!" They said in unison. "Good night, Naomi."

"Good-" I wasn't able to even finish my sentence because they already closed left the room, shutting the door behind them.

I flopped backwards onto my bed again, staring at the same ceiling like before. Has it really been a week? Has a week really gone by just like that? I let out a chuckle, I didn't even notice.

That night with the Meyers was... I can't even find the right word to describe it. I have so many mix feelings of that night. Hurt, betrayal, underestimation. Those three, those three looked at me right in the eye and told me they wouldn't let anything happen to me. And the next thing I know, Bennett went to washed the dishes, Jordan entertained the adults, and Declan sprinted to the bathroom. I shouldn't be blaming them, I keep on telling myself again and again. But at the same time it was their fault. Bennett didn't have to wash the dishes. Jordan didn't have to tell a story for the parents. And Declan was smarter than that, he shouldn't have trusted Raymond and should have known what he was up to. They didn't know how serious I was, they underestimated Raymond. And while they're too busy doing whatever they were doing, Raymond had me.

I wanted to scream.

It's their fault. It's not their fault. It's my fault. It's Raymond's fault. It's his parents' fault. It's my parents' fault. It's everyone's fault!

I ran my hand through angrily my hair, gritting my teeth. What should I do? I've been asking myself this question over and over for what, a week now? 

I want to forgive them, I want to let them off easy, I want this to stop. But they just don't know. They don't know how much more harder and complicated they just made my life. They thought they could just walk into my life, heads high, chest pumped out, strutting, thinking everything will be alright. They thought that with just a snap of their fingers, a clap of their hands, an flick of a wrist, everything will be perfect. No more insults, no more bruises, no more bullying, and no more Raymond. But they're wrong. That's not how life works. You can't buy yourself out of life. You can't laugh yourself out of life. And you can't punch yourself out of life. I'm not like them. I don't have the intimidation, the reputation, the money, the looks, the skills. 

I'm not them, and they need to know that.

They need to realize that I've been doing this for eleven years. For eleven years, I've been doing my best to surviving the bullies who insulted me, who laughed at me, who punched me, who kicked me. For eleven years, I've been doing this by myself, no friends to back me up, no adults to stop it, just me, myself, and I. And just when I thought I was at my breaking point, they just walked into my life. And for once... I really did thought everything was okay. I believed them, I trusted them, I looked up to them, thinking everything will be alright. Until the second they underestimated my life and looked away, I fell back. Raymond didn't do anything as bad as he did other times, I kept telling myself. But he could have, he could have done so many things, and they were all under the same roof, letting this happen.

Should I really trust these three when I need them? Or will they laugh it off and walk away when I do?

And just like I did everyday for a whole week, I didn't answer the questions I've been asking myself. Instead, I put my earphones back on, pressed play, and looked at the ceiling. Wishing, wanting for a black hole will appear out of nowhere, swallowing me into the darkness.

-

Eventually, I had to leave my bedroom. Sooner or later one of the three would happen: (1) I need to use the bathroom, (2) I'll get hungry, or (3) both. In case you wondering, it was just number two. No number one, no, I mean, not use the bathroom. I didn't need to to use the bathroom, I was hungry. I meant number two, getting hungry. I was hungry. No, I am hungry.

I finally willed myself out of bed, it creaked under my weight. Pressing a button, the song paused at mid-song, and I took my earphone of, tossing it on my desk. Standing now, I stretched my arms, rolling my arms back and cracking my neck. The only times I left my bed was to for a bathroom break, snack break, or that one, and I mean one time I accidentally fell of my bed. It's not funny, I woke up tangled in my sheets, and crash onto the ground trying to get it off of me.

I left my room, my stomach grumbling in hunger. I raced down the stairs two by two, wanting to satisfy my hunger. I jumped the last three steps then went into the kitchen. I opened the fridge then glanced at the clock, seeing that it was nine o'clock, my parents left probably one or two hours ago. I began to rummage through the fridge. Hopefully, the would have enough fun to notice the time and come back late around ten or eleven o'clock. I wanted them to have a good time, they never went out, and they deserve the break from both work and me. I don't take it personal, raising an only child like myself could be pretty tough, so tough I have to help them with the load and keep some secrets from them or else... Or else they'll fall from the weight of my world.

I paused from my quest for food, and frowned at the thought. Then I shook the thought away and continued looking. I finally decided on  heating up some leftover pizza, a bag of chips, a can of Coke and a tub of Neapolitan ice cream, my favorite. As I put a plate of pizza in the microwave, I popped open my soda and took a long refreshing sip. The microwave beeped, telling me the pizza was ready. I opened the microwave, the aroma of pizza filling into the room. Then I stacked the chips on top of the plate, tucking the tub of ice cream under the other arm while clutching the soda can with the other.

I cautiously walked left the kitchen to the living room, putting everything on the coffee table. I flopped onto the couch and turned on the TV. Putting up my feet on the table and slumping into my seat, I flipped through the channels. It's a Saturday night with no parents, I might as well kick back and relax, watching some shows or movies as I eat food. I opened a bag of chips and ate them as I changed the channels one by one.

"Seen it."

Click.

"Boring."

Click.

"He dies in the end."

Click.

"They kiss in the end."

Click.

"Whoa!" I exclaimed, quickly changing the channel. "Rated-R, rated R! I did not need to see that"

I closed my eyes, trying to get the image out my head. As I did this, I continued flipping through the channels. Each time I clicked, I interrupted people as they talked their lines in the shows and movies. I was about to change into another channel when something caught my ear, not eye, ear.

"Gang wars-"

My eyes shot opened as I heard this and I accidentally changed the channel. Suddenly a picture of some randomly, colorful and poorly drawn cartoon character popped at the screen in front of me.

"Hey kids!" He or it said in a goofy voice. "Can you tell me where-?"

"No." I said bluntly before changing it back to the other channel.

The screen switched back to some news channel, TANN, Today's American News Network. There were two news anchors talking to each other behind a desk.

"So Roger," asked the female news anchor to the other. "Tell us more about the recent shootings."

"Well Gena," Roger, the male news anchor began. "We all know about the gang war in the city."

"I don't!" I interjected aloud, practically screaming at them.

"For the past few weeks, there's been rumors or a gang war," Roger continued, looking at his partner as if she was the only one there. "Currently, we have two gangs fighting over the territory of the city. No one knows the name of the two gangs or its members. But what we know for sure are the shootings, the robberies, the graffiti, and the injuries of the citizens of this city."

Gena turned to the camera, looking right at me. "Right now, our news reporter, Lorie, is at the scene of the gang war's most recent shooting. Lorie?"

A square popped up on the screen with a young news reporter, Lorie, in it. The square enlarged itself and showed the reporter on a street that looks like downtown. She pressed her hand to her earpiece as she looked at the camera.

"This is Lorie reporting to you live in downtown, at Sunset Avenue and 16th street." She informed us before continuing. "I'm currently at the scene were the shooting took place. Matt, show them," she ordered the camera man.

He did as he was told and zoomed in at the background behind her. It was a dark and empty street with a few litter at the road. It had rained recently, so the street was still wet. But what I did notice was the broken windows of the stores on the street, the cars parked by the sidewalk with what looked like in them. It took me a moment to register that those were actually bullet holes. At the road were empty bullet casings and pools of liquid in different place, I didn't want to think the liquid was blood, but I knew better than that.

Police officers were walking all over the crime scene or by their police cars. Surrounding the street was yellow caution tape which held back a small crowd of people. All of them were doing their best to see what was going on. Some were taking pictures and videoing taping the whole thing. A policeman was telling them to calm down and to move along. But one of them saw they were on TV and stupidly waved.

"At about eight o'clock tonight, there was a gun fight between what police seemed to believe are two gangs. These two gangs have been at war at each other for months. Usually, when they stumbled into each other, they would fist fight at the least, but they seemed to scale it up one and turned this fist fight to a gun one."

"There has been several injuries by the people who were unlucky enough to caught into the crossfire. Some have only minor injuries from trying to run away, but a few are at critical condition which must have been when the bullet accidentally hit them as they ran or one of the gang members accidentally thought of them as an enemy and shot them. The medics are doing their best to help them, but they will all be rushed to the hospital."

As she said this, Matt, the camera man, showed the ambulances behind them. Some people were sitting at the back with bandages and ice packs. Others were on stretchers breathing through oxygen masks as paramedics putting them into the ambulances.

"Police are on the case on finding the people who did this. Right now, witnesses are being called back to the station to tell them what they saw and hopefully make out a sketch with any of the members in hopes on identifying them. Officer Todd, do you have anything to comment?"

The camera was turned to a police officer, a bald stocky man with a thick mustache under his nose. Officer Tood cleared his throat before saying, "We're doing all we can to find these people. Back then, we thought they were a bunch of kids messing around, thinking they were something, not worth arresting. But now they've done it, and we'll be catching those-"

As he said this, his face was turning redder and redder. But before he could cuss out the gang on live television, the camera was back to Lorie with the officer's curse covered up with a censor beep at the background.

Lorie nervously cleared her throat, glancing at the officer. "Well, that's it for now. We'll be updating with more news as soon as we can. Back to you Gena and Roger."

The screen blinked away showing the two anchors back behind the desk. 

"We are unable to identify any of the members at the moment." Gena said. "Only some video footage of some security cameras of the stories on this street caught the video. There are nine of them in the gun battle.

Roger continued, "And from watching the video, you could tell one gang was outnumbered by the other by three to six. Here's the video with the clearest shot of the scene."

They vanished from the TV screen and now showed a video. The picture was blurry and dark, the camera was high up and saw a good view of the whole street. There were dark figures running around the place and there were loud gun shots that rang through my ears, echoing the room. I could actually see the gun shots with bright light flashes coming from different places. The camera caught one gang, the other was at the other side of the street, using trashcans and cars as shield.

The one closest to the camera was the gang with only three members, the outnumbered gang. All three of them wore black clothing, two wore a beanie over their hair, the other had a hood over his. They were tall guys, and they looked muscular under the black clothing. One with the hood and the other with a beanie were shooting at the others. The other one with a beanie was reloading his gun, slouching behind the car.

I slowly stood up from my chair, the bag of chips still in my hand. I stepped towards the screen, one step at a time. The floorboard creaked under my foot each step I took. I squinted at the screen, ignoring the blurriness but the color of the figure. Under one beanie was a few tufts of blonde hair, shaggy dirty blonde hair. Another with a beanie has short brown hair escaping at the front of the beanie, he kept on having to tug it down his head. And the last with the hood wore it over his black hair. A hand pulled the hood down over his eyes, and a flash of silver on his finger as if it was a ring glittered under the streetlamp, reflecting onto the video. He reloaded his gun then suddenly looked up to the camera, blue eyes widened at the sight of it. The hand that held the gun lifted up towards the camera and shot it, the screen turning dark.

Now that the video was done, they showed the blurry photos of the three figures. One blonde, one brunette and the last one with black hair. All of the figures were blurry, just a smash of colorful pixels, and barely recognizable in the dark background. No one could have possibly identify any of these three. But yet they still wrote under the three photos the question: Can you identify these people?

"No, no, no," I repeated to myself, denying what I was thinking. Telling myself something I don't believe.

The bag of chips fell out of my hand. The salty chips scattered all over the floor. My hand automatically went up to my mouth, covering it up. But I wasn't able to hold back the gasp. The evidence is right there. It's them, the guys. 

I staggered back to my couch, sitting back down. I let out a shaky breath, putting my face in my hands.

"What am I going to do?"

Everyone, here is your long awaited chapter fourteen! I apologize for not being able to update sooner, but here it is. I thought I wouldn't be able to finish it tonight and I would have to finish it by tomorrow, but I did! How did you guys like it? Was ti worth the wait?

While you wait for the next chapter, how about reading the essay I had to pause writing the book in the first place. Just go to my profile and you'll see on my works The Right to be Human: The Purpose Behind Human Rights. Please read it if you have the time out of boredom or sheer curiosity, it'll mean a lot to me.  And post your comments on the essay, if it's contest worthy or something. I promise it's a bit funny. Thanks.

And I just came back from a dance. I had a great time at the dance. Though the first few minutes inside, I immediately went out and my ears were ringing, I was almost deaf. My feet ache, I lost my voice, my ears are ringing, but I had a great time dancing with my friends.

RubixCube89201