SAGE

Chapter 2: I'm choosing not to tell you

Sage Miller

Even though you don't mean to hurt me.

You keep tearing me apart

Would you please have mercy, mercy on my heart?

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Friday night, the only Friday night in a very long time I chose to stay in and sleep. Maybe it was

because Smurf ditched her friends and a party to be with me. So why not do the same.

That very same night I woke up to my phone ringing. At first, I groaned and turn around stuffing my

face in my pillow. But the person was persistent.

Giving up my sleep, I reached for my phone and answered it. Very rudely.

"This better be fucking important or I swear I'll fucking murder you in your sleep."

At first, I heard shuffling and then a few cusses. That woke me up immediately. I sat up and looked at

the caller Id. I saw that it was Sebastian.

"Sebastian. Hey man, what's up?" I began to panic when I heard a car starting up.

"Sage man. Get the fuck out of your house." I could tell that he was panicking.

"What? Why?" I stuttered getting scared.

"Man, get the fuck out of your house. Dante was attacked. And Ryder was killed." If that didn't get me

moving I don't know what would.

The moment I joined a gang I knew the consequences. Since Sebastian was the first to join he told me

but I thought I could handle it. But the real heat just sunk in. This is fucking scary.

In seconds I was on my feet searching for our clothes. I'd never thought I'd say this but I wished Alora

never spent the night.

"Meet us at the location at dawn." He instructed. A location is a place we retreat to after an attack. "And

if I'm not there let's assume the worst."

He didn't wait for me to speak, he hung up on me.

My brain began to go on the override. Adrenaline is pumped in my blood. I went to Alora's side and

shook her.

"Alora, wake up." I didn't wait for her protests. I picked her up and put her naked self on her feet. I

wished I had time to enjoy the view but I didn't.

"Sage, what's going on?" She lazily asked. I throw her clothes in her direction.

"I need you dressed in the next minute," I ordered her, I paused and looked at her for a moment. "And

I'll explain later."

I told her. What I really wanted to tell her was that I'm still thinking of a lie to tell you.'. I couldn't tell her

that I was in a gang and there was an attack now I'm not sure if they'll come to my house so we have to

get out of here because they will definitely, most certainly kill us.

"Get dressed Alora," I shouted as I picked up a duffle bag and threw a few shirts and boxers in there,

the essentials. Who knows when I'll be able to come back.

I turned to find Alora only halfway done. I grabbed her shoes and phone then grabbed mine and I

grabbed her, we ran down the stairs. I managed to snatch our keys in the process.

"What is going on? I'm confused." She asked again.

"I'd be scared of you weren't," I mumbled locking the door. We needed to get the fuck out of there.

"I don't get this and you're scaring me." She said putting on her shoe.

You'd be really scared if you knew what was really going on.

"Follow my car. I'll tell you." I threw her keys at her and she caught them with ease.

I ran to my car and started in. I roughly reversed it into the road and drove. Alora followed nicely behind

and close by. Her car was faster than mine anyway.

We drove about three miles away from my house all along she followed me.

I stopped next to an abandoned warehouse. She parked right next to me and got out of her car first. I

looked at my rearview mirror and saw her slamming her door shut. She started marching in my

direction.

I sunk in my seat because I knew she wanted an explanation I can't give her. I haven't come up with

any believable lie.

She violently tapped my window. I looked up and she stepped away ready for me to get out of my car.

I sighed and got out. She put her hands on her hip to show me how impatient she was getting.

"Can we take a moment to acknowledge how under control I've been? Didn't freak out at all. Totally

calm." I could tell that she was freaking out and that was making me freak out too.

"Second of all." She breathed out and suddenly she grabbed a fistful of my shirt and pulled. "What the

fuck is going on?"

"Umm." I stuttered.

"What Sage? What?" She yelled.

"My mom was coming home and she would've freaked if she found you there." I lied.

That was a fucking bad lie.

"That's just a load of bullcrap." She scoffed rolling her eyes. "You're lying to me."

"No, I'm not lying to you. I'm choosing not to tell you." I justified myself.

"And where's the difference, Sage."

"It's really complicated okay. I really wanna tell you but I can't."

I walked towards her and held her hands.

"Do you trust me?" I asked her holding gaze.

"I'm not so sure anymore. Should I even trust you?"

"You should trust me and I'd love to explain but I can't so please trust me in this one. I'll explain as soon

I can but for now, you gotta trust me okay. We had to get out of the house."

"Fine." She greeted her teeth. I pulled her in for a kiss.

I snaked my hands around her waist and hoisted her up. She moaned in my mouth and I felt myself

melt into her. She was my personal hell.

We drove to her house and stayed outside leaning against my car. We talked for hours and right before

dawn, I left to meet the rest of the gang at the location.

I walked in and sighed in relief when I saw Sebastian in the group.

"You made it." Sebastian holler excitedly.

"Yeah, I made it. Now tell me what's going on." I said impatiently.

"The west gang is angry since we took over their rivalry. They're trying to fight back but they won't win."

I heard Dante before I saw him.

The crowd parted so he can see me. The moment saw him I sucked in through my teeth. He was pretty

banged up.

"They got you really good," I said. He was all butted up and bruised.

"What you say, boy?" He was seething then he winced. I gulped because I'm scared of him.

"Nothing," I mumbled looking down. Bowing to him. He may have been butted but he'll have the power

to end me.

"That's what I thought." He mused. A few guys snickered. "Now getting back business."

Every noise piped down and everyone turned to him to get instructions.

"Now that you're all aware of the territory war." He started. "I may be out of the business now but you

will not back down. You'll continue as normal."

Everyone made low murmurs of protest. No one wanted to die and continuing with business as usual

will seal our fate. Death.

"Now, shut it." He raised his voice. "We have help from upstairs. No need to worry about it."

"Wait What? Upstairs." I rushed in.

"You don't have to worry that kid. Worry about the sales. We wouldn't want the Westies to think they've

won now would we?"

"No." They all sang in unison and I kept on thinking about what Dante said a moment ago.

Who's actually in charge of this gang. Does Dante take orders from someone else? How he talked

about the help from upstairs. He talked with so much respect. I know he didn't mean God so he must

be talking about a higher power. I thought he was the boss.

He continued giving us instructions on what to do then about the sales of this week.

After the whole meeting, we chilled. And right now we were at my house in the driveway. The whole

scare seemed like history or in fact like it never happened.

I got the usual and so was Sebastian. We worked at school and parties we attached. Normal stuff.

I finally asked Sebastian the question that's been bothering me since this morning.

"Hey, Sebastian?" I started.

"Yeah." He answered.

"What was Dante talking about? The help from upstairs, who are they?"

"Took you long enough." He mumbled. "Was wondering when are you going to ask that?"

"So you do know." I pushed myself off the car and stood in front of him.

"Yeah. I've been in the game for almost a year now. Since they moved here actually."

"What do you mean since they moved here?" I mused. This was getting interesting.

"It's based in New York and when the Fairy Godfather moved here so did the crew. They expanded it

here, in Miami and word has it that they want to expand it to the whole state of Florida."

"The Godfather and who are they?"

"I don't really know who the Godfather is but he's quite powerful and the brother of the Casias."

"This is getting really confusing." My face contorted.

"You've been in the game for a few months, no need to fuss about it." He offered comfort.

"Who do we actually work for?" I blurted out.

"Oh, we work for the Casias cartel." He said it like it was no big deal. When in fact it was a very big novelbin

deal. A cartel? I thought we were the Casias gang, not the Casias cartel.

I've heard of cartels before. Those guys are really dangerous. A gang is mediocre to them.

"A cartel?" I panicked. My jaw dropped and my eyes widen.

"Shush!!" He shushed me. "You thought we were the only ones?" He rhetorically asked. I raised my

brow and said yeah.

"We are just branches. Take it as a pyramid but I don't know how many levels it has but we're at the

bottom. That's why we're called a gang. A small part of the cartel. I don't know how much stuff the

whole cartel is involved in but I guess that it's a lot."

My mind is blown. How big is this thing?

"Your loyalty is important if you wanna survive and get to the top. They're not afraid to kill so if it

happens you land yourself in jail you better keep shut because they can even get you inside." That just

spooked me further. "They have people everywhere, they buy judges, cops you name it. Loyalty is key."

He finished and I when deep in thought. This shit is getting scarier. I can't leave even if I wanted to. I

knew getting involved in a gang was risky and leaving was impossible but getting involved in a cartel

was death itself and leaving is never an option. The only way you leave a cartel is in a body bag.

Sebastian left a while ago and I'm here alone still scared as hell. I just couldn't believe that I got myself

in such a big mess.

What the worst that could happen? I thought to myself. I mean I was fine knowing I was in a gang. I'm

still in a gang and I'm enjoying spending the easy cash I make.

Let's just enjoy this and maybe if I play my cards right I'll make it to the top someday.

A ringing phone made me jump. It startled me. I took my phone and looked at the caller Id and saw

Eve's face flashing.

I automatically smiled. I haven't seen her in a very long time. I guess I've been preoccupied that I didn't

realize how much I missed my sister.

"Eve." I greeted excitedly.

"Hey, doofus." She beamed over the phone.

"What's up loser?" I chuckled.

"I'm missing my brother you jerk. Why haven't you come by? I came by yesterday but you went in. I

wanted to clean the place." She said and I immediately panicked.

"I told you, you shouldn't come by unless I ask you to." I rushed out.

"Woah! Calm down. I wouldn't have come by if you came over like you said you would." She scolded.

"Okay sorry. I've been busy with...Uhm.. school and assignments." I made a lame excuse.

"Fine but we gotta have lunch soon. I miss you." She said.

"Yeah, we should. Text me the date and time I'll be there." I beamed.

"It's a date." She declared.

"Yep." I said popping the 'p'.

"Don't be late loser." She lightly warned.

"Dock." And just like that, we said our goodbyes.

I smiled at my phone and laid on the sofa.

Eve is the most and only important person in my life.

My nap time was interrupted by a massive banging on the door and just like usual I tried to ignore it.

I knew it wasn't Sebastian because I gave him a spare key and I saw him two hours ago and it couldn't

be Connor because I provided him with keys too.

"No one's home," I yelled but the knocking didn't stop.

"Go away," I repeated but the person kept on insisting.

I groaned as I dragged myself off the sofa. I opened the door and what surprised to see Kate.

I groaned again. What did she want?

"Hello, Sage." She said it with so much malice but I wasn't having any of it. I attempted to slam the

door in her face but she blocked it and pushed past me.

Due to my lack of sleep, it was easy to do so. I groaned and turn around. I'm so sleepy right now.

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Another chapter. Unedited of course.

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Prec