Drown the Past

[AngelofLife]

Authors note: I wasn't sure I was actually going to do this. I'm very nervous when it comes to sharing my writing, I'm always afraid people are going to judge too harshly. I will try to have a new chapter up every eight days. I do work crazy hours so a week should give me enough time to construct a chapter.

Chapter One: Bank Robbery ​

Behind closed doors, no one from Aledale city knew what went on. No one knew that the perfect family wasn't so perfect. "Get out of here you little rat!" a female's voice ripped through the air like a dagger, something that wasn't uncommon at the Apostoleanu mansion. A few slammed doors could be heard along with a thud like someone had hit the hallway wall. Yelling could be heard, it was more than one voice. It all ended when a deep male voice yelled at all of them to shut up. Someone else slammed a door. Bang! With that Alissa woke up instantly, placing her small pale hand on her stomach. After taking a couple of deep breaths, she ran her fingers through her black wavy hair. Once she was able to calm her racing mind she took a look around her dim-lit room. Just a dream… but it still feels so real. Alissa thought to herself. Soon she swung her legs over the side of her queen-sized bed.

Alissa pushed herself up onto her bare feet from her soft silk sheets. She knew her father was home as she could hear him talking in the hallway to one of her siblings. Alissa glanced towards her alarm clock on her pure white nightstand. It read five pm. The nap was much needed but she should have known that napping wasn't going to come easily to her, not in that household. Everyone still lived at home except for Hazel. Alissa just happened to remember that she had to make it to the bank before it closed. Strolling into her bathroom she turned on the light which burned her eyes at first. Once she adjusted to it she looked at her reflection in the mirror. Noticing that her eyes were a little red and there seemed to be something wet on her cheek. Alissa reached up and wiped away the wet spot. Was I crying in my sleep again? All of a sudden Alissa got extremely dizzy, blackness causing her vision to fade; falling to the floor. Suddenly there was a flash and she closed her eyes tightly only to have a memory replay in her head.

“I will never make you cry, I will never hurt you, I promise.” he reached up and brushed away a strand of hair and put it behind her ear again. He then lightly placed his lips against her forehead. He pulled her against his chest and wrapped his strong arms around her trembling body.

After a couple of deep breaths, her vision soon came back. She wanted nothing more than to forget, these memories haunted her. There was no way to stop them. Alissa pulled herself back up onto her feet using the counter for support. “Fucking liar” she whispered, Alissa stripped down and climbed into the shower before she could remember anymore. Once she was clean she got out wrapping a towel around herself. It didn’t take her long to decide on an outfit. She had gotten dressed in dark blue jeans with a long light blue tank top. She slipped on some black flip-flops. Alissa grabbed her phone and her purse that had her wallet and everything she needed already inside. Alissa quickly got into her black car with her sunglasses on. She then made her way down to the bank. It was about five twenty-two pm by the time she found a parking spot, which proved to be harder than most days.

When Alissa left she just prayed no one would notice her, she kept to herself and didn't say much. She passed a guy that was leaning against the wall as she walked into the bank. He was just talking to some girl that seemed so familiar. As she walked in she slid her sunglasses up on top of her head and pulled out her phone. There was a text from her brother.

To: Alissa
From: Hazel
There is a party tomorrow night, I'll meet you there. I'll send you the address. Don't forget to take your medication tonight.

He was always so discreet never disclosed where he was at, who he was with, what he did for a job. BANG! The gunshot startled her from her thoughts. This is real, that was a real gun. She thought to herself as she quickly got down to the ground. People stormed into the bank with guns and were yelling things back and forth to each other. Alissa fumbled around with her phone. At this point, she just wanted to get out of there with her life. She tried to dial 9-1-1 as quickly as possible.

Alissa looked up slightly when she noticed that an officer, who went by the name of Nathaniel. He was a tall man about six feet tall, he had brown eyes and dark brown hair, he was slightly tan but that was just from any time he had spent out in the sun. He was forced down onto his knees with his hands behind his head. She knew Nathaniel well. He would come over to her house to babysit when she was younger. He also showed up at all of her mother's parties and gatherings. He was a nice man, he was an honest man. Alissa had felt she could go to him for anything. Though she did wonder why he was here and not patrolling his normal route today.

There was a boy, by the name of Dante or Cash, not much older than her who had a firm grip on Nathaniel’s shoulder. She realized that the male's voice was husky. He had dark brown hair, was caucasian, he seemed tall, maybe around Nathaniel’s height. Two more guys, Grizz and Monte, who seemed to be completely opposite of each other, were dragging everyone out from behind the counter and were in the process of lining them up on the ground by the wall. Grizz was caucasian, with green eyes and blonde hair. He was maybe two or three inches shorter than Dante. Monet was African American, his eyes were light blue. He was about the same height as Dante. A fourth guy, by the name of Cook or Cookie who looked to be like a stocky kid only a few years younger than Dante, was positioned by the door to the banks, keeping an eye out. Soon a fifth guy, by the name of Roman, had started screaming. Alissa of course didn’t know their names. She was just trying to stay calm and figure out what was going on and who these people were.

Alissa had flinched and even let out a little squeak once Roman had started yelling at her. She felt her heart drop, she had just gotten the cops on the line when she got caught. Roman had a short temper and a cold heart. The Subsiders, the gang all of these boys were a part of, had a bad reputation for violence and death, and most of the rumors were because of Roman himself. While most of the guys running in the gang chose to avoid violence as much as possible, Roman seemed to bask in it. He was the one person in this world that truly terrified Dante. Roman grabbed Alissa her hair, dragging her up onto her feet and using his free hand to grab the phone from her hands and throw it to the ground, stomping on it until it cracked and broke in two. No one else seemed to notice- and even if they did, they knew better than to get involved. Monte was stuffing duffel bags with wads of cash, Cook was waving his gun at Nathaniel while watching the door, Grizz was threatening the hostages. And Dante felt frozen in place as he watched Roman.

Cash had a feeling he knew what would happen to the girl. He knew what Roman was capable of. None of it would end well. And though he couldn't care less for the stranger, he didn't particularly want to see her brains blown out onto the floor (or any other vile thing's Roman would do to her).

"You want to be brave kid? Here. Be brave" Roman grabbed Alissa by the back of the neck, forcing the girl down on her knees and raising the gun towards her temple. Great, now I’m going to be killed for just trying to do the right thing. I wish Sebastian was here right now. He would be able to get us out of this alive. Alissa thought to herself again. That's when Cash's feet started moving. In a matter of seconds, he was grabbing Roman, who despite being much scarier than him, wasn't nearly as tall. Dante took the advantage, putting himself between the girl and Roman, his hand quickly shoving Roman's gun down so it was pointed at the floor. "Hey! Enough! You made your point already" he growled at Roman, who for a moment tried shoving Dante away before giving up. "Whatever" the boy muttered, yanking his arm away from Dante's grip and going off to help Monte with the money.

Cash took a second, huffing out a breath he must've been holding, and glanced over his shoulder at the girl, who looked absolutely terrified. For a moment he just stared at her, the chaos in the background drowning out as he tried to figure out what to do next. "Aye, cookie, gimme some zip ties” he snapped, and the stocky kid came rushing over, handing him a set of makeshift handcuffs made out of zip ties. Cash grabbed them and turned his body around so he was facing Alissa. "Don't try to be brave, you'll get yourself killed kid" he mumbled, crouching down to her level and roughly grabbing her wrist, which she tried to pull away from him, however, he just tightened his grip on her. He tightens the zip ties around her wrist once he was able to get her to sit still. As soon as her wrists were secure he gently but firmly shoved her back onto her butt so she was sitting down.

"Don't move, don't talk, and you'll get through this. Got it?" his voice was low as if he didn't want anyone else to hear. Alissa had tried to tell Cash that she would be good if he didn’t tie her up. She begged him to take the zip ties off. She didn’t like being restrained. Cash seemed to be a little shocked by her dramatic terror, though he probably shouldn’t have been too terrified, an innocent girl thinking her life would be taken for just one mistake. It was a feeling he’d experienced before, one he understood all too well. However, enough was enough, he grabbed her shoulders tightly and growled.

“Shut up. I am trying to help you!” Alissa jumped slightly from his shouting. She hated being yelled at. She thought she would be used to it by now considering it happened all the time at home, but she wasn’t. She could hear Cash sigh when she peaked up at him she could see him shake his head in frustration. After a minute or two of silence, the both of them could hear the sirens off in the distance. Time was running out.

“Hurry the fuck up!” Cash shouted as he took a couple of steps away from Alissa. Maybe he will leave me alone. Once the cops show up they can cut these zip ties and I can hopefully turn them in. Alissa was snapped from her thoughts when another boy in a ski mask showed up and made an announcement. “Ride’s here boys, let’s go” Cash frowned, jerking his head at Cook to get going, who grabbed a duffel bag and made a beeline towards the back door.

Next was Grizz, who shoved someone onto the floor roughly, before grabbing another bag and heading out the back door. Finally, it was down to him and Roman. "Let's get out here yeah?" Cash called, but Roman had a look in his eyes and was sauntering towards Nathaniel with malicious intent. Cash knew there was nothing he could do. And he would be lying if he said he wanted to stop him. He didn't. Fuck the cops. No one in Gotham liked them- corrupted and brutal they were honestly worse than any gang out there. Dante mumbled, hearing the sound of gunshots coming from the back and shouts. A car engine revved and in a matter of seconds, Dante reached down and grabbed the girl by the arm.

"Get up" his voice was calm, shockingly so, as if he had done these hundreds of times. When she didn't budge, he dragged her onto her feet. As she lifted her head from her knees she looked over at this guy named Roman and Nathaniel, the cop. That was probably the only one she actually liked. She had to agree that the cops were horrible, they weren't always the best. However, there were a couple that wasn't corrupted like the others. Only a few though, she only called the cops to hopefully catch the guy who threatened her life. She snapped out of her daze when she felt the guy standing next to her reach down to pull her up by her arm.

She didn't budge at first. With her mind and eyes busy she forgot about the ties on her hands. Eventually, she did stand with him pulling her to her feet. She looked towards Roman and Nathaniel again, why couldn't they just leave him alone? Cash turned just in time to see Roman raise the barrel of his gun to the cop's head and pull the trigger. On the outside, he was unphased. A picture of pure calm and collected coolness, but inside he was still reeling. Watching someone die? Never got easier. Screams erupted through the bank. Alissa jumped when she saw Roman kill Nathaniel. Alissa had screamed and even let out a couple of tears for Nathaniel. She had quickly turned and hid her head. She didn't want to see the blood, she had never seen anyone die before. She wasn't going to get any kind of comfort from Dante. Alissa thought she was going to be sick. Cash went rigid when he felt the girl curl into his chest, no doubt trying to block out the sickening sight before them. Soon Alissa could feel her feet moving, only then did she open her eyes, soon they got to the back of the bank.

"Why the hell did you bring her Cash?" Monte shouted, tossing duffel bags filled with cash into a van stalled just outside the door. Cash glanced at the girl, then back at Monte. With a soft shrug of his shoulders and an easy grin that was hidden by the ski mask, he finally spoke. "Hostage" as Cash waited for the guy's to get everything loaded into the blacked-out van, the sound of sirens growing louder with each second, he glanced once more at the girl. He didn't say anything, didn't offer an explanation, just held onto her, his tattoo-covered hand gripping her firmly. Alissa watched as they tossed the duffel bags in the back of the van, she also watched him. She could feel her heartbeat slow down as he looked at her, something about his eyes were calm, it helped calm her down. She looked at his figure and tried to take in as much as possible. Dante was all too aware of the girl watching him, terrified and seemingly transfixed at the same time. She was eyeing him up and down, head to toe. And he couldn't help but squirm under her scrutinizing gaze. He was used to people watching him, they always did- cop's, girl's, old people. But the way she looked at him made his skin crawl and a feeling of guilt was stuck in the back of his throat.

Only once everyone was in the van did he speak to her. "Run. Got it princess?" he snapped, before letting go of her. It took her a moment to process what he said. Run, she quickly turned once she realized what he said. She left the bank through the back. It spit her out into the alleyway. She was breathing heavily, white puffs came from her mouth as she ran. She never ran so fast or so hard in her life, she realized she needed to get these ties off. Alissa took off towards the sidewalk and when she got there she looked both ways before turning towards the right away from the bank. She knew where she was going. She made her way to a bookstore that an old man owned. It was always quiet when she was there. He knew a lot about her. She called for him as she walked through the store.

"Mr. Thompson!" She called out again. Eventually, an elderly short man came out and looked at her. Mr. Thompson had silver hair that his wife always kept trimmed. He wore round glasses on his tan slender face. He had some wrinkles by his eyes and had more when he smiled which was often. He was wearing a nice navy blue button-up shirt and some black slacks. He was wearing his favorite comfortable shoes. Mr. Thompson lived in poverty his whole childhood. He often told Alissa stories from his childhood. How he lived on the wrong side of the tracks. How he got involved in some dangerous stuff. Mr. Thompson had a son that lived in Hawaii and a daughter that lived in a city not too far away. Mr. Thompson also had five grandsons and two granddaughters. One of his granddaughters lived in the city but he never saw her. His fear was that she got involved in the same shit that he did when he was younger. He only got out of poverty because of Alissa’s mom, when her mom was young he would let her borrow books he had at home to read. She often talked to him and she learned that he had a dream that he wanted to come true more than anything. He wanted a bookstore and he wanted to educate young children like Alissa’s mother. When her mother turned eighteen she finally had access to her own bank account. With that, she bought Mr. Thompson a bookstore and they both worked hard to get it up and running. He never forgot her kindness and held a special place in his heart for Alissa’s mother.

Mr. Thompson took in Alissa’s appearance and saw that her hands were being held together. He had her come with him to the office. He sat her down and cut the zip ties with the scissors. Finally, Alissa could feel the blood start to return to her wrists. "You're alright, let me make you some tea." It didn't take him long, soon he came back and handed it to her. He sat down in his chair and looked at her. "Are you going to tell me what happened? or did you not want to talk?" Alissa took the cup from him and took a sip as she relaxed in the chair she was sitting on. She eventually opened up and even told him how they had killed Nathaniel the officer. Mr. Thompson just listened to her and shook his head.

“There is only one gang that I can think of that could pull something like that off. The Subsiders, they are an old gang. I have even gotten mixed up with them when I was young. It’s also how I met my amazing wife Mary. Though she often told me it wasn’t a life that she wanted our children to have. I had to agree. Alissa, life on that side of the tracks and is rough. It’s no place for a princess such as yourself. That’s what I always thought until I met your mother and I started to live here on this side of the city. You can’t trust the officers that are supposed to serve and protect you, the teachers who hold girls after class. The boy who is locked up in the basement, then there is your father… There are no words for that mad man. Then there are innocent people like you and that boy who shouldn’t have to live the lives you do.”

It took a little while for Alissa to leave the bookstore that she loved so much and walk towards her car. Her mind kept going back to the guy who saved her. Why did he save her? Why was he nice to her except for that one moment where he did yell at her. As she walked towards her car she rubbed her wrist. She thought about calling Hazel and crashing with him that night. When she reached into her pocket for her phone she didn't feel anything. It was at that moment that she realized she didn't have a phone anymore, she would have to tell her parents about what happened. Though who's to say that they would believe her, she could tell them that it got stolen, that was more believable... right?

Eventually, she got back to her car, unlocked the doors, and got in. Once she was in her car she locked the doors and rested against the driver's seat for a moment. Once she felt like she could drive safely home she did just that. Alissa went straight home not stopping for anyone or anything, she just wanted to get home and stay there. Alissa drove up to her long driveway and parked her car into one of the garages where they kept most of their cars. Alissa walked inside and went to take a shower, even though she had already taken one a couple of hours ago she needed time to think. This was the only time she could do it without family bothering her.

Once she was finally out she put on some pajama shorts and a t-shirt and joined everyone else for dinner. It was actually quiet at the dinner table. That was the one thing she couldn't stand about this house. They would be screaming and were at each other's throats except for at the dinner table. In front of cameras, they loved each other and pretended they were the perfect family. The number one thing that Hazel hated. After dinner, Alissa told her parents what happened to her phone and that she would need a new one. She was mostly responsible with her things.

On the other side of the city, it was a different life and a different story for the guy known as Dante. The second they were all in the van he felt the familiar rush of adrenaline, that heart racing, mind-twisting sense of accomplishment and terror. It was a feeling he lived for. A feeling he'd choose over drugs any day of the week. The group was silent for the drive, knowing better than to get too excited until they were home safe. After 20 minutes, they pulled down a dark alley, climbing out of the van and loading everything into a different car parked there. "Alright, hurry up. Boss doesn't like to wait" Grizz snapped, climbing into the driver's seat as the rest climbed in and they were off.

The rest of that night was spent celebrating. As usual. The Subsiders, despite being small, were well known for their 'professionalism' and discretion. They were sneaky, sly, and never seemed to get caught. This is why they had made their base of operations in the center of the tunnels that ran beneath Aledale City. Some of the tunnels were sewage, some were empty, some were controlled by the subsider's. And at the very center, was their base. All the tunnels, one way or another, ran through a center that they chose to call home. But Dante wasn't a street rat, and he didn't enjoy hiding in the gutter. He, Monte, and Grizz were all roommates in a shitty apartment complex that just so conveniently had access to the tunnels right below.

 

[AngelofLife]

Chapter Two: Amp​

The following morning she woke up around nine in the morning and saw a small white box on her bed with a blue ribbon on it. She grabbed it, it was a new and updated phone version. She didn't expect to get it right away. She decided to start it up right away and add everything she needed onto it. She spent the rest of her day doing that until it was time to get ready for the party. She pulled on a black short skirt and a white top that had no straps. She then pulled on some white socks and some white flat shoes that she could easily run in if she needed to. She curled her hair and applied make-up. She looked at her reflection in the mirror, her purple eyes stared right back at her. Her other brother Neal always told her she didn't need it, saying she was already pretty. She grabbed a sweater and pulled it on so her father wouldn't freak out if he happened to see her leaving. She grabbed her phone and left the house for the evening. She knew that Hazel wasn't allowed at the house so she was just going to meet him around the corner. Once she found his car and got in they were off to the party.

Dante on the other hand didn’t get to wake up as nicely as Alissa did. "Wake up asshole!" Cash felt something slam into his head and he groaned, rolling over on the couch and sitting up to see Cassie and Grizz staring at him. "What the fuck Grizz" Dante sputtered, rubbing his temple. "Party time, remember dummy? You promised you'd go" Cassie spoke up, and Dante groaned. He didn't want to go. Not one bit.

After three beers and a few cigarettes, Cass and Grizz had managed to coax him into going. He was standing there, flashing LED lights lighting up the inside of the warehouse, which was decked out and filled with drunk people. Cash was leaning casually on a far wall, nursing a red solo cup filled with dark liquor, eye's casually running through the crowd. Dante was still nursing a nasty hangover from the night before, and he was already back to drinking. All he really wanted was a damn burger and some silence.

Dante huffed, an unimpressed and bemused look on his face. With a groan he got up, deciding he might as well try and find his friends- make sure they weren't acting like idiots. Monte and Grizz were busy dancing on each other, laughter carrying through the crowd. Cash watched them for a moment, smiling a little when Grizz waved at him. They were a cute couple, honestly, and Dante hoped they'd last. If there was anyone who deserved a happy ending, it was them. Grizz and Dante went years back, they'd been friends since before all of this. Hell, Grizz was the only one who called him by his real name (he was also the only person who Cash allowed to call him by his name). Dante kept moving through the crowd stepping past a few people as he made it to the bar Cass had set up.

Speaking of Cass- "Cash!" Cassie grinned, sliding down from her seat on top of a keg. "You've got to try this, seriously. So fuckin’ yummy" the redhead handed Dante a bottle and he raised an eyebrow, shaking his head. "You know I don't do sweet drink's" he pushed past her, leaning his elbow's up against the makeshift bar and turning to look at Cassie. "I never said it was swe-" Dante cut her off before she could continue. "I've known you for three years now Cass, and in all that time I've never seen you drink anything that wasn't fruity" he smirked, shaking his head. Glancing to his left, his eye's briefly landed on a girl not too far from him that looked eerily familiar. For a moment he tried to figure it out how he knew her, why she looked so familiar. With the shitty lighting and a throbbing headache, he quickly gave up and turned as Cassie mumbled something and walked off.

Most people would probably feel weird being left at a bar all alone, but not Cash. In fact, he took the moment to himself, letting his eyelids flutter shut, the pounding music and chatter drowning out his thoughts. Just a quick moment of peace. Just one moment where he could chill the fuck out and not be stressing about everything and everyone. Tattooed arms leaned against the bar, music running through his brain. It wasn't always so shitty, living this type of life. Sometimes there were moments where he got to feel normal again. Like every other teenager, sneaking out of their house to go to some crazy party. Only, he didn't have to worry about his parents finding out about it. Dante stayed put at the bar for a long moment before abandoning it and his empty cup, making his way through the crowd. Selling pills, flirting, talking to friends. It was like every other night, only most of these people were complete strangers.

It didn't take Alissa and Caden long to get to the party. Once she found out it was at a warehouse she wasn't sure if she wanted to be there. She left whatever she didn't need in his car and followed her brother inside. The music was loud and she wasn't sure if she would be able to hear herself think. Her concern was losing Caden. Once they got in she stayed close to him, he led them over to where the drinks were. Caden handed her a rum and coke. Alissa took a couple of sips as she looked around the warehouse. The lights made it hard to recognize anyone.

Hazel looked towards his sister and raised an eyebrow at her. She seemed really on edge or uneasy. He ran a hand through his hair and had her sit down on one of the stools near the bar that Cassie had made. He made sure to get a drink for himself before turning towards his sister. He knew that their parents would pop a blood vessel if they ever found out where he took her too. Their parents didn't even know that she was with him, really she wasn't supposed to be with him at all. They weren't supposed to know where he was. "Hey you stay here, I'm going to go find a couple of my friends, and then I'll come back to check on you." Hazel took his beer and left her there at the bar and soon he had disappeared into the crowd.

Alissa sat up on one of the stools and listened to her brother the best he could. What! is he just going to leave me here by myself? Alissa was the only one at the bar at that moment. She thought to herself. She watched as her brother grabbed his drink and disappeared into the crowd to find his friends. Why did he even invite her if he was going to ditch her? she took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, she looked down at the glass in her hands before downing the rest of it and setting the glass down. The music was so loud and really she kind of just wanted to go home. She only agreed to come in hopes of hangout with him. He wasn't always like this though. There were times he would hang out with her either all day or all night.

Alissa needed a place where she could breathe better, the smoke that was dancing around her was enough to make her cough a little bit. She needed a place where she could clear her thoughts, she knew there was a staircase here. The problem was finding it. The loud music and flashing lights made it dang near impossible to recognize anything. She slid off the barstool to see if she could find it.

On the other side of the warehouse, Dante found himself pushing through the stairwell, past a couple too focused on making out to notice him and shoving open the rusted door onto the roof. The fresh air hit him like a brick and he sucked in, the chill of the city running through his veins. As the rusty hinges of the door squealed shut behind him, Cash let out a soft breath. Dante was never a fan of big crowds or strangers. Combine the two and it was almost enough to make his skin crawl- not that he'd ever show that though. Faint music could be heard, reverberating through the warehouse. In the distance were faint cop sirens, car horns, all of the familiar city noises Cash loved. Making his way over to the ledge, Dante leaned over, looking down at the high drop below him. A slow smirk ran across his face and placing his palms on the narrow ledge, Cash pulled himself up into a standing position.

The familiar rush of adrenaline went coursing through his veins as he steadied himself against the breeze, staring down at the drop just centimeters before him. Letting his surroundings drown out, it was just him in his own little words. Feet carrying him down a narrow line, walking along the ledge of the roof, a little half-smirk plastered against his face. Cash had always been a daredevil. The idea of dying wasn't so scary when you'd cheated so many time's in the past. A kid like Dante, with the childhood he had, should've been dead a long time ago. Either a tragic accident or a brutal ending- it was a miracle the ghost of a boy was still alive and thriving. The sound of footsteps registered in his brain, but he didn't turn his attention towards it, even as the door to the roof opened up. Eyes trained on the thin ledge before him, carefully watching where he put his feet. The rush was fading, as the realization, he probably wouldn't fall started surfacing. And just like that, the amusement was gone and Dante gracefully jumped back down onto the roof like a feral alley cat. All grace and sleek movements.

As Alissa pushed through the crowd she noticed her brother Caden. He was probably either high or drunk, maybe both. He was chatting with some girl that he just met. With Alissa being as small as she was, most people were taller than her, then again most of the people were guys. It took a moment or two, maybe longer if you wanted to get technical but she eventually found the door to the staircase in the mix of the chaos. She glanced over at her shoulder and realized that her brother wasn't even paying attention to anything that she was doing. He probably would even forget that he brought her and she would have to find some other way home. She didn't know anyone here besides Caden. He was so irresponsible and she was mentally kicking herself for agreeing to come with him.

Alissa pushed the creaky door open almost hitting a couple. Giving a quick apology she realized that they were so lost within each other to care. She took this moment to get away. Alissa climbed up the stairs, her plan was to sit in the stairwell but it was so stuffy in there as well, plus there were people kissing up a storm in there. She went all the way to the top. Alissa had to really use her tiny muscles to push open the rusty door that led to the roof. Once she got it open she slipped through the door and let it close behind her. Taking in a deep breath Alissa stretched her arms above her head. She was relieved to breathe in some fresh air. Well, that was debatable. She lived in a city, it was fair to say that fresh air was hard to come by. It was fresh from being inside a stuffy warehouse with other people.

Turning his head up, he frowned, eyes landing on the familiar girl from before. "Can I help you?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow. Cash casually sauntered over, long legs making quick work of closing the distance between them. His eyes quickly scanned her- nice clothes, pretty face, expensive shoes. So she was a princess huh? She was about to go look over the edge when she heard someone speak. It caught her attention and made her heart jump up into her throat. Her head snapped in the direction of Cash. She wanted to take a step back, she wanted to run. Her eyes traveled from the top of his head down to his shoes. She could tell instantly that he wasn't from the same lifestyle as her. "I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone was up here. I just came for fresh air." She told him. She felt a little intimidated by him so she looked down away from his eyes.

Cash noticed the look of surprise, maybe even fear, in her eye's and he raised an eyebrow. Cash crossed his arms as he watched her in turn eye him up, though for clearly different reasons. Cash just tilted his head to the side, shrugging casually. "Don't apologize to me princess, it's not like I own this place" he replied casually, letting his arms uncross and drop to his sides. His eyes dropped to a shiny necklace around her throat and he sauntered a little closer. Their height difference was intense, and he had to practically look down just to meet her gaze. "So....what's a girl like you doing at a party? This isn't exactly....how do you guy's say it?" he questioned, frowning a bit. "ah, not a nice neighborhood'' he finished, giving her a wide grin and stepping around her, his arm brushing against her own.

Alissa wasn't apologizing because she thought he owned the rooftop, it was clear that no one did. She was apologizing because she felt as though she walked in on him. She thought she would be the only one up there. Instead of getting a breath of fresh air, she felt like her breath kept getting caught in her throat. That was only because he was so close to her. The way he talked kind of made her uncomfortable as well. As he stepped closer to her; her feet didn't listen when she told them to move. She glanced up towards him as he was taller than her, it felt like he kind of towered over her. Tilting her head slightly when he was trying to ask his question of why she was even there. It was true parties weren't her thing. It suddenly clicked in her brain. He called her princess. This is the second time someone has called me princess this week. There is no way that he’s the robber from the bank though. However, if it wasn’t him then why would he call me princess. Come on Alissa, think, you have to bring Nathaniel’s killer to justice. She was looking him over trying to figure out if it was really him or not.

"If you must know, I didn't come here alone. I came with my brother Caden, you may or may not know him. It's hard to know who he has connections with nowadays." She explained to him. Their father had kicked him out of the house a couple of years ago. He's the only sibling Alissa ever really liked and got along with. Caden also happened to save her life, which was probably the only reason she went behind their parent's backs to see him and to hang out with him. A party wasn't what she had in mind for tonight. “Of course, he ditched me at the bar and is probably wasted out of his mind right now.

Something flashed in his hands- a wallet. Her wallet, to be precise. "You should really be more careful princess, some people are just-" Dante clicked his tongue, opening up her wallet. "-no good, you know?" his eyes scanned for an ID, slim fingers pulling it out and reading out her name. Alissa Apostoleanu. Weird last name, though it did sound vaguely familiar like he'd heard it from somewhere. But he didn't do anything too cruel, didn't steal any of her money- it's not like he could do much with her credit card anyways- and instead reached out, handing it to her. His taunting facade dropped and he let out a breath. "You really should be more careful though, Alissa. This isn't fairy tale land, a pretty girl like you shouldn't be wandering around a party all by herself" he commented, watching her as he leaned against the brick wall. "You seem familiar. You don't hang around 42nd do you?" Very unlikely she would, considering 42nd was filled with drug dealers and prostitutes. He was practically insinuating she was a street whore, only for fun though.

As soon as she noticed that her pocket felt lighter, when she noticed his outstretched hand, he was handing her back her wallet. When did he? Oh just forget it. Alissa thought as she placed her wallet back where she had it before he took it. Alissa looked at him again this time noticing the tattoos. They looked familiar like she had seen them someplace before. She couldn’t recall if she had met this guy before if his tattoos were just that common.. His voice seemed vaguely familiar, husky. She could have heard his voice in passing as well. Cash could feel her looking at the ink running up and down his arm's and as if to give her a better view, he tilted his arms casually towards her. He'd spent good money on them, might as well take the opportunity to show them off right? She had two of her own, one of her right shoulder blade the other behind her left ear. Not easy to see, her father actually yelled at her for hours after finding out about them. When he asked his other question she almost felt a little insulted and squirmed under his gaze. "Disgusting, do I look like a drug dealer? and I can guarantee that I'm not a prostitute!" Alissa sat down against the brick wall, not caring if she got dirty. She hasn't had sex or been with anyone since she was held captive those couple of days, memories she wanted to forget. No amount of alcohol got rid of them. "I have a question for you, you might know the answer." She stated.

Watching her squirm under his gaze, grimace at his words. It was almost hilarious. Almost. Cash returned his focus, stuffing his hand into his empty pocket to fish out a loose cigarette and lighter, bringing it to his lips. Now that she was witnessing that he was a smoker she understood why he had a husky voice. That was his choice though, she could never understand why people did smoke. She tried it a couple of times but it did nothing for her. With a satisfying puff, he blew out a cloud of smoke, his eyes once more shamelessly eyeing her up. “I don’t know who Caden is” it was unlikely he'd ever know anyone in her friend circle. Dante burst into cruel laughter, his raspy voice drifting through the breeze. "Relax princess. I doubt anyone would pay you for either of those things anyway" he didn't mean to come off as insulting. And it honestly wasn't true. Cash could think of a few people who'd jump at the opportunity of sleeping with someone clearly rich. But they'd never pay for it. Why pay when you could get it for free, he thought to himself. Alissa didn’t know if she should be relieved or take that as an insult as well. She never liked how she looked but she didn't think she was ugly either.

Eyeing her up before returning his gaze to her face....well, closer to her face. Her repulsion at being 'mistaken' for a drug dealer sent a wave of anger down his chest, though he hid it well. Even though he got closer to her, this time she held her ground with him. "Question? For me? Sure princess" he gave her a lopsided grin, one that seemed to smooth away the intimidating, rugged side of him. His smiles were always soft and sweethearted. Dante couldn't help but wonder what her question would be. It occurred to him she had no idea what his name was, but he wasn't in any particular hurry to give it to her.

Hazel stayed pretty hidden, he ran around with bad people. He never told her who he hung out with, what he did. Where he was living or even sleeping. Somehow he was able to pay for his car and for gas. She knew their father didn't pay him, though their father did try to pay him to just shut him up. Hazel rather have his voice be heard than stay quiet. Alissa looked towards Dante again and narrowed her eyes at him. There was so much more to her than he would ever realize. She looked away from him and didn't answer him. It was clear that he hated rich kids. She hated his attitude. Alissa got up from the ground and brushed herself off. She hated being laughed at. One of the reasons she had actually punched a kid at school was when she was about thirteen maybe fourteen. Sebastian had actually had to pull her off of the other girl. Upon hearing his answer to the fact that she had a question caught her attention. After everything that he just displayed and said she wasn't sure if she wanted to ask him now.

Was her pain enough to ask him for help, to help forget everything that happened? To get her to cope with the life that she lived. Everyone, even this guy who didn't know her probably thought it was perfect. She soon walked away from him and over towards the side of the building. She got up on the ledge, closing her eyes once she felt the breeze. She glanced over her shoulder at him. "Do you know of a pill or a drug that makes you forget?"

She seemed hesitant to ask the question, that much was for sure. This girl, she was....off. Something about her was off, that much he could tell. Call it a gut intuition but she just didn't seem like a normal teenager, it was almost like she didn't have a place where she belonged. Dante cocked his head to the side. Of course, her life was perfect- she was rich. In his world, life revolved around money- who had it, where to get it, what to do with it. In his eyes, money could solve every problem in the world. Hell, it'd certainly solve all of his problems. For a moment, panic set into his body and he tossed the cigarette down onto the ground, casually but quickly walking over to her as she got closer to the ledge. And then she climbed up on it.

Fucking hell. Is she gonna jump? Was a thought that ran through Dante’s head. That was the last thing he needed right now. Her question caught him off guard, completely and utterly leaving him in a moment of shock. There were so many thoughts rambling around in his head-
1. Did she think he was a drug dealer?
2. Was she about to throw herself off the side of the roof?
3. What the hell did she need to forget?
4. Should he mess with her and over sell her some bullshit over-the-counter pills?

As she stood there and looked at him she tried to take in his image. She wanted to remember him that was for sure. If she could pick and choose what she remembered and forgot she would feel so much better. Money wasn't everything, people thought it solved problems and made you happy. If that was the case then why was she miserable? When Alissa turned around for a split second she thought she saw fear in his eyes. Why, though? Why was there fear? he didn't know her, she looked in front of her again and looked down. Did he think she was going to jump? If she was honest she thought about it many times. Then she remembered that Caden would just bring her back from the dead just to kill her again. Of course, she knew that wasn't possible. However, was he afraid that a girl he could care less about would jump?

She soon kneeled down and sat down on the ledge with her legs dangling. As she waited for an answer and watched him, his body language changed, almost like he didn't want to tell her. She was starting to wonder if Caden knew about this kind of stuff. She was wondering what the sacrifices were and if she could make those sacrifices. She was wondering what she would forget, would the pain finally disappear. Would she be alright eventually? her parents never listened to her, she didn't feel safe in this stupid city, she didn't really have any friends, the only person she truly cared about even forgot her. She wanted anything to take it all away.

Dante huffed out a breath, running a hand through his black hair and slowly approaching the ledge, letting his palms rest against the rough cement a few feet beside her. "Yeah" he finally answered after a second of silently collecting his thoughts. "It's called Amp" he had a frustrated look on his face as he racked his brain. On the street, they called it Amp, and unfortunately, Dante knew more about that sickening little drug than most. You see, the Subsider's were the only ones in Aledale who made it. Convenient for her huh? "Wipe your memory for a few hours, sometimes a full twenty-four hours. Then you gotta... re Amp" he shrugged. It wasn't something he messed around with, ever. It didn't just take your memories- long-term use could turn you into a brainless vegetable. And the withdrawals? Some of the worst he'd ever seen.

Cash had two options. Take her to his supplier, or leave her on her own. Did he really want to be responsible for getting her hooked on it? Not particularly. Did he want the money? Of course. "You shouldn't be messing with that stuff princess" he turned and glanced at her, shaking his head and pushing himself up.

"Why not? If it helps you forget why not? Does it work on long-term memories?" She looked at him again and she could tell it was something bad and she really shouldn't mess with it. "Really that bad?" she asked him maybe she put herself into a coma, was there a way to make herself get amnesia. She shook her head slightly trying to get rid of that twisted thought. She soon got up and off the ledge of the building. "Hey, what's your name?"

Dante visibly looked relieved when she sat down, though he was still on edge. He really didn't need to be questioned by police, have the whole party shut down, just because some girl couldn't keep her demons in check. Her questions were loaded ones, one's that he wasn't entirely sure how to respond to. "Why not?" he scoffed, shaking his head, amused her blatant ignorance. "How would I know if it works? I don't do drugs" he snapped bitterly. There was something's he didn't do, amp was one of them. He didn't have a need for it really. Yeah, shit happened to him, but he didn't want to forget. All that bad shit made him stronger. "Because, it's expensive, which isn't a problem for you people but it doesn't always work the way you want it to" he let his voice calm down, the frustration seeping away.

It didn't take much to scare her, she jumped slightly when he snapped at her. She didn't like that side of him. She wished she never did, she wished that she never had to go to rehab. Not everyone got that pleasure, some people were forced, others just wanted the pain they felt to go away. Other people were just ghosts trying to get by in everyday life. Alissa wished she wasn't forced, she wished she didn't hurt, she wished that she felt better about herself. When he said you, people she felt a little insulted, no it wasn't a problem for her, everyone thought her father paid for her things. Yeah her dad paid for a lot of things, however, she earned a lot of her own money. She worked her ass off. She was risking that lifestyle for this. Of course, he wouldn't understand how she felt.

Dante took in a deep breath, his hazel eyes staring into her dark purplish ones. "Cash" he finally answered, turning his gaze back down to the city before them and mulling things over. "Look. This is a one-time offer, take it or leave it, princess. You want to try it, fine. I'll take you to get some. On one condition-" he straightened himself out and looked over at her. "-you tell nobody. Got it? The last thing I need is you to go running your mouth about it" he didn't really care if she agreed or not, he figured he was doing her a favor anyways. It would be nice to get some extra money, but he wasn't about to force her into buying drugs.

Dante pushed himself up and turned around, heading towards the door. "So if you're coming, it's now or never Alissa" he called over his shoulder, pushing open the door to the roof. It wasn't a good idea to be walking around the streets late at night- not even for him. Cash sauntered down the empty stairwell and into the crowded warehouse, pushing his way through the crowd without checking to see if she was following him, making his way outside and stuffing his hand’s into his jean pockets.

So his name was Cash, she figured that was just a nickname for him. She should give him a different one, she wasn't sure she liked that one too much. It didn't really seem to fit him. He kept calling her princess... which only one other person called her that. The guy that robbed the bank. She was getting nervous about whether she really wanted to buy the drugs or not. "Who the hell am I going to tell?" she finally asked as she walked over to the door that he had pushed open. Dante shrugged, casually, as he walked. "I don't know, you tell me?'' he retorted, rolling his eyes. Pulling the hoodie he had tied around his waist, he pulled it on over his head, reveling in the warmth and protection it gave him from the nippy wind of the city. It was the middle of November, and it was starting to get frigid. The winter was always the worst. They rarely had enough money to keep the heating on, and even when they did the cold seemed to seep through the drafty, paper-thin walls of the apartment building. She was second-guessing herself now, did she really want the drugs. She didn't have anyone to tell, her family didn't listen to her and other kids at school didn't listen to her. She followed him down the stairwell and into the crowded warehouse. She thought she was going to lose him amongst all the tall people. Once she finally got outside she had to look down the sidewalk. She had to run after him. She walked behind him quietly for a little bit. She finally said something. "Hey... maybe instead of buying them we can go and do something fun. Wait never mind, you probably don't want to."

As he heard her approaching footsteps, he glanced down at her, once more rolling his eyes. For a few minutes, they walked in silence, Dante carefully looking around as he turned each corner. The farther they walked the more run down the buildings and neighborhood became. When she started speaking though, he came to a dead stop, whipping around to face her. "Shut up" the word's were simple but full of annoyance. Seriously, who the hell was this girl? Did she think they were friends or something? Groaning in frustration, he gently grabbed her arm, pulling her to the side of the street. "Look. You don't know me, I don't know you. Besides, I don't think you'd find my version of fun very interesting" he shook his head, letting go of her and just watching her for a second. This was a total mistake. Clearly, this girl was in over her head and way out of her element. They were only a block from his apartment now, and right as Dante had made up his mind to turn around and take her back to the party, he heard someone calling his name.

She didn't really socialize with anyone and this is what she got for trying. She thought about turning around and going back. She had to close her eyes slightly as he told her to shut up, he was probably right, her idea of fun and his idea of fun were totally different. She didn't even know why she followed him. She was about to say something until she heard someone yell Dante. She had no idea who Dante was. A little blonde hair kid ran up to them and started speaking to Cash like they had been buddies for a long time. She watched the two of them talk, she could have walked away at that moment but she couldn't pull her gaze away from the small boy. This had to be stopped, no one deserved to live like this including that small child. Things in the city had to be changed. Sebastian was taken from her and this part of the city was the reason why. She hated this side of the city for so long because of it but she had to get over it.

"Dante! Hey, Dante!" It was a shrill voice, soft and full of excitement. As if on cue, Cash seemed to melt, the tension vanishing from his shoulder as he turned around to see a blonde kid, no older than 13, booking it towards him and crashing into Dante with an enormous hug. "Look! Mrs. Miller paid me 50$ to wash her dog today-" The kid seemed to trail off when his eyes landed on Alissa. "I thought that stinky old stray was de-'' Dante caught a scrawny elbow to the ribs, grimacing as the boy smiled brightly despite the exhaustion on his face. "Hi, I'm Miles” Miles was smiling ear to ear, practically transfixed by Alissa.

"Hey, miles, go inside okay? I'll meet you up there in a second, buddy. And don't forget, shoes off before you get on the couch!" Dante ruffled his hair, a clear change in his demeanor since Miles's arrival. He was always so much kinder around that kid. It was, quite possibly, his only redeeming quality. "Wait, can she come eat with us? Please" Miles pouted, clearly knowing exactly how to get what he wanted from Dante. Dante, who was already in a bad mood, couldn't seem to say no. Instead, he looked over at Alissa, hoping she could say it for him. "You don't have to. I can walk you back to the party"

Alissa was brought back to reality when she heard the little boy say his name. It took a minute or so to process. She smiled a little when she found out his name was Miles. She thought that was a really cute name. Maybe if she ever had a son she would name him Miles. "It's nice to meet you, Miles, I'm Alissa," she told him. Well, she was Alissa to everyone else but Cash who called her princess. When the boy pleaded about her wanting to eat with them she almost shouted no. However, after looking at the boy it was hard to say no. She turned to Dante. "I don't mind if he really wants to but please know you can say no to me. I got your message loud and clear earlier." She was talking about the times he's shouted at her and that's just in the last couple of hours. He was right, they weren't friends. Why would she think anything different? She even thought about walking back by herself so that way he didn't have to be away from home again.

Dante cringed, wanting desperately to say no, he'd prefer that she didn't join them for dinner. But it was 12:30 am, it was dark, it was a shitty neighborhood, and Miles would absolutely kill him if he turned her down. "You can come," he said stiffly, much to Miles's joy. The kid's whole face lit up, and Dante assumed the poor kid probably had a crush. "Come on" he jerked his head, heading down the block towards the run-down apartment complex. Half the windows were broken and plastered with newspapers and cardboard and the rest were so dirty you could barely see through them. Mile's fell into pace beside Alissa, smiling at her brightly. "How do you know my brother?" he questioned, not giving her time to answer before he moved on to the next question. "You look rich, are you rich? Dante hates rich people, you know, but I think they're just very lucky. It's not our fault we're not rich you know? Why blame that on everyone else?" Dante was walking in front of them, grimacing as he pulled the keys from his pocket and unlocked the door to the complex.

Just from how stiff he looked and the sound of his voice told her that he didn't want her to join them either. Though that didn't surprise her, she did wonder if dinner at his place was different from dinner at her own house. At her house, no one talked at the table, but you could feel the tension. Last night all her sister did was sneeze and her brother went off on her. She was so embarrassed by her family, plus her house wasn't a great place to bring a boyfriend over let alone a friend. Her dad wanted to kill Sebastian when she was with him and he was from a powerful family and was like the nicest guy you would ever meet. She was drawn from her thoughts as soon as Dante spoke to her. She gave him a small nod and followed him. She noticed that Miles fell into step next to her. She listened to Miles as he asked her a ton of questions. "I just met your brother, I guess you can say I am rich." She looked up at the building that they lived in.

"Go on" he motioned, and Miles quickly ducked into the complex and rushed up the creaky wooden stairs to the 2nd floor. "Sorry, he's a lot. Miles doesn't really....know how to relax, but I guess all kids are like that" he shrugged, glancing at Alissa as he clambered up the stairs. As he unlocked and pushed open the door to the apartment, he found it to be nearly empty. She let Miles go in first, she turned her attention to Dante when he said sorry. That took her a minute, did this guy just apologize to her. That was the first time she's heard sorry out of his mouth. She would have commented on the whole kid part, really it was okay with her. She loved kids and she loved making them happy. She followed them into the building and up the staircase that looked like it was falling apart. She was taking mental notes. As soon as he opened the apartment door and she walked in she was hit with the smell of weed. That had made her take a step back. She wasn't used to the smell, except for the faint smell that came from Caden’s clothes when she saw him. She didn't know if he actually smoked or was around people that did.

There were two guys sitting on the couch, and the whole apartment smells like weed. "Where's Grizz? They still out?" Dante questioned, and one of the boys turned, shaking his head and blowing out a cloud of smoke. "In his room with Monty '' one of them replied and Dante nodded, waiting for Alissa to come in before he shoved the door shut with his shoulder. All eyes seemed to focus on her, as a man with a mop of blonde curls came from around the kitchen corner and over towards the couch without a word. Dante offered no explanation to Alissa, as this was all normal to him. There were always people in the apartment, usually, a few of them would sleep on that pullout couch or in the guest room. The thought never occurred to him that walking into an apartment of strange men could be uncomfortable for Alissa. "Water's boiling Dante'' Miles called from the kitchen before running back over to him. "Go wash off and change. I'll make a plate for you in a second alright" Dante hurried the kid off and went into the kitchen which was mostly secluded from the rest of the apartment before he turned to Alissa.

"It's not the cleanest apartment, we get our fair share of rats and roaches, but it could be worse so" he shrugged, suddenly feeling very self-conscious of letting her be here. Then again, it was only for a little while. Just until Miles went to bed and Cash could drop her back off at the party.

Alissa felt eyes on her and it made her extremely uncomfortable. She didn't know any of these people, she didn't even know Dante that well. She's only met him once, she thought it was probably best to keep quiet and not say anything. Her attention was pulled to Miles and watched as he went to do what he was told. She decided to leave the room of prying eyes and entered the kitchen with Dante. She rubbed her arm a little bit where it was easier to see a big scar. The lights weren't flashing and dancing around. She realized that two of these apartments put together would probably equal her room. "Oh no, it's fine really" after seeing how Miles and Dante both lived she realized it wasn't fair. Now Sebastian was the only one in her group of friends that actually cared for people in this position, he wanted to clean up this side of the town and give everyone on this side a fighting chance. After the accident she had forgotten all about it, she was sure that she could find them again though. She had left them at the bookstore. If she had her directions right it wasn't far from here.

Dante raised an eyebrow at her response. "I wasn't apologizing for it,'' he commented casually, throwing a lid over the pot of boiling rice, steam circulating inside the cracked glass of the lid. Turning his attention to the fridge, he pulled open the door to take in the contents. Milk is fast approaching its expiration date, moldy leftovers in a dirty zip lock bag. A bag of potatoes, and bottles upon bottles of beer. Upon hearing his comment about the apartment, she realized how dumb she must have seemed. She didn't say anything more about it not wanting him to yell at her yet again. He seemed to have a temper or maybe that was just how he was towards her. She got mixed signals from him all the time. He would call her princess, which in her experience was something you would call someone if you liked them. She knew he didn't like her nor did he know her that well. So why did he keep calling her that? That was the confusing part. She didn't want to annoy him by asking though, so she stayed quiet about that as well. Plus it wasn't her fault that she was rich, it wasn't like she asked for it. Just like how it wasn't their fault that they were poor. It wasn't exactly a nickname, and certainly wasn't because he liked her. Princess in his eyes was a term given to any girl who seemed to be too weak to take care of herself, who was practically made of money, filled with a childish view of the world. She was a princess, sitting in her perfect castle, surrounded by lavish things. Of course, Dante knew nothing about this girl or her past, but he didn't plan on ever finding out. Cash was quite alright with judging her unfairly. He wasn't a big people person, and he never involved his feelings. She was leaning against one of the counters and looking down at her shoes. As if they were the most interesting thing in the room at that moment. That was until she heard a different voice.

"If you're looking for the bottle opener, it's in the freezer" came a raspy voice from behind him. Dante didn't need to glance over his shoulder to recognize the voice. Roman. "The fuck is it doing in the freezer?" Dante huffed, grabbing three bottles of corona from the fridge and shutting the door. Roman and him weren't exactly friends, and he definitely wasn't the kind of guy he enjoyed hanging around but when they weren't 'working', they seemed to get along just fine. After all, the Subsiders were like one big family- you didn't have to live with everyone, but you always had their back. "Who's this?" Roman questioned, the dark and hateful eye's turning to look at Alissa. Dante turned, shaking his head. "One of Cassie's friends. Here'' Dante frowned, handing a bottle of beer to Roman, then to Alissa. "Oh lighten up princess, if you don't want it I'll drink it" Dante huffed, flashing her a little smirk. "Speaking of Alissa.... She wants amp. You still got some right?" Dante questioned, glancing between Roman and Alissa who looked completely uncomfortable.

Roman slowly turned, watching Alissa carefully. "Amp huh? What kinda fucked up memories you trying to forget then gorgeous?" he smirked, the kind of smirk that made your skin crawl and shudders would run down your spine. It wasn't playful and teasing like Dantes; it was violating and cruel. Cash found himself once more stepping in as he saw Roman raise his hand towards his, clapping Roman on the back. "Don't bother the girl, just go get what she wants" Roman left, leaving the two of them in the kitchen.

She glanced up to see Roman enter the room, his voice sent chills down her spine and she hated that feeling. She could just tell this guy was bad news. His voice sounded so familiar and her head started to hurt again. Was her body reacting to his voice, did she know him from someplace? When she felt his eyes on her she wanted to curl up into a ball and hide. She felt really uneasy with the look in his eyes. They were almost soulless. When she heard Dante say one of Cassie's friends she almost wanted to protest, however, he might have lied on purpose. Was it to keep her out of danger? Alissa took the beer he handed to her. She gave him a look only taking a small sip when he told her to lighten up. The feeling this guy was giving her was the same feeling that one of the guys gave her at the bank.

"He's a piece of work huh?" Cash questioned, leaning against the counter just inches beside Alissa, watching as the lanky boy walked out of the apartment to his own. "Probably should've warned you about him, he's not....not exactly the kind of guy you'd trust with your drink, if you get what I'm saying" Cash muttered, shaking his head and pushing himself out. "So be honest then, quit the bullshit. Do you want it or not? Amp, I mean. Obviously, you're desperate, and I honestly couldn't care less about why you want it, but you followed a complete stranger to a shitty part of town into a rundown apartment full of shady ass boys. So make up your mind princess, I don't have all night" With a shrug, Dante chugged down the bottle of beer, stifling the beer and tossing the empty bottle into the sink, which was stacked with dirty dishes.

She couldn't one hundred be herself with Dante, they weren't friends and didn't know each other much. She had to be on guard the whole time with these guys. Even though he asked what she was trying to forget she thought it was best not to tell him. She even glanced over at Dante to confirm her decision. His eyes said it all, when he smirked another chill ran through her body. When he finally left she felt herself breathe out, she didn't even know she was holding her breath. "You can say that again, and I understand what you’re saying," she told him, simply agreeing with him. She wasn't a fan of Roman. She probably never would be, despite everything, she still wanted to come back to see Miles again. He seemed like a sweet kid. She knew better than to tell him why or give him a lengthy answer. She knew he didn't care, he just wanted the money. Why did she come? She had changed her mind halfway there. "Well if it doesn't get rid of long-term memories then no I don't. I will just have to find a way to cope with it." She had hoped that she could cope with the dark past she tried to hide from everyone. Her own father even covered up what happened to her, letting the other performers off the hook. She had hated him so much for it. "Sorry for wasting your time... I can pay you for it though."

When she spoke about Amp, rather, why she didn't want it, he let the arrogant facade slip away for a moment of truth. "Everyone's got a past Alissa, nothing's gonna change that. If you want some advice, here: get over it. Holding onto the bad shit is just gonna drive you crazy" his amber eyes seemed to fixate on her brown ones, briefly, and very briefly, wondering what exactly was so fucked up in her past that she was so desperate to forget. Turning his attention back to the dirty stovetop, the rice finally cooked, he grabbed a set of bowls and spoons. When she offered to pay, his whole demeanor changed and a slow smirk crossed his face, turning around to face her. "Okay, princess...." Dante sauntered over to her, reaching up towards her face and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "That'll be eighty."

There were many moments in her life she wished that she wasn't so weak. She wished that she had the power to fight back her attackers from so long ago. To not easily be a target, she could get a trainer but they would probably just teach where to kick if it was a male and to run away. She wanted to know how to hold her own. Her brother Hazel would never teach her he was mostly into other things rather than helping his little sister. It took her a bit longer but she eventually did finish the beer he had given her, though it wasn't something she overly liked. She wasn't a beer drinker, to begin with. She just drank it to be polite.

She knew everyone had a past, she knew some people had it worse than she did. However, everyone dealt with things differently. Some people took drugs, some drank, some self-harmed, some people found healthy outlets, some talked to professionals, others lost themselves. She didn't know how to cope with the things that happened to her. She just wanted the pain to go away, she saw Dante's eyes on her once again, she kept looking at them as he strolled over to her. Not moving a single inch as he put some of her hair behind her ear and telling her how much it would be. She had no problem with paying that and maybe a little extra.

"Dinner is ready!” Dante called to everyone in the apartment. The rancid smell of smoke and dirt seemed to be masked by the spices coming from the kitchen and suddenly, everyone was being drawn to the kitchen. “Not so fast-'' Dante growled, grabbing one of the boys who had been on the couch, who was no older than seventeen, firmly by the wrist and shoving him away. "Miles, come grab a bowl!" he called, waiting for the kid to come over. Miles came running wearing ratty Elmo pajamas a size too big and covered in burn marks, and one of Dante's shirts that hung to his knees. Miles wasted no time, piling the rice into his bowl, before turning around and smiling at Alissa. "You can have some if you want Alissa. I swear he's actually a really good cook"

Once dinner was ready she tried to stay out of the way of all of the boys. She thought for sure she was going to get pushed over. Thankfully she didn't though. She soon saw Miles and couldn't help but smile at what he was wearing. He was too cute, she now understood why most of the boys looked like they were hungry, because they were. She looked at Miles once he turned to her and smiled. She nodded a little in his direction. She knew that Dante would have to be a good cook for everyone to want some. She waited for everyone to leave the kitchen and she had breathing room. Alissa tried her hardest to hold in a giggle when she saw Miles come running, he just looked so adorable, it was hard to not smile around him. She thought that Miles was such a sweet kid and she could understand how this grumpy guy had a soft spot for him. Eventually, everyone had a bowl, though everyone else had significantly less than Miles. Everyone seemed to have a soft spot for Miles. Even Roman, who upon his return ended up giving his bowl to Miles for seconds. Dante finished scooping the rest of the rice into two bowls as the kitchen emptied out. Grizz and Monty must have eaten early and their bedroom was silent now. The boys had retreated back to the couch, attention focused on the big glass window overlooking the city. Miles had of course scurried off like a rat to his and Dante's bedroom.

"I'll walk you back after we eat" Dante spoke around a mouthful of food. His lanky figure made a lot more sense when one saw how little protein he got in his diet. Getting fresh meat was expensive, and when they had it, it didn't last long. Food was hard to come by, and it was always his priority to make sure Miles ate first. Dante hopped onto the counter, shoveling the food into his mouth like a ravenous animal. "I will say, you don't seem as freaked out by all of this as I thought. I wouldn't have pegged you as a girl who was cool with slumming it.”

Thank you" she told him once he gave her a bowl of food, she took a bite of the food that he made, she thought it was wonderful. Miles was right, glancing up towards Dante who was sitting on the counter not far from him. "It's refreshing, very different from my house," she told him. Her eyes told him that she probably preferred the craziness over dinner at her house. Alissa wasn’t really all that freaked out, dirt and bugs never bothered her all that much. She did have brothers after all and all of her conversations with Mr. Thompson have helped her to see past all of this. Alissa took a couple of bites of the food that he had made for everyone, she wasn’t okay not having much. After her long night, she wasn’t all that hungry anyway. "

"Refreshing?" he nearly choked as he burst into laughter, which turned into a coughing fit before going silent. "Your house must be mind-numbingly dull than" he commented, hopping off the counter and placing the cracked ceramic bowl into the sink, and briefly rinsing it off with water. "Your welcome though" the words left his mouth rather forced, clearly not used to being thanked for cooking, let alone anything else. None of the guys he hung around had manners like that. Not even Cassie said thank you and she was the closest thing to 'civilized' as he could think of. "Dante! Dante!" Miles' shrill voice echoed through the apartment. "I lost Captain!" Dante immediately shook his head, eyes rolling softly.

"In the living room Miles! Check under the couch" he called, glancing around the kitchen entry to look at Miles, who was down on his hands and knees, pulling a ratty-looking stuffed animal from under the couch. He smiled a little to himself, a rare, genuine smile filled with warmth. Cash remembered giving him that stupid stuffed dog a few years ago, Miles's first night in the apartment. It was silly for a 13-year-old to still have toys, but Cap was like a safety blanket. In 3 whole years, Dante had never once seen Miles sleep without captain tucked under his arm.

Alissa just had to shake her head, it didn't take her long to finish what he had cooked for her. She had never seen someone eat so fast, though if you lived this kind of life it didn't surprise her that he did. You never knew where your next meal was coming from. Her focus on him was interrupted by Miles who was calling for Dante. Something about a captain? What the heck was a captain? She peaked out of the doorway of the kitchen and saw a stuffed dog being squeezed by the little one. She soon turned and placed the empty bowl into the sink.