The Gang Leader's Girl

Chapter 3

If I had know there was a big ass roof on the top of the building I wouldn't have been so uptight because of the no smoking in the house rule. Even though I have stole a drag or two with the window in my room opened. I put my elbows on the side as I leaned against it. Putting the butt to my mouth I took out my lighter and lit the other end. Taking a long deep drag of it, exhaling my all of my worries and anxiety. I heard the door from the fire escape open and out came Ryder. He came over to me and pulled out a pack of Marlboro's and lit the other end just as I did. "Didn't know you smoked." I said. 

"There's a lot of things you don't know about me, Princess. Just as there's a lot I don't know about you." He said to me, inching closer. 

The past few days have gone by smoothly. Me and Ryder barely talked unless the remote was closer to the other person. School doesn't start back for another month or so. Things are definitely going to be awkward. Our almost kiss put a awkwardness between us. I've been avoiding him. Except for now, but I really need this cigarette. I nod at him while I watch the sky, the cold breeze sending shivers up my spine. I steal a glance at him. He's still hunched over the side, watching the people walking below. As I reach the end of my cigarette I swipe it across the concrete a few times to ensure its out. I flick it on the ground. I turn on my heel and walk toward the door. "Scarlet" Ryder says and I turn back around. "Listen, I think we got off on the wrong foot. Let's just start over and be friends, roommates or whatever." He tells me while walking my way. 

"Okay, but we can only be friends. Got it?" I look into his eyes, making eye contact with him. "It can never be anything more." I say. 

"Right, of course, but I do need a favor." He tells me. I raise my eyebrow to signal him to continue. "Listen there's this girl on campus, she won't leave me alone and she's like obsessed with me. So it would be a great deal of help if you can just pretend to be my girlfriend. We don't have to kiss and we don't have to f**k. It doesn't have to turn into anything more than a fake relationship. All we have to do is like hold hands and all that romantic bullshit." 

"I'm intrigued, but what's in it for me?" I ask crossing my arms. 

 "I will get you into the best of the best underground fighting clubs in New York. As many fights as you want, and best part your brother doesn't have to know." 

I went cold for a moment, I never told him about my fighting habits. I haven't even told him a slither of my story and he just magically knows. "How do you know about that?" I ask hesitantly. 

"Your busted knuckles and that bruise on the side of your face that you tried to cover up." He pulls out his own hands and shows me his own reddened and bruised knuckles. "We're a lot alike, you and me. So what do you say, Princess? It's a win-win." He says his eyes hopeful. 

"Let me think about it, I'll give you an answer, I just can't give you one right now." I say looking up at him. I turn around and go through the door leading to the stairs. As I walk down the stairs I think about the possibilities that could come from this. I just have to make sure that no feelings are caught and we don't have s*x, that's not a lot right?

*^*

 After a little while of sitting in my room contemplating on Ryder's deal, I decide to go to Starbucks to get coffee and wined down for a bit and just relax. As I walk down the sidewalk I listen to the sound of the busy road beside me. Looking up at the sky and just glancing up at the small amount of clouds that scatter it. As I turn into the coffee shop I manage to run straight into somebody knocking their coffee all over the both of us. "Oh my god, I am so sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going and s**t I'm sorry again." I look over to the girl who I bumped into. 

"Oh no it's okay, really. I'm Scarlet." I say, handing her napkins to try to help clean her shirt. 

"Brooklyn." She says holding her hand to shake mine. "Again, I am so sorry, I really didn't mean for any of this to happen." 

"It's okay really. I was just about to get a cup of coffee, let me buy you some to make up for yours." I say with a smile on my face. We head up to the cashier and place our orders. After a few minutes of waiting we got our coffees and sat down at a table beside the window. "So, what's your story?" 

"Just a small town girl outside of New Hampshire. I'm a sophomore in college. Not really much to tell. You?" 

"Grew up in a town in New Jersey and got into some bad trouble and now I'm a freshman in college." I say sipping from my frappuccino.   

"Cool, my boyfriend is from New Jersey." I looked at her surprised. 

"What's your boyfriend's name? I might know him." I say swirling my straw around in my drink. 

"Ace Blair." She tells me while taking a sip from her own coffee. 

I smile. "I know him, that's my brother." 

Her eyes went wide and she choked on her drink. "Oh wow, um, wow. Small world isn't it?" She said giggling. I nodded. "So are you going to give me the whole sister speech?" She said. 

I laughed. "How long have you been dating?" I ask. 

"Well, I met him last year in psychology class, and we've hooked up a few times but we just started going out a few months ago." She says smiling. 

"Wow, it definitely won't be you that I have the sister speech on." I laugh. 

"Did he not tell you he was dating me?" 

"No, but he probably just forgot. We haven't really talked since New Years." I tell her. "Do you want to hang out sometime? Like go to a party or something?" I asked her standing up from my chair. Pushing it under the table, I walk over to the trash and throw my cup away. 

Brooklyn follows behind me and throws hers away as well. "I would like that. Give me your number and we can figure something out." After exchanging numbers we walk out of Starbucks and part ways. 

*^*

I reach the door to our apartment and quickly unlock the door. Walking in closing it as quiet as possible, I walk into the kitchen and notice that Ryder was standing in the doorway with nothing but a towel hanging dangerously low on his hips, showing off his abs and v-line. "Oh, um, w-where's Ace?" I stuttered. 

His lip rose into a smirk and his shoulders shook with slight laughter. "He just walked out. To meet with his girlfriend, I think." He grabbed a glass and filled it with water. 

"Ok, well, I'll be in my room if you need me." I say quickly turning on my heel and walking out of the kitchen. I walk as fast as I can to my room and lock it as quick as possible. I lay on my bed and stare at the ceiling. Thinking about the deal Ryder wanted to make this morning. Maybe there could be some benefits from doing this. But that's my brother's best friend. He wouldn't want me with him. Especially if we're both just alike. I sit up stretching, then I stand up and walk out of my room and find Ryder fully clothed and sitting on the barstool. "Hey," He quickly turns and faces me. "About the deal you were talking about earlier. I've got an idea. Tonight you take me to the fighting club you were talking about. If I like it and decide to stay, I'll do the fake girlfriend thing with you." 

He nods at me and stands up from the couch. "Alright then princess. Grab your s**t and let's go."