The Gang Leader's Impostor

CHAPTER TEN

When we arrived at the pizza place Zack had mentioned, it was packed. Every table was occupied, and a waitress told us to wait for a vacant spot. Zack and Connor, impatient as always, began scanning the room for familiar faces. It didn't take long for them to zero in on a table filled with sophomores wearing what looked like uniforms from our school. They were younger and clearly intimidated by us—in other terms, they were easy targets for people like Zack.

We pushed our way through the crowded restaurant, the tension easily recognizable as we surrounded the sophomores. Their faces turned ashen as they looked up at us.

My eyebrows furrowed. Even outside school, students feared Zack and his gang. Clearly, they had done some terrible things to instill this level of fear in the other students. I understood that fear all too well; I had been on the receiving end of it once.

"You're all sophomores, right?" Zack asked, resting a hand on the smallest guy's shoulder. His grip was tight enough to make the kid wince slightly. They all nodded in unison, eyes wide with dread.

Connor chuckled beside me, settling down on an unoccupied seat, and shoved a bag that was perched on it to the floor. "Do you mind lending us your table? We're kinda in a hurry and we’re hungry, too."

The four sophomores exchanged nervous glances before finally nodding and hurriedly packing up their belongings. Before they could pick up their untouched food, Zack stopped them. "Just leave it," he instructed firmly, making sure to meet each one of their gazes.

One of the sophomores tried to protest, "But—"

"Do I have to repeat myself?" Zack cut him off, popping a fry into his mouth and chewing it.

The guy opened his mouth to say something again, but his friends quickly shook their heads, warning him to stay quiet. He scratched his head, defeated, and turned to leave. But even as they tried to make their exit, Brandon blocked their way, smiling menacingly.

"You don't happen to have some money on you, right? We'd like to borrow some. We'll return it to you tomorrow," he said, though we all knew that for people like him "tomorrow" meant never.

The sophomores scrambled to empty their pockets and bags, handing over everything they had. When Brandon was finally satisfied with what they had given him, he let them pass and piled the money in the middle of the table.

"Seems like we've got enough for the arcade and more pizza," Zack said, laughing.

They laughed amongst themselves, drawing the attention of other customers. I wasn't surprised that no one interfered; they just watched from a distance, unwilling to get involved.

As I watched the scene unfold, a knot tightened in my stomach. I had known what I was getting into when I decided to hang out with Zack's crew, but seeing it firsthand made me question my choices. I didn't want to become like them—someone who thrived on fear and intimidation. But then again, I didn’t want to become like those sophomores either.

The first time I stepped foot in high school, I was robbed of my shoes and I had to go home with just my socks on. That was the first bullying I received. Seeing those sophomores cower in fear earlier, I almost forgot who I was here with. If things had gotten foul, it would’ve been easy to tell what I really am.

We settled down at the table we had just hijacked, eating the sophomores' food without a second thought. Zack, Brandon, Connor, and Leo were sharing stories about random things that happened throughout their day, laughing and joking as if nothing was wrong. I forced myself to join in, but my laughter felt hollow, my smiles strained.

"Hey, you alright?" Zack asked, noticing my quiet demeanor.

"Yeah, just tired," I lied, trying to shake off the unease.

"Well, don't worry. We'll hit the arcade after this. That'll wake you up," he said, clapping me on the back.

I nodded, trying to muster some enthusiasm. But my mind kept drifting back to the terrified expressions of those sophomores and the silent compliance of the other customers. This wasn't the kind of life I wanted, but I felt trapped. I had chosen to hang out with Zack's crew, and now I had to deal with the consequences.

It’s not like these kinds of things are easy to undo.

After we finished eating, we made our way to the arcade. Zack and the others seemed to be elated, spending the money they had taken on games and snacks. They pushed me to join in, and I did my best to keep up, but my mood was already sour and the heaviness in my chest just refused to go away.

At one point, I found myself alone, staring blankly at a pinball machine. The flashing lights and clinking sounds faded into the background as I got lost in my thoughts. Was this really how I wanted to fit in? By bullying and intimidating others?

"You seem to be in deep thought. Something bothering you?" Radley's voice broke through my thoughts. I turned to see him standing there, concern etched on his face. "I've been looking all over for you."

"Radley? What are you doing here?" I asked, surprised to see him, and looked around to see if Zack and the others are looking our way.

"I followed you," he admitted. "I was worried. And it looks like I had a reason to be."

I just shook my head and returned my gaze back to the machine, finally pulling on the lever. “If you’re here because of the project, I promise you I’m not gonna ditch you.”

“Ooh, but you already did.”

I shot Radley a look, pulling on the lever once more and watching as the ball flew across the board.

He chuckled. “If you wanna ditch these guys, I know a supply store that’s still open at this hour. We can still grab supplies on the way and maybe start the project.”

My gaze flew to Zack and his friends who were goofing around, bullying any kid who would be stupid enough to wander their way. I thought about his offer for a second.

These guys don’t give a flying f**k where I’m at. Apart from probably hearing all the rumors about me, I don’t know why they even befriended me to begin with. If they’re trying to look for someone that has a reputation that’s dangerous enough other schools will start fearing them, they’ve gone for the wrong person. I mean, between Radley and I, it would’ve been more believable if they had opted for him instead.

But maybe it was Radley who rejected them or something.

“So, what do you say, princess?”

I turned to Radley with a disgusted look. “What the f**k did you just call me?”

He laughed. “Relax. I was just teasing you.” He tilted his head to the side. “So, what do you say? Do you wanna come with me or stay here and stare at this pinball machine all night? It’s your call.”

“Well, you didn’t really give me such good choices.” I flashed him a quick smile and started heading for the door. “Where’s this supply store you were talking about?”

Radley and I left the arcade, the noise of laughter and electronic beeps fading as the cold night air greeted us. It felt refreshing, a stark contrast to the stuffy atmosphere inside. Radley led me across the street to the sidewalk opposite the pizza parlor where he said his motorcycle was parked. Both my eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"You own a motorcycle?" I asked, unable to hide my astonishment.

He chuckled, clearly pleased with my reaction. "Are you impressed?"

I studied the motorcycle, taking in its sleek, almost brand-new appearance. "You just got it today?"

"Nope. I got this last year. I take pretty good care of it, don't I?" he replied, a hint of pride in his voice.

He grabbed a full-faced helmet and placed it on my head, adjusting the straps and locking it in for me. I was too busy admiring his motorcycle to notice how close he was, and when I finally looked up at him, I nearly stumbled back, startled by the intensity of his gaze. He laughed it off and closed the visor on my helmet.

"Get on," he said, starting the engine. The motorcycle roared to life, a powerful, throaty sound that reverberated through the cool night air.

I hesitated, my mind racing with a mix of excitement and apprehension. But when I saw Zack and the others spilling out of the arcade, their loud voices carrying across the street as they looked for me, I made a snap decision. I jumped onto the back of the motorcycle and wrapped my arms around Radley.

"Go!" I urged, my heart pounding in my chest.

Radley didn't need to be told twice. He revved the engine and we took off, the wind whipping past us as we sped down the street. I didn’t know what had gotten into me but as soon as we passed Zack and his friends and they followed us with a look, I waved at them and laughed as though mocking them.

Maybe I really was going crazy. Maybe all of that bullying and psychological warfare going on for the past three years of my life finally got to me and I had now just lost my marbles.

Am I crazy? I’m gonna see those punks again tomorrow. I’m dead.