3 Melissa

I am trying to quietly sneak back into the house, but knowing my parents, the alarm system goes off. I groan, "Goddammit." I curse. I stand in the living room as my parents rush down the stairs. Before they can see me I quickly take off my jacket and tie it around my waist, that way they don't see the symbol. When they see me they just stand there confused. "Um... hi." I say.

My dad glares at me. "Where on Earth have you been?" he ask me.

I shrug, "In the city." I answer. My dad just keeps glaring. I sigh, "Fine, I was out but I won't tell you where." I tell him. I walk past them and go to my room. I really don't want to deal with their shit right now.

I lock my door and flop down on my bed. It is only ten thirty at night, I would usually get back later than this. I look over at my nightstand and see something I haven't touched in years. It's a necklace. It's a heart locket with initials carved on the inside. They are my initials and two others that look exactly like mine, M.C.. Dad gave it to me and my siblings on our third birthday. We each had one. But after what happened when I was six, I never wore it again. Mainly because it was a gift from my dad, and because I had no other reason to wear it. The people that made it mean something and made it special, are gone and they're not coming back.

I change and go to the bathroom, I brush my teeth and remove my piercings. I go back to my room and take off my glasses, I place them on the nightstand. I slip into bed knowing that tomorrow is Saturday. I won't have to worry about anything. I'll just leave early and go to the mansion. I won't have to worry about my parents. Sleep gets the best of me and before I know it, everything goes dark.

I'm in the backyard. I notice an old oak tree that was there when I was younger, when I was thirteen mom had it cut down. So I must be dreaming, and I need to wake up. I know when I am, and I don't want to be here. But then a little voice starts to count.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven," It's me.

My hair is only at my shoulders and it doesn't have the red streak. My skin is a healthy tan, and I seem happy. Her eyes aren't clouded in misery like mine. She doesn't have any piercings except for the earrings her mom gave her. "Ready or not, here I come!" the younger me yells out. I try to grab her to stop her but my hand goes right through her. I decide to follow her and relive the pain.

She has searched the entire backyard and the house, I keep telling her to give up, but she doesn't listen. "Melanie! Melardo! Where are you?"

I can feel the tears welling up. I know what is going to happen next. There is the yelling of little kids from outside. She runs out of the house to see what it is, I just fall to my knees and cry. I don't want to see it again. But when I look up I'm in the driveway again. And I see it happen all over again. My brother and my sister being stuffed into the back seats of a car by my parents. They were yelling and kicking and fussing. They didn't want to go. The younger me tried to help them, but dad just shoved her to the ground. That's how I got a long scar down my elbow.

Once they were both in the car, mom and dad drove away. The last time I saw them was them banging against the back window, screaming, "Melissa help us!"

But I never could. Younger me falls on her knees and cries. She looks at the necklace she has around her neck, and she rips it off. She runs back inside and goes to her room. I follow her. Everything in the room reminds me of my brother and sister.

We were born as triplets, me being the oldest. Then it was Melardo, then it was Melanie. On the wall near the door is a portrait of us and our parents, the 'perfect' description of a 'perfect family'. The younger me started to throw things at it. Then she threw a pair of scissors and they cut through the photo. Her face then goes stone with determination. She grabs the baseball bat that her brother had laying around. Then she started to use it to knock the portrait down. When it falls down she takes the scissors and proceeds to tear the portrait to shreds.

I just watch with a smile knowing damn well why I did that. I didn't want to remember, I don't want to remember the pain. For years I tried to forget, but how can one forget a part of them. I'm a third of a soul, my brother and sister are the other parts. Without them I'm nothing. With them I was happy, but with them gone I'm miserable.

I just sit here, looking at the girl I once was. I see what actually made me the way I am. It's the person I will never be again. The little girl that was happy, the little girl that had a family, or the little girl who knew she had her whole self. She just sat there, knowing that when her parents got home, they were going to pay the price.

I'm standing in the driveway, the younger me is still in her room. I just want to see what happened that I couldn't see last time. Mom and dad come out of the car and make their way inside the house. Mom is where I get my hair color from, it's dad that gave me my eye color and skin tone, well atleast when I was younger.

I go to see the younger me in her room. She is holding her brother's bat close. When her parents enter the room the first thing they see is the broken portrait. The younger me is standing over it with the bat in her hands, and a wicked smile on her face.

She tilts her head to the side and says, "What did you do to them?" she asked with a wide grin.

Mom and dad look at her weirdly before answering, "They are gone. They were not as perfect as you. You are more valuable." They said and then they leave her.

She doesn't know what to do. She walks to the door and closes it. Then she turns and faces me, and smiles. "Don't worry, they'll be back, we both know it." Now I remember, when I was little I thought someone was always watching me. Now I know why, I knew I would relive it like this again. I nod, "I know, I'll make sure of it." I tell her. She smiles and holds the bat out to me, "You'll need it, trust me."

I frown as I look at the bat, I know I have it in my room somewhere I just don't know where. I grab the bat and everything flashes before my eyes. Pranks we did when we were younger, my family before the big fight happened. Everything that made me happy, now gone.

I wake up in a cold sweat, my breathing is heavy and it feels like the world is crushing me, like I'm suffocating. I look around the room, it's still really dark. I get out of bed and go to get my phone. It's four in the morning. I sigh, knowing I won't be going back to sleep. I go to my closet and change into a red shirt and black ripped jeans.

I get my combat boots and put them on. I grab my phone and my bag. I take my jacket from behind the door and leave. Before I go downstairs, I take a left turn and walk all the way down the hall. I stop at a grey door with three M's painted on it in black.

I reach for the door knob but I stop myself. I don't want to remember, but the past made me who I am now. Without the pain from all those years, I wouldn't be the person I am today. I quickly turn the doorknob and step into the room. Everything is where I last left it. The beds are still next to the wall, the walls are still painted a soft yellow, and the closet is closed.

I walk to the closet and open it. Inside are some things I haven't seen in a while. Old dresses me and Melanie would wear when we wanted to confuse our parents, we were identical to the last hair. Some of Melardo's old baseball stuff is still here. His old bag is still here. I take it and look through it, at the bottom of the bag is his baseball bat. I take it out and give it a closer look.

The handle is wrapped in black leather. The metal is barely worn out and is still in pretty good shape. I smile, I remember that he wanted to be in little league, so he practiced whenever he could. He would make me or Melanie throw the ball at him and see if he could hit it. That's what we always played when we had the chance.

As I head for the garage I put the bat in my bag. I grab my helmet, I don't like to wear it. I have to unless I want people to see who I am. I always wear my jacket when riding my bike. So if anyone sees my face, my parents will know. Then I am as good as dead.

I go to the basement level of the mansion with my brother's bat. The basement level is where one can practice with whatever weapon they want. Some people will use guns, others knives, and some pipes of metal. I always used a bat, but it was a wooden one with nails in it. Causes more harm.

"Hey, Jake! Set me up a smash course, metal bat this time." I shout across the room.

Jake is a good friend of mine. He joined the gang a few years after me. His parents are in the gang too. We have a system here. If your parents are part of the gang then you can choose if you want to be as well. If you don't then you can still stay with us. The gang will help you get into a good college and you can get a good education. That's what Hunter did.

"Okay, so why do you want to do this again?" he asks me when he finishes setting up the course. I smile and take out the bat.

He backs away, "I am severely worried, am I going to die?" he asks.

I shake my head, "Sadly no." I tell him. His eyes widen. I laugh, "Sorry man, i'm just a bit tired. You guys know i'm like this if I haven't had enough sleep." I tell him he nods.

I look down at the bat, "This was my brothers. I found it when looking through our old room. I never really practiced with a metal bat so I thought 'might as well.'"

"Well I can tell you are mad at someone, no one will be waking up in the mansion soon so go crazy. I have to go help my mom with something." Jake waves, turns around, and goes up the stairs.

I turn around and look at the course he made. I would usually have a few things that easily break with nails but not this time. It's old vases and a few windows today. I grab a vase, take a step back and throw it in the air. I wait a few seconds before I see it heading back down to me and take a swing. Ceramic flies everywhere.

I laugh, "Oh hell yeah! I needed that!" I yell out.

I keep doing the same thing over and over again. Soon I move on to the windows. After a while I am breathing heavily and am laying on the floor, broken glass and ceramic surrounding me. I take out my phone and check the time, ten thirty. How long have I been here? I remember that I have to go to my cousin's birthday party today.

I grab my stuff and hurry up the stairs. I run through the living room as I put the bat away. I rush out through the yard, nearly missing some people. I go to my bike and get on. I drive away, I show my tattoo at the exit and soon I'm heading downtown. After at least half an hour of driving, I am finally at my cousin's house.

Adam is my three year old cousin. His dad is my mom's brother. So we are related on my mom's side. Most of the relatives that live in Georgia are on my mom's side of the family. The others in Mexico are from my dad's side, or they live in a different state. My family is also complicated, I can not tell who I am related to.

I am here early because I promised my uncle I would help him and my aunt decorate for the party. I park in their driveway and hop off my bike. I take off my jacket and change into a black hoodie. I run up the driveway and knock on the door. I wait for a while before my aunt answers.

"Oh, Melissa! You made it!" my aunt says. She brings me in for a hug, this woman is strong. My aunt is a petite woman with dark black hair and bright green eyes. She and my uncle have been married for four years. They didn't have Adam until three years ago.

"Come in, mija. We are going to need a lot of your help. Are you parents coming?" my aunt asks as soon as i'm in the house.

I shake my head, "I don't know. You know that ever since they founded the company, they don't really have time for the rest of us."

My aunt frowns. She and my mom used to get along. My mom was the sister she never had, but with my mom taking care of the company with my dad, my aunt has been a bit lonely. The rest of us are still here though, and that's what matters.

"Hey tia, where's tio?" I ask. I follow her into the kitchen to see that she has a lot of balloons and streamers around the place.

"He is at work." My aunt explains. I nod and make my way to the pile of balloons. "Entonces, what's that plan for all of this?" I ask, picking up a balloon.

My aunt makes her way over. "We just have to put the balloons in a pattern. Preferably an elephant."

I let out a giggle. "¿Que? He still likes elephants?" I ask.

I remember that when Adam was born they gave him a stuffed elephant. He has not let it go since.

My aunt laughs, "Si. Even if I take his toy away to wash it, he will cry. Now let's get this done before the rest of the family gets here."

I nod and start to get the balloons. I start to tape them to the wall to make the pattern. After a few minutes, the baby monitor my aunt has in the kitchen started to make some noise.

My aunt sighs, "Adivina quien se despertó. I'll go get him." she says.

I smile. Once Adam wakes up, there is no going back to sleep for him. As I put on the last balloon I hear a little laugh.

I turn around and smile. "iHola Adam! There's that cute birthday boy." I walk over and take Adam from my aunt.

He starts to laugh as I blow on his cheek. His laugh is the most adorable thing. His hair is long and wispy. His eyes are a very light brown. He has a few teeth coming in and he has a lot of baby fat in his arms and legs. He can sort of walk, but when it comes to running he will be a blur.

He keeps on patting my arm where my tattoo is. I look over at my aunt, "Can I tia?" I ask.

She nods and takes Adam away from me. I take off my hoodie and my aunt puts Adam in front of me. I kneel down to his height and extend out my arm. He reaches for my tattoo and laughs. The only three people that know about me being in a gang are my aunt, my uncle, and Adam. Adam likes my tattoo because of the colors. I smile as he traces his fingers over the dragon. The doorbell rings.

I quickly stand up and put my hoodie on. I can't risk anymore of the family finding out. Aunt Mary goes to get the door, while I hold Adam.

When she opens the door I can hear her sighing in relief. "Oh it's just you."

My aunt walks back into the kitchen and with my uncle Alejandro behind her. My uncle is pretty tall, at least six feet. He has black hair and bright brown eyes.

"Hola mija! Sabia que ibas a venir." My uncle says. He gives me a tight hug, before realizing that I'm holding Adam. He quickly pulls away.

"Lo siento," he bends down to see Adam. "Happy birthday mi rey." he says as she takes Adam in his arms. I smile, I just wish my parents still cared.

"Melissa we still have to finish decorating, the rest of the family will be here soon." my aunt says.

I nod and help her finish decorating the house. After an hour the rest of the family arrives.

"I should really leave tia. The family does not want to see me." I say as I gather my stuff.

"No mija. The familia has not seen you for years. Just one day." I consider it. Ever since what happened when I was six, I distanced myself from the family. I was just afraid that they had something to do with it, and I still am.

I sigh, "Okay, i'll stay. But only for a while. I have other things to do still." I tell her.

"I remember a time, when you were thirteen your dad chased you around your house because he found something in your room. What did he find?" my cousin ask me. My cousin Liliana is my mom's sister's niece's daughter. Oh trust me, it gets more complicated than this.

"He found some weed in my room, it was under my bed. He chased me and I ran out the house. I really didn't care back then, I was too high to care. It was gone when I came back, but I managed to get my hands on some more later on." I explain.

One thing I am really ashamed of is that I used to smoke weed. I still smoke, but only when i'm stressed. Drugs were banned in the gang when I was fourteen. That was one of the reasons Adora was kicked out.

"How the heck did you even get a hold of weed? You were thirteen!" she yells at me. I shrug and lean against the table.

"I had my ways. And I still do." I say.

Lilliana just looks at me, "¿Niña, que has estado haciendo?"

I only smile. "Be glad I wasn't addicted like other people I know. I only smoked when I felt like it, or when I was stressed which was almost always, but I stopped." Lilliana gives me a nasty look.

"Okay, come on. We are going outside and you are going to prove it." Lilliana grabs me by the arm and drags me outside to the back yard.

"Do you have some on you now?" she ask. I sigh and look around making sure no one is around.

"I told you I don't have any more weed, I gave that up. But I do have normal cigs." I reach into my hoodie pocket and take out a lighter and a box of cigarettes. I take out a cigarette and light it. "Don't make me regret this." I tell her. I put the cigarette to my lips and inhale a good bit, before puffing it out.

"How old were you when you learned to do this?" Lilliana ask me.

"About eleven or twelve. Why?" I take another drag.

"You were that young? What are you doing with your life?"

I chuckle, "I'm just living life the way I want. I'm not following my parents' rules."

"But still, you threw your life away. Try to earn it back."

I shake my head, I take in another drag. "Nah, best to see where this road takes me."

"I'm going back in. I don't want to smell like smoke when around Adam. I think you should put that out." Lilliana goes back inside and leaves me outside.

I sigh, "Typical of her."

I take one final drag before throwing the cigarette on the ground and stomping it out. I breathe in a bit to let the smoke out of my system. I go back in, and surely enough I smell like smoke. I brush it off and continue to stay with the family.

Everything goes quiet when a familiar voice speaks out, "¿A donde esta mi sobrino? Que lo quiero ver." It's my parents.

I'm standing in the corner. I really don't want to talk to my parents. Whenever we go out to parties with the family they try to convince me to take over the company when I'm older. They know I can't really say much against it in front of the family, so that's when they do it. I have avoided them asking me this for a long time now. I would rather die than take over the company.

I walk up to my aunt Mary, "Tia, I have to go now. I have some things to do so I really need to go." I tell her. She nods and hugs me goodbye. I turn to leave but someone stops me.

"Melissa, mija. Where are you going?" my mom ask. I push her out of the way and quickly make my way to the door. I really don't want to talk to my parents. I'm not falling for their tricks again.

"No if we do that, they won't give us the signature. There is no other way." The queen says. I was called into a meeting for the royal family, and we have to decide how to pay the gang's debt.

"Well what else can we do?" I ask. "There are not that many powerful people in this city. That just leaves my parents. We need their signatures then the debt is paid." I explain.

Killie nods, "That sounds like a good plan, but will your parents sign?" she ask me.

I shake my head, "We'll have to trick them." I say.

"Alright, everyone dismissed." the queen says.

"Is that your third one?" Luke ask me.

I have been smoking a few cigarettes because I have been really stressed. Before I joined the gang, Ernesto was once arrested. They charged him for several crimes, but he was able to get out. So he and the judges made a deal. If by 2020 he could have four signatures of powerful people in the city, they wouldn't press charges against the gang. Ever since he died, we have all had to make sure we get the signatures. We only have a year left, and we only need two more. We are just missing my parent's signature. We have to trick them to get them.

"Yup, I might just finish a whole pack at this rate. I just don't know. I might have to trick my parents big time to get them to sign." I sigh. I toss my cigarette bud on the floor and stomp it out. "I'll go talk to Killie about this. Then the queen." I tell him. I wave as I turn back into the mansion. I run up the steps to Killie's room, I knock.

"Come in." I hear. I open the door and step in.

"Hey, Killie. Can I ask you something?" I ask her. She nods.

"Will you allow me to lie to my parents? I know it might not be the best idea. But I know a way to make them."

"And what is that, my child?"

"They are hosting a party in November. I am pretty sure my dad's guards are not available to help keep things going. My dad calls me to see if I know anyone that can help, whenever something like this happens. I can maybe convince him to allow the gang to be the guards. I will lie about who they are. I know if they do a good job he will sign the documents, I promise."

"Alright, if you believe that this is the best way."

I smile, "Thank you!"

I turn and run out. I run to my room that I have in the mansion. I pull out my phone and call an old friend. "Hey, Hunter. How soon can you get back to the gang?"