Chapter 2: Welcome Back

The Starbucks was crowded, as usual, talking as they sipped on their drinks, both hot and cold. But of all of them, a single head stuck out as he was alone.

August Crawford sighed as he leaned against his palm as his elbow touched the table he was on, he stared at his essay with a slight distaste and bored look. He was supposed to finish this in the next week and then hand it in. But this was the first assignment of the class he was in, what cruel god would do.

He scrolled up and down the essay correcting things he saw as he read what he had written already. His mind was halfway from melting at this point from the amount of work he was putting himself to these past couple weeks. But it'll pay off, at least he hoped it would.

He took a sip from his frappuccino, his favourite custom, a chocolate chip explosion with a strawberry top. It calmed him down as it was a drink his mom made for him; he was glad he knew the worker's here; it also kind of helped that his girlfriend worked here as well.

"How's it going, hun?" Speaking of the devil, August turned to see a well endowed, beautiful Asian girl standing behind him with a bag over her shoulders.

Her straight black hair reached the bottom of her back, as it showed her white dress shirt tucked in with some black pants and a silver belt. Her shoes were black and white sneakers as she held a red hoodie in her arms. Her skin was smooth as some minor makeup was seen on her eyes and mouth as she smiled with her sparkling green eyes.

This is Naomi Smith, the top of her class and August's girlfriend. Two years strong.

"Could be better, but you know classes, can't escape them no matter how hard you try," August said as Naomi giggled slightly.

"I just got off work; you want to pack up while I talk to my manager about my next week's shifts?" Naomi asked as August nodded as he stood up.

"Great be back in a sec, hun" Naomi kissed his cheek, causing August to have a goofy grin on his face for a second as he shook his head and nodded.

Naomi smiled as she walked to the back. The dual eye man smirked at her leaving form before he went about his business. Closing his laptop and putting everything into his satchel, he couldn't wait to get home. He was working three hours on an essay with three drink refills of pure chocolate. He was in a weird state of half awake half asleep.

He fixed his satchels wrap over his head and on his right shoudler as it rests on his left butt. He walked to the door, stepping out and leaning next to it, he pulled his phone out to see a missed call from two people. Keshawn and an unknown number he didn't recognize, the area code wasn't even his. His curiosity got the better of him as he clicked it and put it to his ear.

He listened to the ringing, sighing as he waits for something. He soon heard the similar click of a pickup, and he turned his head in interest.

"Hello?" He asked into the phone.

"Uh, Hello, is this August Crawford?" The voice was a female, somewhat timid as it seemed.

"Yes? May I ask who this is?" He asked.

"Oh, sorry, I was just calling to let you know I was back in town," The girl said as he raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry? I don't think I know anyone out of town currently," August said as he saw Naomi walk out with a smile as he smiled back.

"Oh, I thought you would recognize my voice," The woman said as August shook his head as he motioned to Naomi as he pointed to the phone and then made circles around his temple. Naomi held her mouth as his chest rose and fell in a giggle.

"Look, I don't know who you are, lady. I think you have the wrong August Crawford," August said as the girl went silent for a while. August took the phone away to see if he was still on talk.

"Hello?" He asked as he put the phone to his ear again.

"Sorry," was all the woman said before she hung up. August looked at the phone weirdly.

"Everything okay?" Naomi asked as she grabbed his free hand with both of hers.

"Yeah, sorry. Weird caller," He said as Naomi nodded.

"Well, Let's get going" She smiled as August nodded as he walked along with her, hand in hand.

"So, you ready for the session tomorrow?" Naomi asked as August nodded.

"Hell yeah, my paladin is ready to go," He said with pride as Naomi giggled.

"Yeah, I promise I won't die as much as the last session," She said as August rolled his eyes.

"No need to apologize, you're still new. You've only been playing Outcast Online for six months. No one in the party expects perfection from a noob," He said as Naomi smiled and nodded.

They both walked in silence for a bit, enjoying each other's company for at least five minutes before Naomi's phone went off.

"Who could that be?" Naomi asked as she pulled it out to see their friend Keshawn's name on her phone. She looked at August as he raised his shoulders, not knowing what the call was about.

"Hello?" She asked as she picked up the call.

"Hey there! Sorry if I'm bothering you, but have you seen August? I've been trying to reach him," Keshawn said as Naomi looked in August before going back to the phone.

"Yeah, he's right here. Give me a second," She said as she handed the phone to her boyfriend as he looked at her weird before he put the phone to his ear.

"Hello," He greeted.

"Where have you been, dude?" Keshawn asked.

"Sorry, I was at Naomi's Starbucks working on the essay I was assigned. I saw your call, but I got distracted," August explained.

"Could it be by an unknown number with a girl on the other end?" He asked.

"Uh, yeah. How did you know that?" August asked.

"Listen, both me and Nicole got the same call. A girl saying she was back in town, I didn't think much about it until Nicole told me she got the same call," Keshawn said as August put his hand to his chin.

"Who is that caller?" He asked as Keshawn audibly sighed.

"No idea, man, but whoever it is. They know us, and they know our numbers. Keep your guard up, man, knowing what we've been through at the end of high school. I think you and Naomi should stay with me in my apartment. Just to play it safe," Keshawn explained as August nodded.

"If you're sure man, me and Naomi will drop by our place and then head over in my truck," August said.

"Cool man, pick up Muhammed along the way as well. We need to make sure everyone is safe, Nicole is in the other room calling the police right now. I'm sorry to be this cautious man, but with the neighbourhood I live in and the enemies we've made. I just want to keep the group safe," Keshawn said as August nodded.

"I understand, I'll see you soon," August said.

"Stay safe brother" Keshawn said as he hung up.

"What was it?" Naomi asked as August handed the phone back to her.

"We are just being cautious, Keshawn and Nicole got the same call from an unknown girl. Keshawn thought it could be trouble" August explained as he grabbed her hand and started walking at a faster pace to their apartment.

"Could it be Clarissa?" Naomi asked as August looked at her.

"No, she still has five years in her sentence, the likely suspect would be Trey" August said as Naomi nodded.

August thought back as he thought of all the enemies he has made, Clarissa and Trey. Both were underground dealers when he got out of high school. He still remembered the night he laid Trey out. Thinking back on it, he often thought he could have solved it without the violence, but thinking of it now. There was no way.

"Where are we going?" Naomi asked. They were in an alleyway as August held her hand and practically ran.

August was eighteen at this time, his hair was rather long and his left eye was completely covered. He wore a simple get up of a white shirt and blue jeans and a black hoodie as well as a pair of runners with iron plates at the tip of them.

"We need to go," August asked.

"Why?! August you're scaring me" Naomi said as she started to pull back from his hand.

Naomi wasn't much different as well, her body was about the same but her hair was in a bun and she wore a simple blue gown that went to her knees and a white jacket as well.

"There's no time, we will explain when we get to Keshawns" August said as he was soon halted when Naomi stopped completely.

"No, Now" Naomi said stubbornly as August looked at her.

"We don't have time!" He yelled as he pulled on her hand.

"No, what is going on!?" Naomi yelled back as August grit his teeth.

"You are the most stubborn woman I've ever met!" He yelled before freezing when he saw multiple figures walk out from the alleyway.

"Damn" He said as he put Naomi behind him as he glared at the approaching people.

"Well well well, what's wrong crawford? Running out on us so soon" A singular voice said as it walked out to show Trey.

"Trey" August growled as Naomi looked over his shoulder.

"There's no need to make more trouble with this, just hand over the girl and we will be on our way" Trey smirked.

Trey stood a good foot under August but was muscular to a fault, one of those guys with veins in his skin. He wore a black no sleeve shirt and a pair of new jersey devils sweatpants. Trey's dark skin was proof enough he was of mexican heritage but what made it worse was his black tribal tattoo going across his eye. His bald head shining in the evening light.

"We both know that's not happening" August smirked as Trey sighed.

"I really like you August, I really do. I'd hate to rough up that pretty face my sister oh so loves" Trey smirked.

"And I think you're forgetting the last time we did this, when you tried to beat your sister in front of me" August growled as Trey then frowned.

"That bitch had it coming, anyway. I think it's time you hand the girl over. Her father owes us a great deal of money, but he has agreed to pay it off with her body" Trey said as he reached a hand out.

"He is not my father!" Naomi yelled as Trey laughed along with everyone he was with.

"Oh such love for the man who took you in" Trey said as he took a step forward.

"WAIT!" August yelled.

Trey halted and narrowed his eyes at August.

"You like making bet's correct?" August asked.

"You of all people should know that," Trey said as August nodded.

"Then how about a bet, right here, right now" August offered as Trey's eyes widened.

"What are we talking about here?" Trey asked.

"One on one, me versus you. If I win, Naomi walks with me, but if you win. Not only do you get Naomi, you get me" Everyone gasped as Naomi held his hand tighter.

"August" The dual eyed boy silenced the dark haired woman behind him as he winked at her.

"Tempting offer" Trey said as August nodded.

"The Julian family never backs down from a bet, now do they?" August asked as Trey went silent before full on laughing.

"Very well, one on one" Trey smirked as he snapped his fingers and all his people took a step back.

August nodded as he took his black hoodie off, grabbing a hair band from his pocket and put his hair into a short ponytail. Looking at Naomi he hands her the hoodie as she looks at him mildly concerned as she knew he was an amazing fighter but Trey was nothing to scoff at.

"Are you sure about this?" She asked as August smirked and winked. He turned as Trey had his arms crossed and was silently waiting.

"I'll finish this in one blow" Naomi looked at him in shock but nodded as she tightened her grip on the black sweater.

"Well?" Trey smirked as he got into a stance reminiscent of a slugger in boxing, he smirked as he watched as August got into a boxing stance of a swarmer. Smirking he and Trey both approached each other.

August came back to reality after remembering that night. He tightened his grip on Naomi's hand and looked back at her as she looked at him in concern.

"What is it hun?" She asks as August sighed as he looked forward.

"I feel like we have a brand new problem in New york for us" August said as he remembered a certain blonde girl from his past.

Naomi watched her boyfriends mind work, whenever he got like this he was thinking of the possible outcomes. She usually left him alone but this time, she needed to know.

"What are you thinking?" Naomi asked.

"I can't be sure, but a female voice back in New York calling myself Keshawn and Nicole. I can't help but think of one person from my past. Poppy Davis" He said as Naomi's eyes widened in shock.

"Are you sure?" She asked as August stopped and looked down.

"I can never be sure, but if it is… We have an interesting couple days ahead of us" August said as he looked at the asian girl and smiled.

"But we will get through, this will be nothing compared to what we've been through" He smirked as Naomi nodded smiling as they stopped at a bus stop with one thing going on in their heads, Poppy Davis.