Page 64 of Heartless Legacy

There’s no hesitation in my voice when I say, “Cheese fries.”

He points to a small opening on his left. “Stand here.” Giving him a quizzical look, I comply with his request. From my position, I can see the door to the kitchen is propped open. I watch as he drops some fries into the fryer and starts preparing a grilled chicken patty with pepper jack cheese. He slices a tomato and adds a piece of lettuce, then places it all on a bun that I watch him pull from the oven, before he grabs a handful of pre-packaged condiments.

When he hands me the tray, I say, “I didn’t ask for a chicken patty.”

“You need the protein. Do you want bottled water?”

I shake my head. I feel safe enough to drink from the soda fountain. Nobody else seems to be having an adverse reaction to it. If I’m gonna be drugged or poisoned, it’ll be on the food line.

I thank G for my food and head to my table, stopping halfway to look over my shoulder, and find him watching me. I make it to my table and settle my food in front of me. Before taking a bite, Iturn to look at him again. This time, he’s no longer watching me, his attention on the next student in line.

Chapter 40

Thea

Islide my backpack to the side, and my hand brushes the knife in my pocket as a shadow passes over me, blocking out the sun. “Tink.”

“Saint.” I don’t even pretend to muster up any enthusiasm over seeing him. Saint’s very good at spotting someone trying to bullshit him.

“Interesting place you picked for people watching.” He says as he sits beside me.

“It reminds me of the high rise.”

“I can see that.” Leaning back on his elbows, he asks, “Are you here for the same reason you used to go to the high rise?”

I swing my gaze towards him. “Are you asking if I came here for sentimental reasons?”

“Would that be so bad?”

I bark out a humorless laugh, shocked that he, of all people, would ask me that. “Sentiment doesn’t have any place in my life. It never did. You taught me that.”

“I taught you a lot of things, Tink. Most you never listened to.”

“I listened to the important things.”

After a beat of silence he says, “So if you’re not up here because you miss the gritty life of Nags Creek, what wild hair crawled up your ass to maketodaythe day you trespass in Skulls territory?”

I’m trying to escape my present. I expected to feel like I’d accomplished something after the tribunal ruling. They gave me the outcome I wanted, but instead of relief, I feel numbness and regret for even starting along this path. There’s a heaviness on my shoulders from the weight of their decision and what that means for me. I jerk my chin. “Down there are all these responsibilities and expectations. Up here…”

“You always said the higher up you went, the better your sense of perspective. But I have to ask again, why are you in Skullz territory looking for clarity?”

I answer honestly. “Because this is what I know, Saint. This is where I feel most like myself. This life, dodging the Inferno Skullz, avoiding giving allegiance to anyone but myself, it’s in my bones.”

“Allegiance isn’t a bad word, Tink, and yours has never been just to yourself. You might not have joined up with any of the gangs in Nags Creek, but you always had a code you lived by, and loyalty to people you trusted. You didn’t care what anyone else thought or expected from you. It’s infuriating as fuck, but that’s who you are at your core.”

“I don’t think I’m that girl anymore. This place has made me someone different.”

He stands and tosses a rock off the roof. “Is it making you different, or are you choosing to be different as a survival mechanism?”

I give him a look that I’m sure shows just how fucking dumbfounded I feel. Saint getting philosophical on me, isn’t on my motorcycle club bingo card this month. He continues, “We all have to adapt to our environment. Survival is all you know.”

“You make it sound like I’m wishy-washy, flitting from one decision to the next with no purpose or truth.”

“I don’t see choosing survival as a weakness. Your ability to adapt and survive is one of the first things I noticed about you. You’ve been through a lot of shit, Tink. I’d be disappointed as hell if you didn’t turn everything you’ve done, learned, or endured into an asset.” He gestures toward the ground. “And if this isn’t a place where you’re growing, or moving towards that better life you always talked about, then walk away. I’d hate to see the secrets this town cloaks itself with, devour you like it’s doing everyone else. ”

I consider his words. Ithasbeen a lifetime of shit, and until now, I’ve used everything to my advantage. But since coming to Canyon Falls, I’m always on defense. Reactive. Letting the bullshit slowly chip away at me and define me. I’m angry at everyone and everything. All the rage I’ve built up over the years, the pain I’ve endured. I just bury those emotions over and over again so no one will think I’m weak or easy to take advantage of. I had to craft that shell, that persona to survive in Nags Creek. To keep myself out of Saint’s world.

I’ve never been a follower. Have never submitted to anyone’s rules. I’ve always made my own rules and demanded respect for it. The gangs didn’t like it, and they kept trying to get me to cave, but I forced them to deal with it. Even knowing my behavior wasn’t making any friends.

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