II

Merlina's P.O.V

[next day]

"Hey mom I'm going to the police station, then after I'll go to like McDonald's if you want some." I said as I stuffed a twenty dollar bill into the pocket of my shorts.

"It's okay I'm fine, just be safe and come home quickly." She said.

" I will don't worry" I said whilst dramatically rolling my eyes.

"I love you!" She shouted as I made my way to the front of the house.

"I love you too!" I shouted back as I closed the front door.

As I took a step outside, I let a loud sigh escape my lips as I already knew it would take a lot of endurance and energy to get to my destination. Me and my mother share a car and live in a small, warn down house. We use to live in a huge mansion like building with a maid but after my father was murdered we were evicted from our home and forced to live in the depths of California.

Don't get me wrong California is beautiful but just not where I live. We live in the worn down neighborhood with stray pit bulls and high crime rate. But since the crime rate is high the journey to the police station shouldn't be too long, considering it's only a few blocks away.

I plug earphones into my ears as I attempt to drown out my pathetic life with music. I turn my phone on shuffle play allowing real friends by Kanye west to take over me.

"Lookin' for all my real friends

How many of us? How many of us are real friends

To real friends, 'til the reel end

'Til the wheels fall off, 'til the wheels don't spin

To 3 A.M., callin'

How many real friends?

Just to ask you a question

Just to see how you was feelin'

How many?" I hum to the music as I walk down the cracked gravel.

"For the last you was frontin'

I hate when a nigga text you like, 'what's up, fam, hope you good'

You say, 'I'm good' I'm great, the next text they ask you for somethin'

How many?

What's best for your family, immediate or extended

Any argument, the media'll extend it

I had a cousin that stole my laptop that I was fuckin' bitches on

Paid that nigga 250 thousand just to get it from him

Real friends

Huh?"

I take what Kanye says into serious consideration because everything that he said was the truth.

Not many of us have real friends that you'll ride with to the end, not me atleast. I have no friends, the only people I have ever considered a true friend are mass murderers and I'm currently on my way to snitch on them so I guess I'm not a real friend either.

My concentration broke as a black suv pulled up beside me.

I tried to keep a blank face and not turn around, acting as though I was too tuned into my music to notice them.

"Aye babygirl!" A low male voice shouted from the car.

The voice sounded familiar but I just dismissed it and kept walking forward, picking up my pace in the process.

The horn of the car was honked causing me to jump in surprise. Them now knowing I could hear them forced me to look.

"Damn Merlina!" The very familiar boy spoke.

"How do you know my name?" I asked as I turned around and continued walking trying not to let them know that I was nervous inside.

"It's me. Dylan" He spoke as his car drove at the same pace as me.

fear, shock and excitement rushed through me.

"Girl you look sexy." He joked goofily.

How the fuck can someone so funny and attractive be a killer? I have no idea.

"U-um thanks." I stuttered as I fumbled with my words.

"Where are you off to? Do you need a ride?" He asked sweetly causing guilt to wash over me.

"No thanks." I murmured.

"Why where are you going?" He asked a bit more impatiently.

"T-to the police station" I timidly spoke, deciding on telling the honest truth.

"For what?" He asked in a harsher tone.

I stayed silent, the police station is just up the hill I can see it in plain sight right now.

"Merlina!" He yelled in a deep raspy voice, sending red flags everywhere.

My hands started shaking as I attempted to run past his car and sprint to the direction of the headquarters. But before I could even take 3 steps his driver pulled the car infront of me, preventing me from moving forward.

Before I knew it I found myself drowning in Dylan's presence. He towered over me as he pushed my frail body against the ragged gate along the sidewalk.

"Were you really about to name me." He asked with dark cold eyes as he pulled my bottom lip down with his thumb.

I moved my head from his grasp only to have him grab my chin tightly forcing me to make eye contact.

"Get in the goddamn truck." He demanded as he opened the door and pushed my body into it.

"I have to get back to my mom!" I panicked as I struggled to get out of his grasp.

"You mean the mom with two bullets in her head?" He asked as he laughed a very sour and bitter laugh.

Tears filled my eyes as I tried to process what he was saying.

He killed my mom.