Prologue Shayleigh Hunter's breath was hot in my ear, "I love you Sha." He called me my pet name then grazes my cheek with his lips. I smile softly and kiss his own cheek before standing up. "Love you too babe," I say finger combing my hair and straightening out my tank top. Hunter's large hands cup my face gently. In the dying light I watch his sea eyes flit across my features. I have to do it now, I think. My mouth opens,"Hunter?" I ask gently. He nods and I continue. "We are though. It's not you it's me." I say flatly. The truth hurts. After a full minute his hand withdraws from my face. His gaunt, yet sweet, face looks away to the horizon. A salty tear is sliding down his cheek. I do one last thing. My arms wrap around his thin waist quickly and then I am gone. Hunter Sha is gone. Forever. I can't get it out of my head as I watch the tiny girl speed down a gravel road on a motorcycle. The one she fixed herself and drives underage. I lean my head back so the tears don't blotch my face. I'm a man. I don't cry even over this. "Sup my brah?" A voice rings out of my bushes. I jump at least a foot, I didn't even notice Fluffy walk up. Fluffy isn't his real name, Micheal is, but it suits him. He's slightly shorter than me with an olive complexion, clear skin, and is fat. A fat, shiny marble. "Sha dumped me," I mutter dragging my feet through the dirt.
Chapter one: Two weeks later Shay I'm on the phone with Quincy. "It's been two weeks! When are you coming back to the gang," he whines. I can picture him stamping his foot in a thick soled heel. "Fine! Pick me up in fifteen minutes." "YAY! Maw! I missed my bestie." I flip my phone shut with a loud I love you bishhhhy! I quickly unsnarl my curls and brush my teeth. I'm pulling on boots over my neon fishnets when my phone vibrates. I check the number. Unknown, the word flashes on the screen. Being me I answer. "Hel-," I start to say when I'm cut off. "Shut up and listen babe. We have Hunter. Come find us and we will give him back. Look in the Neon Llama for more details."
The voice is gone and is replaced with a dial tone. "What the fuck?" I yell at my wall. I hear footsteps on the stairs. "Shayleigh Patricia Gapa! You. Do. Not. Use. That. Language," my mother screeches at me a wisk in her fist. With each word and wave of fury my room gets covered in mashed potatoes. "Yes ma'am," I whisper without a bit of sarcasm. She stares me down for a moment then turns to leave, leaving my door hanging open. It tempting to slam it. I sit down on my shag rug and text Quincy <Bak alley...>. I get up quietly, lock my door, turn the fan on in the bathroom, run the tap for a minute, and turn my radio on. Hunter I wake up, my vision blurry and one eye covered by a bandage. I try to turn my head to see out of my other eye. Pain shoots to my skull and I groan. More pain. There's shuffling and a face encased in grey burlap looks at me. "The Polish boy is awake!" He shouts rapidly in German. Which, for some reason, I understand.
I open my cracked lips to speak, "Who the hell are you?" I address the grey face in front of me, surprisingly in German. "ScarFace," the voice answers dryly. I rack my brains for the name. It sounds evil, familiar. The news! He was on FOX8 or something. The dread sets in. I'm kidnapped, in the back of what Sha would call a rapist van. Oh! And I really have to pee. "I need to piss," I mutter to ScarFace. A hand gestures to a bucket with a lid. "You're joking right?"