Chapter Three

Joey was sitting in their room. Why did they say that? They gave a hefty sigh as they heard a familiar knock on their window. They looked up and saw it was Levi sitting on the tree outside of their window. They walked over to it with a tired expression on their face.

“Not now.” They mouthed through the window. Levi raised his eyebrows.

“What’s wrong?” He mouthed back. Joey rolled their eyes.

“Not now.” Joey could see him scoff through the window as he simply pulled a hair clip out his purple-dyed hair and picked the lock from the outside and opened Joey’s window. “How did you do that?!” Joey screamed.

“Don’t worry about it. Now, what’s the matter?” Levi said as the moonlight illuminated his ebony skin in a way that Joey did not need right now.

“I- I kinda told my dad about these thoughts...I’ve been having.”

“Oh, Joey. It’s perfectly fine that you think of committing murder.” Joey looked at their best friend with their eyebrows raised and a word caught in their throat.

“That’s not- I don’t know what’s going on with me, but I’m pretty sure I’m not a...guy.” Levi’s face immediately turned into something that Joey didn’t recognize. Understanding.

“Oh! Well, I thought the secret would be something I could lord over you. That’s nothing to write home about, Jojo. Now, come on. We have to meet Sophia next to Rikar’s exit in the next thirty minutes.” Levi said as he moved back to the window.

“I don’t know if I should go now. With everything going on-”

“Joey, never stay in a place that makes you uncomfortable. Don’t think I didn’t notice those new legs, maybe we should go for a run.” Levi said as he climbed onto the tree and held out his hand. Joey examined his gloved hand. They never knew why he wore one white glove and kept his other brown-skinned hand uncovered. Maybe it was to give his aura of mystery and danger a boost. It kind of described him perfectly. He shows you one side of himself, and hides the other side. Were there scars there? Was it a hand he was insecure of? Or did he hide it just to make you ask those questions? You never know.

The gloved hand may be the least interesting part of him, but to Joey it was. And, they liked that about him. They could never see all that he brought to the table. Always a mystery, and that’s what they loved about him.

In a moment of carelessness, Joey took his hand. Not knowing that was the beginning of the end of their life as they knew it.

They went to the town gate, and Joey gagged as the pearly white gates glistened in the spotlights that were on the ground. They hated how the rich people that lived in Rikar viewed their homes as Heaven. The people on the other side of the gate thought it was, but they knew the truth. If their life was any evidence, the people inside of Rikar were just as dirty and filthy as the people on the outside of their gated city. They just had money and makeup to cover it up.

Joey felt their cheek and it still burned. Levi brought his hand to their cheek and finally noticed the red mark on their cheek.

“What happened? Did he hit you after you told him-”

“No it was before, and I don’t think he really meant it.” Joey said as they heard the gates of Rikar open and saw a female figure standing on the other side.

“Well look at you two.” She snickered. “How’s it going Jojo?”

“My day could be better, Sophie. What’s up with you?” Joey said nervously as their eyes landed upon Sophia’s more...desirable features. Her snow white complexion made her soft brown eyes pop out. She wore a black crop top tee with a picture of a shark with sunglasses with a black crop top leather jacket. Her stomach  glistened in the spotlights and her black jeans only drew more attention to her stomach. Oh and her wide hips-

“Jojo, are you okay?” Levi asked. “You’re drooling.” Joey wiped his mouth and blushed a deep shade of crimson.

“Alright, kids, let me set our goal.” Sophia said as she threw a square device on the ground. The device vibrated for a second before displaying a holographic map in front of everyone. “The bunker is about 2 and half klicks west of here. So, we’ll take my hover-bike and be there in about thirty minutes. Once we get there, Levi you pick any locks we find, and Jojo you’ll raid the place for anything valuable.”

“What about you?” Joey said.

“I’m lookout.” Sophia said as she clapped and the device deactivated. She bent down and Joey noticed that she had an umbrella in a scabbard on her back. They kinda wanted to laugh at the fact the scabbard looked specially made for the thing. “Any questions?” Joey and Levi stayed quiet. “Let’s be on our way then.”

The ride on the hover-bike was awesome. Joey never rode on one because their father was too overprotective, but they’ll never forget that experience. The wind in their hair, the bugs that they coughed up, and their screams in the little passenger buggy. Experiences that still fill them with adrenaline after the ride. 

“Can we do that again?” They asked. Sophia chuckled as she parked the bike over a dead patch of grass in the massive field they were in. About a few feet away from them was a metal hatch that had vines and grass growing over it. They all walked over to the hatch and noticed there was a giant padlock on it. Levi picked another hair clip out of his braids and picked the lock in a matter of seconds.

“Voila! Now, Jojo, let's go.” Levi said as he grabbed their arm. Joey gasped as they were pulled into the dark and overgrown underground bunker.

“Also hurry up down there!” Sophia yelled. “Legally speaking, we’re not supposed to be here!”