CHAPTER 2

I woke up to my phone buzzing and it took everything in me not to chuck it out the window. I groggily wiped my eyes and looked at the cracked screen. It was 1:17 AM, and I had three missed calls from Victor. 

The phone buzzed again when I tried to call him back. It was a text from him.

VICTOR: Need your help. Urgent. Meet me by the tracks. Please.

My heart stuttered. Victor wasn’t the type to use words like “urgent.” I threw on my jacket as quietly as I could, trying not to wake my sister up. She stirred and turned, but thankfully didn’t wake up. Then I pushed back the flimsy fabric we used as a window cover; the glass had broken a few months back, and we had more important things to do with money than fix windows. 

The fire escape ladder outside my bedroom was old and rusty, and it shook with every step, but I had mastered the art of coming and going unscathed. 

The train yard was darker than usual. Most of the lights had burned out and no one bothered replacing them. I moved fast between shadows, ducking past dumpsters and chain-link fences, until I found him.

Victor was crouched behind a rusted cargo container, clutching his side. Blood soaked through his shirt, turning the fabric black.

“Vic?” I whispered, rushing to him. “What the hell happened?”

“They found me,” he said, grimacing. “The guys I borrowed from.”

My heart dropped. I knew that Victor had taken out a loan. It was about a year ago, when his mother was terribly ill. The loan sharks in our area were known to be very dangerous– especially when their money wasn’t returned on time. I never wanted him to go that far, but it wasn’t like I had five thousand dollars laying around to give him for his mother’s surgery. He didn’t have a choice. And to think that she had ended up dying anyways was just cruel.

“I am supposed to pay back five grand in a week,” he rasped. “I’ve barely got lunch money, Lani. how the hell am I supposed to cough up five thousand dollars?” 

I didn’t hesitate. I knew the silent words that were hanging in the air. Victor didn’t want to say it, but if he didn’t get the money in time, he was definitely going to die. “You’ll get it.”

Victor looked at me like I’d lost my mind, and rightfully so. “Lani, what are you saying? Five thousand dollars is a lot of money.”

“I know, but what other choice do we have?” We had one week to come up with five grand. And I knew exactly where to get it.

Victor looked even more confused. “Wha–”

I didn’t let him finish his question. “Don’t worry about it Vic, I’ll fix this.”

Victor and I said our goodbyes and I made my way home. 

Aria had been going on and on all week about how her boss had pulled some strings to get her a gig as a waitress at a gala that the Caldwells were hosting. The Caldwells were the most influential family in the city, and while my sister saw this as an opportunity to make some extra cash, I saw an opportunity to save my bestfriend. A party like that would definitely be sprawling with people as rich as the Caldwells, and while I knew that it also meant maximum security, all I had to do was snag one bracelet from someone, and I would be able to pay off Victor’s debt. 

Now, all I had to do was convince Aria to help me sneak into the party.

I made my way back up the shaky escape ladder, thinking of the calmest way to wake my sister up, but as I pushed back our window cover, her annoyed face greeted me.

“You know how mom feels about sneaking out, Lani.”

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I had to meet up with Victor.”

“Oh…” 

I didn’t miss the redness that appeared on her cheeks when she heard Victor’s name. But my little sister’s childish crush on my best friend wasn’t the most important thing right now.

“Aria..” I slowly directed her back to the bed and we sat down. “Victor is in trouble.”

Her eyebrows slowly creased. “What do you mean?” she asked.

“I met him at the tracks, and he was badly beaten up and bleeding.” Aria gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. I bit my lip and continued. “He owes the loan sharks five thousand dollars, and I have to help him pay them back in a week.”

“How?” Aria asked, confused. “We do not have five thousand dollars, Lani.”

“I know that,” I answered. “But we know the people who do.”

“What are you talking about? No one in this town has five thousand dollars.”

I scooted closer to her and took her hand in mine. “Not here, Aria… there, in the Valley.”

Her eyes widened in understanding and she immediately dragged her hand away and stood up. “No. no, Lani. you know that I have never said anything about your… hobby, but I’m not going to help you steal, Lani.”

“No no no,” I stood up too, shaking my head. “I would never ask you to do that. I just… you just have to help me get into the party.”

“Lani…” she hesitated.

“Please Aria,” I begged. “I can’t let anything happen to Victor.”

There was a full minute of silence before she slowly nodded. “Fine. but you have to be careful, Lani.”

“Yes,”  I answered in excitement. “I’ll be careful, and if anything happens, I promise you won’t be dragged into it.”

“No, Lani. nothing can go wrong. Those people… you don’t know them like I do. They’re dangerous.”

“But what if I slip and fall and a thousand jewels fall out of my pockets?” I joked, teasing my sister.

“It’s not funny, Lani.”

“I know, I’m sorry. Thank you Aria, really.” I pulled her into a hug.

“Is Victor gonna be okay?” she quietly asked.

“Yes. he’s going to be just fine.”

There was a huge lump in my throat, and I didn’t know if I was trying to convince her or myself.