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6
Two weeks earlier
For the rest of the night and the following week after Ford and Sonny ploughed into Pink’s room and made their feelings known, they give me space to mull over everything they’ve said. I remain tight-lipped around Pink and Kate, not trusting myself to withhold why I can’t possibly continue my friendship in the new term with the two lads who make my heart skip a beat. In fact, for the most part, I keep to myself and am almost home free without much hiccup until the last day of school.
I’m not sure what possessed me to use my free period to take a walk to the spot that Camden did his ‘big reveal’, but that’s where I end up. Maybe I just wanted to see for myself one last time that I hadn’t imagined the brilliance of his tag or the conversation that followed. Maybe I just wanted to admire Bling’s artwork one last time. Maybe I just wanted to be alone, and that’s the last place I figured anyone else would be.
As soon as my feet hit the pebbles, someone makes themselves known.
That someone is fucking Camden.
“What are you doing here?” Camden asks me as he steps out from behind a large boulder just at the base of the cliff face. He’s got his backpack on and two spray cans peeking out of his hoody pockets.
“Getting some fresh air,” I retort lamely. The fact that I’m looking at his tag and ruminating on how fucking amazing it is, really isn’t something I wish to share with him right now.
“Things a little intense back at Oceanside?” He cocks his head to the side, watching me closely. Something about his question and his blasé attitude rubs me the wrong way. Especially aftereverythingthat’s happened. Intense is an understatement.
“Did you have something to do with Eastern coming to Oceanside?” I ask before I can stop myself. It wasn’t the question I had formed in my head, but it’s the one I ask regardless.
Stupid.
Camden frowns. “Why would I have anything to do with that? I’m no judge and jury, at least not one that has any say in a court of law.”
“You said to me that you weregiving him back,” I say, making finger quotes in the air. “And then I step into Mr Carmichael’s office and find Eastern. What gives?”
Camden removes his backpack, dropping it to the ground then sits down, his back against the rock. I watch him painstakingly roll a joint, light it and draw in a deep lungful, blowing it out slowly before he decides to answer me.
“I saw Eastern leaving Mr Carmichael’s office. Figured he’d got a light sentence like I did…” he shrugs as though that’s explanation enough. Besides, I’m not sure I believe him.
“And?” I insist.
“And I owe you for Monk.”
“But that’s not how it works. Once in a gang, always in a gang, right?”
“I made an exception.”
“You can’t just make an exception like that.”
“Who says? I’m the leader… I can do what I want.”
I bark out a laugh. “Yeah, right.” If that were true and he has the power to relieve members of their position in the gang, then why not get rid of Monk? Camden knows as well as I do that he hasn’t got half the power he claims. He’s admitted as much to me already. Then again, he doesn’t realise that I know about the King. He was giving me an in when he said that we are all owned. Now I know what he meant by that. Camden is just another kid acting all powerful when really his strings are being manipulated just like the rest of us. Just like me. I’m Crown’s puppet. He’s the King’s. We make a great Punch and Judy.
“I have it under control,” he insists, but neither of us believe him.
“You’re full of shit,” I mutter, something I find myself often saying to him.
Camden curses, then sighs heavily. “Maybe you’re right, maybe I am full of shit, Asia. Or maybe I’m just doing the only thing I can for you.”
“Why?”
“I told you why. I owe you for Monk.”
“You owe me for not chucking him out of your crew because that’s one thing you can’t do, right?” I press, wanting him to explain why that is. Why he can give up Eastern, but he can’t give up Monk. I want to knowwhydammit.
“Yes, that as well, but mainly because he’s a sadistic bastard and you deserve someone on your side other than that prick, Ford and his sidekick, Sonny. Eastern will have your back for therightreasons.”
“What do you mean for the right reasons? You don’t trust them?” I ask.
