Rivals?

Chapter 22

Daniel's POV

ATTENTION!!! POVS WITH SWAP FREQUENTLY BETWEEN THE TWO MAIN CHARACTERS FROM NOW ON! ENJOY!

I watch as Mikayla gets carried away with her brother. She did amazing. I wish I could tell her good job. I want to prove to her that I really am sorry. I want her to know I regret every bad thing I have ever said to her. I don't really want to be friends, I just want her to know I don't hate her. 

I don't know what it is... but whenever she speaks, she makes my blood boil. Her sarcasm, her eyes rolling every five minutes, it's annoying. However, when I saw her collapse into me when Chase cheated on her, I couldn't do anything but be there for her. I was uncomfortable. I mean, we aren't friends at all. Why would I even do such a thing for her?

I wait a second to walk up to my truck. I'm happy they won. Happier than you would expect. The reason why is that I bet on games. I had a bet with a dad on the other team and he owes me money. See, I never meant to be in this possible illegal bet stuff, but I got dragged into it. My best friend, Jack's dad was in it. He made Jack do it and now I'm in it too. We have kind of like a team. Sometimes we bet drugs or weapons but most of the time it's money. 

I hate being in this bet team thing. I don't like doing sketchy stuff, even though I already have a bad-boy reputation. Believe it or not, I hate it. I want to be like Mikayla. She's so... innocent. That's the one thing she has that I don't and it pisses me off.

I don't like competing with her, I just grew up being the most athletic, smartest, and most good-looking in my family. I wasn't used to this type of completion. She's pretty, but her attitude is so annoying, it makes my teeth clench every time a word comes out of her mouth. 

I walk to my truck after waiting for a while and hop in. I dialed my boss's number. He is the leader of this whole bet thing.

"Hello?" He answers on the first ring.

"That dad owns me money," I say, cranking up my truck.

I hear Lane chuckle over the phone. "Oh, son. He owns me money. Also, if you don't get the money, I will hunt you down and kill you. Understand? I told you this is your last chance." He says, with full seriousness. I know he's serious. He's tried before. He hates me more than anyone else because he's had beef with my dad. My dad bet with him on a Lakers game and he owed Lane money, but never paid him back. 

Lane bets with coaches too. He's also a part of a gang. He doesn't quite scare me, though, because I fight with tons of people who owe me money but instead of paying me, they fight me.

Or worse, attempt to kill me.

"Yeah, okay, Lane," I say, rolling my eyes, and pulling out of the parking lot. 

He doesn't respond, just hangs up.

I see the dad's truck pulled over on the side of the road leading into a ghetto neighborhood.

I pull mine over by his and get out. I then walk to his truck but he's not in it. 

Damnit.

I walk around, trying to find him. I finally see him, hiding behind a couple of trees. 

"Dude, can I just have my money?" I ask, walking towards him.

He's smoking a cigarette and he looks at me dead in the eyes. He has a thick black coat on with black jeans and black boots. 

"You see son," he says, exhaling the cigarette smoke and then throwing it down and stepping on it continuing, "I don't have your money. I expected my baby girl's team to win." He says with an unnecessary smirk. 

"What the hell, man? Do you want to get killed? I'm looking out for you here. Just give me the money." I say walking closer to him, getting ready to beat the mess out of him.

He holds his hand up at me before I walk in closer. He puts his hand on his hip and shakes his head slowly. 

"Don't make me do something stupid, son." He says. 

I open my mouth but before anything can come out, I feel two big guys grab me by each arm. They then kick the back of my knees which causes me to fall to the ground. The dad punches me in the nose and I clench my teeth to keep me from screaming out. I yank my arms hard enough to make one let me go, so I use my free hand to rip the other man's arm off of mine, digging my nails in his arm, and leaving blood-seeping cuts on his arm. He stumbles back and examines his arm. 

I turn towards the dad who's armed with a weapon and I kick him as hard as possible in his stomach, causing him to fall to his knees, coughing up blood, and feel around for his gun while he's down. I feel one of the other guys grab at me but I turn around and bite his arm and punch him multiple times in multiple different spots in his face. His eye swells up and his nose bleeds uncontrollably. The other big guy has run off. 

Coward.

My nose starts to throb and my knees are scrapped up badly and my knuckles are raw. I don't give up, though. I kick the dad while he's down and look back at the guy who is staring right at me, his face red in anger. 

Don't.

He charges at me and tackles me on the ground. My head hits the pavement and I wince. He punches me in the stomach but before I can get up, I feel a terrible, extremely painful sting in my right thigh and I hear a loud pop. Before I knew it, my leg was bleeding out and my head was throbbing. I cough up blood and wince terribly from the pain. 

The dad and big guy hopped in his truck and drove off. I drag myself to my truck and get in, wrapping a bandana around my leg, blood still getting all over my leather seats.

I can't go home. I need help. I can't go to the hospital because my dad will find out. 

Not like he'll care much.

The closest house I can think of is the Shapiro's. I curse myself but take off, my tires screeching from the sudden speed, and I head towards their house.