Chapter 8: Chapter 8

"True, but that is just an excuse." He pointed out, smirking. He was right. If I was so good, I would have passed him, him being in front would not have stopped me.

"Okay, I admit it, you're better than I am at racing." I smirked as well, raising my arms in surrender as we walked through the entrance and were met with students swarming the hallways.

We stopped our walk when we reached my locker. I opened it and kept my helmet inside, then brought out the notes I needed for the first period. I turned around to face Jake, but found that he was closing the locker opposite mine. I had never known that his locker was that close to mine.

"What do you have for first period?" I asked as he walked towards me.

"English."

"That's what I also have. We can go together since classes will start soon."

"Yeah, we can, but I have somewhere to be before they start." Jake answered, putting his hands in his jean's pocket. He looked cute, no, hot. He was wearing a light blue shirt, dark jeans and a beanie with his signature leather jacket.

"You're dodging class then?" I raised a brow, waiting for his explanation.

"Never said I was. I just have to take care of something else first." It wasn't even close to the explanation that I wanted, and he was being too secretive for my liking.

I thought that we had grown closer than that, but I guess not. Before I could ask more questions, he had already turned around and left through where we had came in. I started on my way to class and decided to leave him to his secrets. It was none of my business anyway, and it was his choice if he wanted to dodge or not.

* * *

Jake's POV

With my hands still in my jean's pockets, I walked through the woods to get to our gang's meeting place which was through the woods and around the back of our school.

Rafer had texted me that morning to meet up with him before classes started, and I had replied that I would. Max had seemed curious as to where I was going to, and what I was going to do. But I couldn't tell her since she just became part of the gang, and Rafer had texted to come alone.

I trusted her, but they don't trust her yet which didn't sit well with me. What we were to discuss may be very important to the gang and they would not like it if I insisted on bringing Max along.

Seeing Aiden and Rafer at the clearing was what put a stop to my thoughts. They were the only ones there, we usually had all gang members present for our gang meeting. And knowing that made me slightly uneasy.

Aiden was sitting on a rock while Rafer was leaning on a tree opposite him. Aiden was the first to notice my presence as he stood and walked towards me.

"Jake, I see that you've made it."

"Yeah, you know that I never miss our meetings."

Rafer didn't do much to acknowledge my appearance, he only nodded.

"So what's wrong? And why are we the only ones here?" Rafer moved away from the tree and came to stand in front of me with arms folded across his chest.

"The only thing that's wrong is having Max in our gang." He replied glaring at me as he snarled out 'Max'.

I felt my hands form into fists as I tried to not lose my cool. I didn't understand why he was against Max being in our gang. Rafer had always been the hard one, he just couldn't accept things or people the way they were.

"There's nothing wrong with having Max in our gang. She knows what she's doing."

"You do know that she was part of the driller's gang, right?" Rafer gritted out through clenched teeth, his frown deepening.

"Of course, she was, but she's not with them anymore." I stated plainly.

"How are you so sure? How do you know that she's not working with them to betray us?!"

His last question made me a whole lot angrier. How dare he say that about Max? He clearly didn't know her or even care to try.

"Not after what they have done to her!" I yelled before he could continue verbally abusing her. My jaw was locked tight as I glared at him. He was insinuating that Max was a spy, and that she was betraying us, betraying me. She would never do that.

"I don't car-" Rafer started again, but was cut off by Aiden.

"Will you shut up, Rafer?!" Aiden glared at Rafer, and he glared back. "We've heard enough of your bull." He added more calmly. I didn't know why, but Rafer always seemed to listen to Aiden. It was like he was the only one that could control him when he started his 'tantrums'.

"Now Jake, what do you mean? What have they done to her?" Aiden asked after he had turned in my direction as Rafer went back to leaning against the tree with folded arms.

"It's not my place to say. You can know all you want when you earn her trust and learn to trust her." I said then turned to Rafer and glared at him as I added, "And not by insulting her and kicking her to the curb when she needs us the most."

I turned around and stomped back to school, leaving a surprised Aiden and an angry Rafer in my wake.

* * *

Max's POV

The bell rang right as I sat on my seat in English class, indicating that it was time to start classes. The teacher, Ms. J stood up from her seat and walked to the front of the class to start her lectures.

I checked the time on my watch, it was four minutes past eight and Jake still hasn't showed up. I kept checking the time as I waited for him. He didn't show up until it was thirty two minutes past eight.