Mason’s pov

‘Yo pass the celery!’ I doubt that anyone was listening to me. Why was it always me who got forced into making the noodles for everyone after a big fight? Oh I know, it’s because I’m the only one who wouldn’t end up poisoning everyone.

God these guys are useless.

“Broooo we really got them cigs good tonight!” Mixer shouted right into my ear.

“Yeah man, but they took a chunk out of us too” I looked around at KG who was holding onto his stomach, blood covering his shirt. The fact that I'm not surprised speaks volumes about the type of guys here.

“Yo guys! I said pass the damn celery!”

“What are we the fuckin wonderpets? Why do you want celery?” 

“The noodles man! What else would it be for? I know we got some left over bro, just pass it.” God KG could be insufferable at times. 

“Damn bro chill I’ll get you the celery” and with that he threw the celery right into my face.

“Not even a thank you mason?”

“You got your blood all over the celery, how am I meant to use this?”

“Not the first time that’s happened” Mixer chimed in

“Yeah but I ain’t trying to catch whatever diseases KG has”

“Bitch” KG punched me in the back.

I finished up making the noodles while all the other guys raved about how good the fight went and made half hearted attempts at bandaging their wounds. Although the club can be dingy and depressing, you can’t deny that the atmosphere after a successful fight against the cigs remains unmatched.

“You guys want noodles?” A cloud of smoke wafted in my face as I left the kitchen, in most places the kitchen would be where the majority of the smoke was, but when you hang with a gang of dudes that have been smoking non stop since age 12, the main room is where it’s at. 

“Hell yeah!” Mixer stole the bowl right out of my hand, that bowl being that one that I had picked up for myself.

As I turned back to the kitchen for my new bowl I caught a glimpse of JJ in the doorway.

“So you didn’t get hurt too bad aye Mason?” Mixer asked sitting down next to me.

“Eh, not that bad, just got scraped up a bit, you?”

“Just a grazed knee and bloody nose, could be worse. Nothing as bad as KG, dude got slashed”

“Yeah but he always ends up bleeding in one way or another” At this point I’m starting to believe it’s intentional, like he’s into it or something.

“True, true, wait bro did you see when the-“

“So how’d the fight go boys?” JJ leaned up against the wall on the far side of the club, a cigarette carefully placed between his fingers. Everyone went silent the moment he spoke. He had complete power over them all.

The silence lasted for a short while, each guy lacking the balls to break it. 

“They’ve been more violent lately” Mixer answered. Even Mixer, who was tough as nails, struggled to speak up to JJ. God it’s pathetic to watch. Not that I’m much better, I know damn well that I could never stand up to that man.

“Yes… ever since that cig died they’ve really had it in for us, as if it was a tusker that killed him- which it wasn’t- right boys?” A smirk plastered his perfectly kept face. He knows it was one of us. He doesn’t  know who, but as much as we all try to deny it, he knows.

“Right” everyone said in a sorta staggered response.

“Now, I’m not saying that you should discourage these rumors- they could help us in the long run- but don’t start pretending that you did it either. Alway keep them guessing.”

To say that I wasn’t scared of JJ would be a lie, but I gotta make the other guys think I’m tough.

“Whatever you say boss man.”

JJ never bothers to eat the noodles with us, he likes to act like he’s above our trivial little activities. I think it’s just another way he can feel like he’s better than us, another way of separating himself from his obedient little pets he has running around doing his dirty work.

It’s a surprisingly quiet night at the club, half of the guys went straight home after the fight, so now it’s only me, Mixer, KG, Ethan, and now JJ here. 

Mixer and I have been best friends since we were little kids, he’s the guy that got me involved in the gang in the first place. Recently it’s been feeling sorta awkward between us. From anyone else’s perspective this switch probably wasn’t at all noticeable, I mean it’s not like we’ve stopped talking to each other, but I can definitely feel the difference.

“Yoo who’s coming in?” KG yelled, pointing over at the battered up front door.

I could tell from how much he was struggling to push open the door that it was Bennis.

“And Bennis finally arrives” JJ rolled his eyes as if he didn’t also arrive late.

Bennis wasn’t involved in the fight. Good thing too, the guy is built like a twig. A squirrel could beat the shit out of him in a matter of seconds.

“You alright Bennis?” I asked. “There’s a bowl of noodles for you in the kitchen if you want it”

“Oh.. thanks” he said, holding onto the back of his hair in the most pathetic little way.

He came and sat down next to me, honestly a little too close. I ruffled his silly little emo fringe, god he was an odd looking guy.

“God get a room, you guys” 

was Mixer implying I wanted to get with Bennis of all people? 

God no.

Plus I don’t swing that way.

“C’mon Mixer, you know I’ve been with Rachel for a hot minute.”

“Yeah, literally. How long have you been with her now? A day?”

“Yeah I said a hot minute not a hot week jeez.”

“What happened to Sandy?” Bennis chimed in.

“Oh I liked Sandy.” JJ said, as if I gave a damn about his opinion on the girl I’m shaggin’

“Sandy’s old news, she cheated on me.”

“But you cheated on her.” God damn, why did Bennis know so much about my relationships?

“Yeah, with Rachel. And Rachel’s hot okay?”

“Fuck bro, I’m way too high to keep up with all these names man” Why did KG feel the need to get himself involved?

“Don’t worry bro, no girl is in Mason’s life for more than a few days” Ethan replied. God he has some nerve on him.

“Yo Mason, is there any girl in Tuskley that you haven’t slept with?”

“Fuck off Mix, if you could get laid you’d be doing the same as me.”

“Woah buddy, it was just a joke, lay off!” He raised his hand mockingly

“Oooh tensions have been high between you two since the new year.”

“What are you on about JJ, we’re just as close as ever.” I said putting my arm around Mixer’s neck, knowing that I was lying, things have been different.

JJ finally backed off. His omniscient presence still looming over my thoughts.

I don’t know if he knows what’s going on or if he just knows that pretending he does will get under my skin.

That’s the thing with that man. He’ll change himself in whatever means necessary so long as it will irritate you. For instance, he knows I hate clinginess so will touch me non stop, stroking my thighs and brushing his hands through my hair, making himself look very gay in the process. Whereas he knows that Bennis is terrified of people thinking that he’s secretly gay so JJ will call him a fag and mercilessly tease him over every male interaction that he has.

No one knows who JJ truly is, this charade that he pulls allows him to stay ambiguous.

“Yo, Mason, come with me real quick.”

I follow Mixer around to the back of the club, trying to avoid stepping in all the broken glass that lined the path.

“What’s up man?” I asked

“I was just thinking about what JJ said earlier, about the rumors helping us. Do you know what he meant by that?”

“I think he was just trying to say that if the cigs think we killed that guy then they’re gonna be scared of us and hopefully not come at us so often.”

“Right.” He leaned back against the wall, lighting a cigarette.

“Okay, but if that were the case, why are they still coming after us? Like tonight for instance.” I get what he’s saying, if anything it seems like they hate us more than ever. Not that JJ would notice, he never shows his face at a fight.

“I don’t know man, look, cigs and tuskers have never gotten along, that’s just how it is. They’re never gonna fully back off because if there’s no fights then why even bother being in a gang?”

“Yeah I guess.” He took another drag of his cigarette. “But being in a gang is more than just fights.”

“Is it though?” Mixer’s dad was a tusker back in the day so he has this weird sort of tusker pride that I’ll never understand.

“Yeah, like we spend time together outside of fights, like when we have parties at the club, or like tonight where we just make noodles and chill.” He paused. “It’s almost like a family, man.” God that was the corniest thing I’ve ever heard.

We walk back inside and I look around at all the guys.

KG is passed out on the floor while Ethan is slowly drinking himself to sleep. JJ has seemingly vanished and Bennis is in the kitchen washing up the noodle bowls.

God it looks dead in here.

Y’know when it’s an open night and the whole gang's here drinking and having a good time, it does make me a little proud to be a tusker. But now? Now I’m really aware of how sad we must look to any outsiders. 

I gotta get outta here, man.

———

I rummage around in my pocket trying to find my keys. As I walk inside I’m surprised to find my parents still awake. 

If I had known they would still be up I would have tried harder to cover the smell of smoke and booze. Then again I’m quick with a lie so could probably think of something if they asked or even noticed at all.

“Hello mason dear!” My mum said as she came over to hug me. God she’s gonna smell it instantly.

“How was your study group?” Study group. That’s the lie I tell my parents so that they don’t know I’m a tusker. 

“It was great, got a lot of biochemistry done tonight.” 

“Oh that’s wonderful Mason! By the looks of it you had a little drink after, didn’t you?” 

“Oh yeah, I just went to hang with Mixer after study group.” Well to be fair, I was with Mixer so it’s not a total lie.

“Ah okay honey, just remember to stay safe, you don’t want to end up like those other guys that Mixer hangs around with” little did she know

“Anyway, I’m going to bed now, I’ll see you in the morning” She ruffles my hair before heading upstairs.

Perfect. Oblivious as always.