Page 155 - Student: dazed And Confused

every day even though the B13s might get me - they don't like us soiling their goods
- and hear them rowing and trying to find somewhere to live. Getting bigger all the

time like. Still pretty though and, I don't know vulnerable. I want to help her 'cos

that fella doesn't look like he'll stick around when she's bitchin'. I turned my life
round, I did. Got out of all that gang shit 'fore it got nasty; stopped looking over my

shoulder to see if they were chasing me and now I've got the Massive gunning for

me. See, I knew the girl and her boyfriend were desperate to have the kid in four

walls and a roof and no-one looked like giving help. Offered them a room in my flat

for a night but...

2. There was some turf war thing going on when I moved onto the estate. Me and my
kid brother and Dad, we wanted to keep well out of it. We like our blood on the

inside but the B13 Posse liked it on the outside. Staring down their barrel was

terrifying. I thought that was it, I was on their patch but I can't help where my

college is, and then was a gurgle but I could only see the black insides of that barrel.

Then it fell away. Then... then I was one of the B14 Massive. I liked having my own
territory and having weapons and knowing that the rest of the Massive would always

have my back. We had rules and that. You weren't meant to talk to the other gang.

That's where the trouble started.
There was me being all hard and cool, thinking I was it. And this really fit chick goes

by looking like she's ready to drop one. She's crying and everything in me yelled at

me to go over and try to help her. But I just watched her. No bloke with her so I'm

hardly gonna get shot down. But no girl that pretty should have a backstreet baby
with no dad and no mom if something happens. I was gonna help her until I realised

she was on B13 turf. Was she one of them? Should I cross the line and help her,

risking us all? A screech ripped through the night - an ambulance and I hoped it was

for her. Then I left.

TELLING