The اگلے day, after Nikolai and Carmine went to work, I waited until school would've been out to go find Andrew. I waited سے طرف کی the side of the high school, until the students started filing out. I kept my eyes open for him, but when I didn't see him for a long time, I began to worry that he hadn't shown up to school at all today. My دل skipped a beat when I saw him, and I realized I didn't have a plan.

I hid on the side of the school, until he walked past, not even noticing me. Then I grabbed the back of his shirt, and pulled him back into the alley, forcing him up against the wall.

"Ow! What the fuck, man?!" he shouted, not knowing who it was. I flipped him around so he was facing me. He looked surprised, but that was quickly replaced سے طرف کی anger. "What do آپ want?"

"Who killed Dalton," I said. I guess I didn't think this through. I had meant to ask him why he killed Dalton.

"Your brother. Reed," he seethed.

"No he didn't!" I shouted, angry that everyone thought that. Andrew scoffed.

"Yeah, right. Then who did?" he asked. I clenched my teeth. The tone of his voice sounded like he was taunting me.

"You did!" I shouted. He was speechless for a moment. Then he laughed, and it echoed off into the sky. Anger boiled through me, and before I knew what I was doing, I had the gun placed up against Andrew's temple. He stopped laughing at once, and his eyes widened.

"Please.... Please don't..." he said. He sounded like he was going to cry. If the adrenaline pumping through hadn't made it impossible to feel anything, I probably would've laughed my head off. I put my finger on the trigger. "Harley. Please. I swear, I didn't do it."

"Neither did Reed!" I shouted hysterically. I felt like I'd go mad if one مزید person told me Reed was the murderer.

"Ok! Ok! I believe you!" he said, his hands in the air; surrender. I took a deep breath, my hand shaking. "Please..." he کہا again. I squeezed my eyes shut, then put my gun back in my pocket. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Then who did," I کہا through my teeth.

"I don't know! Don't آپ think I'd like to know that too?" he asked. I folded my arms. "So... Was I the first suspect?" he asked. I shook my head.

"I checked Rafael, Franky, Armando, and basically every other leader in town." Andrew nodded, thinking.

"And why'd آپ think of me?" he asked. He sounded hurt.

"Because... Sometimes آپ seem jealous of Dalton... I just thought..."

"I loved my brother. I respected him. I would never kill him," Andrew said. He was telling the truth. The way he spoke of Dalton, he seemed so... mesmerized and enchanted. There was no way he could be lying.

"Fine. Whatever... I'm sorry about your brother. I'm going to find who killed him," I promised. I turned to leave, but he put his hand on my shoulder and stopped me.

"Harley? Uh... If آپ get any clues یا ideas... would آپ let me know? I'd like to bust Dalton's murderer too." I nodded.

"Yeah. Sure."

"And... Ah, who knows, wanna hang out sometime?" he asked. I looked him over. It was Andrew.... My mortal enemy, one of the main reasons I started carrying a gun, the guy that made my insides burn with hate... But it didn't seem like Andrew.

"Uh... sure...?" I said, not so sure. I turned and left, still very much confused. I went home; had to get there before Nikolai and Carmine.

Carmine got home, only ten منٹ after I did. I hadn't spoken to him since yesterday, when he had lashed out at me. The air became dense when he entered, and آپ could almost see the awkward. I made him a sandwhich, what he always eats after a long دن of work. He sat down and ate without a word. I sat on the couch, not bothering to turn on the TV. I just sat there, and thought about who possibly would have killed Dalton.

"You left," Carmine said. My head snapped in his direction.

"What?"

"You weren't supposed to leave the house." How the hell did he know I left?! He nodded over to the door. "Your shoes are muddy." Dammit.

"Uh..." I began.

"Why'd آپ leave?!" he shouted. He stood up fast, knocking the chair out from under him. I winced at the loud clatter.

"I... I was just... looking for who---" I jumped up from the سوفی, لٹانا as Carmine advanced towards me. I backed away, guarding myself.

"You weren't supposed to leave! Why can't آپ just do what you're told?! آپ could've gotten hurt! آپ could be like Dalton and end up dead!" he shouted. I put one hand on the arm of the couch, to help push myself ahead if I needed to run. I had one arm out in front of me, to push him away if I couldn't get away.

"Carmine. Please. Stop," I tried to say calmly. He'd never acted like this before. It was terrifying. Nikolai always کہا Carmine's the soft and sensitive one. He's obviously never seen him like this. He was about as calm as a rodeo bull. He took another giant step towards me, and I bolted for the door. I didn't make it, and he grabbed the tops of my arms and shook me.

"Don't ever disobey us again! Do آپ hear me?!" he screamed. Tears filled my eyes, and I nodded, trying to keep back screams. He stared deep into my eyes, then all at once, he seemed to break. He loosened his grip on my arms and wrapped them around my entire body, pulling me into a hug. He sobbed, his tears splashing into my hair. I was shocked for a moment, then rubbed soothing circles on his back.

"It's ok... It's going to be alright," I کہا softly. I'd never had to comfort Carmine before; یا any of my brothers actually. We stood there awkwardly in the living room, me hugging him while he bent over me and cried. Nikolai walked in, and stopped. He looked to me, his eyes questioning. I shook my head and mouthed "later," and continued to soothe Carmine.

"I love آپ Harley," he sobbed. "Please. Don't do that again. I don't wanna lose آپ too." I nodded understandingly.

"I love آپ too. I won't. Promise."