Jake and Tara led the way out of the house, everyone following which left me in the back. Once I realized they were all deep in their own conversations an idea popped into my head. What if I was to run?

They wouldn't shoot me, right? And being that they're all in fancy clothes, nobody would be able to follow me. But I was also in nice clothing that limited my movement ability.

I didn't know where I'd go and surely they would follow me quickly, but it would be worth a shot. The gate was right there, and on the other side of that was freedom.

I unsuspiciously shuffled to the right edge of the group, and I waited until Colby was getting ready to get into the limo before I slipped off my shoes. My heart was pounding as I took off, the straps of my shoes hooked around my fingers as I ran for the gate.

I didn't hear anyone shout until I jumped, my skirt thankfully not riding up as my hands hooked onto the top of the fence. It was probably only seven feet tall, and it wasn't hard for me to lift myself up and swing my legs over it in a ladylike fashion, being that I was a gymnast and had the upper body strength and I had the ability to jump rather high for how short I was.

"Seeya fuckers!" I shouted as I dropped to the ground, grabbing the shoes that I threw before running down the sidewalk.

I didn't know where to go, or how to get anywhere. I didn't know how Ubers worked, or taxis for that matter. I didn't have money, food, warm clothing, or any friends in California to help me out.

The street was quiet, and the second I heard a car's engine I ducked down the nearest alleyway. I didn't stop until I got behind the dumpsters, and I took a peek around it as the engine got louder.

In fact, the car I heard was the limo. The windows were up but it was going incredibly slow. Obviously, since I shouted, they noticed I wasn't there anymore. Which was my fault, since I thought it would be a good idea to announce my departure in such a fashion.

I stayed behind the trash can for who knows how long, leaning against the building wall and pulling my knees to my chest. I was beginning to shiver after the sunlight stopped filtering in between the buildings, I was getting hungry seeing as I didn't eat much besides a granola bar today, and I could start to feel the makeup dry on my skin, mostly around my eyes.

It was when I heard police sirens I stepped out of my safe spot and walked down the street. I had no idea where I was going, or what direction Colby's house was in. Surely they were still out partying so if I was to make my way past their house I wouldn't get caught.

I knew I took the wrong way when I saw a very familiar gate, the one I jumped over earlier to escape. My feet were sore and I was half tempted to run inside just because that was the only place I knew.

I couldn't do that, though. I could never go back there. I was free now, and I was enjoying it. Sort of.

I turned around, walking longer than I did the first time. I didn't stop until I got to a bus stop, a shelter in its own way.

Nobody was there besides an older man, most likely homeless based on his looks. I sat on the bench as far away from him as possible.

"Why," His tongue clicked, and I looked over at his dark complected body, "What's a pretty girl like you doing all sad? You should be out partying," He added with a pout.

He didn't sound like a creep, but instead sympathetic. Back home I would have just ignored someone like that, but I felt the urge to talk to him, so I did.

"I ran away," I gulped, holding myself in a way of comfort.

"Ran away?" He repeated in disbelief, "You don't look like the type to still be living with your parents, and I don't recognize you as one of the boss's kids,"

"Huh?" I was confused by his terms. The "boss" and "living with parents." This is a city in California, with nice mansions and a neighborhood that was rather beautiful.

"Oh," His pout returned, "Did you hit your head, dear?"

"N-no," I shook my head as I reached for it, patting it down to show I was okay, "I'm not from around here. Can you tell me a little bit about where I am, please?"

"Of course, of course," He nodded with a warm smile, "Well, we're in Oakland California, right outside San Fran'," The man began with the basics, "This place is full of gangs. I'm surprised you haven't gotten taken by any yet, pretty little thing like you. Some of them would love you. One of the gangs, they call themselves the Trapboys, their leader or boss guy loves pretty ladies," He said with an unamused laugh.

"Tell me more about the gang, the trapboys," I tried to sound as unsuspicious as possible.

I remember Corey mentioning something about the Trapboys but was quickly shushed by Sam when I had walked into the room. Maybe they knew each other or had heard of them.

"Well, let's see. There's four of them, mainly. A couple of their spies and close allies live in another part of town, on the edge. But they're the highest ranked gang around here, if you will," He waved his hand out.

"Just underneath the big bosses. Oh, are they wrapped around the leader of the trapboys finger, let me tell you. He's a cutie, I've seen a picture of him once on the Facebook when I still had it," He gave a weak chuckle, and I politely smiled at his humor.

"Do you know their names?" I asked, leaning forward. I completely forgot about my nearly nonexistent neckline until the man cleared his throat and stared directly into my eyes.

"Yes, his name is Cole," He informed me, and the name didn't match anyone I knew from staying with Colby.

"Oh, I've never met a Cole," I sighed, rubbing my forehead.

"Are you sure you're alright, dear?" He looked very concerned for my wellbeing, which was something I really appreciated.

"Yes," I didn't know how much I could tell him about running away from Colby, so I would keep my mouth shut, "Is there any chance another bus will come tonight? I know it's probably late," I trailed off.

He shook his head, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth, "Oh, poor girl. You really aren't from around here, are you?"

My silence answered his question.

"Everyone is on strike right now, nobody wants to work," He patted his hand against his thigh, looking out into the quiet street. No cars were out, the only thing that could be heard was the sewer drains running through the ground beneath us.

"Tell me more about this, please," I ask quietly. If I was to become homeless like him, I at least needed to know what was going on in order to come up with a good backstory.

"Well, they've completely closed off Oakland and a couple other cities with high crime rates from the rest of the state and country," I remember hearing that on the news briefly, and how my mother had gently lectured me on how lucky we were to live in the middle of nowhere in Kentucky, "The president has been threatening something like this to happen for quite some time now, and a big drug bust that happened a couple weeks ago pushed him over the edge.

"A fence was to be built to start and police were everywhere for a couple days. Workers and innocent people here began protesting in San Francisco, and it got so bad that the airport shut down," He gulped before adding, "I was arrested for protesting there,"

"So you're new to this whole homeless thing?" I asked, waving up and down to his appearance. This man, however kind he was, hasn't seen a toothbrush and probably ran when he heard the word "deodorant" for the first time.

"No, no," He corrected with a laugh, "This is my lifestyle. I love it. However hard it may be, I don't have to pay for a home. Just everything I have with me," He motioned to the cart he had filled with stuff behind him.

"I worked at the airport as a janitor. With my criminal record and because of my skin color," He pointed to his dark body, "The police were eager to arrest me. I got out since my bail was low,"

"Anyways, enough about me, you wanted to know about what's going on, so I'll tell you. They're building a fence around Oakland and San Francisco, which will turn into a border. It will trap everyone in, and no one can leave. Besides the gang members of course. They have their way with certain cops," The man had plenty of information to share, that was for sure, "Tell me about you,"

And that's how I ended up telling him the truth, the whole truth. I felt safe around this man, so I told him everything.

That was most likely one of the biggest mistakes I ever made.