silver {Python; blitz}

Trust was a difficult concept. An absolute belief in someone’s loyalty, honesty, and reliability was not easy to find within herself, and it was almost impossible to earn as a person in Nemesis’ life. The girls in the gang had exceeded these expectations; they shattered the laws of what she had once known, and had proven themselves worthy of everything. This, she realized, was family, and it was addicting. Trust was a warm feeling, an elixir to fill the hollow spaces in her chest.

She didn’t trust new recruits.

No stranger was deserving of her attention, let alone her trust. Yet here she was being forced to “make nice” with the newbie. The task was better suited to one of the other girls – the ones who had “people skills” and a motivation to act like they cared.

The girls were always there for each other, but new recruits were on a completely different spectrum.

”Hey,” she called out upon finding the girl in her assigned meeting location. At least she could be punctual. ”I don’t remember your name, but you’re the new girl. Correct me if I’m wrong.” She shifted her weight onto one leg and stared the girl in the face. Her name started with an ‘S’ but it had been buried by other recent thoughts. She didn’t care to go digging it up like a lost treasure.

”I’m Nemesis. Welcome to the family,” she said, tone as dead as a corpse.

Polite small talk left an acidic taste in the back of her throat. Applying the golden rule to strangers was a weak and vanilla method of approaching the social world. She didn’t care for strangers, so why wear a façade? Unless it was business she would not sugar-coat every word that escaped her black-painted lips. Manners were not in her repertoire, and his girl would soon learn that.

”We’re not friends,” she said bluntly, painting the air crystal with her words. She wanted her lips to be read thoroughly. New recruits were not family, not friends, not customers, and not welcome to associate Nemesis as anything but a mentor until they earned her respect. She treated every newcomer as if they were an enemy spy, because gangs were desperate to claim her family’s territory. More often than not they found their hands and feet tied together. Wars had been lost for this land, blood had been buried, and the past was behind but not forgotten. She was not about to risk anything by letting her guard down.

”I’m your mentor, nothing more.” She was prompt in her manner of speaking. Beating around the bush was a waste of her time, and her patience was already thin.

Sigh’s friendly smile looked plastic and it raised suspicion. Her response sounded like it was derived from a script – unless she was just socially challenged like herself, but Nemesis would keep a hawk’s eye on her regardless. ”Come with me. I’ll give you the tour.”