In life, there are some things you just can't control. Like when you die. Or when someone close to you dies. That was just how it was, even if it was shitty.

But there was some things you could control. Some things in life that are in reach. Like when you love someone, you could control if you wanted them. And you did want someone once.

Arin Lee. A bright eyed girl. She was in your class and you had fallen for her then. The two of you became inseparable, which eventually led to dating and...other things. But, perhaps during a slip of misjudgment Arin had gotten pregnant. Due to her highly religious parents she had to keep the baby, and she did.

And that was an error you'd pay for the rest of your life. See, Arin had a heart condition no one knew about until it was too late. The baby had been born prematurely due to it, and that night during what was supposed to be the happiest day in your life. You lost her. Arin died.

But, somehow some way the baby lived. Gabriella. And you kept her, of course you did. You refused to let her go off with Arin's parents who fought tooth and nail to keep her. You refused to have them control her life like they did Arin's. And you knew, deep down that this was what Arin would want too.

Gabriella was a bright little girl, from an early age she was a fighter. Despite being born a month early she was growing good. And in those years you grew as well.

The Jackals were a gang ran by you, a large group of people who had nowhere else to go. Some who ran away from their religious parents, some who got kicked out for having kids too early. You made a home for them, you'd never let nobody go through what Arin did.

That was a vow you made on your life.

"Dolly! Daddy dolly" Gabriella exclaimed, holding up a wrecked looking baby doll for you to see as if it was the most important thing in the world. She had always been such a smart little thing even when she was just a baby.

As long as she was safe, Arin shined through her. Being a teen parent wasn't in your plans for life. But somehow the universe had a funny way of giving you what you needed.