the Manipulator

I dreamed I met a guy, no idea who he was and he did not look familiar. He was short and hyper.  I found that he was very manipulative when he asked if I could give him a hand, and I said no problem, guy.  He dropped some books, and said can you pick those up.  It was kinda weird, but I went ahead and did it.  He did it again, and I walked away without saying anything or picking it up again.  He followed me, then mocked me about when I first did pick the books up for him, calling me his bitch.  I felt nothing, I just continued to walk, yet he followed and others joined him.  Then they all got excited, or scared, acting out like gang members do in public.  We were at a parade, with lots of people, the streets were stopped with traffic. Suddenly, I was part of them, guy grabbed me and said if I was already seen with his group and if they let me off alone I would be in danger.  They said they had a van we could jump into and get out of there, so I jumped in.  As slow as the traffic was, we somehow got stuck going like 2-3 mph down the packed highway next to an open convertible with their rival gang in it.  However, they didn't look like a gang, they were a man and woman, well dressed with a couple teens in the back.  Yet, they swore at us and threw signs like a gang. We finally got off the highway and out of traffic, to an apartment complex.  On the way up to their apartment, I saw my dad and brother in a hallway, I said hi and hugged my brother, but ignored my dad.  We continued into "guys" apartment, which was an empty apartment, it looked like a nice apartment yet it was without furniture and electricity.  A big window let moonlight in, and "guy" said they had trouble at the docks, whatever that meant.  I felt used and weird, I just wanted to leave.  I said "hey, I gotta take off"... then "guy" came up to me and showed me a belt with a sparkly buckle.  He said this could have been yours if you did as I said, but now you get this belt, and it had a plain green buckle.  I said no, I'm not going to join your gang.  He called me a bitch again and lashed out at me, saying I belong to him and I should be grateful.  I walked away, then he hit me with the buckled belt.  I turned and found his throat, then squeezed.  I lost it, he was helpless and I looked at his friends do nothing.  So, I let him go, and he didn't run away, which was weird.  Instead, he began to cry, like his feelings were hurt.  Then I woke up.  Fuckin' weirded out.