Chapter one- I would have never guessed that the guy with the pink playboy lighter would be the one to make my ex-boyfriend piss himself
Do you ever feel like you’re drowning? Like no matter how hard you kick you only find yourself sinking further and further. Where everything else becomes utterly unimportant, because your only worry is to get the air your lungs crave. That’s how I feel. I’ve become numb to everything else because my brain craves the healing I can’t give it. I’ve begun to hate myself more than they do, my self-hatred drives me, and I’m at my own mercy. I just want to be dead.
Multiple thoughts crowd my mind as I sit alone on the grass in Bethany Weay’s park a block away from my school. I still remember Beth like it was yesterday, it doesn’t feel like it was 2 years ago but I guess that could be because the whole city of Denbale still makes a big deal out of it. I decide not to dwell on my friend’s death and to focus more on my sketchbook, then I realize this whole time I had been sketching Beth’s face. I sigh and close the book before swiftly retrieving my pack of cigarettes from my pocket and selecting one. After studying it for a moment I tuck it between my lips and search my pocket for my lighter but come up short.
“Damn, I could have sworn I had my black bic in my pocket a second ago….” I say aloud while rummaging through my pocket still. Before I have the chance to pull my hand out of my pocket a flame bursts in front of my face and it takes me a minute to realize there was someone there. I put the end of my cigarette in the flame and pull air through. It’s then I look up to see who had come to my rescue.
“We all need a little pick me up sometimes,” he smiles at me and turns to leave but I call out a short thank you and he turns to smile once more before quickly disappearing into the busy traffic. Who are you I think to myself while taking a long drag of smoke into my lungs.
About an hour later I decide that I should probably go back to school, I have just enough time to make it there for my last period, and then I can go home and sleep off this exhausting day. When I get to school I realize I’m ten minutes late, “Maybe I can just sneak in the back and sit down.” I think to myself. I carefully twist the door nob and gently push forward but before I have time to react a loud creaking sound alarms the class that I’ve arrived late. I sigh and just accept the fact everyone will be watching. I allow the teacher to stand there and lecture me while I sit with my sketchbook and doodle. I pay no mind to him, he’s just a teacher and there’s nothing they can do.
After the painful hour and twenty minutes spent in my fourth period is over I then grab my bag and head outside in hopes of not running into anyone. Sure enough I’m out of luck and Gypsy and his little gang are in their usual hangout spot by the dumpsters. I proceed to just walk by hoping for once they might leave me alone but by now I should know better.
“Hey Bixton! Walk you’re sweet ass over here.” Gypsy shouts. Keeping my head down I keep walking but soon enough I hear their footsteps behind me. Walking faster I hear them more distantly shouting something about me. Then I cut down the Alley leading to Beth’s park but am greeted by two of Gypsy’s henchmen out to get stoned. I keep walking; they don’t know he’s following me I tell myself. Just as I pass and I feel like I’m in the clear I hear Gypsy’s voice call out, “Grab her!”
I turn frantically to face Gypsy’s disgusting smile then start sprinting in the opposite direction. Cutting left then right, down two alleys I come face to face with a fence and fall onto my back. I hold my nose with both hands and I can feel the warm red liquid pouring out. Then I hear their footsteps growing closer, I attempt to sit up and I see that it’s Gypsy approaching me alone. I use my sleeve to wipe away most of the blood and stare back at him. If looks could kill the one I’m giving him would have him begging for his life.
“Awe, looks like Dot is still as clumsy as ever.” He laughs and stops just short of my extended feet. I scream as he steps on my ankle, grabs my wrist and whirls me up towards him all in one swift movement. I push away and stumble into the fence, he approaches while I press my back as far into the harsh metal as it will allow. “Don’t play hard to get Bixton, we all know how easy you are.” He says as if mocking the very thought of me turning him down.
I turn my face away from his while he presses his chest against mine. Gypsy grabs my face and forces me to face him but before he has the chance to land a kiss on me he’s pulled away harshly, forcing me to fall forward onto my hands and knees. I stare at the pavement for a minute and try to make sense of the blood leaking from my hands and knees but realize it’s also still pouring from my nose as well. As I look up to clarify what had just happened I see Gypsy being lifted by his neck and pressed against one of the buildings that make up the alley we occupy. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw who was making Gypsy quiver. I would have never guessed that the guy with the pink playboy lighter would be the one to make my ex-boyfriend piss himself.
