My friend, Demise

Chapter 16

Demise's POV

I didn't wake up for a good few weeks but when I did, I was shocked to see my father in the room with me. "Dad?"

"Hey buddy." He grabbed my hand and smiled. "How are you feeling?"

"My chest hurts. Where's Azriel and Mom?" I could hear a familiar voice playing in the background but I didn't know who it was. "And Jasmine?"

"Your mom went to get food, Jasmine went with her."

"And Azriel? Mom told you about him right?"

"She did."

I heard the voice again and sat up. "Turn the TV up."

He walked over to the tv that was hanging up in the corner and turned up the volume, showing the news station.

"We're here in Denver, Colorado with the boy who survived two shootings within the same month. After taking a bullet to the stomach, he saw his best friend get shot right in front of his own home."

Azriel appeared on the screen, which made my stomach tighten. He shouldn't be on Tv. He doesn't need that kind of attention. "What do you want me to say?"

He looked angry. Beyond angry.

"Tell us about your friend."

"He saved my life and I didn't save his, what more do you expect? He should be the one here right now, not me."

"Don't you feel lucky that you're still alive?"

"Being alive doesn't mean (bleep) if he isn't alive too." He glared directly at the camera. "Now get your (bleep) camera out of my face."

"Please don't curse on live-"

"Get. Your. (Bleep). Camera. Out. Of. My. Face." He held up his middle finger.

"Can we blur that please?" The man yelled to someone else off screen.

"Blur this" Azriel grabbed the camera and it hit the ground, only showing him shoving the interviewer to the concrete.

The scene switched to a woman in the rain, holding a microphone. "As you can see, the interview got violent and-"

"Why would they put him on TV like that?!" I stood up and tore the breathing mask from my face, as well as the IV out of my arm.

"Demise-"

"I have to see him!" I frowned and turned to my father, taking in a deep breath. "Please understand this...whether you don't or not, I'm still going."

Azriel's pov

I sat on a bench outside, my knuckles stinging as I clenched my fists. They were a little busted open from the fight I had with the interviewer, who decided not to press charges against me since he didn't have my permission to film me.

"What do you know..." the one man I didn't want to see sat beside me. "You're just as naive as you look."

"Leave me alone..." I hugged my knees to my chest and leaned my forehead against them, tears welling in my eyes. "And stop following me, you've already shot my best friend."

"How is he, by the way?"

"Dying."

"You're not going to punch me? Not going to try and pick a fight?"

I held one hand out to him, showing that it was shaking bad enough that he could see how scared I was of him. "I'm afraid of you. How could I possibly fight?"

He grabbed my hand and held it tightly, his fingers between my own. "My darling, Azra. Don't fear me, I pose no threat."

"You kidnapped me, raped me, shot my best friend, and continued to stalk me."

"I did that for you. To show I love you."

I stood up and yanked my hand from his, pulling the gun from my hip and cocking it at him. "That's not love! That's obsession and trust me I know the damn difference!"

"There is no difference." He smiled, making my skin crawl. "I know you love me too."

"Fear isn't love either....I loathe you. I want you to die."

"Then shoot me." He cocked his head. "You're such a child that I don't think you can even manage the task."

"That's the problem." I scoffed. "I'm a kid- I-....I'm just a fucking kid! If you were me, you'd be angry too!"

"Then tell me." He stood up and grabbed my wrist, aiming the gun off to the side as he slid his hand between my legs and pressed his chest to my own. "Does this make your blood boil?"

"I'm not yours. Don't treat me like I am."

"Oh but darling..." he leaned to my ear and softened his voice to the tone that made my entire body tremble in pure rage. "You'll always be mine."

I don't know what happened between then and a few seconds after but he was on the ground and I was firing the gun into his body nonstop. I kept pulling the trigger even after the bullets had run out.

After a few more empty clicks, I threw the gun at his head and dropped to my knees, wrapping my arms tightly around my stomach and feeling tears stream down my cheeks. My eyes refused to blink, staring at his dead body.

"Azriel!" I felt arms wrap around me and reached for the gun again, screaming until my throat hurt to try and get them off of me. "Hey hey hey, it's me!"

I stopped and looked at the boy, seeing a face I never thought I'd see again. "D-Demise?"

He smiled warmly, a pale blush on his cheeks as he gave me a content look. "Hi."

I didn't hug him back, I just pressed my lips to his own and grabbed his hair so he couldn't pull away. I leaned my back against the bench I sat in front of, him sitting on my lap. After about two minutes, he pulled away and laughed. "I was trying to tell you something."

"Yeah well now I'm listening."

"My dads at the car." He nodded to the street, his dad leaning against a car that was parked in the side of the road.

"Hey don't let me stop you." He rolled his eyes. "It's not like we have a body to take care of."

"Body?" I asked.

Demise pointed to the dead man laying beside us, making me scream and jump to my feet. "Woah relax!" He quickly stood up and calmed me down. "It's okay, you didn't do anything wrong."

"Of course I did, I fucking killed a guy!"

"I saw what happened when he sat beside you. I heard everything. I was going to step in but Dad said only if it looked like you were going to get hurt. When he grabbed you, I tried to come help but you shot him."

"I killed a guy..." I mumbled in disbelief.

"Honestly, even if you took this to the police you'd be fine."

"I fuckin killed a guy."

"I'll take care of the body, get him home." His dad kicked a small pebble. "Calm him down, make sure he gets some sleep."

"Okay. Will you be back?"

"As soon as I'm done."