My friend, Demise

Chapter 27

"We shouldn't leave him alone."

We wound up at a coffee shop near the hotel, Caine deciding it'd be best to sit and eat cake while we wait for Demise to feel better. "He needs it, so stop whining and sit."

We sat there for what felt like hours, staring at each other once he sat down across from me. "Stop staring."

"What time is it?"

"It's been three minutes."

I tapped my fingers together and looked down at my feet. It took three more minutes before I spoke up again. "Want to fight...to pass the time?"

"Verbally or physically?"

"Physical."

"I've already got a bruise on my face because of you, it looks very unprofessional. I'd rather not do anything like that in a public cafe."

"Then verbal."

"Okay, what are we fighting about?"

"...why are you so rich?" I quit fidgeting and gave him my full attention. He clearly didn't seem to like the question.

"My parents make a lot of money. They made sure I got a stable career so that I would too."

"What's your career? How old are you?"

"I'm 27 and I'm a doctor."

"Why didn't you say that when I asked how your took care of injuries so well?"

"Fuck this, I'll take physical." He stood up and stomped over to me, grabbing my jaw. "Stop asking about my life when we've just met."

"I'd like to get to know the guy crushing on my boyfriend."

"Listen..." he let go of me and gave me a rather solemn expression. "You don't know him like I do so stop trying to pretend you do."

"What don't I know?"

"His favorite color, his past, literally anything?"

"His favorite color is red."

"That's the only one you know?"

"If you know him so well then why don't you tell me?"

"It's not my place to tell you."

"I should've known you two would talk about me." Demise stumbled through the front door with a frown, his footsteps accompanied by the bell jingling above the door. "Why can't you just get along for my sake?"

"I thought you wanted us to leave!" I stood up and ran to him, wrapping an arm around his waist so he'd stop struggling to stand.

Caine hadn't moved, only staring at us like he already knew Demise would follow us here. "I'm going home." He headed out the door, shoving his wallet in Demise's hands. "Pay for anything you want and bring it back tomorrow."

"Caine-"

"I'll talk to him." I helped Demise sit down and ran after his friend, stopping when I bumped into his chest. He grabbed me by the hair and shoved me to the concrete. I didn't really mind, standing back on my feet. "Caine-"

"Stop. Go back." He placed a hand on my chest when I tried to move closer to him.

"What's your problem?!" I shoved his hand off of me. "Every time I try to be your friend, you ditch me!"

"I've made it very clear that I don't want to be your friend, Azra."

"How did you-"

"That's none of your business."

"You hate me that much?"

"Yes."

"How can you be such an ass? I want us to get along, why can't you at least give it a chance?"

"Because I can't stand you."

"I fucking hate you too but at least I'm trying!"

"Stop putting his feeling above yours." His expression didn't change, he still looked pissed. "I had to learn that quickly."

"The hell are you talking about?"

"I may hate you but I don't want you to get hurt by him. It'll happen faster than you think and before you can even process it, he'll be gone."

"I don't understand. Did he do something to you?"

"Demise isn't actually my friend."

"Then how do you know each other?"

He opened his mouth to speak before Demise appeared behind him and slapped a hand over his mouth. "Shut up before you get yourself killed. It's not like that this time and you know it. Don't project your own shitty feelings onto him."

"Get your hands off of me." He grabbed Demise's hand and tried to pull it from his mouth. Once he finally managed to, the shorter boy stepped between us and slammed his boot against Caine's stomach.

"Keep your trauma away from Az, got it?"

Caine grabbed his ankle and smiled. "You got it, Boss."

I noticed the change in atmosphere before Demise could attack him, grabbing him by the arms and pulling him far enough away from Caine that they couldn't touch each other. "Let go!"

"No. You're gonna hit him and I want to hear what he's talking about."

He reached behind me and pulled the gun from my jeans, firing two shots into Caine's stomach before I managed to take it away from him.

"Are you trying to get yourself arrested?!" Caine held a hand over the wounds on his abdomen, glaring at both of us. "You can't just shoot me here!"

"Why are you so calm right now, you're fucking bleeding!" I ran to Caine and helped him sit down rather than falling. "Should I call-"

"I'll be alright. Believe it or not, the fucker shoots me quite often."

"Get away from him." Demise aimed the gun I was sure I'd taken back from him directly at me. "He can take care of himself."

"Don't point a fucking gun at me."

"Get away from him!"

"He could die-"

"Do I look like I care for him even a little? Come here."

"I'll get myself to a hospital, you two go back to the hotel. Demise and I will work this out later."