Beautiful Apparation (Tony Perry FF)

forty

Silence.

I expected it, but not for this long. Is he trying to make up an excuse?

"How did you kn-"

"Devin is Kyle," I answer.

More silence. Now I'm wide awake, I feel my headache disappear and mind turn on. The buzz is still active but as long as I could hear and feel everything, I'm good.

I shift in the bed so I'm facing Tony, his guilty face. He isn't going to get out of this so easy. I can't let things like this pass anymore. I want- need to know everything.

"I don't know," He mumbles. "As soon as I realized he wasn't the source of the problem, I left him behind. He obviously caught up with me."

He's right, Kyle wasn't the problem, I was. I fought with myself for so long. Tony gave me a reason to live. He's a constant reminder of what I can be within a second, dead.

That's why I was so attracted to him. Don't get me wrong, I still am, but not in the way I was before. He doesn't have to deal with any of the struggles of an average human being. I was jealous, but now realize that what I have is a gift. Life is a privilege, this world is the thing that's fucked up. There are some good things that can come out of it. An example is all the people that came to my party today, friends. Without them, I don't know what I'd do.

"Tony, what else aren't you telling me?"

He sighs, looking up at the ceiling. "I'm a selfish asshole. Kyle wanted to see you, and I wouldn't let him."

"Because he's an asshole, I know."

"No," He shakes his head. "He's changed. The next time you see him, listen to what he has to say."

Tears brim my eyes. I was such a dick to him at the bar.

"But it's too late for any of that. Don't you understand?"

He sighs, "No it isn't. It's never too late."

"There's something else, isn't there?" I wipe away a lingering tear. This is already too much, but there's more to be told. I know there is. The look on his face says so.

He doesn't hesitate to say it.

"I'm a killer Audrey."

"What?"

That's all I can get out. I don't want to move, nor scream. I want an explanation.

"I swear I stopped since then," He says.

At this point I'm motionless. How can he do this to me? Kyle was right all along and I ignored him like the ignorant bitch I really am. I'm laying next to who I thought was a friend, but now a total stranger.

"I got sick of being alone," He begins. "So I went around taking over the bodies of girls... killing them. I expected them to be with me as soon as they took their final breath, but got nothing."

"How many?"

"Audr-"

"How many?"

"Six."

I hold in my tears and decide that's enough for tonight. Shifting away from him, my eyes fell on the alarm clock, 12 PM.

My birthday is officially over.

>>>

The next morning is quiet, I know I'm alone. I check the house quickly and find Daryl waiting at the front door. He's gotten too emotionally attached to Tony.

"It's okay buddy," I whisper. "Me too."

He doesn't turn at the sound of my voice. With that, I take a quick shower and get ready for any regular day. The shop is closed today. Lynn knew we were all going to be hungover the day after my birthday so we shut it down as a whole.

For an hour I debate whether or not to see my brother. What Tony said really shook me up. I can't keep relying on someone else to figure out things for me. If I really want to know if Kyle changed, I'm going to have to find out myself.

I get off of my bed and go for the door. Daryl doesn't mind as I walk out of the house. The walk to my car is dreading. It's not even because of the heat or my killer hangover, it's cause I'm actually doing this. I'm going to see my brother and fix things once and for all.

>>>

I pull to the same house Kyle held the house warming party. A car's outside so I figure he's here. I wish he isn't though. I'm obviously not ready for any of this. These types of situations I'm not built for.

I exit the car and make my way to the door. Before I can knock, it swings open. Kyle looks confused at my presence, I can't blame him though.

"Hey," I murmur.

"May I help you?" He crosses his arms.

"Kyle I'm not all for the attitude today. Can I just come inside?"

"Kyle? My name is Devin."

No, no, no. Why is this happening to me? Can't I get my way just once? Instead of coming up with some lame explanation I simply walk away from the house. Once I get back inside my car, I cry. I've been holding it in for so long and letting it all out feels good.

"Stop crying."

Kyle's voice comes from beside me.

I have to double look. There he is, as himself. Dirty blonde hair, green eyes, and that dumb smirk on his face.

"Kyle?"

"No, Satan."

I smile wiping my tears away.

"You were right, I was wrong."

"Wow, never thought I'd hear that in my life."

"Are you happy now?"

He shrugs, "Not really. It makes no difference to me. I'm dead, remember?"

"And I forgive you. That's what you want to hear too. Isn't that why you're here?"

I did mean it when I said it. I messed up with Kyle. This wouldn't be the first time either.

"I'm flattered, but no that's not why I'm here. You know I'm way past you forgiving me. Sure I like to hear it, but I know somehow I'll fuck up along the way again anyways, even if I am dead. I just wanted to see if you were okay."

Pinch me, I'm dreaming. Kyle cares about my feelings? This is new.

"I'm not okay. My relationship with Tony is so fucked up. I thought I knew what I was doing."

"Audrey, you and I both know life doesn't go the way we want it. Do you think I wanted to be shot by someone I trusted? No, but it happened. You can do something to fix what you're going through, I can't."

"But what do I do?" I ask helplessly.

"Leave San Diego."

---

*gasp* this was shorter than usual.

so tony has a dark past afterall...