WE ARE THE D.S (Somos la D.S - English version)

17. MINEFIELD

Recruiting some of my friends was not the hardest part of it all. The real agony came in the waiting.

The hours it took to leave Luttia's house and drive into town became an ordeal.

I have not wanted to move from my truck and I have an emergency number on speed dial in case something happens.

I've tried to come up with over a million theories in the time I've been alone, but all roads lead me to one place: the dealers, Paul and the beating they gave him.

Imagining Roman in danger tears me apart and fills me with helplessness.

Helpless, unable to do anything, I tighten a heavy knot in my chest.

Why did I have to disappear, why did I have to meet all this disaster?

Because I know that that blood, that pair of broken furniture, is not due to a fit of rage from Roman, and if it were he would answer my calls.

I've left over thirty messages and his phone just seems dead in space. I don't want to think the worst, I don't want to, but catastrophic images are the only ones that emerge in my mind.

Almost on the verge of giving up hope I watch Talissa's van park a little further away and get out desperately looking for some kind of comfort.

"Baelee, are you okay?"

Talissa wraps her arms around me and my eyes just start to tear up. I don't know why I'm crying. Maybe I'm releasing my worries outside, which a few hours ago swam in my head like ounces of poison.

"Roman," I can barely speak, and between my eyes I meet Malton with François, concern on his face. "He has disappeared."

I try to pull myself together, try to find a stabilizing axis, but as Talissa releases me and I fall into François' arms, I find no comfort.

"What do you mean, he's disappeared? We've taken the call and come here in a hurry, but we need you to explain what's going on."

"Bernard doesn't know anything?"

"We got away from him before he could notice, he doesn't know anything about this and after the discussion they had, I doubt he wants to know anything about Roman. Although I still think he would have come for you."

"After everything that has happened" after kissing him, after lying and coming for him desperately "I don't want any more arguments."

"We understand, but if you want our help, we need to know everything."

"All right, I'll tell you, do you want to go into the house?" I look at the house sideways, hesitating a little. I never thought I would bring my best friends to this place.

"Of course," Talissa says and settles in next to me as I move forward.

"I'm warning you, it's a little small, and everything is broken, so...."

"Baelee, we are not Luttia. We have not come here to judge. The only thing that matters now is your well-being and finding Roman," François kisses my knuckles and I smile.

"What a mess!" He whispers Malton as we enter the house. "Why is there blood here?"

I take a breath, this is going to be long: "Well, how do we start with all this?"

"Start at the beginning," Talissa encourages and I do.

In the middle of a nervous breakdown that doesn't pass, I tell my friends everything, from the drugs, the beating they gave Roman, everything.