𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘰𝘺, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙮𝙨

𝙛𝙞𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣

"HEY, DAD." HUGHIE TOLD THE PHONE, BILLY STARING DAGGERS AT HIS BACK. "Hey, Hughie. Long time no talk." Hughie's eyes squinted at the unfamiliar voice. "You know, I've been wanting to talk to you for a while now-" "Who is this?" Hughie interrupted, Samuel's head tilting at his back. "I thought you would recognise my voice. You spend so much time obsessing over me, am I right?" A-Train asked from his dad's phone, Hughie's face falling. "Say hi to your baby boy, dad. Oh, hey, hey Hughie." His dad spoke, Hughie's breathing quickening.

"Why is he here? He says you're in some kind of trouble." "Dad, are you okay?" Hughie asked, Samuel staying silent as did everyone else. "Okay- He's fine. Remington Steele's almost on." A-Train laughed, Hughie exhaling shakily. "A-Train, listen to me-" M.M's face dropped. "Oh, shit, if he's burned, then I'm fucked." Samuel inhaled sharply, Billy checking his phone as Kimiko looked to Samuel. "My place is burned. They got me." Billy told Samuel, M.M rushing to his phone.

His computer was blocked, M.M cursing as Hughie spoke down the phone. "Get your ass over here in 20 minutes, or I'm gonna burst through him like a fucking piñata, do you understand me? Just like I did your girlfriend." A-Train threatened, Samuel quick to put his plate away and fumble for his phone. "Hey, Sammy, it's okay." Frenchie rushed over to the boy, him shaking his head. "They're gonna fucking kill me, Frenchie." He spat, his eyes beginning to sting as he stepped on both of his phones. Kimiko looked urgently between them both. "You'll be okay-" "Stop fucking lying to me, Frenchie!"

Samuel snapped, Kimiko flinching before Samuel rushed away. "Oh, and Hughie, if I get a whiff of one of your little asshole friends-" "I got it." Hughie hung up, M.M panicking. "All my bank accounts are blocked and flagged. Monique, listen, when you get this," Samuel rummaged through his bag, snapping any sim card he could find, "leave the house immediately. Lay low and call me." Everyone packed up quickly, Hughie turning back to the group. "I hope she was fucking worth it, Hugh." Samuel moved past Hughie as he spoke, pouring all of his sim cards down the drain.

"It's not Annie." He told the boy, looking to Billy. "She doesn't know-" "It doesn't matter. I'm gonna fucking do her in." Billy seethed, Hughie turning to him. "The hell you will!-" "Hey, hold on a second. She doesn't know. It wasn't her." M.M interrupted, Billy turning to him. "She's never seen me before." He spoke, Samuel stopping to look at the man. "Not once. Not ever. So how did I get burned?" He asked, Billy scoffing. "Mesmer. You fucking idiots had to go to Mesmer. Fuck me." Billy yelled, Samuel gulping as he emptied his bag. "Thank you." Hughie told M.M once Billy left, the man looking to him.

"That was not smart, to sleep with her." He informed sternly, Samuel leaning against the wall as his breathing quickened. "Sammy?" Frenchie called, M.M leaving as Hughie looked to the boy. He held his hair, sitting against the wall in pure panic as Frenchie rushed over. "He's gonna get me, Frenchie." Samuel let out, Kimiko and Hughie confused. "No, no, mon ami, I will not let him, huh?" Frenchie crouched in front of him, holding Samuel's head as the boy started to cry. "I need air." He spoke, his chest quick before Frenchie nodded, helping him up and towards a window.

"Sit here, okay? No one will get you." Frenchie assured, Samuel choking on his own breath as Frenchie left, Hughie staring at him. "What's wrong with him?" He asked Frenchie quietly, Kimiko listening in in curiosity. "His father." Frenchie spoke lowly, gulping. "Illusion. His father." The man decided to speak no further before joining Kimiko in packing up, Hughie confused.

∞

CLOSING THE DOOR SLOWLY, HUGHIE ENTERED HIS DAD'S APARTMENT, THE MAN JUMPING UP AT HIM. "Hughie." The man spoke, his son looking to him. "Dad." He walked over, Hughie's father whispering. "He's acting strange. You know, real jumpy." He spoke, Hughie tilting his head. "Where is he?" Hughie asked, his father shaking his head. "I don't know-" "Right here, sport." A-Train laughed, speeding into the apartment with boxes in hand. "Look what I got." He held one up. A figurine of him.