Pavane for a Lost Boy (Or Rather, How to Survive Loss after Rejection)

Chapter Sixty-Seven

"I still can't believe it," Serenity commented after Oliver and I recapped her and the others about what was said at the meeting with Ms. Machado and the letter from Theo and Ryan hinting about their plans for my demise. "I had a feeling that those two are out of their minds, especially after the shooting. But they're really adding a lot of unwanted stress around everyone here."

"Tell me about it," Holly said, shaking her head as we all made the trek after a long day of classes. To me, "Demario, how are you going to handle this mess with them?"

I shrugged my shoulders, taking a deep breath to ease my nerves. "For the most part, it's really out of my hands," I replied. "I mean, Joel and Taylor told me that I needed to stay under the radar and focus on my schoolwork. Plus, McGillivray's been informed about the letter as there's an APB placed for the infamous duo. But in reality, I'm bound to be placed under protective custody by the Lomax clan for my safety, meaning a curfew and less time with you guys unless you come over to visit."

Oliver nodded. "My uncle said the same thing since I'm connected to Demario," he commented. "Unless we're at swim meets or supervised dates, we're fit to be tied."

"Probably for the best," Epiphany chirped, brushing a stray hair back in place. "I mean, you two are linked to Ryan since you two slept with him, albeit while drugged, and you both refused his offers for a throuple pairing."

"Which is a smart move, since I think that Ryan is too demented to be dating anyone," Derrick noted. "But still, Ryan's not the one to be rejected. We all should know that he's not to be denied anything that catches his eye and we thought that Jillian was one persistent pest."

"Don't remind me," Holly scoffed as we began to separate for our after-school activities. "Anyway, something tells me that there's going to be more chaos in the air. And Demario, I hate to say this, but there's going to be some craziness that'll be thrown your way."

As much as I hated to say this, I had a feeling that she was right on the money.

**************

Douglass and Evangeline Bader.

You may have forgotten their names since they were mentioned in passing back in the earlier chapters, so here's a quick recap for you.

1.) They were my ex-paternal grandparents who didn't want to take me in because "the economy was already bad and they had to consider it." The way they said was like I was a newborn that needed a diaper change when I could've easily gotten an after-school job to fend for myself.

2.) They, like everyone else who took my late mother's side, thought that I was a waste of space and that I broke the family because I was a love child.

3.) Yvonne warned me that they were soon to visit me and they weren't too happy to learn that I was still alive even after my failed suicide attempt, being drugged by Ryan, and that shooting.

And now, even as I came in from a tiring diving practice (thankfully, Oliver and his uncle also accompanied me home), I was now face-to-face with the well-dressed older couple who was sneering down at me while Joel, Taylor, the Nguyen twins, and even the McGillivray-Sullivan clan (the judge included with a few cops outside in case of any unwanted drama like before) were glaring down at them with contempt full in their eyes.

"Demario," Mrs. Bader said crisply, her eyes narrowed in silts as I sat down. "You look...very adequate."

I sat back in the sofa as Oliver grasped my hand. "And you two look very elegant."

"Thank you," Mr. Bader said in his deep baritone voice that brook every bit of hatred for me yet kept it formal. "My wife and I will cut straight to the point, young man. Your mother and her family- except for that traitor Denise and her husband- all had the right to hate you since you're not really a Bader by blood. Lottie Mae insisted that you stayed alive and bring light to our family. Frankly, we were better off if you were aborted so our families never liked anyone who was deemed as a weak link that could end the family name."