A Thousand Nights

Chapter 8: "Runaway"

I'm conflicted. Should I go deal with my past or ignore it and chase my future. Where would we even go? Ravi and I, do we really know each other? Is she really the one, does the one even exist? Have I been quiet for too long? I'm parked just behind what I fear is the car Isabella came here in, with Ravi and Alexa and this huge elephant. Alexa opens the door and calls Damian's name to buzz her in. I glance at Aaravi and she looks somewhat detached. Is she having second thoughts? "Shake it Off" is playing on the radio and Aaravi steps out of the car.
"I'm actually kind of hungry. Think we could have a quick meal?" She asks

We go up to Damian's apartment and it's times like these I wish I was telepathic. There's Dorito dust on the door handle and I hate how mainstream Doritos always were. Aaravi walks in behind Alexa and there's a guy with a rainbow coloured beard and Doritos in his hand where there should've been a bewitching redhead.
"Yo, uh...Huey, this here is '9:13'. And woah, who's the baddie?" The man who is now even more dead to me says.
"Oh my word, heh, I'm Jewel." Aaravi replies
"I'm sorry, did you say his name is 9:13?" Aaravi asks and we both snicker
"Ayo blud, I didn't come here to be disrespected. Tell yo mans to tell his girl to act straight!" Says 9:13 and Aaravi and I burst out laughing.
"Yo, what's so fucking funny?!"
"Sorry Mr 13, it's just that its funny how you said act straight when-" I begin
"When your beard is literally the pride flag." Aaravi is almost in tears at this point and even opportunity-hungry Alexa is giggling.
"See y'all lucky I'm so grown, where I come from-"
"Candy Crush?" Aaravi interrupts and now I remember she has a death wish.
"You look like if 6ix9ine was in a midlife crisis."
"Haha, you look like you made out with a unicorn that had way too much to drink." This is kinda fun and it's moments like these when I'm reminded that she's my soulmate. Damian chuckles and 9:13 looks like he's about to drop the hardest Hello Kitty themed diss track of all time. I think about whether or not Damian and I could take this guy in a fight and there's Dorito crumbs on my favorite sleep-cushion.

9:13 tells me he heard the beat I made for Damian and wants to sign me to his label, "Animal Park Records For Real" (wow). I swiftly envision my life as a producer working for a small label and some day making a beat for Virgil and I decline, because I don't need all that. I can already see my future and it's standing right next to me. Aaravi asks Alexa where the toilet is and I wish I could see through walls.
"Yo, listen, I'll pay you a fair amount, so don't even trip." 9:13 encourages me and judging from his look, this man doesn't listen when people speak.
"No, I already told you, I'm leaving in a bit so-"
"You're leaving?" A female voice says from behind me. I turn to the door and shit-balls-rabbit-stew, it's Bel-zebub and she's wearing my Virgil hoodie! Before I can map out all the viable exits to run away, someone else walks through the door and my heart drops further, because he has a black eye, a douchy haircut and he's missing his headphones, because I punched him, his barber sucks and I stole his headphones! How high up can a human fall from and still survive? Why is she with him? How fast can I jump through that window? Do vehicles actually cushion the fall and does Bruce Banner have to pay for property damage?
"HEY! THAT'S THE MANIAC WHO ROBBED ME!!" Abomination shouts and where's the Hulk when you need him? He is calmed down by the temptress before she starts again.
"Dathan, I-" a rat emerges from the cushions and I've never heard a grown man scream like 9:13 does. Alexa grabs her broom and Damian and Abomination jump on the table and Bel protests hurting it and 9:13 is still screaming. There comes a day when one must take responsibility for one's actions and today is not that day, because I use this chance to run to the bathroom in search of Ravi so we can leave, but no one's answering the door. I knock harder and Alexa is shouting in spanish. The door is unlocked, so I walk in with my eyes closed and tell her we're leaving except there's no "her" to tell, because no one's in here and the window's open. I climb out and there's a fire escape and where did she go?