SO BAD [MXM] [MAFIA] ✓

9: GOODBYE

Skylar can't even remember how he got out of there.

The only things he's sure of is that he wasn't seen. Still, the escape is a blur. The walk back to his car takes about two hours, and the entire time his mind is running a mile a minute. He doesn't know what to think of what he just saw, let alone how to process it.

Skylar wants to think that maybe he was seeing things. Ashton has been on his mind so much lately, maybe that wasn't even him. However, there's no way Skylar could've mistaken both the voice and the face to be the same person. No, that was Ashton. Ashton is an accorder, whatever the fuck that even means.

It doesn't sound like a very negative title. However, Skylar is pretty sure it is. He had no idea what that word even meant, so he looked it up, and it has something to do with granting people status. As in, having a lot of control over not only his own power, but the power others possess. Again, whatever that means.

It does answer one question, though. Skylar remembers, before The Event, when he'd first arrived at Ashton's fucking penthouse. He remembers exactly what crossed his mind, how the hell Ashton could afford it off the money he makes at Brandy's. What kind of side job would bring in that kind of cash, since he works like two days a week at most bartending.

Skylar wants to tell someone, wants to talk about this. He doesn't want to keep it to himself, because he's just so confused. He has so many questions. Hell, he wants to ask Ashton himself about what the fuck he just saw. However, there's not a way for him to do that without also spilling secrets of his own. No doubt he'd have to come clean about his addiction, about why he was even there in the first place. Skylar can't do that. Everyone already thinks he's enough of a mess.

Skylar spends both his two hour walk to his car and his half hour drive home trying to put the pieces together, and yet, even after all that time to think... he still comes up blank. The only thing he knows is that Ashton is involved in crime, has some serious connections, and is widely regarded as powerful. Also, Skylar's pretty sure the accorders are a group. Is it a family thing? A gang? Is he in the fucking mafia or something?

By the time Skylar reaches his house, he genuinely feels like he's about to lose his fucking mind. It's made even worse when he spots a familiar truck parked in the driveway, and Skylar briefly contemplates climbing through the window. However, he doesn't want to risk breaking any of the glass or cracking the bottles in his bag.

Skylar sighs, hoping that Ashton and Jessie are in his room or something. He grabs his bag and steps out of the car, slamming the door shut behind him and dragging his feet all the way to the door. He can't wait to go to his room and get fucked up so that he can forget about all this shit.

Unfortunately when Skylar enters his house he is met with a worst case scenario. Not only is Ashton literally the first person he sees, but the guy is in the living room with Jessie, eating Skylar's chips. As in, he's quite literally in the room that the front door opens into, and he's eating Skylar's goddamn motherfucking chips.

Skylar is pissed off immediately, especially since he knows Ashton's doing it on purpose. He knows that those are Skylar's favorite chips, and he buys them with his own money specifically for himself. The only reason he could be doing so is to get a rise out of him.

Normally Skylar would be yelling at him immediately, but he can't find it within himself. Ashton is looking at him in expectation and Jessie appears nervous at the likely oncoming fight. However, Skylar can't. When he looks at Ashton, all he can see is the hooded figure. The accorder, participating in a business deal in an abandoned parking lot in a back alley.

He can't help it, he looks at Ashton like he's just seen a ghost.

"Uh, you good, Sky?"

Skylar only has enough time to see Ashton's face start to turn confused before Jessie is asking him that. He flicks his gaze over to the guy, who looks just as confused and a little concerned. Skylar smiles at him, nervously, and that doesn't help. Skylar never smiles, so Jessie's concern only increases.