Lifestyle Fulfilled

Chapter 10

I propped myself upon the edge of the beige sink counter, while Zay sat on the lid of the toilet holding the red and white first aid kit.
I reached behind me, dampening a towel to clean the now dry trails of blood off of his face.
His face was crusted with blood and his eye, was just a little puffy, but I could still see all of his sexiness through his wounds.
As I began to wipe his face, he winced in pain. "Damn girl.." He started laughing.

I smirked, "Man up."
I placed my hand under his chin nudging him to tilt his head up. He fiddled with the snap on the first aid kit while I continued to clean his face. After a while of sitting in the ear aching silence, I decided to ask him about the whole situation. I had so many questions.
Why is this man here? Do you know him? Who is O2? Why do you owe him? How much do you owe him? When did all of this start?

I awkwardly cleared my throat, "Soooo, um....Are you gay?" I asked, reaching into the first aid kit for a gauze. I kept my my eyes fixated on the gauze in my hands, purposely avoiding eye contact and creating a weird atmosphere.

He erupted in laughter, "Girl, how do you sound? Have you seen me?" He started fake flexing like he was Hercules or somebody.

"Look, Goofball, it was supposed to be a serious question!" I started laughing and nudged his shoulder.

I continued rubbing alcohol pads on his face to clean up the minor cuts when my mind generated another question.."How much do you owe?"

"$100,000 is what he GAVE me."

"Gosh Dammit." I winced as though the words were some sort of weapon hitting me in my face. "How the hell?"

"When I was younger, my mom and dad took us on our first vacation. We went to Acapulco, Mexico. It was sooo pretty..so different."  He was in such a far away place remembering this, all I could do was stare. He suddenly snapped out his trance, standing up and gathering his things to leave the bathroom. "Anyway, long story short, he killed my parents 2 days into this vacation. I had no one left in Acapulco, just me by myself. They took me, and they made me one of them."

He grabbed a towel and walked out of the bathroom. I sat there stunned, I wasn't expecting this answer. What now? Did I push him too far for answers? I cursed myself for always wanting to know more and not leaving well enough alone.

I kicked off my boots and padded after him down the hallway. He went in the living room and I went into the kitchen to grab a bag of frozen peas.

"Here's some peas.....for your face..." I said holding out the bag of Green Giant Peas. He took the bag holding it to his eye.

"I think I'ma just have to come up with $100,000 and pay him back.. I want to start a family one day. I'm just trying to make a way for them, and this nigga O2 going to sabotage every chance of that. When I get good, all this illegal shit is out of the question. Shit, If I even make it that long...FUCK!" He stood up kicking the coffee table, scattering magazines, and his little ugly ashtray.  "I swear, 2 steps forward and 5 steps back."

He looked at me and we locked eyes. It seems like eternity was incorporated into those few seconds and I said the only thing that came to my mind,  "I'll help you."