Only The Brave

Anything For You

After a day of hanging out, a little selling of product on the side, he and Emily got in their own separate cars and she led the way on to her house. At first, he didn't think of anything but making sure to stay close. He knew the town like the back of his hand, but he hated falling behind at a red light and having to play catch up. The streets started seeming eerily familiar, though, and he started to mutter to himself. They were in his old neighborhood, where he'd moved after the fire... Why would Emily live here, having such a nice car? Another turn, and they were on his old street, headed toward the old culdesac, and he started to shake. Darren did everything in his power to not look at the old place, as it came into view, but he couldn't help himself. Someone was living in it now...

And he laughed.

Emily was pulling into the driveway.

He pulled in behind her, and shook his head looking at the place. It hurt to see it again. This was where his mom started to change... The neighborhood where... Darren climbed out of the front seat, but kept the car running as he lit a cigarette, “...I...can't go in there, Em.”

She walked up, her heels clicking against the ground as she neared him, “...why not? I know it's not much, but, I didn't think you were really the type to-”

“I used to live here. There. In your house... I would know exactly how to sneak in what's possibly your bedroom window, and the kitchen window. I'd know how to pick your front door, and climb on your roof from the tree in the back, Emily, but I'm not going in that house. I have to leave. Too many people know me here.” For a moment, she seemed confused, and then doubtful.

“Look... Dare, I know it might be difficult, alright? But no one's going to hurt you here.”

“You don't know the people my mom owed money t-” The breaking of glass was heard on the pavement behind his head, and Emily threw a lighter at her drunk neighbor, flipping him off. It made him smile, even though he was putting it all together, “I can't stay here with you.”

Emily's icy glare was turned on him, then, “I can't just let you sleep in your car!”

“I'll give you a call after school, about the job, okay...” Well, there went all his options. Darren threw himself back in his car, “Get inside right now, okay, and if anyone asks who I was, lie. See ya in class, Emily.” He drove around her, knowing she wouldn't dare scream when it would wake her mom, and the rest of the neighborhood. He didn't like treating her like that, but he felt like he was going to explode. He was angry, he was hopeful, and hurt, and anxious, and going insane! Dare swerved in the lane a bit, then slowed down, and pulled back down the street that led to school. He'd be headed there in the morning, so he might as well get a close parking space... If he got into the school early enough, he could probably run to the gym, and ask to use the showers really fast, or at least wash his hair in the sink at the bathroom. By the next morning, he would certainly be wishing he had just showered back at camp...

Of all the places in town, why did she have to live there? In his old house, where his mom sold her soul?

Tomorrow, he thought, he would take some of his supply to school, and try to make enough money to get another phone card so he could keep in contact. Another pill, and sleep was hard to find without talking to his boyfriend...

– – – – –

No matter how badly the two of them wanted to be near each other, holding each other, there was no time for it during the school hours. He'd begun to take his pills regularly once again, and had no fight in him when the meats heads finally got their hands on him for the revenge of their friend. They shoved Darren against the lockers, and he laughed; they tried to intimidate with their voices, and he laughed harder; when they did land a successful hit to his face, he asked for it to be done again. He didn't care about the blood, or the fact that the wind had been knocked out of him. His eyelids were frozen open, and he was lost in his own head...