Deal With The Devil

Chapter 10

Javier's POV

"What do you mean it's your fault?" Tyler asked softly.

"We grew apart. Started fighting a lot. I told him he was too cautious, that he needed to take risks." I replied, "He started skipping school, wasn't home a lot, and then started hanging around with these guys. They were bad news. One day-I'll admit I was snooping-but only because I thought something was up. Anyway, I found a gun in his drawer wrapped in a blue bandana. I asked him about it later and we fought. He told me he didn't need our family, that he had a new one. We said things we didn't mean and after that he ran away."

I had to take a minute after I said that. I had to finish the story, I needed to tell someone.

"He was reported missing, the police thought he was a runaway. And then they found two people burned up in a car beyond recognition. Miguel's necklace survived the fire and so did his ID. But I don't think it was him, Ty." I confessed.

"Why not?" He inquired.

He hung on to my every word. I assumed he'd been curious about what happened to Miguel. I'd always been vague about it.

"You know how they say twins can feel each other's pain and shit? Sometimes I feel like I can feel what he's feeling. Fear, anger, pain, excitement. My moms went in to look at the body to see if she could identify him and she said she could tell it was him by the chin. I'm not convinced though." I explained.

"I never knew, I'm sorry." Tyler said.

I didn't think he knew what else to say. If I were in his shoes I wouldn't have either.

"You know what though? I'm gonna find him. And if he really is dead I'm gonna find the fuckers who burned him alive and make them pay." I was aware that I sounded insane but I had stopped caring.

"You think he was doing like gang shit?" Tyler asked.

I nodded, "Why else would he have an unregistered gun?"

I thought about Miguel, imagining him trapped in a car, watching flames lick their way up the car and toward him. Gnawing at his feet and up his body. I could almost hear agony filled shrieks in my ears. My stomach lurched and I knew I was going to throw up. I jumped off the step I'd been sitting on and hurled the contents of my stomach into a bush. I wiped my mouth when I was finished and coughed.

"Hey, let's get you a glass of water." Tyler suggested.

He led me into the house and made me drink a full glass of water. My stomach hurt but I forced myself to down the glass. Sober Javi would thank me in the morning when I'd have less of a hangover.

"Hey guys, what's going on?" Jesse asked as he walked into the kitchen.

"Javier threw up." Tyler replied.

"It was just a bad burp, I'm fine." I insisted.

"You emptied your stomach all over the hedge out back." Tyler smirked.

"I thought it was a bush." I slurred, "Where's Victor and Ronan?"

"Victor had sex with Monica in the bathroom and then passed out in the bathtub and what do you know Ronan went home with Dario." Jesse said, shaking his head.

"Damn, I owe Ronan $20 now. I bet him that he couldn't get Dario." Tyler said, clicking his tongue.

"I had a feeling that would happen. Ronan's a smooth talker." I nodded.

"I've got blankets and pillows out for you guys on the couch, I'm gonna go to bed." Jesse said as he turned on his heel and walked back to his bedroom.