Ecstasy

Chapter 64

  Tyson:

It was later that night. I was sitting on Sam's couch enjoying a beer over a game of footy on the TV. I couldn't get Lilly out of my head. I couldn't make sense of it. Did she really mean what she said? I had rejected three calls from her already, and I had finally put it down to her attention seeking self.

I was onto my fifth beer and feeling happy, when my phone rang. I dropped it on the floor when I pulled it out of my pocket and Sam was laughing at my failed attempts to pick it up. The blood was rushing to my head when I finally I found it under the couch. It was an unknown number.

"Hello?" I answered.

There was silence and I just smiled and shrugged at Sam.

A crackle. "Please help me." A soft voice came out of the speaker.

My smiled dropped. "Calla?"

I felt like all the air left my chest. I waited for the voice again.

"Sonny?"

I breathed a sigh of relief as I recognised Lilly's voice. "Lilly? What's the matter?"

"Please. It's Sean. I'm afraid–" She cut off and I could hear voices in the background.

"Lilly?"

I was growing impatient. But her voice didn't sound right. It reminded me of the day Mikey paid Sean a visit. The red mark on her arm. I felt an uneasiness rise in my chest.

"Lilly? Are you hurt?"

"Please help me, Sonny."

"Where are you?"

"At Sean's. But Tyson–"

I didn't wait any longer. "I'm coming."

***

I got to Sean's place in fifteen minutes. A figure was sitting on the front steps, a hood pulled over their head.

When I got closer I realised it was Lilly. "Lilly?"

"Oh Tyson." She stood up and rushed into my arms. She smiled. "I'm so glad you're here."

"I thought you were hurt."

She avoided my eyes. "I – uh."

"So this is where you are when you avoid band practice–" We both looked up at the front door. Sean was standing in the threshold. "–With him."

Lilly stepped back from me. "No Sean," she said brightly, "I'm trying to convince him to come back." She turned to me, "And you're considering it right?"

I opened my mouth to speak but Sean said something first.

"We don't need him." Sean crossed his arms and peered down at me.

I took a step up the front steps to gain some height. "Fine with me. I don't need you either."

"Of course you need me." He snarled, "You would be nothing without me."

"Bullshit. You have no idea about music." I scoffed.

"This is my band," He yelled over me. "You just shut the hell up and write the fucking songs."

"Stop it!" Lilly chimed in.

"No. Let him say what he wants to say." My voice felt detached to my body.

Sean's eyes were alight. "What's this? Your girlfriend goes away and you move onto mine?"

I had it. I grabbed his collar and heaved him down the stairs.

"Tyson!" Lilly cried.

He stumbled backwards and grabbed the guard rail before he fell over.

"You are pathetic Sean."

He steadied himself and squared up to me. "I'm pathetic? Says the one who goes to shit when his bitch walks out of town. Get real."

He was baiting me and I knew it. But I couldn't stop myself. I thumped him. The next thing I knew he was punching me. It was suicidal, taking on Sean. He knew exactly where to hit you, exactly where the worst pain could be felt. He was on top of me. Lilly was shouting our names. The concrete was hard and wet against my back. Somehow my shirt had ridden up and my bare skin scratched against the gravelly footpath. We wrestled, each one of us trying to gain control. Somehow he gained a footing and was suddenly on top of me. Sean didn't hold back. His enclosed fist met my jaw more than once.

"Sean! Please, get off him." Lilly finally gained purchase of Sean's sensibility and managed to lure him off me. She tried to calm him before he stepped past my head.

"Fuck off back home, farm boy." He spat on the concrete beside my head before walking up his stairs and slamming the front door.

I stayed on the ground for a moment before slowly standing up. Lilly grabbed my arm to help steady me.

"I'm sorry. Are you okay?"

I spat blood into the curb and began walking.

"Where are you going?" Lilly walked beside me.

I didn't answer her. "Tyson?" She grabbed my forearm. "Please, won't you stay with me?"

"No." I didn't turn to look at her.

"You loved me once. Can't you love me again?"

I turned. She looked up into my eyes. She was much shorter than Calla. She reached a hand to my neck. I grabbed her wrist and pulled her arm down. "You got what you wanted, right?" I said harshly. "Two boys fighting over you?"

She frowned, "Of course not. Tyson, I just wanted you–"

"No Lilly!" I said firmly. "I have fucking ruined my life and you are just adding to it. Just leave me alone."

"Tyson–"

I grasped her wrist and pulled her closer. "Why can't you go stick your nose in somebody else's business." I said nastily. "You're such a fucking tease. Just leave me alone!" I shook her, her mouth hung open and she tried to pull her arm out of my tight grasp.

I pushed her back and she stumbled on the pavement but managed to catch herself before falling. She looked up at me and her eyes were wet. I knew she was genuinely upset now.

Her chin wobbled as if she meant to say something. She rubbed her wrist with her other hand and the action reminded me of a memory.

I was ten. She was standing at the kitchen sink and a purple bruise was shackled around her wrist. She rubbed it in the afternoon sun and her white hair shone.

I looked at Lilly, she hugged her arm to her chest. I looked down at my hands.

"I'm sorry. I– I didn't mean to." I turned and ran.

I ran until I couldn't stop. I ran until I had to stop and I vomited in someone's front bushes.