Saved

Chapter 20

The school bell rang and school ended. Me and Mika were walking down the hall, when I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder. "Akio?" I heard a voice ask. I turned around to see his pale brown hair bright green eyes and double helix piercings on his left ear. His school uniform was messy and not neat-looking like the majority of the others did, and was obviously a few sizes bigger than it should be. "Yo, what's up? Why so quiet?" Damion asked, lifting his hand off of my shoulder and into his pocket. "Do you regret what you did?" I asked blunty. "Huh? What do you-" He met my gaze, then knowing what I was talking about. "Wait. . . Y-You mean to Ali?" He stuttered. I only gave him a harsh stare in reply. "Of course I do. How could I not?" He said, desperate for me to believe him. "It was my fault for agreeing to it." I muttered. "Honestly, I would've done it anyway. I was just such an ass." He said. He quickly changed the subject. "Well, anyway, what do you say we go and get something to eat?"

"Sure." I said. "Piggyback. . ." I heard Mika mutter from behind me, obviously tired. I sighed, and crouched down so she could get on my back before standing up again. We all three walked out of the school and got some fries and sodas at a nearby restaurant. After that, we walked around the park for a while. Mika had fallen asleep on my back, her arms dangling loosely around my neck, her fingertips brushing against my chest as I walked. "So what's up with this chick?" Damion asked, motioning towards Mika with his head. "You're not like, into her, right? Because she's way too hot for you." He said, smiling. "Don't be such a dick." I muttered. Damion shrugged. "Whatever, just don't try anything with her or she might bail."

"It's not like that, you perverted idiot." I growled. He laughed and put his elbow on my shoulder. "Just joking around with you. You guys are cute together." He said, his normal happy expression fading away. "You okay?" I asked. He sighed and forced a smile back on his face. "Yeah." I looked at him skeptically. "Damion, come on. Talk to me." I said. He sighed. "There was no proof I ever did anything to Ali. She never told anyone. No one could prove anything. But, still. . . rumors got around. And they were true, but. . . No one would even talk to me or acknowledge my existence, unless it was to beat the shit out of me or torture me." He looked down at the ground before continuing. "Honest to god, I regretted what I did to the core. I needed someone to talk to me. I needed someone to let me talk to them. I had a crush on this one girl. . . She's the only person who'd talk to me, but. . . When I told her how I felt she turned on me and spread worse rumors, saying I'd tried to force myself on her." The sweater of the school uniform had bunched up above his pants, and he quickly unbunched it, pulling it down. "But it wasn't that bad, I guess. I mean, I can do fine on my own better." He said, smiling again. "Damion, we were friends since we were 5. I know you don't function well on your own."

"Yeah, whatever. I got used to it." He said. "Still, can't wait 'til I finally turn 18 and I can get out of this place and move somewhere where not everyone is against me." I checked my phone for the time and looked over at Damion. "What?" Damion asked, noticing me looking at him. "It's really late. Don't your parents want you home?" 

"Oh, yeah, about that. . . They kinda kicked me out." Damion said with a smile, laughing. I looked at him in shock. "Wait, what? So, where have you been living?" I asked. "Just been working at that restaurant we were just at, and sleeping in the alley nearby. "So, you're homeless?" I asked. "Uh, yeah, I guess. Until I can pay for a hotel room or something, in which case I'll stay there for a few nights." He replied. I sighed. "You can stay at my house for a while." I said, slightly annoyed. "Really? But won't your parents mind?" He asked. "My parents are gone for a few months on a trip overseas." I replied. "Cool, man!" Damion said. "Thanks!"