Bad Boy Religion

Chapter 12 - Death, As We Know It

Chapter 12

Death, As We Know It

"Mary, I don't know what to do..." I was pacing my room frantically. I had just gotten home from the encounter with Ashton's mom, immediately I had dialed Mary's number.

I needed wise words. This was the craziest of craziest situations. I was head over heels for a murderer...I couldn't just stop talking to him after he asked me so sincerely to be his friend.

After we kissed. But a murderer? His mom warned me that I'd get hurt and I needed to stay away. I did right? This person had problems, hell, he killed someone. But I couldn't deny the number of butterflies that erupted in my stomach whenever he came too close.

"Look. Honey, take deep breaths. You haven't heard his side of the story. For all we know, maybe his mom is the insane one. Okay? Learn what he has to say before making irrational decisions. From what you've told me, he seems a little off, but who knows maybe you can help him?" She says calmly.

Help him. Yes, I could do that. 

I could fix him.

I mean what was I expecting? If I was gonna fall so hard for a bad boy there were definitely consequences.

"O-okay. I can do that." I say.

Getting hurt would be worth it in the end if I had fixed a broken soul.

___________

"Stutter, please I need to talk to you," Ashton says as he leans against my locker.

I bite my lip as I switch out my books for my next class, English. All of last night, I had stayed up spending it thinking of Ms. Sayeh's haunting words.

Do you know who brutally murdered Elliot Davies?

It rang through my head all night like a bong. I replayed the way her face had winced when she stated loud and clear, "My son."

I shuddered again as I recalled last nights sleepless thoughts.

"Please, hear me out. Please, I need you." I snapped my eyes towards Ashton. It seemed he too hadn't gotten enough sleep last night. My heart pounded despite the fact that he was keeping two lockers of distance from me.

"Okay," I say softly.

"Go to the cemetery after school." He says, walking away, leaving me with nothing but fear.

Was he going to kill me too?

___________________

My shoes crunched as I made my way back to the sport where our first kiss happened. Ashton was seated a little farther away against a new looking grave.

Probably Elliot's.

"You came." He says slowly watching as I take a seat across from him. He moves so that he's sitting next to me and facing the tombstone.

"I'm surprised too," I mutter.

"I want you to make a decision after you leave here. I need you to decide whether you want to be a friend or a stranger. It's completely up to you I'm going to tell you my story a-and you can choose. Whatever it is you decide, I respect." He says looking at me. I stare at the grave in front of us as he talks.

Elliot Davies
1999-2017

Only hope can save us now.

I turn back to Ashton. "Okay," I say, not knowing what else to say. I watch as he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.

"Elliot and I, we were like brothers. Our dads had a joint company so naturally, we grew up together. We did soccer together, games together....hell... we even took fucking baths together when we were a kid. He knew me inside out and I, him.

Over the summer, my dad and I had been having severe issues after I walked in on him sleeping with one of the maids...He told me not to tell my mom and I used that to my advantage to do whatever I want by blackmailing him.

We were constantly fighting and at each other's throats. Especially at big important business parties or family dinners. During that phase of my life, I was crazy.

The guilt of not telling my mom and the whole fact that my dad was a cheater was eating out at me. I was partying every fucking night, Stutter, while Elliot baby-sat me. He would make sure that I was home safe, made sure I didn't make any crazy bad decisions and made sure to give me Aspirin due to my major hangovers the morning after.

He knew I was going through a tough time and I selfishly used him to my advantage to act like a total idiot as I wasted my life away. One night, I told him I wanted to drive and that I wanted to take my car. I was trying to impress a girl at the time, and I thought if she saw my flashy car she'd be down to get into my pants.

He made me promise to not drink and I-I told him I wouldn't." He lets out a dry laugh as I stare at him. I was fiddling with the hem of my shirt. His eyes were still closed, as he continued.

"I remember exactly what I said, I said 'Scout's honor, man. I won't drink. I get the girl and we go home.' Man...how shallow could I get? I ended up not getting the girl and like the space of waste I was...I drank my life away that night. Then it was time to go home and...." I watch as he stands up, running a hand through his hair.

"Ah fuck!" He starts kicking Elliot's grave and I back up away from him. "Fuck! Why'd you fucking let me do it?" Suddenly, he turns towards me, his eyes sharp as he saunters closer to me. I back up and stumble over a headstone and he grips my wrist painfully before I could fall back.

"Dalia, the asshole fucking let me drive. He let me! He saw how wasted I was and he let me drive and I..." His voice breaks as he looks me straight in the eye. "I killed my best friend."

By now, I was crying.

_____

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