Between the Raindrops

8) Saved

MARKYSE HADN'T LEFT HIS HOME since two days prior. His phone was off and so were all of the televisions in his house. He didn't want to deal with anyone while he stayed in meditation. It was clear to him that whenever he had access to any type of distraction, it put him in a bad space. He knew he'd pay for ignoring those who cared about him later, but for now he was focused on one thing: his artwork.

He was steadily approaching a deadline. He needed two new pieces to add into the upcoming art show at his school. Stellar had already been accepted, but he needed two new pieces to bring to the table. With only two weeks to do it, he was skating thin ice. His brain was scattered because he was scared. He didn't know what the outcome of this would be, but he hoped that everything would turn out for the best.

Empty bottles of liquor surrounded the coffee table and some of his favorite wine glasses were scattered around the living room. He was three drinks past tipsy, but that's when he made some of his greatest creations. Needless to say, he had been very productive as he sat in his solitary state, creating some of his best work. Art was the only stable thing in his life at the moment and currently all he needed to get by. The phone couldn't ring, the TV couldn't drown him out. This was the life he'd been searching for.

Eryn and her company were long gone. It made him feel better knowing that the strange tensions that had been crawling up his back were no longer holding him down. But, it didn't take away from the fact that he really missed her. He'd had a little time to reflect on his attitude towards her the day before. He was learning that apart of being a man meant that he needed to admit when he was wrong. Admitting was a hard step, but for her he was willing to.

In the midst of his thoughts, there was a knock on the door. He was slow, but arose to meet the stranger on the other side. To his surprise, it was Tahiry. Her head hung low, a little ashamed to be seeing him right now. There was so much on her brain. So much she needed to let off of her chest. She knew that it was wrong for her to be here, but he was the only one that she could talk to.

He swung the door open, revealing her on the other side. She stood calmly, hands settled behind her back. They were pasty from the stress moving from her brain to her now sweaty hands. He was just as surprised to see her as she was to see him. He couldn't lie, she looked cute in her brown trench coat, accentuated with her Burberry scarf. Distressed black jeans covered her legs, with a white tee tucked inside, secured by a Gucci belt. Tahiry was always a "fashionista" at heart. It was the one thing she was proud of doing well.

"Markyse," she spoke, just above a whisper. "Hi."

She felt like a child, who was meeting him for the first time. She instantly wanted to turn around and go back home. Immediate regret filled her body, her chest felt warm on the inside. She could feel her nerves overpowering her body.

"What you doing here Tahiry? Everything okay?"

"Yeah," she cleared her throat. "You didn't answer your phone so I thought I'd come by. I- I wanted to talk to you."

"You wanna come in?" He stepped aside to give her room to walk inside. He picked up on her demeanor instantly, realizing that something was wrong. He was happy to see her, but also confused. Markyse didn't want her to see him in this state. But he had no choice.

She took notice at all of the bottles strewn around the floor until her eyes found his paintings. They were beautiful. She knew it wasn't a good time, it would be silly of her to ask. He was going through a lot, but it was hard to talk about. He did something noble, but also deadly. He was looking at serious time. The system wasn't a safe place for a black man. They knew that. If convicted, his life could be over. She realized that he was in a weird place, but she knew that this, was not the answer.