Mind Or Matter

Chapter Ten

William

Mr. Laffer wasn't too happy about it.

"Let me get this straight," he growled, lighting a thick cigar, "you skipped a whole day of work?!"

Candi stood close to the door. I sat in a wooden chair in front of my boss's desk. My boss had interrogated us one by one, and he was almost finished with me.

"See, you're missing the point here, Sir-" I said until he cut me off.

Mr. Laffer slammed his fat fist on the desk, leaning forward in his chair behind it. "I see the point, Mr. Harker. I see it loud and clear!"

I responded as nicely as I could, "Sir, yesterday was a mess. Candi and I are truly sorry."

Mr. Laffer sat back in his big chair, grinning with satisfaction. "You'd better be. Candi," he started, letting Candi look up at him with fear, "get outta my office. There're customers outside." He then winked, making me shudder. I didn't like it when he looked at Candi like that, when anybody did.

Candi smoothed her pink hair, gave one last sorry look at me, and left the office, the heavy door slamming shut behind her.

My boss turned his office chair towards me, blowing cigar smoke in my face. I coughed a little, then sat still.

"Will, yer fired. Get the hell outta here and never come back," he grinned, sitting back again, nodding towards the door. "And ye can kiss yer paycheck goodbye."

My eyes thinned. I stood from the chair, my tailbone aching. Without a word, I turned my back, my eyes never letting go of the fat man in the chair. Opening the door, I turned my head to face forward, leaving the bar for the last time.

I was surprised that the sun was still up. It was a little later than six o'clock, and yet the sun still sat on the horizon, the sky orange with dusk.

The sidewalks were nearly empty of people, just a few men coming home from the office down the street.

I sighed, going towards my car, which I parked at the side of the building. Jabbing my keys in the car, I unlocked the door, pulling it open.

I was about to get inside when I heard a slimy voice I recognized coming from behind the bar.

"I'm sorry, Candi. I was a total ass and I'll never do it again." It was Chase.

Side-stepping against the bar's brick wall, I made sure my movements were quiet, going very slow across the alley to the area behind the bar.

As I made my way through, I heard Candi scoff. "That's what you said the first time." I could tell she had just hauled a few garbage bags into the dumpster, the clang of the lid following after.

Chase's obnoxious voice came again from behind the bar. "Well, I'm not the only one who cheated." He paused for a second. "Will's house? Last night?"

I stopped walking, my back pressed against the brick. About a foot away from my face was the corner of the brick wall. I was almost at the end, but I didn't dare to get closer. From here, I could see both Candi and Chase. Candi was near the back door to the bar and Chase was in front of the dumpster, a satisfied grin spread across his face.

Candi rolled her eyes, sighing. "William and I aren't together." Pivoting around halfway to face the door, she placed her hand on the knob, looking back at Chase, "and neither are we."

Suddenly, Chase ran to her, grabbing her by the shoulders and turning her around.

Chase grinned, looking Candi up and down. "That's not what I say."

Bringing his hand back, Chase slapped Candi. Hard. Much harder than he had that morning.

Candi fell to the ground, head to the side with hair spread across her face.

I popped out from my hiding spot behind the wall, speeding towards Chase, who had straddled himself over Candi's unconscious body, beginning to unbutton her white sweater.

Oh, Jesus, I thought, my stomach sinking.

Drawing my fist back, I punched Chase in the face. "STAY AWAY FROM HER, YOU FUCKING BASTARD!!!"

Hitting him right in the eye, I watched him stagger backwards into the dumpster. His blonde hair was flipped the other way, his eye was purple, and there was a gash on his lip and cheek.

Standing over him I bent down, looking him right in the eyes. "If you ever touch her again..." Punching him in the gut, I let him fall against the dumpster, running towards Candi, who lay unconscious on the ground.

I picked her limp body up, running across the alley towards my car. Opening the door, I placed her carefully in the passenger seat, again wishing I had a backseat so she could rest.

I got out of the alley as quick as I could, making sure Candi was safe the whole ride home.

"Candi?" I whispered, squatting on the floor in front of the couch.

Slowly, she opened her eyes, a small smile on her face. "Hey, Will," she grinned, looking around. Her smile quickly faded. "What's going on?" she said in a nervous voice.

I stood up, walking into the kitchen. "Don't worry, you're safe now." Then, realizing she didn't remember what happened after Chase knocked her out, I explained everything to her.

Candi had tears in her eyes. "W-what if, if Chase comes for me?" she stammered.

I gazed into the grey in her eyes, the only part of her that wasn't colorful. "He won't. Just go to sleep."

Candi shot a glare at me, sitting up on my couch. "Shut up, Will, I almost got raped! This is serious! All my stuff is at his house! I have nowhere to live! He was all I had and now it's gone!" Tears streamed down her face, which she tried to hide with the white blanket she held. "It's just like after Rebecca died!"

I jolted in place, cracking an egg on the counter. I threw the insides in the pan, tossed the shell in the trash can next to the stove, and looked over to Candi, who looked surprised about what she let out.

I wasn't sure if this was one of those times where you had to pretend that you didn't hear what the other person said because of the awkwardness choking you both.

I decided to leave it be. I knew Candi hated talking about her past; that was one of the things I first learned from her.

Faking a smile, I cracked another egg in the pan, then another. I put the glass lid over the four eggs, then walked over to Candi. "It's okay. You can stay here."

Candi jumped up from the couch, throwing the blanket on the floor and rushing to the large window. Crying, she collapsed in front of the glass, her whole body shaking.

Shit, I thought, almost forgetting how stress effects Candi. I didn't want her to have a panic attack, just like what happened that early morning in my kitchen.

Running over, I stood behind Candi, who hugged her knees on the floor as she quivered, sobbing.

"Candi, everything's going to be alright," I soothed, knowing only a miracle could save her now.

Candi sat up so fast I jumped. Her back to me, still wearing the uniform from the bar, she clawed her hands through her tangled hair. "NO!" she screamed, trying to keep her body from collapsing again, breathing heavily and crying. "NOTHING IS ALRIGHT, WILL! EVERYTHING, E-EVERYTHING IS AT CH-CHASE'S HOUSE! I HAVE NOTHING!"

In a small voice, I added, "you have me."

Candi turned around, her whole face red, holding the blanket up to her runny nose.

Silence fell across my apartment. Neither of us moved, besides Candi, who couldn't keep her body from shaking.

We stared at each other for a moment, then I sat down next to her, turning her body towards the window. I let her head rest on my upper chest as she dozed off to sleep, wrapped up in the blanket.

I watched the sun slowly rise until my eyes, too, began to feel heavy and I let myself go, falling asleep with Candi in my arms.