Wait A Minute

Chapter Fourteen: Deleting Pages

Larry's mind went blank as the line fell silent, and Travis's sniffles disappeared. Curious eyes dug into him, waiting for an explanation as to the call, but his brain refused to connect the appropriate dots together. He felt slowed down to an insufferable degree. The blood pounding in his ears sounded more like static than the normal bass drum beat it mimicked. Even his movements felt jarring as he pocketed his phone, like a newborn lamb stumbling to its feet.

"Larry?" Sal's hand was on his shoulder. Most other times, it would've been comforting. Right now, it was too much. The touch pressed against him hot and heavy, an iron branding him. "Why do you look like that? What was the call about?"

The brunet's eyes flicked to the blank television screen in front of them. He could barely catch his distorted reflection in it, but from the little he could glimpse, he had to admit he looked a wreck. His brows were in a permanent furrow and thin lips quirked into a grimace. Not to mention, he could feel his shirt sticking to his back from his sudden cold sweat.

"That was Travis," Larry managed. He clenched his hands into fists for a second, and wiped his palms against his jeans afterwards. His hands suddenly felt clammy. "We need to go Sal."

"Go? Where are you two going?" Ash had sat up from her lying position on the couch, curiosity overcoming her laziness.

"I-I can't explain right now, but me and Sal need to go." The brunet stood to his feet, but Sal still sat on the floor, confused. "Now."

With a disgruntled sigh, Sal hooked his prosthetic back on and scrambled back up. Before he was even fully on his feet, Larry was already race walking out the door, leaving a befuddled Ash and Todd behind and a distressed Sal jogging to catch up with him.

"Dude, slow down," Sal complained. Larry cast a glance behind at the other but didn't cease his pace. The bluenet's slight annoyance only grew when Larry bypassed the elevator and realized they'd be taking the stairs. He was too out of shape for this. "Larry!"

"Sal!" Larry huffed back. He did lessen his strides though, so Sal could fall in pace beside him. "Listen, I'll explain everything in the car."

"In the car?" The shorter male echoed back. Neither of them owned a car nor did they have licenses yet. Todd and Ash were the only members of the group that could legally drive.

"Yeah, my mom's car," Larry answered as he swung open the door to the stairs and started dashing down them towards the basement. Once again, Sal fell behind. His short legs couldn't take him down the stairs nearly as fast.

"You can't take Lisa's car out on whatever this suicide mission is! With the chaotic mood you're in right now, you're going to total it. If that doesn't kill you, then Lisa will!" By the end of the mouthful, Sal was out of breath and had to pause for a second before making a mad run down the stairs to catch up with Larry once more. "Would you listen to me for once in your goddamn life?"

"Travis is going to kill himself!" Larry finally stopped for the first time, his hand on the knob of the door that lead into the basement. The metalhead was near tears, and Sal cringed as he saw the other's lip quiver, threatening to break out into a sob. "I've fucked up a lot of things in these past few weeks, but I will never be able to live with myself if I'm part of the reason someone kills themself."

For a second, there was silence, aside from Sal's pants. He really needed to get out more. Sal just stared at Larry who stared back, silently begging for Sal to comply on this do-not-let-Travis-blow-his-brains-out mission. "Okay, let's go. Can't have that blond shit making you feel guilty for the rest of your life."

In a flash, Larry was through the door and into the basement. Sal kept up the best he could as the taller male skirted through his apartment, grabbed the car keys, and headed towards the complex's back parking lot through the exit in his room. The bluenet could have cried with relief as Lisa's silver minivan came into view, realizing he wouldn't have to run around anymore.