Different Worlds (wlw) Editing

T W E N T Y- T H R E E

I had just come back from having a few minutes break by myself when my phone decided to ring, with me standing inside the restroom. Within seconds of it going off, I reached inside of my pocket, smiling when I saw the familiar name across the screen.

"Miss me already?" I asked feeling a whole lot pulsate through me at just the thought of Raye. She and I had been talking for most of the day and it was nice having her at just a call away

"You know I miss you all the time, not just right now."

"That is quite true," I leaned against the sink while adjusting the phone to my ear.

"But are you calling because you miss me and wanna hear my voice, or because you want to make plans for a repeat of last night?" I asked and she didn't laugh or rushed to answer, instead, I was greeted with a moment's silence before I figured something was wrong.

Before I could've even pointed it out, Raye spoke and she sounded nothing like the cool and playful person I was used to hearing.

"They found him, Matteo but it wasn't my guys who did. The police found his body in a motel room earlier this morning."

"What?"

I was in complete shock. My mind was all over the place as I tried to comprehend what Raye was saying. She continued on with an almost monotonous voice.

"They found him bounded by both his hands and legs, with his throat slit,"

"What the actual fuck?" I was breathing heavier, I was beginning to panic so I paced back and forth with quick strides. It was just this morning she and I were talking about him and his frequent disappearances and now look.

"Raye, tell me you're joking?" I heard her sigh and I could hear the tiredness in her tone, she was hurting and I felt it.

"I wish I was joking Brienna, I wish I was but it's the truth. It's gonna be on the news later tonight so you can see for yourself,"

"Do they know who did it?" I asked although it was a rhetorical question. I was hoping deep within that she wouldn't say what I was dreading.

"You and I both know who did Brienna, but the police don't know that. It goes to show that this has something to do with that boy Matteo had brought to my apartment that night. I swear it," Raye said and I heard the dejection in her voice. It was shaky and it was the first time I had ever heard her in such a state.

"Jesus, I-I don't know what to say,"

"I didn't really expect you too, I just called to let you know. I'll be busy for some time so I don't think we could see each other anytime soon and I hate it. I swear what's going on means I need to be careful with what I do and that includes how and where I see you. These guys are just like us, they target anyone they can even if they don't personally know them."

"So I'm in danger?" I asked somewhat dispassionately and she sighed.

"No, but you could be and it's why I can't risk anything right now."

"But if I want to see you, how will that happen?"

"I don't know, I'll figure something out though, I promise."

"Okay," I replied and everything went silent for a bit. I gazed into oblivion for sometime before I was pulled out of my reverie by the way Raye was breathing on the other end. It was calm but I knew what laid underneath

"Are you okay?" I inquired softly and I waited patiently for her to respond.

"I've known him for most of my life, and now he's just gone, like that," she answered and I felt a tug at my heart.

"I'm really sorry, fuck I don't even know what to say about all of it,"

"Yeah me either, but there isn't much to say, baby. There's just action from now." Raye replied and I thought about what she said for a moment. I knew what she meant.

"So, how can you prove that it was someone from the Irish mob?"

"Matteo's dead, that's how we prove it. If it weren't them he'd still be alive. At least now I know that indeed that kid was related to someone there."

"If that's right, what do you do now?" I asked and she snorted.

"A lot of heavy thinking. Can I call you when you're off later tonight and will you take a taxi instead of the bus? It's gonna be busy if not I would've asked one of the guys to take you home. In fact, I think I just might. I'll let-"

"I'll be fine, just be careful, please," I implored.

"Of course, I'm always careful."

"Good, I'd hate to hear that you've been shot again," I said and flashbacks from the first night we meant crept into my mind and I let them play.

We came so far, I thought. I remember every detail about when I first met Raye and I compared it to the present.
She and I had gotten to know the other and it was the best/scariest thing that had ever happened to me in my twenty-four years of life. I was happy I met her but sometimes I was terrified, really terrified and right now just happened to be one of those moments.

"I want us to meet, will you please try to see me soon?" I questioned and she made a sound just before answering.

"Yes, I swear. I want to see you too Brienna. I Wana make sure that you're safe and not worried about anything."

"I'll be safe and as long as you're away from me I'll always be worried. I don't want anyone hurting you."

"They won't. I have to go, I'll talk to you later to make sure that you've made it home safely okay Brie, I love you." She said and my heart tugged again.

It wasn't the first time she'd said she loved me but each time she did I always felt squishy because of it only because I knew she genuinely meant it.

"I love you too Raye, bye," and she hung up, leaving me to stare at the walls with my mind drifting far off with many thoughts.

All that I was left thinking was why how on earth did everything turn out this badly, and why was I slightly caught up in it?