Nixon

Chapter 3

Nixon
• • •

Endlessly broken.

That's how I feel.

My soul is in pieces, scattered throughout my body in tiny fragments that are much too small to be put back together.

I'll never be the same person I once was but I'm trying. I'm fucking trying to not be this cold, toxic being I've become. It's hard. Being cold is second nature when you feel eternally numb, except I'm not numb anymore and now I have to face the consequences of everything I did.

"I'm so glad I can hug you again!" Kelis squeals and pulls me into a tight embrace. "You look so good and healthy and sober, I'm so happy to have you back." She sniffles into my shoulder.

I decided not to tell her I checked myself out before they considered me complete with my stay in rehab. After a month of that shit I just couldn't do it anymore, they made me want to get high they were so damn annoying. Always wanting me to talk about my feelings. What the fuck does that have to do with staying sober? I just need tips on how to not crave being numb, not figure out why I want to be numb. I didn't pay thousands of dollars to answer a question I already knew, so I left.

I wrap my arms around her, hugging her back gently. "Don't cry." I mumble.

"I'm sorry, I've just missed you so much." She pulls away, wiping at the smeared makeup under her dark blue eyes.

Guilt coils deep in my gut at the sight of her pained expression. Her eyes look tired, like she hasn't been sleeping well. Her hair isn't straight down her back like it usually is, instead it's piled on top of her head in a mess of brown curly locks.

She gives me a brilliant smile through the tears, just as she always has. "Come on, let's go."

I follow Kelis to a lowered atomic silver Lexus F-Sport with metallic red wheels and a red Hyze decal going down the side of the front windshield.

I stop in my tracks and gape are the car, "What the fuck, he got the deal?"

Kelis gives me a big smile and nods,  "He got the deal. You're looking at the Hyze edition of the Lexus RC 350 F."

I walk around the car taking in each detail. The black Hyze logo engraved into the center of the wheels, the same logo hidden in the front grille.

My eyes flick away from the sleek car to meet hers, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I wanted to surprise you." She shrugs and tosses me the keys. "You wanna drive?"

"Fuck yes." I agree, sliding in the car, my eyes running over the red and black interior. The Lexus comes alive with the push of a button. Damn, I missed driving.

Kelis clicks her seatbelt in place and I do the same. "Don't kill us, she's a peppy bitch." She warns me.

I pull onto the road with ease, my fingers gripping the leather steering wheel tightly. "Is the exhaust Hyze Performance?" I ask, loving the sound already.

"Yeah, but Dad thinks it needs something a little raspier." She replies.

I shake my head, "No, it's perfect. Did you pick the color palette?" The bright flash of red against the atomic silver and onyx interior screams Kelis.