Three Hearts Left Intact

Chapter 24: Break Down

Waking up to the blissful sound of birds chirping and the morning sun, Alex yawned as he got up from bed and walked into the bathroom. After a quick shower and a change into clothes he slicked his hair back before he walked out of his room and down the hall to the living space.

He was surprised to find Mallix fast asleep on the couch rather than in his room. What caught his attention most was the fact that he was fully dressed with a small bag packed with food and water besides him. From his spot Alex could see a shred of paper sticking out from Mallix's hand that was rested on his chest. Walking over to it, Alex carefully snatched the paper from out of Mallix's hand looking closely at the contents in his hand.

In his hand was a note: "I can't take it sitting here anymore. Not after everything I worked for. Not after the hearings! The betrayals! The constant reminder there's someone against us! I'm going to find my girls! You guys can work on your team, but I can't stand just waiting around any longer.  You have James now, he'll be able to fill my position.  -M"

Towards the end his writing got sloppier and their were strands of dried pen ink that had dripped down the page. Dropping his hand to his side, Alex looked at his friend differently. He didn't just see him sleeping soundly on the couch. He was slumped over with a pen on the floor near his bag. The dark hoodie and jeans he had on were not in his normal business casual attire. His hair was all in disarray and a strange odor was being omitted from his direction.

Picking up the pen on the floor, Alex threw it down onto Mallix's lap causing his friend to stir awake. His eyes drowsily opened wandering aimlessly around the room until he froze seeing Alex, especially when he saw what he had in his hand.

Breathing out heavily Mallix wiped his face with his hands groggily grunting as he waited for a word to escape his friend. "What's all this about?" Alex asked waving the note in his hand above his head.

"Just...just nothing..." he slurred opening his eyes fully letting the dark circles under them become more apparent as he stood from his seat hazily making his way to Alex.

Taking one big step back, Alex dodged Mallix's attempt to grab his note back noticing the sway in his walking and determined what the cause of the stench coming off of him was from. "Are you drunk?"

"What...me...ha, no." He dragged out continuing to stumble over to Alex who was walking backwards slowly in a circle letting Mallix follow him.

Stopping at the couch Alex looked seeing behind where Mallix was sitting sat a full bottle of gin nearly empty. Only a sip remained left in the bottle. "Give that back!" Mallix demanded more agitated pointing at the note.

Alex held the note behind his back with one hand, holding the bottle to Mallix's face with the other. "This is what your doing now! Drinking! Like that's going to solve any of our problems, M!"

"What do you mean about our problems, Alex?" His speech was slurred and he scoffed as he bucked his shoulder. "It's not like it's your WIFE or LITTLE GIRL!" Mallix maniacally laughed lowly almost sinisterly. "Oh wait that's right, you don't have a little girl to care about! And you want to know what your wife's been telling me?!" The smile on his face was pure dark. This wasn't the Mallix that Alex knew.

The evil glare and twinkle in his eye was enough to set Alex on edge. "What?" He asked gulping loudly. At this point the two men arguing had worked up the entire house. Standing in the hallway Zander, James, and Nina all stood only slightly peaking out from behind a wall to watch.

"She told me that she's over the fact that you're never home and all the arguments you two have at home about changing jobs!" Alex's face went pale. The three friends hidden away made the two men shoot their heads their way when they heard a loud gasp.

"Oh, that's right. Perfect Alexander's got marriage issues!" Mallix laughed loudly as if he were putting on a show. "Get the hint buddy!" He spun in a circle crazily pointing at Alex who was left dumbfounded.

"SHE WANTS A DIVORCE!" He laughed again. "YOU HEAR THAT EVERYONE!" He turned to the corner where he could hear the Zander, James, and Nina. "ALEX-BOY'S GETTING A DIVORCE!" He smiled pleased with himself.

Slowly Alex felt a burning sensation growing inside of him. His fists were clenching and his eyes were getting dry. His face said everything he needed to, warning Mallix he's playing with fire. "What're you gonna do about it tough guy!" He got closer to Alex's face.

"Hm," he grunted pushing out hot air in Alex's face. The horrible smell nearly causing him to gag. Feeling the tension rising amongst the group James stepped out from behind the wall, Mallix shot around to look at him seeing his brother stop in place when he met how different he looked.

Scoffing at his little brothers freeze up Mallix turned back around to face Alex only to be met by a fist to his face. In one clean swing Mallix was out, laying on the floor unconscious. "ALEX!" Nina yelled making her way over to Mallix, easing her way down to the kneel besides him.

She put two fingers to his neck checking for a pulse. She relaxed slightly feeling the beating in his neck. "What he had it coming!" Alex defended.

"I know he did but you didn't have to hit him so hard," she scolded.

"What would you have done?!" He dramatically throwing his hands in defense.

Rolling her eyes Nina asked Zander for a cold cloth who nodded eagerly to help. Running off to get Nina's request, she turned to James asking for a blanket. Similarly he nodded and left as well. "He was out of line, I'll give you that one. But we just have to wait and give him some time. Or at least until we have something planned." She sympathetically looked at both men,

Alex growler lightly trying to walk away before Nina grabbed his arm as he passed her. Pulling him down slight she whispered to his ear. "Is what he said true?" She worrily asked.

"It doesn't matter." Alex replied standing to his feet pulling his arm away before walking back down to his room.

'You'd better have a good explanation for all this. I can't keep using this excuse for you. Sooner or later they'll all hate you if you don't get this act of yours together.' Nina mumbled internally towards Mallix as she waited for her requested items.
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Let me know what you think about Mallix. Thanks Lexx signing off