Desperado

twenty-four

"I could hate you now"

Donny

"I guess I'm gonna pick...... myself. Derrick, you talked about counseling but that plan didn't even become a reality. You don't want to work on us." I began to rant as they both looked at me.

"Byron, you're confused. You told me before that you weren't gay and suddenly you're all of over me. I don't blame either of you. I blame myself for being so silly." I continued.

"Both of you would rather fight and argue instead of trying to support me." I took glances between the two of them and they looked down in disappointment.

"You made the decision Don. I'm really proud of you." Aoki said, rubbing my arm. She earned a smile from me and I looked back to the two confused boys.

"I respect that Donny. If you ever need me, I'm here." Byron said, putting his hands into his pockets and walking away.

Derrick was the last one remaining and he just held a frown. "Dontavious... I love you." He said, hanging his head.

"If you love me the way you say, you'll let me go. I need to do this for myself. If it's meant to be, then we'll rekindle again." The area grew quiet as my words echoed through the hospital.

"Let's go sis." I said, pulling Aoki by the arm.

This could be the beginning of a new chapter. A new opportunity for me to not focus on love but rather on improving myself.

"Me and you both knew that was a toxic situation. One of you wouldn't have made it out alive." Aoki whispered, clinging onto my arm.

We carried on with small talk from the hospital till Derrick's driveway. I had to pack all my things and he wasn't here so it would be the best time to get everything.

"You never unpacked when you came back the first time?" Aoki spoke, looking at my duffel bag.

"I unpacked a few fits. Everything else is in there." I responded, putting the last few pieces of clothes into a new bag.

"You know, I quit the anchor job and I got a new job offer as a real estate agent. It's more efficient because I get to stay in the city and I don't have to travel so much." She cheered. I clapped and smiled for her as we embraced over the good news.

"I'm so happy for you sis. You always were the more business proficient one." I chuckled to myself and there was a small comfortable silence.

"How do you plan on making income since you aren't working at the store anymore?" She asked.

I paused and thought to myself. "Maybe I could go back to college and become a psychiatric." She nodded and agreed with me.

"Alright let's go before something pops off." Aoki spoke, twisting the doorknob.

"Too late." Derrick responded from the other side of the door.

I sighed and waited for him to come groveling at my feet. Instead, I was met with a cold smile.

"Good luck." He said, emotionless. "I love you." I whispered, looking him directly in the eye.

"Yeah. Same." There was a small uncomfortable silence spreading across the room as I pulled the heavy dufflebag over my shoulder, walking out of the house.

"Can I hug you?" He asked. I let his question linger in the air, before I continued to walk.

"No." I coldly said, putting my pride first and getting into the car. He stood at the door, staring me down as we backed out of the driveway.

"Stop the car." I told Aoki, getting out and walking back up to Derrick. I hugged him tight and walked away. "Lose my number." I felt the tears begin to rush from my eyes and I wiped them quickly and bit my lip.

It felt like it was sort of... the end. There was nowhere to really go from here. I meant it when I said I chose myself. I refused to go back to Derrick and be bothered with his lies and broken promises.

"How you holding up bro?" Aoki's soft voice whispered. I nodded at her, letting her know I was alright and kept looking down at my phone.

"I hope you're gonna keep your promise about going back to school Donny. That could open so many doors for you and you'd be better off than you are now." She said, rubbing my arm.

I thought for a moment and smiled. "Yeah I am. It's bout time I do something with my life." Her smile grew and we continued driving.

A Few Hours Later

"Donny, I just got this apartment. The least you can do is get your feet off my coffee table." Aoki scowled from the kitchen. I moved my feet and laughed.

"Change the channel to the news. I need to be updated." She said, walking over and sinking into the couch. I flipped the channel and read the headline.

Nothing but boring ass stock performances. I opened my phone and took another glance at the TV, yawning.

A mysterious phone number began to ring me and I declined it. If I didn't learn anything from growing up where I did... It was that any unknown numbers were either bill collectors or prank calls.

They rang my phone again and I continued to decline. The first few rings didn't bother me. I figured it was probably a kid trying to get a good laugh out of it.

"Donny, answer your fucking phone. They obviously are calling for a reason." Aoki said, rolling her eyes and fixing her lashes.

The phone rang once again and I finally picked up. I quickly cut off the person on the other line. "Stop calling my fucking phone. You're annoying. The calls aren't doing anything but stopping your fucking bag because I'm not gonna feed into them." I began to click the end button but my body turned ice cold as I heard the voice on the other end.

"Donny.... I need you. I'm in some deep shit and I really really need you. If you don't come and get me, they'll be looking for me and they'll kill me." Byron spoke.

I sighed deeply and hung up the call.

"What was it?" Aoki asked, as I began to shake unsteadily.

"Wrong number I guess."