Rundown69

Part 3 : Save me

Save me

Cheery laughter warmed the winter air. High pitched chitty chatter from a group of private school girls gave life to the sleepy streets as they playfully blew white puffs of breaths to each other's faces. The morning daylight was Midas's touch, turning the gloomy bazaar bricks gold as the sun climbed higher casting shadows of moving wings on Dakota's face. He was counting the morning birds while chasing their shadows, stepping on one at a time. When the sweet waft of cinnamon and coffee filled the air, he found his favorite spot, a bench in front of his favorite Auntie Anne's Bagel shop. The bench was there 10, 20 years back, maybe longer. He remembered walking Layla, his lovable husky so he would have an excuse to buy the blueberry bagel filled with clotted cream for breakfast before Sunday school and Layla would wait for him patiently until class was over. Squinting his eyes when the sun climbed higher, he turned slightly to his left following the tail of the echoing laughter and set his eyes on the cheerful group before they disappear into the flowery bushes.

"Fun." The word came out him unintentionally.

"Fun? What is?"

Dakota snapped from his daydream, without needing to look behind he already knew who the lanky shadow was. His cold fingers crept out the comfort of the warm pocket of his worn-out jeans and waved lazily to greet the voice. In return, a sturdy hand slapped a cigarette into his hand before the man sat beside him.

"Alex, would you...?" Dakota mumbled, half clasping the cigarette between his chapped lips. Like an old habit, Alex drew his face closer to his best friend and when their cigarette kissed, Dakota breathed in a few bitter breaths of air to ignite his. Thin smoke slithered from the end of his cigarette, gradually he raised his gaze to look at the brunet with a tired grin. There was a layer of fuming amber in the pair of brown eyes that were looking at him.

"You told me you've settled him!" Alex's voice was at the verge of eruption, constrained by exceptional patience. His wavy hair sashayed on the leather of his jacket. Frustration flowed together with the smoke that hissed out from between his dark smoker's lips. Not to taunt him further, Dakota straightened his back and wiggled his head out of the cocoon of the hoodie to face Alex properly. His glassy eyes were wide awake. The lightness of the blue in his eyes was so translucent they barely hold any color. Emotionless.

"Save me..." Dakota pleaded only to be denied quickly.

"Dap, I am not falling for that..." Disapproving, Alex tried to shut Dakota only to be serenaded into annoyance.

"Why would I think such things, crazy thoughts have quick wings. Gaining momentum fast...One minute I am fine..." Dakota slurred and giggled childishly.

"You are not fine, and I am losing my mind!" Like the grumbling boiling magma spreading the crumbly crust, Alex's tolerances collapsed. He shouted at Dakota. The fury solidified physically, and Alex casually pulled his shoulder-length wave and folded it into a small bun. Then, he breathed out a long stretch of smoke together, the rage that got stuck in his throat was blown into the cool air. The amber in those brown eyes died and the anger lightened. He breathed in hot bitter air and breathed out a long stream of smoke and irritation a few times before allowing himself to breathe in the cool air of relaxation After a while, Alex's dark lips carved a smirk at the laughing mess beside him. It was inevitable but he accepted his defeat and openly admitted that Dakota's reference to "Save me" by Jem was a clever pun.

"Smart. I knew you'd get that one." Dakota nodded proudly.

"Yeah, it's unfortunate that the only one who gets your lameness is me, Dap."