Stop A Bullet - Chapter Seven

Stop A Bullet1

Chapter Seven2

I waited patiently sitting in a soft, plush, chair just outside the lobby reception. The cozy warmth surrounding me, warming me to the marrow, while my eyes scanned my surroundings, focusing my attention to the stairs.3

I had made it safely, I was in one piece and I had not been injured or harmed in anyway, but emotionally.4

I felt guilty, I felt self-reproach washing over me like the hot, heat, of the hostel had once I had stepped inside the doors, closing them and the world behind me.5

I had left my mother there to deal with Trey. God only knew how that would go down once he stepped up from my physical blow. 6

How could I have done that? Just left her like that, left Maggie like that? Left them both to deal with the aftermath of my courageous call in defense of Trey's brute attempt of enforceability? I was no hero, I was a coward.7

I waited, anxiously as each minute passed, the ticking of the clock that hung on the wall above the lobby door almost driving me to insanity as every minute passed in waiting and thought of how my mother was getting on, whether or not Maggie had arisen from her slumber and whether or not Trey had continued on his streak of violation, or had he backed down, weak and confused with the actions I had taken towards him?8

Tick...tock...tick...tock... 9

It was so repetitive, so maddening that I could feel my fingers crunched, tightly into a fist, ball, of rue: waiting, wishing, hoping that Ashley would walk down those steps and take me up to the sanctuary of his bedroom.10

Tick... tock...tick..tock. 11

Time was getting away, escaping me and while I had no reason to complain at the present time. I needed my best friend to step into the lobby, I needed to be embraced by his comforting words and even as homosexual as it sounded, I need to be embraced physically: just to know that I was alive, that this was real and that I was not alone.12

Tick...tock...tick..tock..tick..to...13

“Taint,” I heard the familiar voice of Ashley ask, hearing the pattering of his feet on the tiled flooring of the lobby.14

I looked up, tears almost escaping my eyes with joy, an abnormal feeling of happiness lifting my spirits as he ventured forwards, his eyebrows burrowed behind his Italian, styled hair cut, his emerald eyes sparking like prized jewels in the flickering light in the lobby. He had no idea.15

I stood straight on my feet, clutching the arm of the chair for support. My body felt like it was failing me, my arms wobbling and weak, my knees shaking feeling as though they were ready to buckle, giving way to cause my body to fall onto the hardness of the tiles.16

I tried to put a smile on my face, though I did not have to try hard. I felt nothing but comfort as I wrapped my arms around my best friend's shoulders and buried my face deep into his shoulders : not being able to keep the tears back to save my life.17

Ashley placed his hand slowly across my back, a little taken back by my advancement. I could feel it in him, the shock, the curiosity, the nerviness of having another males arms wrapped around him in an unmanly fashion.18

But as I closed my eyes, breathing in the heavy scent of another human being I could feel him relaxing into the embrace. His long fingers stroking my back, caressing me into a sense of relief as he pulled me in tighter, not willing to let go even though there would soon come a time wen both us would need to break free.19

“Shh, it is going to be okay, whatever it is we will work it out, talk about it okay,” he reassured me in a soft, subtle, voice trying to quieten me down so that I would not bring any attention to the Two of us.20

“Come one now, why don't we take this upstairs and you can tell me what is wrong. I can even make you a cup of Milo if you like or fetch you a drink of whiskey if you would like something stronger,” Ashley joked trying desperately to lighten the mood and it was working.21

I nodded, my chin colliding with his shoulder blade as I began to pull away from his tight embrace, I was sure glad at this present time that I was not one of those boys who wore mascara, emo's I believed they were called for right now I would have looked a right mess, not only that I would have looked like clown who had asked their dog to do their make up before a show.22

“Yeah,” Ashley repeated his hands now on my shoulders as he lowered his head attempting to look me in the eyes. 23

I nodded not being able to speak at the present time and not willing to risk someone overhearing the conversation I was about to have with him. Somehow I felt much safer in his arms, but you could never be to sure who was listening in a place like this.24

I was paranoid, dating my eyes everywhere. From the lobby door, to that damn ticking clock that had been close to making me scream and as he led me up the stairs, his hands wrapped around my shoulders I felt my eyes dart behind me with every step we took, somehow thinking that someone, anyone, would have heard me crying and where ready to be invasive, much like a stalker, or an animal stalking its prey, ready to pounce on anything that was more interesting than peeling, wallpaper.25

Once we had reached the second floor felt my body about to do a turn on me as a wave of emotions hit me all at once this time causing me to fall in a heap, slipping from Ashley's once strong grip: falling hard against his bedroom door, my body sliding down it painfully.26

Ashley went into overdrive. 27

I could feel his hands sliding under my armpits as he wrapped my rigid arms around his shoulders once more pulling me to my feet. 28

I watched as he lightly kicked open his bedroom door, closing it behind him with his heel and switched on the light, softly laying me down on the sofa while he walked into the kitchen to “fetch” me a drink.29

“Milo it is,” he said clattering around the kitchen allowing the fridge light to shine brightly in my eyes as he took out the milk and held it up towards me.30

“Hope you don't mind light milk? Mum insist I drink it to rid myself of this acne I have got going on here, but honestly I do not see the difference, do you?”31

I shook my head a smile slowly creeping across my numb cheekbones.32

“Yeah neither do I, but that's mothers for you. How is yours by the way? I read that article she wrote about teenage mothers, quiet interesting and I have to agree most dick-wads these days would not give Two-hoots about being a father, to busy getting pissed and laid in my opinion. No not for me I tell you I would be right beside them, well maybe not when the the bub I born, but you know.”33

I nodded, not in agreement entirely, but to show him the respect he deserved even though a vast majority of his statement had been washed over my head as I faded into the light of the refrigerator, flash backs of Trey's bulge being forced into Tanya's mouth causing my stomach knot, painfully.34

“Two sugars then?” Ashley asked pouring a good amount of milk into my mug, rolling the spoon handle between his fingers.35

“Yes please,” I squeaked, embarrassed with my own voice. I sounded like a mouse being squished or worse yet a guy who had just had his balls kicked. I would have to do better than that if I was going to explain to Ashley just what had gone down this morning and the reason why I had woken his father at four A.M: that in itself was not going to go down well when the sun rose.36

Ashley smiled, humming the familiar tune of Queens “your my best friend” as he added two tea-spoons of sugar to the steaming mug and placed the milk back in the refrigerator, shielding the light from my eyes.37

“Here you go darling,” Ashley joked in his queer impersonation voice that usually had everyone in the class either pissing their pants or throwing paper at him. That was what I liked the most about him; he had no shame.38

I took the hot mug from his hands, cupping my palms around it the heat immediately radiating and warming me up, more so than the lobby had.39

“So then, are you going to tell me whats got you so torn or do I have to squeeze it out of you?” he asked taking seat behind me, poking me lightly in the stomach.40

I flinched, drawing my body back in defense while I took the first sip of my Milo, the instant sense of relaxation surging through my body as I melted into Ashley's sofa ,closing my eyes for a moments peace.41

I felt my eyes open, looking deeply into Ashley's, emerald, stones.42

“It's Trey,” I said the words escaping my lips all to easy; so much I was surprised that it had taken me that long to even speak.43

“Ah, what has the bastard done this time? I don;t see any black eyes so, so far it is looking good. What he do? Let me guess, the ass holes cheating on Tanya?”44

I shook my head, my eyes leaving Ashley's as I scanned the room. It was exactly the same as it had been last time I had visited a few weeks ago. For a boy of his age he sure kept his room tidy, almost to an obsession, but that was a small law that could never equate to all the good traits that made Ashley who he was.45

“What then? Did he loose his job? Get in a fight? Take your sketchbooks away and enroll you in the Army? What? The suspense is killing me, you really had me scared down there I hope you are aware of that. I wouldn't have thought you were the type to cry, you seem so numb sometimes, almost as hard as a brick wall, I guess I should be lucky you let me in,” He laughed noting the small smile that still remained on my face.46

“Close,” I answered sipping slowly from the mug, the Milo still being to hot to skull down. I would wait until it was tepid before I even attempted to burn the inside of my throat, not to mention my tongue. I had a bad habit of doing that, always at the most inappropriate times.47

“Oh which one?” Ashley asked quietly, the joking and excitement fading from his voice as he realized the seriousness of my breakdown.48

“He enrolled me into the Army,” I joked, feeling my spirits lifted once against with the look that shone upon Ashley's face. He looked far to serious and it was amusing.49

“Ah yeah right, get out of town,” he said giving me a friendly punch in the arm. “You in the army, please when I said you were as hard as a brick wall I meant as hard as a crumbling brick wall and plus you would never leave me all on my lonesome, who would make you laugh so hard you almost pee your pants. Hell do they even laugh in the Army?”50

I grinned, feeling the Milo trickling down my fingers. He had punched me a little to hard and the sticky, substance, was starting to begin to harden on my skin making it feel like my skin was slightly peeling.51

“I will have you know I would make a good, eh Sergent thank you very much,” I laughed feeling totally at ease in my environment. It was almost as if the days events had never occurred and I was just making a passing visit, one where Ashley would make me laugh till I did literally wet my pants. 52

“Then what... w—ha—t, and why are you wearing that hideous “Pablo” shirt? What did I tell you about wearing that shirt?”53

“It doesn't match with my completion,” I whined in a slightly queer voice, following his joke.54

“Exactly, you are better of looking naked,” he said pausing for a second to ponder what he had just said. “I mean that in a non- Homosexual way.”55

I nodded.56

“Sure, sure, no I am now being enrolled in the Army. Trey did something horrible to Tanya and I just needed to escape it all, even just for a few hours. You don;'t mind do you?” I asked. My smile remaining, but the tone of my voice becoming serious now that the jokes were over.57

Ashley's eyes widened, nodding as he took the mug from my hands. His own expression screaming with curiosity.58

“What kind of horrible are we talking here?”59

I looked down, my face buried in my chest. I felt ashamed and somehow responsible, if not embarrassed as the words came clean, spilling from my mouth like a rushing, river.60

“The kind of Horrible...” I paused.61

“Go on,” Ashley said, his body leaning into mine, his hand on my shoulder for support.62

“The rape kind, the abuse kind, the kind where I accidentally on purpose; punched him in the face and knocked him cold on the ground. The kind were I leave my mother ready for another round so I can run of like a coward crying up the street and the kind that leaves be shattered, exhausted, sleepless and afraid of my own shadows: Yeah that kind of Horrible.”