CHAPTER ELEVEN
“Where are you going to go to school?” I asked him after lighting a smoke.
“I’m not,” he quickly replied. I know I’m going to have to be a little more forceful to get him to talk to me about this.
“But you have a scholarship,” I continued.
“I’ve had that scholarship for two years,” he tells me.
“When did you graduate high school?” I’m still not sure how old he is.
“What does it matter Scarlett, so I’m turning twenty one or a hundred and twenty one, you’re turning eighteen. It’s no big deal, age does not matter to me,” he shouts, surprising me.
“I don’t care about our ages either Buddy and you look great for a hundred and twenty one,” I laugh, trying to lighten the mood. He grins.
“I care about you,” I said a little more seriously, kneeling in front of him.
“I know what you’re thinking, so stop,” he demands.
“Is it because of me that you didn’t go to college last September?” I asked.
“No Scarlett, I missed you but it is not because of you,” he confessed.
“Your mother seems to think I might be holding you back now,” I whisper as I inhale.
“You are not holding me back Scarlett,” he said as he opened a beer. I don’t like beer but I really need a drink. I stand up and search for a bottle. I smile as I spot a vodka bottle and open it. I stand in the middle of the room and take a few sips. Buddy is watching me as I twirl around the room. I take a few more sips before I feel his arms wrap around me. I wipe my tears away as he kisses me. I don’t want to think about reality. I don’t want to be sober. I don’t want to leave him.
I awoke the next morning to muffled voices. Buddy was talking to someone upstairs, by the door. I slowly sat up as my head was spinning from overindulging last night. I walked to the bottom of the stairs, standing just out of view.
“You have to call the administration this week Willem. Time is almost up. If you don’t go what do you plan on doing for the rest of your life? Dealing drugs? That almost got you put in jail last year. If it wasn’t for your family you’d be behind bars now, but that support will run out. Call them and tell them you’ll be there September first. I’ve told them you will be and I’ve arranged for your room. It’s a single so you won’t have to share with anyone. I know you can do this Will. It’s time to get on with your life. It’s what your father would have wanted,” I heard a man explaining to Will.
“Okay Giles, I’ll call. I’ll be there September first,” I heard Will tell him. My heart sunk. I have to leave now. I can’t go with him and I can’t stay here. I have to go home. I have to go back to school too.
“Can you call them while I’m here, I have to know your going,” the man suggested cautiously.
“Sure, okay, but upstairs,” Will tells him. I slid down onto the floor and lit a smoke. This is going to kill me. I have to prepare somehow for this. I hear them at the door again.
“You’ve made the right choice Will. I’ll be in touch before we head down,” Giles said. I stood up and walked into the bathroom. I scrubbed my face and brushed my teeth. I heard a knock on the door, taking a deep breath I opened it. Buddy looked tired, as he stood in front of me. I smiled as I wrapped my arms around him.
“Can I wash you?” he asked with just a hint of that grin I’m in love with. I kiss him as he walks in, reaching for me.
Standing in the warm water with his arms wrapped around me, I’m enjoying the afterglow of his touch. I’m going to remember these showers for the rest of my life.
“Let’s go out tonight Scarlett,” he suggests as I put on my army green shorts, black spiked belt and my Sid tee shirt. “Sure, where do you want to go?” I ask.
“I think we’ll go to a show downtown. I’ll call around to see who’s playing,” he tells me as he picks me up and twirls me around. Denial seems to be our choice in dealing with the fact that he has to take me home soon.
The bus is full when we hop on. Buddy holds on to the pole and I hold onto him. I like it when the bus stops and I have to lean hard into him. I can feel his thigh behind me, I’m excited as I place my hands under his shirt, holding tightly onto him. When we step off the bus he takes my hand and we walk towards the club.
“My friend is waiting around back, he’ll let us in,” he informs me. I follow him closely. Will knocks on an unmarked door and it swings open. There are two guys with spiked hair, dressed in black and chains dangling from their studded belts. If Buddy wasn’t with me I think I’d be frightened of these two.
“Hey man, what do you got for us tonight Bud?” one of them asked as we entered.
“I've got what you need Des,” Buddy replies as I stand back from them. I let him finish as I turned my gaze to the hall. I hear two people arguing loudly. I began to feel uncomfortable here, but Buddy grabs my hand and pulls me towards the angry voices. As we began to get closer I start to hold back, I knew something wasn't right, we were in danger.
When Buddy turned to urge me along a
