Chapter Text
The next few minutes are a blur of green, purple, and red.
I rush over to grab two sets of everything: jacket, shirt, pants, the fit™.
Reeda is looking around for the trash bags even though I told her they were under the sink.
Trish is grabbing my arm. Why is she grabbing my arm?
“What?” I ask, trying to juggle gathering clothes with triggerly matters.
“Do you know where the trash bags are? Reeda can't find them.”
For the love of RAPTOR JES—
“Found em!”
Reeda appears around the doorway, holding the roll of bags triumphantly.
Trish tears one off and hands it to me, and I start shoving my clothes into it.
“This is not a three-person task.” I mumble. “Reeda, can you grab my soap? It's the green bar.”
She nods, grabbing another bag from Trish before disappearing into my bathroom.
I tie up my bag and toss it on my bed.
Alright… that's clothes. Three sets are fine, right? That's enough for a laundry rotation.
“It's not that deep, skinnie.”
Ugh.
I turn around just in time for Reeda to offer me the bag with my soap in it. I take it and toss it beside the other.
“Alright, clothes and soap. What else do I need? Charger?”
Trish bends down and unplugs it from the wall and lays it on the bed.
“There. Can we go now?”
With one last glance around, trying to think of anything else…
“Let's dip.”
…
After locking my apartment up, hopefully NOT for the last time, we start our hike to the pharmacy.
The bags rustle as Reeda and I carry them, the larger one around my shoulder, while she swings the soap one back and forth with each stride.
“This is gonna be great! We can watch movies and play video games every night! I'll have Dad set out some money so I can buy a new controller, since I tipped my bong over on my old spare and fried it.”
“She put it in the oven to try and dry it.” Trish chimes in. “Fire department has her house blacklisted, I know it.”
“Hey! I used the lowest setting!” The Raptor barks.
“And what was that?”
“A casual 170 degrees.” Trish snorts.
The only pharmacy in Skin Row comes into view; the barred windows and triple-locked door shine in the sun.
Trish pulls the door open for us, and we walk inside.
“Bandages, antibiotic cream stuff, and human strength painkillers.” Reeda lists out, glancing down the aisles.
“And a bag of chips.”
—
…
“And here, we can see the Sarcopterygii, otherwise known as the lobe-finned fish. Some of the most well-known members of this group are lung fish, and coelacanths…”
I stop when I notice a few kids touching the tank.
“Please don't tap the glass, they can hear the vibrations and might hit their heads on it thinking you're food.”
I let out a long sigh, turning around and waving over a coworker.
“My break's been due for an hour, take over for me, yeah?”
I let them assume the role of tour guide as I slip away, walking past the touch pools and into a small “Employees only” door.
Down the hall and out of a side door I walk, taking a seat on the curb as I light up a cigarette.
“Finally.” I groan.
My hand digs into the pocket of my jeans, pulling my phone out with a yank.
Naser: 1 missed call
Why is he calling me? He knows I'm at work.
I dial him, bringing the phone up to my head.
brrrring… brrrring… brrrring…
“Hello?”
“Hey retard. You called?”
“...Fang, I fucked up. I fucked up so bad.”
I chuckle, shaking my head. “Yeah? How'd you do that?”
“I went to his place. I…”
My cigarette nearly falls from my lips as I choke on the smoke.
“You what?”
…
We sit in relatively quiet section of the Aquarium parking lot.
My hand presses down on the gauze covering the slash on his chest. He doesn't dare look at me as he bites down on his finger.
“What the fuck were you thinking?” I ask, grabbing some of the stupid, thin medical tape from the first aid kit. My cigarette dangles between my fingers. “She could've killed you. Do you know what time of year it is? I told you about her Mom and the drug thing.”
“I didn't know she was there!” He groans, a hand coming up to cover his eyes. “It was supposed to just be him. I wouldn't have even gone if I knew he wasn't alone.”
“That's another thing.” I grab his snoot and force him to look at me. “WHY WOULD YOU GO THERE? WHAT WAS THE PLAN?”
He flinches slightly. “I was just going to talk to him! You know… find out his side!”
“Bullshit.” I turn away from him and slam the kit closed. “You went over there to cause some trouble and got your ass kicked by a girl.” I take a long puff and toss the butt away.
He sits there quietly for a moment, his head shaking side to side.
“I went over there to kill him."
A smoky sigh escapes my lips.
“I don't need you to fight my battles, Naser. I'm a big girl.”
He slides down off the hood of the car, moving his shoulder a bit as the tape stretches. “...I know. But you left, and your room is so quiet now and all I can think about is that fucking skinnie piece of—"
"Naser. I'm trying to leave him behind, I left for a reason."
I toss the kit into the back seat, turning back to him with crossed arms. I study the miserable state he's in.
"Yeah..."
“...You didn't hurt him too bad, did you?”