Beyond the Border | ✔

25 | rule 74

RULE 74: IF YOU GET LURED TO THE OUTSIDE, YOU MUST NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE BORDERLANDS OR YOUR FAMILY WILL PAY THE PRICE.

✷ C H A P T E R T W E N T Y - F I V E ✷

"Memphis!" I shouted, trying hard to speak loud enough for him to hear while simultaneously struggling to not slur his name. Memphis looked up, surprised. His eyes dilated with recognition. I smiled at him, weaving in and out of people in order to reach him.

    He was surrounded by numerous sweaty bodies — none of which were familiar. It did not look like he was here with his cousin, Natasha. He seemed to be a fish out of the water, moving slowly to the music by himself, like he was going through the motions as he sipped on his drink.

    "What are you doing here, Memphis?" I asked, my voice almost getting lost in the commotion around us. I blinked my eyes repeatedly to make sure I was not conjuring up an image of Memphis. But no, as I neared him, he was very much real. I was stunned. I thought he would be safely within the confines of the Borderlands by now. He helped the Borderlands when he escorted me back to Theo — albeit, not in one piece. Nevertheless, he would deserve the same extension of being able to come back home that was offered to me.

    I would demand nothing less, I thought to myself but almost burst into spontaneous laughter at the thought of me trying to confront the Council in my current drunken state.

    Once I navigated through the sea of people, Memphis pulled me into a tight hug, his head pressed into my neck. "I'm so happy you're alive."

    I squeezed Memphis back, almost dropping my empty glass in the process. I shut my eyes, hugging Memphis tighter, the horrific image of him hanging upside down unconscious entered my memory.

    Not knowing I held tension at the unknown state of Memphis' health, I let out a prolonged, content sigh while my shoulders realized, a few hot tears running down my cheek.

    "I can say the same thing to you," I smiled sadly at the memory of our car accident. Once we pulled away from the hug, Memphis cast his grey eyes downward. "Hey, what's wrong?"

    What I had wanted to say was: "what's wrong? I mean, why are you on the Outside?" But, my eagerness to be so blunt caused me to reel myself back in, hiccupping slightly in the process.

    He took a deep breath. "They kicked me out, Sage. They kicked my whole family out."

    I scrunched up my face, not fully comprehending what he meant. "They couldn't have. You were helping. Just go back and tell them Sage says you want back in, okay? Okay. Okay."

    "It's no use. They said my family was too much of a liability, especially if things are to strengthen," he made sure to be cryptic in his wording in case anyone was listening. I doubted it would be easy to listen in with the music blasting so loudly, but I was thankful for his caution.

    "I'll convince them to let your family back in — I can convince them, Memphis," I flashed a cheesy smile, trying to fool myself into believing my own words.

    The Borderlands was not complete without his family in it. His family was one of the most well-known families among the community. Their absence would be seen and felt. Sure, they had been partaking in illegal activities to make their merchant business thrive, but their family had gotten away with it for over eighty years.

    Memphis extended a comforting hand to my shoulder. "I appreciate the gesture, Sage, but there is no need to do that. Our hometown is changing, and I don't know if it is for the better. They didn't let Si back in either after they found out what happened."