SO BAD [MXM] [MAFIA] ✓

8: THE ACCORDER

After that, Skylar begins to avoid everyone.

He doesn't see his dad anyway, so that's nothing new. However, every time he's around Jessie the guy just talks about how he's leaving. Skylar still hangs out with him sometimes, but not as often as before. Especially since he's constantly around Ashton, who Skylar seriously avoids like the plague in the coming weeks.

He also stays away from his friends, because they always talk him into the very thing that will get him kicked out of his fucking house. He stays away from the public generally, because he doesn't want to risk Crimson finding him again and doing even worse. Skylar does not have any fucking money, partially because he's been ditching work. Again, so that he doesn't have to see Ashton.

He starts to get lonely, but he just counteracts that with drugs. Unfortunately this only works so long. He has a pretty good stash, or he did at the beginning of the summer, but towards the end of June—essentially halfway through the summer, which again, he has spent avoiding everyone—he runs out. However, his addiction has gotten worse, so he only lasts a couple of days before he is making plans to go steal from Crimson again.

Fuck Ashton, Skylar healed pretty well without the aid of a doctor. Some movements still cause him pain, but not like it was before. He's basically good as new, especially since he's been staying out of trouble so well. Of course, the reason he's been staying out of trouble is purely because his life is blowing up in his face, but still. He chooses to pretend like he's purposely trying to improve himself. Or whatever.

So, Skylar finally drags himself out of bed on July 1st, a Saturday morning, and essentially plans on just driving directly to the building where Crimson keeps all his vehicles and shit. See, Crimson isn't just a drug dealer. He practically heads a drug empire. He's not the person to fuck with, which is part of why Skylar has been so careful about leaving the house and who he surrounds himself with.

When Skylar enters the main floor, heading to the kitchen to grab a snack before he embarks on his theft mission, he finds Jessie sitting at the breakfast bar. He's scrolling through his phone and eating what looks like a ham and cheese biscuit. He looks up at Skylar's entrance.

When Skylar begins avoiding people, he's really good at not making it obvious. He stays in touch with everyone just enough for it to not be obvious, so Jessie probably just thinks he's been lazy. Jessie would probably jump to the conclusion of Skylar avoiding Ashton before ever thinking of Skylar avoiding himself.

Honestly, almost even more than Crimson, Skylar really has been avoiding Ashton. That guy has been making him feel way too much. Skylar needed a break from him, but honestly, it doesn't seem like Ashton has been coming around much anyway. At least, Skylar hasn't heard him in the house or seen his truck parked in the driveway in quite a while.

"Where ya goin'?" Jessie asks him with a mouthful of biscuit. Skylar pauses, trying to think of a plausible lie.

"Lily's" he says, even though he's barely spoken to her since summer started. He definitely hasn't seen her since the last day of school, but she's probably got her own shit going on anyway.