Desolation Row

Eight

Mikey rolled off of his mattress into the floor. He reached out for some pants and a random shirt. When he found them, he pulled them on, just in time to see someone leaning in his doorway.

"Rough night?"

Mikey rubbed his eyes. "Shut up, thundercunt."

Gerard laughed, coming to ruffle his brother's hair. "How late were you out last night?"

Mikey shrugged. "Late. What can I say? This guy could hold."

Gerard whistled, impressed. "How long?"

"Forty-five minutes."

"Damn, Mikes! What'd he give you?"

"Nothing. He was an ally already."

Gee nodded. "Well, get on up. Time for school."

School.

Mikey swore under his breath. He knew he had to do something about Ray that day if he was going to do anything at all.

They walked to school like usual, while Mikey planned what he would do. He was going to have to start slow if he wanted to keep Ray unharmed.

When Mikey walked into the classroom, Ray was already there, chatting with his group of friends. Ray glanced up, and the two made eye contact for a split second. Patrick nudged Ray, who pinched his side. Mikey drew back, confused.

He sat down with his guys, and they all started rambling, just like usual. Except for Mikey, who started working on a piece of paper. He went through all of the things in his head he could say, and in the end, only one thing was enough to express his thoughts.

~

Ray was pushed forward in his seat as Mikey's hip bumped his shoulder on his way out of the room. A torn, folded piece of paper fluttered onto his desk.

So you told your friends about me, huh? Not safe, you know that.

"Not safe?" Patrick asked. "What's that mean?"

"Nothing," Ray muttered, shoving the paper into his pocket. "He's just being an asshole."

"I don't know, his friends look dangerous..."

"Don't worry about his friends."

"We already had that Lucky's thing go down. He almost stabbed you, Ray."

"He won't actually stab me. He made out with me last night. It was a threat for his sake. Our sake."

Patrick looked confused. "Your sake?"

"He isn't allowed to date outside of his gang, and his brother would be super pissed if I came around."

Jamia swatted his arm. "Watch your language!" she snapped. "You're becoming one of them already."

"Ray, I swear to God if you join a gang-"

"I'm not joining a fucking gang!"

The group went silent.

Tyler shook his head. "And yet you're acting like them."

"You guys are ridiculous," Ray muttered. "I slipped."

"Twice in thirty seconds?"

"Shut up, Ryan. You don't get it. They aren't like we think they are."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Tyler asked. "They sliced me up in the middle of the night."

"No, that wasn't Mikey," Ray said. "He told me it was one of his rival gangs."

"Well he was lying to you. The blonde one was the one who did it, and the short one made sure no one was going to help me."

Ray was silent. He didn't know what to say.

"You're sure he was there?"

"Oh yeah. He and the two others just kind of stood there and did nothing. They watched."

Ray stood up. "I have to go."

He stormed out of the classroom, and McCracken didn't say a word to him. Halfway down the hall, he saw Mikey.

Mikey opened his mouth, but Ray slapped him.

"You lied to me," he hissed.

"And that gives you the right to hurt me?!"

"You cut Tyler in his sleep! And you said you didn't!"

"That's because I didn't!"

"You said it was a rival gang!"

Mikey reared back and punched Ray in the face. Then, he turned on his heel and started to talk away.

"Go back to class, Toro. Wouldn't want a mark on your perfect record, now would we?"

"Don't walk away from me."

Mikey whipped around, anger in his eyes. "Don't walk away from you?! So you think just because some kid in a gang likes you that you're all tough now?! Well I hate to break it to you, but you aren't in a gang, I am! And I can do exactly what Bob did to Tyler to you, too! Or better yet, I can have my brother do it for me."

"You wouldn't do that. You just stood by and watched. You were too much of a pussy to do anything."

Mikey lunged for Ray, tackling him to the ground. "Fight me then!" he screamed. "Fight me if I'm so much of a pussy!"

"I'm not going to fight you!"

Mikey climbed off of Ray. "Then I've got a better idea."

He pulled the switchblade from his pocket. "Take this, open it, and threaten me with it."

It took Ray a minute, but he got the blade out. But the suddenly sharp object in his hand shocked him to the point where he dropped it, cutting his palm open.

"Jesus, Ray," Mikey muttered. "Come on."

He took Ray's unhurt hand and led him to the bathroom. Mikey cut the water on, then wet a paper towel to clean the blood.

"Look, I know I've been a dickhead, so... I'm sorry," he said. "I just... I didn't want you to hate me for hurting your friend. And when you hit me, that just pissed me off, so... Yeah."

"This is fucked up, Mikey," Ray said. "Like, really fucked up."

"What are you trying to tell me?"

"I... I don't know. Are we going to work out?"

Mikey didn't look at him. "I don't know," he whispered.

Ray looked at the boy in front of him. Mikey looked sad, he looked vulnerable, and he looked scared. He didn't look like someone who belonged in a violent gang.

"Hey." Ray lifted his chin. "We're going to work out. One way or another, okay?"

He leaned forward and kissed Mikey gently. Mikey nodded. "Okay, we'll work it out."

"See you at Lucky's?"

"See you at Lucky's."