John Wick: Discat Amare Etiam

i

"I can't believe you didn't give him your number Bella!" Alexia exclaims excitedly as we walk out of Aroma Mocha.

"I'm not giving some rando my number Alexia, you know how I am." I rolled my eyes and strolled alongside my best friend.

Alexia has been my best friend since the eighth grade, we met through a boy. Well, we both thought we were dating him when in reality he was cheating on us both. Alexia and I were very different appearance, she had a platinum blonde pixie cut and ravishingly sharp green eyes with snow white skin. I had the jet black curly hair bob with striking icy blue eyes and a bronzed complexion. I was adopted by an average income white couple who wasn't able to bear children, but despite not being their biological child I was very appreciative of how they took me in.

Alexia and I graduated in 2017 from The Epiphany School, a private Catholic school in Manhattan. Both of us wanted to go into the journalism field and decided to attend New York University and rent an apartment together. After moving to New York, we immediately looked for a coffee shop located near campus and found Aroma Mocha. Ever since we moved the summer of 2017, Aroma Mocha has been a staple to our college kid life.

"You so should have let him have your number- hey! Have you noticed ever since we moved to New York it seems like a new fella is trying to get your number?" Alexia swings around and begins walking back to face me.

"So? I don't need a relationship right now anyway, it's not really worth it at the moment just because I'm trying to focus on my academics." I shrugged it off, the freckled barista wasn't worth it. He asked for my number last we went to Aroma Mocha, sure he's cute but I don't need any distractions.

"Bella," Alexia stopped me in my tracks on the sidewalk. "When was the last time you went on a date?"

I scrunch my eyebrows. When WAS the last time I went on a date? Doesn't matter, apparently it wasn't worth remembering.

"Doesn't matter, he's not my type anyway." I watch cars pass us and the craziness of New York traffic take over as rain begins to fall.

"Come on, give him a chance Bella!" She waves her arms around, trying to convince me.

"Look, Alexia, I don't have time for it." I firmly say, getting irritated with the pressure. She comes back to my side.

Silence comes between us as we start to walk to the small apartment we rent together. We come upon the alley which frightens us both. There the addicts, homeless, and others congregate. I always feel guilty every single time we pass them, but I know I can't give all my money away.

This time, one of them was lying flat on the ground.

"Alexia, stop." I put my hand out in front of her to stop her, and point. It was Benji, one of the addicts that had always been kind to us. He had shooed away the threatening addicts were desperate for their next fill and always greeted us on the way home from Aroma Mocha. Benji was a college dropout around 23 that became addicted to heroin and coke. He gave up coke two years ago but still shot up heroin.

"Is that... Benji? Oh, my gosh.." Alexia's voice muffled, she wells up with tears.

"Go inside and call for an ambulance. I'm going to start compressions." I take off my backpack and kneel down quickly over Benji's lifeless body. Alexia ran up the stairs and made her way to our apartment to call for help.

His sunken eyes and defined cheekbones gave the characteristics of an addict. His sunken eyes were shut and his frail arms were over his chest. I had learned CPR when I was in nursing classes in high school because my dream was to become a nurse, but then I decided a TV reporter would suffice after being turned down into the nursing program at NYU.

I move over his arms and feel cold wetness. I look at hands, his blood was all over my right hand.

"What the-" I stare at my hand in confusion and go to further inspect his chest.

Benji had three bullet wounds in his chest. Someone had shot Benji, but the wounds were clean so it couldn't have been done with a large firearm. Before I know it I hear a crash and look up. One of the others were running at me.

"LEAVE BENJI ALONE!" She screams desperately, pain breaking her voice.

"I didn't do this, but someone shot him!" I get up and start to back away but trip over my own feet.

Someone caught me, but before I know it everything begins to fade.