The Bad Boys Are Back

11

The sky was suspiciously grim for a September afternoon. Fran was humming a tune (some praise and worship song) by my side, we were making our way to the subway station after a tough day at the hospice.

Raymond finally passed after a long and hard war fought with fourth stage cancer. On one hand, we tried telling ourselves we were relieved that he would finally be at peace. On the other hand, Raymond was the closest semblance to everyone's sunshine at the hospice. He never had a grim day. Even on his deathbed, as he breathed his final breath, he had a smile on his wrinkled face. 

I wasn't religious but I said a quick prayer for him. 

"How do you think Heart to Heart survives? It's a non-profit organization." I couldn't help asking aloud.

"Well," Fran mulled, "They don't pay the volunteers for starters. I think they've got a bunch of rich, guilty christians funding everything. The Jamison wing was probably namesake of some wealthy Mr. Jamison."

"Makes sense."

"How's your mother?" Fran asked, cautiously, because she knew my family wasn't the same bunch of husband-wife-child trio that we once were.

"She's holding up," I replied evenly. I stopped myself from speaking further even though I wanted to tell her about how she started watching my dad's favorite sitcoms or how I'd catch her clutching the photo album to sleep sometimes.

We were approaching the neighborhood's basketball court now. I thought I saw someone familiar. I squinted at the adult figure standing amidst a small group of young children. I could hear high pitched and carefree laughter being carried from all the way across the court.

"Levi!" Someone squealed. "Stop him!" 

At once, I knew my eyes weren't fooling me. My brain trembled at the sight of Levi, the human who impossibly had a void in the place of where a brain should be. 

"Is that..." Fran trailed off.

"Yep." I said as I hastened my footsteps. Fran did the same.

This wasn't something we needed to discuss. It was unanimously, and silently agreed that this was someone we both wanted to avoid. 

But I couldn't resist catching a last peek at the court. Unintelligent as Levi may be, I had to admit he made up for it in brawn.

Fran lived on the opposite side of town from me, so we parted ways when my train arrived. I had only stepped foot into the train when I received a text from Finn.

> We got a history test tomorrow. U free?

I jumped out of the train one millisecond before the doors slid shut. I stood at the platform, (heart racing and palms sweating) contemplating for the longest before I shot a text back. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying not to recall my last interaction with the boys.

> Yep I'm at the subway station rn (the one near the hospice)

Finn's reply was instantaneous.

> Be there in 5. Don't move

Finn arrived in 3 minutes, instead of 5. Luckily, I was already waiting outside and I wasted no time clambering into the vehicle. I was instantly engulfed by his scent and I hated the warm feeling that came with it. The drive to the warehouse was awfully silent.

I decided to break it. "I saw Levi playing basketball."

"He doesn't take History," came Finn's curt reply. 

"So it's just you and Jasper?"

He nodded.

When we arrived, he parked the car and offered me a cigarette. I took it and I choked all over again. It made Finn smile. I liked his smile, it was lopsided and it reminded me of earthly things like the breeze and the sky and sloshing through mud barefooted.