Stay.

38.

"I never got shot. Your mother told me ever since we broke up you have been secluding yourself in your room, and you would talk to thin air as if there was someone there. And then disappear and run off to who knows where. I'm fucking worried about you." He put his hand over mine and I yanked away.

"This isn't funny Kevin. You didn't have to lie to cops and then try to pretend things never happened. I was out because I have been hanging out with Jason... And Thomas."

He looked at me like I was a monster.

I chose to leave out Joey, so Kevin wouldn't question as to why. Joey taught me so much, especially not to tell anyone what our real purpose in life was.

"You have seen Jason? You told me you hadn't seen him since... Who knows how long ago."

"Yeah, we met again. And I cheated on you with him, remember? It was around the same time that you cheated on me. But he had to go away because he didn't want to be shot... like you were."

"AUTUMN I WAS NEVER SHOT. I looked Jason up and he doesn't exist. Or at least he isn't legal in the US. You need to see a doctor Autumn, please." He said firmly, his voice stapled with fear and anger. But this fear was different than before.

And then I heard a voice peirce through my ears.

"Are you really gonna let him talk about you like that?" Thomas stumbled in.

His sad eyes and thick black hoodie filled me with empathy and sadness.

And then Joey walked through my open front door.

"Remember what I said? Kill him." His voice slithered into the room. I looked intently at him and back to Kevin.

They both continued to scatter my brain with the words "Kill him." as I looked back and forth from Joey to Kevin.

"What are you looking at?" Kevin's eyes carried vitality, with a hint of worry, as we both turned our heads in the direction Joey was standing. He was gone.

"Kevin I need you to stop asking questions before I have to take your life. Leave, please. PLEASE."

My hands started to shake as tears rolled down my cheeks. It seemed like the whole world started to fall into itself and so did I.

Kevin came over and picked me up as I squirmed for escape. "I will fucking kill you! I HATE YOU!"

He pushed me into his car and locked the doors.

And then we showed up at the hill.

He grabbed my wrist and pulled me out of the car, as Joey stood distant, watching Kevin overpower me.

He took me to the waterside.

"Who all have you talked to this summer?"

I sighed. "Thomas, you, Jason.... And Joey."

"JOEY?" He startled to me, and cleared his throat.

"Okay, well... I think you should talk to a doctor and tell him what Thomas is like.. Maybe Thomas needs help."

His voice had a sing-song quality, as if I were a child he was speaking to.

"I'm not an idiot. I know Thomas needs help, but he needs a counselor, not a doctor." Kevin stood up, took me to the car, and dropped me off at home, speaking no words but through tears.

And then I heard him whisper to himself.

"I made her slip."