Dusk (BoyxBoy)

Chapter 3 - Nemesis

I walked in silence next to Rowan. He was on his phone firing off texts to different people. I found myself trying to read his messages and quickly looked away. What are you doing? I pulled out my own phone and saw a missed call from Alex and a message.

I can't believe you ditched me tell me where you are right now. I'm joining.

I suppressed a smile at the thought of Alex alone at a gay club with Lucy and Madison.

Just went to get water, be back soon.

The brightness from my phone started to irritate my headache and I put it back in my pocket. We were getting farther away from the club and I felt a small sense of guilt for leaving the others.

My high had worn off but I was still drunk, and the buildings and shapes in front of me were looking blurred. I shook my head and focused on the grey, cracked sidewalk. There were dark spots scattered everywhere from all the gum people had lazily spat out— because walking to the trash can five feet ahead would take too much time out of their day.

My head gave a painful throb and I realized it'd gotten a lot worse since I'd been hit. I raised my hand to feel the area but Rowan's hand stopped mine. I looked over, surprised. His eyebrows were drawn closely in concern and his eyes were scanning my face. I felt my cheeks get hotter and was suddenly grateful for the lack of light in the area.

"Evan, you don't look too good." Ouch. I shook my head.

That's not what he meant, dumbass.

My knees suddenly gave out for a split second but I caught myself before I could fall at the same time as Rowan who moved quickly and grabbed my forearms, pulling me up. "Hey, you need water." He quickly touched my forehead with the back of his hand, "don't worry, we're almost there."

"I'm good." I responded, blinking quickly to clear my vision. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and guided me through a nearby alleyway to a dark door. There was music beating from the other side, but it was faint. Rowan opened the door and nudged me inside. Had it been anyone else leading me through a dark alleyway to a mysterious door, I would've maybe been more apprehensive. But for some reason, I trusted him.

I took a step inside, but it was all dark. The only thing giving me any sense of direction was Rowan's hand on my shoulder but it suddenly disappeared.

"Stay here," I heard him walk across the space and click something. A bright yellow light lit up and I winced as my eyes adjusted to the light. We were in a small room, there was a sink and fridge ahead of me near where Rowan was standing. Everything looked worn-down, raggedy. There was a dark green couch on the side closer to me towards the center of the room. In front of it was a low table with half full glasses of drinks and beer bottles, an empty bottle of vodka, a deck of cards and... a white powdery substance in a small pile next to a rolled up bill.

I quickly looked away and pretended as if I hadn't seen it. Rowan made it to me and walked me to the couch.

"Here, sit, let me get you some water." I nodded and sat down as he went to the fridge and searched it.

"So, where are we?" Is this where he lives?

"Nemesis." He said, pulling out a water bottle from the fridge and turning back to me.

"Nemesis?" It sounded familiar but I didn't know why. For the first time of the night, Rowan grinned at me, lifting an eyebrow. I felt heat rush to my face again.

"Don't you have a fake ID or do you know someone who works at the Max?" I blinked at him, taken aback.

"Wha— I don't know what you're—" there was a strange glint in his eye, "my friend tricked me into going there but yes, I have a fake ID." His smile grew wider as he cracked open the bottle of water and poured it into a glass. "What's that got to do with this place though?" I asked, flustered. I wanted to change the topic.