Morning sucked.
No. Wait. Morning didn't just suck. It was—what's the word—excruciating? Yeah. That one.
Vex woke up and his face hurt. Like really hurt. Not the kind of hurt from sleeping wrong. The kind from getting slapped by a gang leader.
Right. That happened.
He touched his lip. Swollen. Crusty blood at the corner. Gross.
Sat up. Head spun a little. When did he even fall asleep? Three? Four? Didn't remember.
Phone on the nightstand. Eleven missed calls now. Kairo didn't give up apparently.
Good for him. Persistent bastard.
Vex swung his legs off the bed. Stood. Wobbly. Okay. Bathroom. Mirror. See the damage.
Walked down the hall. Quiet. Mom's door closed. Still sleeping probably. She worked till like 2 AM last night. Or this morning. Whatever.
Lira's door open though. Empty. Right. Saturday. She had that study group thing. Or was it the bookstore? One of those.
Bathroom. Door closed. Locked it.
Mirror.
Fuck.
Okay so. Split lip. Check. Already knew that one.
Bruise on his cheek. Purple. Spreading. Looked worse than last night. Or maybe the light was better now. Hard to tell.
Little cut near his eyebrow. Didn't even notice that one yesterday. Must've happened when his head snapped to the side. Hit something? The chair? Wall? Raze's ring maybe.
This was bad. Like really bad. How was he supposed to explain this?
Fell down the stairs? No. Too cliche. Nobody would buy it.
Got jumped? Maybe. But then mom would want to call the cops. File a report. Whole thing.
Basketball accident? He didn't play basketball. Everyone knew that.
Fuck.
Water. Cold water. Splashed his face. Hurt. Obviously. But maybe it'd help with the swelling.
Didn't help.
Towel. Dried off. Stared at himself.
Nineteen years old. Looked like he got in a fight. Lost a fight.
Which. Yeah. Accurate.
Someone knocked on the door. Vex jumped. Stupid. Just a knock.
"Vex? You in there?"
Mom.
Great.
"Yeah."
"You okay? You've been in there a while."
Had he? Didn't feel like it. But time was weird when you were having an existential crisis in front of a bathroom mirror.
"Fine. Just... washing up."
"Okay. Breakfast is ready when you're done."
Footsteps. She walked away.
Vex looked at the mirror again. Then at the door. Then back at the mirror. No way around this. Had to go out eventually. Face her. Literally.
Deep breath. Didn't help.
Unlocked the door. Walked out.
Kitchen. Mom at the stove. Eggs. Toast. Normal Saturday morning.
She turned around. Saw his face. Stopped.
"Vex."
Not a question. Just his name. Flat.
"Morning."
"What happened to your face?"
Here we go.
"I uh. Got into a thing. Last night."
"A thing."
"Yeah."
She put down the spatula. Walked over. Close. Studying his face like it was a puzzle.
"Who hit you?"
"It's not—"
"Who. Hit. You."
Her voice was different now. Not angry. Worse. Scared angry. Mom scared angry.
"Just some guys. I was walking home and—"
"You got jumped."
"Yeah. Kinda."
"Where?"
"Ashward. Near the park."
Lie. Easy lie. But a lie.
She touched his cheek. Gentle. He flinched anyway.
"Did you go to the hospital?"
"It's not that bad."
"Your lip is split open, Vex. You have a black eye forming. That's bad."
"I cleaned it. It's fine."
"We should call the police."
"No."
Came out too fast. Too hard.
She stepped back. Looked at him different now.
"Why not?"
"Because... they won't do anything. You know how it is. Kids get jumped in Ashward all the time. Cops don't care."
Partially true. Cops really didn't care about Ashward.
"Still. We should report it."
"Mom. Please. It's fine. I just want to forget about it."
She stared at him. Long stare. The mom stare that saw through everything.
Then she sighed.
"Fine. But if it happens again—"
"It won't."
Another lie.
"Okay." She went back to the stove. "Sit. Eat."
Vex sat. Plate appeared in front of him. Eggs. Toast. Orange juice.
He wasn't hungry. Ate anyway. Tasted like cardboard. Or maybe that was just his mood.
Mom sat across from him. Didn't eat. Just watched.
"You've been different lately," she said.
Oh great. This conversation.
"Different how?"
"Distant. Stressed. Going out at strange hours. Now this." She gestured at his face.
Vex chewed. Swallowed. Took a sip of juice.
"Just dealing with stuff."
"What stuff?"
"School stuff. Work stuff. Life stuff."
"That's vague."
"It's true though."
"Vex." She leaned forward. "I'm your mother. I know when something's wrong. And something is very wrong."
He wanted to tell her. God he wanted to tell her everything. The debt. The deliveries. Raze. The threat.
But he couldn't.
You talk, they die.
"I'm fine, Mom. Really. Just stressed about money and college applications and all that. Got jumped last night which sucked. But I'm okay."
She didn't look convinced.
But she nodded.
"Alright. But please. Be careful. This city..." She trailed off. Shook her head. "Just be careful."
"I will."
She stood. "I have to get ready for work. Double shift again."
"On Saturday?"
"Bills don't pay themselves." Sad smile. "Eat. Rest. Take care of that face."
She left.
Vex sat there. Eggs getting cold. Toast getting soggy from the egg yolk.
His phone buzzed.
Kairo. Again. Twelfth call.
Vex answered.
"Finally! Jesus Christ, Vex. I thought you were dead."
"Not dead."
"You sound like shit."
"Thanks."
"Where are you? I'm coming over."
"No. Don't."
"Why not?"
"Because... I look like shit. Got jumped last night."
Silence. Then:
"What?"
"Got jumped. It's fine. Just bruises."
"Bullshit it's fine. Where are you?"
"Home."
"I'm coming."
"Kairo—"
"I'm already in my car. Be there in ten."
He hung up.
Vex put the phone down. Rubbed his face. Winced. Right. Bruise.
Ten minutes.
Great.
He finished the eggs. Mostly. Toast too. Forced it down.
Cleaned the plate. Put it in the sink.
Bathroom again. Tried to make his face look... less bad.
Didn't work.
Doorbell rang.
That was fast. More like seven minutes.
Vex walked to the door. Opened it.
Kairo stood there. Orange hoodie today. Hair perfect as always. Face not perfect though. Worried. Really worried.
He looked at Vex.
"Holy shit."
"It's not that bad."
"Your face is purple."
"Just a bruise."
Kairo walked in. Closed the door behind him. Grabbed Vex's chin. Turned his head. Examining.
"Who did this?"
"Some guys."
"What guys?"
"I don't know. Random guys."
"Where?"
"Near the park."
Same lie he told mom.
Kairo let go. Stepped back. Arms crossed.
"You're lying."
"I'm not—"
"Yes you are. I can tell. Your eye does this thing when you lie. Little twitch."
Since when did Kairo notice that?
"I got jumped, Kairo. That's it."
"Okay. Fine. You got jumped." He didn't believe it. "You go to the hospital?"
"No."
"Cops?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because it won't help."
"Vex—"
"Drop it."
Kairo stared at him. Vex stared back.
"Fine," Kairo said. Not fine. "But I'm not leaving you alone. Not after this."
"I'm fine."
"Stop saying that. You're clearly not fine. Look at yourself."
Vex didn't need to look. He knew.
"Come on," Kairo said. "We're going out."
"Where?"
"Anywhere but here. You need to get out. Clear your head. And I need to make sure you don't get jumped again."
"Kairo—"
"Not negotiable. Get your jacket."
Stubborn bastard.
Vex grabbed his jacket. Black hoodie. Hood up to hide the bruise.
They left.
Ended up at some coffee shop in Midhaven.
Ironic. Vex was just here last night. Different part though. Different street.
Still felt weird being back.
They sat outside. Table in the sun. Kairo ordered two coffees and some pastries.
Vex pulled his hood up more.
"You look like a drug dealer," Kairo said.
"Good. Maybe people will leave me alone."
"Or call the cops on you."
Fair point.
Coffee came. Vex wrapped his hands around the cup. Warm. Nice.
Took a sip. Tasted better than the stuff at home. Probably cost five times as much too.
"So," Kairo said. "You gonna tell me what's really going on?"
"I told you. Got jumped."
"And I told you I don't believe you."
They sat there. Standoff.
Kairo broke first.
"Look. I'm not stupid. Something's been up for weeks now. You're disappearing. Dodging calls. Losing weight. Looking like you haven't slept since last month. And now you show up with a busted face saying you got jumped by 'random guys.'" Air quotes. "I'm your friend. I want to help. But I can't help if you won't talk to me."
Vex wanted to talk. Wanted to tell him everything.
But.
You talk, they die.
"There's nothing to talk about."
"Vex—"
"I mean it. I'm just stressed. Money's tight. College is expensive. Mom's working herself to death. Lira needs new textbooks. I got jumped walking home because I was distracted and stupid. That's it."
Kairo looked at him. Really looked.
"Okay," he said.
Didn't believe a word.
They drank their coffee in silence.
Vex's phone buzzed.
Burner phone. In his other pocket.
Shit.
Couldn't check it. Not in front of Kairo.
Buzzed again.
"You gonna get that?" Kairo asked.
"It's probably spam."
"Persistent spam."
Third buzz.
Fuck.
"I'll check it later."
Kairo raised an eyebrow. Didn't push it.
They finished their coffee. Pastries too. Kairo paid. Vex tried to argue. Lost.
"Where to now?" Kairo asked.
"Home. I'm tired."
"You're always tired."
"Yeah well. Getting punched in the face will do that."
Kairo didn't laugh.
They walked back to Kairo's car. Drove to Ashward. To Vex's building.
Parked outside.
"You need anything, you call me," Kairo said. "I mean it. Day or night. I don't care. You call."
"I know."
"Do you?"
Same question everyone kept asking.
"Yeah. I do."
Kairo looked like he wanted to say more. Didn't.
"Okay. Get some rest. I'll check on you tomorrow."
"You don't have to—"
"I know. I'm doing it anyway."
Vex got out.
"Thanks. For the coffee."
"Anytime."
Kairo drove off.
Vex went inside. Up the stairs. Third floor. Apartment 3C.
Mom's door still closed. Working tonight. Wouldn't be up till 4 probably.
His room. Door closed. Sat on the bed.
Pulled out the burner.
Three messages.
"Job tonight. 11 PM. Same corner. Be there."
"Don't be late."
"And clean yourself up. You look like shit."
How did they—
Oh. Cameras probably. They were watching. Always watching.
Vex typed: "Received."
Put the phone away.
Looked at the clock. 2:47 PM.
Eight hours.
Another delivery. Another lie. Another step deeper.
His face hurt. Body hurt. Everything hurt.
But he'd go. Because he had to.
Because if he didn't, they'd hurt his family.
One mistake used. Zero left.
Can't fuck up again.
Vex lay down. Closed his eyes.
Tried to rest.
Didn't work.
Just lay there. Waiting for night. Waiting for the next delivery. Waiting for it all to end. Or waiting for it to get worse. Probably the second one.