Woke up to someone pounding on the door.
Again.
What was it with people and pounding on doors lately?
Vex checked his phone. 10:23 AM.
Pounding continued.
"Vex! Open up!"
Senna.
Oh great.
He dragged himself out of bed. Still in yesterday's clothes. Hadn't even changed before passing out.
Classy.
Walked to the front door. Unlocked it. Opened.
Senna stood there. Black jacket. Ripped jeans. Boots. Hair tied back. Face. Angry. Very angry.
"We need to talk," she said.
"I'm tired."
"Don't care. We're talking. Now."
She pushed past him. Walked into the apartment.
Vex closed the door. Turned around.
Senna was in the living room. Arms crossed. Staring at him.
"Your mom home?" she asked.
"Work."
"Lira?"
"Study group. Library."
"Good. Sit."
"Senna—"
"Sit. Down."
He sat. Couch. She stayed standing.
Power move or whatever.
"I'm done," she said.
"Done with what?"
"With this. With you lying. With you shutting everyone out. With you pretending everything's fine when it's clearly not."
Vex didn't say anything.
"Look at yourself," she continued. "You look like shit. You've lost weight. You have a black eye. You're sneaking out at night. You won't talk to anyone. Something is wrong and you won't admit it."
"I told you. I got jumped."
"Bullshit."
"It's not—"
"Yes it is." She stepped closer. "I grew up in this world, Vex. I know what gang involvement looks like. I know what it looks like when someone's in deep."
Vex's heart stopped.
She knew.
How did she know?
"I don't know what you're—"
"Stop. Just stop." She sat down next to him. Close. "My dad was a fighter. Underground fights. Gang connections. I watched him go through this. The lies. The secrecy. The bruises. The late nights. All of it."
She paused.
"And then I watched him die in a ring because of it."
Vex looked at her. Really looked.
Her eyes were wet. Not crying. But close.
"So don't insult me by lying," she said. Quieter now. "I know what this is. I just need you to tell me."
Vex wanted to tell her. God he wanted to tell her everything.
But.
You talk, they die.
"I can't," he said.
"Why not?"
"Because I can't."
"That's not a reason."
"It's the only one I have."
Senna stared at him. Long stare.
Then she stood up.
"Fine. You want to destroy yourself? Go ahead. But don't drag everyone else down with you."
She walked to the door.
"Senna—"
She stopped. Didn't turn around.
"When you're ready to actually be honest, call me. Until then, I'm done trying."
She left.
Door closed.
Vex sat there. Alone.
Fuck.
He put his head in his hands.
This was falling apart. Everything was falling apart.
How long could he keep this up?
How long before everyone just. Gave up on him completely?
Maybe that was better. Maybe if everyone hated him, they'd stay away. Stay safe.
Yeah. That was better.
Safer.
His phone rang. Regular one.
Tobi.
Since when did Tobi call him?
He answered.
"Yeah?"
"Vex. Hey. Uh. You busy?" Tobi's voice was nervous. Always nervous.
"Not really. What's up?"
"Can you. I mean. If you're not busy. Can you come over? I need. I need help with something."
"What kind of help?"
"Just. Can you come? Please?"
Something in his voice. More nervous than usual.
"Yeah. Okay. Where are you?"
"My place. You know where that is, right?"
"Yeah. I'll be there in twenty."
"Thanks. Really. Thanks."
He hung up.
Vex sat there for a second.
Tobi needed help. With what?
Didn't matter. At least it was a distraction from. Everything else.
He got up. Changed clothes. Clean hoodie. Clean jeans. Tried to look less like a disaster.
Didn't really work but whatever.
Left the apartment. Locked the door.
Tobi lived in Ashward too. Different building. Worse building if that was possible.
Fifteen minute walk.
Got there at 11:00.
Building looked like it should've been condemned years ago. Cracked walls. Broken windows. Graffiti everywhere.
Door didn't lock. Just pushed it open.
Inside smelled like piss and mold.
Great.
Stairs. Third floor. Tobi said he was in 3F.
Walked up. Careful. Some steps looked like they'd break if you put weight on them.
Third floor. Hallway. Worse than his building's hallway.
3F. Door had a dent in it. Like someone kicked it.
Knocked.
Footsteps inside. Door opened.
Tobi. Looked worse than usual. Pale. Shaking a little. Black eye. Split lip.
Oh shit.
"What happened?" Vex asked.
"Come in. Please."
Vex went in.
Apartment was small. Smaller than his. One room basically. Mattress on the floor. No bed frame. Kitchen was just a hot plate and a mini fridge. Bathroom door didn't close all the way.
Two little girls sitting on the mattress. Twins. Tobi's sisters. Mei and Lin. They looked scared.
"Are they okay?" Vex asked.
"Yeah. They're fine. Just. Scared."
"What happened to your face?"
Tobi touched his eye. Winced.
"My brother. Dante. He came home last night. Drunk. Started yelling. Broke some stuff. Hit me when I tried to calm him down."
Fuck.
"Where is he now?"
"I don't know. He left. But he'll come back. He always comes back."
Tobi sat down on the mattress. Girls immediately moved closer to him.
"I need your help," he said.
"With what?"
"I need to. I need to get the girls out of here. Somewhere safe. Just for a few days until Dante calms down."
"Where?"
"I don't know. I don't have anywhere. No family. No friends except. You guys. Kairo. Senna. You."
Vex looked at the girls. They were what, twelve? Thirteen? Too young for this shit.
"What about Kairo?" Vex asked. "He's got space."
"I tried. He's not answering. I think he's at work or something."
"Senna?"
"Same. No answer."
Of course. Everyone was busy. Or avoiding calls.
"I can try again later but. Right now I just need. I don't know. Help figuring this out."
Vex looked around the apartment. This place wasn't safe. Not for kids.
Not for anyone really.
"Okay," he said. "Let me think."
His place? No. Mom was barely home but when she was, she'd ask questions.
Kairo's place? Maybe. If they could reach him.
Senna's? Same problem.
Shit.
"What about your bookstore?" Vex asked. "You work there, right? Can they stay there during the day?"
"Maybe? I don't know. My manager's pretty strict about. You know. Random kids hanging around."
"Tell her it's an emergency. Family emergency."
"I guess I could try."
One of the girls spoke up. Mei. Or Lin. Vex couldn't tell them apart.
"Is Dante gonna come back?" she asked. Quiet voice.
Tobi looked at her. "I don't know, sweetie. But if he does, you'll be somewhere safe. Okay?"
She nodded. Didn't look convinced.
Vex pulled out his phone. Called Kairo.
Rang. Rang. Voicemail.
"Kairo. It's Vex. Call me back. It's urgent."
Hung up.
Tried Senna.
Rang. Rang. Voicemail.
Of course she didn't answer. She was pissed at him.
"Senna. It's Vex. I know you're mad but. Tobi needs help. Call me back."
Hung up.
Looked at Tobi.
"Okay. Here's what we do. You take the girls to the bookstore. Explain to your manager. If that doesn't work, we'll figure something else out. I'll keep trying to reach Kairo and Senna. One of them will answer eventually."
"What if they don't?"
"They will."
He hoped.
Tobi nodded. "Okay. Yeah. Okay."
He stood up. "Girls. Get your stuff. We're going to the bookstore for a bit."
They got up. Grabbed small backpacks. Moved fast. Like they'd done this before.
Probably had.
They all left together. Vex walked with them to the bookstore. Just to make sure they got there okay.
Bookstore was in Midhaven. Better area. Safer.
Took thirty minutes on the train.
Whole time, the girls were quiet. Tobi too. Just. Quiet.
Vex didn't know what to say. So he said nothing.
Got to the bookstore. Small place. Cozy. Lots of books. Smelled like coffee and paper.
Tobi's manager was a woman in her fifties. Glasses. Kind face.
Tobi explained. Quietly. Vex couldn't hear all of it but he caught "emergency" and "just for today."
The manager looked at the girls. Then at Tobi's black eye.
She nodded.
"They can stay in the break room. But you're working a full shift to make up for it."
"Yes ma'am. Thank you."
She walked away.
Tobi looked at Vex. "Thanks. For. You know. Being here."
"Yeah. No problem."
"I'll figure something out for tonight. Maybe Dante will be gone by then."
"Maybe."
Probably not but. Hope was better than nothing.
Vex left. Walked back to the train station.
His phone buzzed.
Kairo calling back.
"Hey," Vex answered.
"What's going on? Your message sounded serious."
"Tobi's in trouble. His brother beat him up. He's got his sisters at the bookstore right now but he needs somewhere for them to stay tonight."
"Shit. Is he okay?"
"Black eye. Split lip. But yeah. He's okay."
"Okay. Uh. They can stay at my place. I'll text him."
"You sure?"
"Yeah. I've got space. And. I mean. It's for kids. Of course I'm sure."
Relief. Finally.
"Thanks man."
"No problem. Are you okay? You sound. I don't know. Off."
"I'm fine. Just. A lot going on."
"Yeah. I can tell. We need to hang out soon. Actually talk."
"Yeah. Maybe."
"Not maybe. Definitely. I'm serious, Vex."
"Okay. Yeah. We'll hang out."
"Good. I gotta go but I'll text Tobi now."
"Alright. Later."
Hung up.
At least that was handled. Tobi's sisters would be safe tonight. One less thing to worry about.
Vex got on the train. Headed back to Ashward.
His burner buzzed.
Message: "Job tonight. Midnight. Different location. Details coming."
Great.
Another delivery. Another night of lying. Another step deeper.
When would it end?
Probably never.
Vex put the phone away. Stared out the train window.
City passing by. Buildings. People. Life.
Normal life.
Something he used to have.
Something he'd probably never have again.
The train kept moving.
And Vex kept pretending everything was fine.
Because what else could he do?