Part 3
Travis walked into the center the next day, changing quickly. Today, he decided, was awesome. He grinned when he nearly ran into William walking in while he was leaving. Even more awesome.
“Hey,“ William smiled softly at him. Travis looked around quickly, before motioning to the storage closet with a quick nod of his head. William looked around and grinned back mischievously. He turned and walked to it, a pronounced swing to his step. Travis just watched for a moment, then followed. He shut the door behind them and watched appreciatively as William stripped his shirt off slowly, teasingly, watching Travis with dark, flashing eyes the entire time. Travis stepped forward and licked his lips, following the movements of William’s long fingers as they teased along his ribs, down to his hips, along the his waistband, stopping at the button on his jeans.
“Hey,” He said softly, and Travis brought his eyes back up to William’s dark ones, instead of the shape of his dick in his tight jeans, “This isn’t a one way show.”
Travis wasn’t William. He couldn’t tease or perform like that. He ripped his shirt off over his head, tossing it aside carelessly, and untying the sleeves of the jumpsuit from around his waist. He inched it down slowly, looking up at William with his eyebrow raised. William grinned and popped the button on his jeans, showcasing his lack of underwear. Travis momentarily considered long term effects of blood loss from the rest of his body. He honestly didn’t care just then. William teased his jeans down around his thighs and leaned back on the wall. Travis vaguely registered the bruises on his hips, but was actually pretty distracted by William wrapping his hand around himself and tugging, letting out a low moan, watching Travis the entire time, performing.
Travis got his own clothing out of the way pretty damn quick after that, groaning at the first contact of his hand to his own dick, pulling up slowly and smoothing his thumb over the head, watching William’s eyes as they followed the movement of his hand. William looked up and caught his gaze, gasping sharply and starting to pant. Travis was just getting a rhythm started when the door burst open.
“Holy shit!” Gabe’s voice filled the space. Travis saw William’s gaze flicker over his shoulder, distaste marring his features.
“Get…out!” He managed, and the door shut. They looked at each other for a second. Travis burst out laughing, William’s laughter soon following, before a gasp.
“Come on,” William looked at him challengingly, “If I don’t get off soon, we’re so over.”
Travis was definitely down with that challenge.
;;;
Travis kept his gaze low when they emerged, Gabe wolf-whistling. William had a smug grin on his face in the corner of his eye and Travis smiled as well.
“Ow!” Gabe yelped, and Travis knew that Maja had hit him. He looked up cautiously, grabbing a paint can before following the other four outside. William looked over his shoulder and smiled coyly. Travis grinned and made to follow him, and the rest of the group, before a tap on his shoulder stopped him. He turned around and blinked. Closed his eyes. Shook his head. Opened them. Katy was still standing in front of him.
“Um,” Travis floundered, “Katy? Shit. Katy.”
“Hi Travie,” She said softly.
“Wow, you’re out then?” Travis didn’t know what to do. He hadn’t seen Katy since the trial, since she had been sentenced to six months in prison for intent to deal, and he six weeks of community service for possession.
“Yeah,” Katy smiled bitterly, “I’m fucking out. Can we talk?”
Travis led her over to a table, racking his mind for something to say, coming up with nothing. He finally settled on a lame, “How are you doing?”
“How am I doing?” Katy asked, dumbfounded, “Did you seriously ask me that? I’m officially a charged drug dealer. No one wants anything to do with me. You never visited me and prison, and if I have it right, you’re shacking up with that girly-looking boy over there. How am I doing…”
Travis cringed, “I’m…look, I’m sorry. I wanted to visit you, I did, I just-”
“Then why didn’t you?!” Katy cut him off, frustrated hurt pouring from her body. She huffed a sigh, rubbing at her face, “Forget it. Yeah. Forget it. Fuck you Travie. You ruined my fucking life.”
Travis watched, unable to do or say anything as Katy stomped off. He felt completely drenched in guilt. He was supposed to be the one buying the coke for his friends, and Katy had just gotten caught at the wrong time.
Travis gasped as the punch of his power rolled through him. The lens descended over him, but every image was too fast, too much, he couldn’t decipher how far back he was going. He breathed in sharply as it finally let go, depositing him in a dark room with flashing lights, the heat of a hundred bodies pushing up against him to the beat of some unidentifiable song. He looked around him quickly, trying to get a parameter on when and where he was exactly, when he caught sight of Katy. Not the angry, hardened Katy he’d seen earlier, but the Katy he remembered, boisterous, full of life, smiling. She caught his eye and grinned, making her way back in the club, in a clear invitation to follow.
He did and she pulled them off into a small alcove, laughing breathlessly. He smiled back, so fucking glad she was happy, even now, with William. Katy hooked her hands around his neck and kissed him. He kissed back reflexively, before pulling away.
“I can’t believe we’re doing this,” She said, “You have the money, right?”
Travis’s mind whirled. This was it. This was the night they were arrested, and…yes! There was the dealer. Oh my god, he could…he could fix this. Katy had already whirled away from him, approaching the guy.
“Here,” He said, shifting it into her hands, “Now, payme-”
Travis didn’t hear anything else. He looked back and saw the cop, Nate, he remembered, who arrested them and charged Katy and him. This was it. Travis grabbed the coke from Katy, who frowned at him, then ran. He heard the footsteps and shouts of the cop behind him, spurring him on, as Katy’s frantic yells followed him. He managed to get into the bathroom and have it locked before the cop could reach him. He stopped and attempted to actually think, he had to think if this was going to work, while the door shook with the force of the cop’s attempts to get in.
Travis glanced down to the drugs in his hands. Okay, he had to get rid of these. He looked at the toilet, and moved, dumped them in and pulled the handle, jimmying it when nothing moved. Then he looked, really looked, and saw the little white packets floating in the dirty water that indicated a clog.
The door creaked at the next impact and Travis glanced at it frantically. The next creak was even louder. He looked around and jumped at the window, pitching himself out head first, hearing the door crack and bang open as he tumbled to the street. He was up and running in a flash, ducking between parked cars and barreling down the slope of what he realized was a parking garage.
He ducked behind a car to get his breath and pulled out his phone. He looked down and keyed in Katy’s number. Glancing every which way, he listened to her voicemail message, saying after the beat, “Katy! Fuck, are you okay? Look just, just call me!”
A shadow crossed his vision and he swore, shutting the phone and ducking lower. Someone tall and lanky passed in front of him. Travis squinted…it was…Gabe?
“Gabe!” He hissed, and Gabe stopped, looked around. Travis sighed, “Gabe!”
“Hello?” Gabe questioned.
“Over here!” Travis called, and Gabe turned to him, cocking his head.
“What’re you doing?” Gabe asked, “How do you know my name? Are you homeless? Aw, man, you’re not taking a shit are you? I don’t need to see that.”
Travis realized a second too late that this Gabe had no idea who he was. He sighed, then motioned at him to continue on his way, “Never mind man, forget it.”
“Will do,” Gabe said, and turned away. Jesus, Travis thought, he was just as annoying six months ago.
;;;
Gabe entered the bowling alley, a spring in his step and change jingling in his pocket.
“Hey!” A familiar voice came and Gabe grinned, that was more like it. He turned to the constantly sweating form of the manager, who swiped at his forehead and frowned at Gabe, “I thought I told you that you weren’t allowed around here anymore!”
“You did,” Gabe allowed, then turned and went right on his way.
“Don’t even,” The manager threatened and Gabe looked back at him and winked. The fat man started running. Gabe let out a delighted laugh and went for the lanes. Perfect.
;;;
Travis started back to the club after sitting behind the car for twenty-ish minutes. Careful to keep watch for Nate the cop. His phone rang then and he jumped, used to the general quiet with the undercurrent of the thumping bass of the club. He fished his phone out of his pocket and flipped it open, “Katy?”
“Travie!” She yelled over the music, “Where are you?”
“I’m on my way back,” He said, “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine!” She said, “Those guys were cops! But we didn’t have anything, we’re okay. You need to come back and pay though!”
“All right,” Travis sped up, “I’m coming.”
“You better,” A new voice said, and he recognized the dealer, “Or she’s your collateral.”
He hung up. Travis swore and started jogging. He reached a set of stairs and charged up without looking, and tripped on the landing. He back and saw Maja, laying their, piss drunk.
“Shit,” He muttered. He dragged her to the corner, placing his coat over her.
“Hey,” She mumbled and he had to hold his breath, the alcohol wafting her was overpowering, “Why are you being so nice to me?”
“Because,” Travis looked at this fierce girl he had come to love like a really annoying sister pooled on the ground, a hot mess, “You need it.”
He was up and running before he had even finished, entering the club and scanning the throng of people for Katy. He finally spotted her, scared and worried against the back wall with the dealer.
“Hey,” Travis said as he approached them, and Katy threw her arms around him. Travis hugged back, keeping his eye on the dealer, addressing him, “Good thing I pay attention.”
“Yeah,” The guy narrowed his eyes, “Almost like you knew.”
“Whatever,” Travis mumbled.
“So, you got the money?” He questioned and Travis reached into his coat…his coat pocket. Fuck. Fuck.
“Look man,” Travis started and Katy backed up, staring at him.
“Travie,” She said, “C’mon.”
“I…It’s right outside, I swear,” He explained frantically, “In my coat. I gave it to this girl on the stairs.”
“Sucks for you,” The dealer shook his head, then made a move for Katy quicker than either of them could react. Katy doubled over, grabbing her stomach and shrieking in pain. Travis reached out for her, putting his hands over hers…he blinked and drew them away, staring at the blood that stained them. He looked up at the guy, finally noticing the bloodstained flash silver in his hand. Katy fell to the ground and someone screamed, but everything was slow, heavy, telegraphed.
Travis took a deep breath and closed his eyes, expecting the blow to the solar plexus when it came. He rode out the screen playing everything behind his eyelids and opened them again, exactly where he was about a half hour ago. He looked about and caught sight of Katy, who grinned and moved back in the crowd in a clear invitation to follow.
Travis stalked over. This time he would do it right.
“I can’t believe we’re doing this,” Katy said, breathlessly happy once she had pulled them over to the alcove, “You have the money right?”
“Yeah,” Travis said, and looked over her shoulder, avoiding the kiss she tried. He locked eyes with the dealer and nodded. The guy came over, and offered up the drugs. Katy took them, looking back at Travis with a nervous smile. Travis looked up and caught the first sight of the cop. He grabbed the drugs, and ran straight for the bathroom, flushing them and jumping out the window easily.
Now, he just had to wait. And avoid Gabe this time.
;;;
Gabe was most definitely not pouting. He sat in the manager’s office while the sweaty fat man glared at him.
“You broke an automatic setter!” He was still ranting, “Do you know how much those cost?!”
Gabe scoffed, he didn’t care. He slouched lower in the seat.
“I’m calling the police,” The manager decided and Gabe glared at him. Whatever.
;;;
“Hey Maja,” He said softly when he ran into her, “Hey, let’s move, yeah?”
Travis helped her move into the corner, and draped his jacket over her, making sure to grab the money out of the pocket.
“Why are you being so nice to me?” She slurred, “I don’t even know you.”
Travis didn’t bother answering, just turned and made his way up the stairs, into the club. This time though, he was alright. In the clear. He wanted a fucking drink. He approached the bar and leaned heavily on it.
“Rough night?” A familiar voice asked, and Travis looked next to him. William looked back with twinkling eyes. Travis lost it. This was all too much.
;;;
Mikey felt awkward. He was still trying to figure out why he had been invited out, why his neighbor suddenly wanted to hang out with him again. But he was puzzled.
He grabbed the drinks from the bar, listening in to the conversation next to him between the pretty long-haired boy and the other one laughing with a slightly hysterical edge. He carried them carefully over to where he had seen the group sitting and set them on the table, standing awkwardly among them.
“Um, hi?” Someone Mikey didn’t recognize addressed him, but Mikey focused on his old best friend.
“Hey, I got your text,” Mikey toed his sneaker along the grimy floor.
“Oh shit,” There was laughter and Mikey glanced up. They were laughing…at him. Fuck.
“That wasn’t meant for you,” Someone said. Mikey didn’t bother to see who, “That was a different Mike.”
“Oh,” Mikey breathed deep, “Sorry.”
He turned and fled, their laughter spurring him out of the place.
;;;
“Travie!” Katy exclaimed and threw her arms around him. Travis hugged back and eyed the dealer. He pulled out the money and handed it to him.
“Thanks man,” He said and melted into the crowd.
Katy grinned. Travis grinned back. It was perfect.
The hit to his gut was a surprise and Travis panicked. It was right! He couldn’t go back! He squeezed his eyes shut to stop it, but it continued. When it finally ended, he was afraid to open them. A breeze across his face, and he opened his eyes to see…the community center?
He jumped up and ran around to where he knew the newspaper dispenser was. He checked the date. Double checked. Triple checked. He was…back. But…where were the others? They had to be here. He hadn’t exactly stopped their crimes, had he?
He opened the doors and walked in, his steps echoing down the too empty, too quiet hallways. It was fucking creepy. Finally, in the main room, he found someone.
“Gabe?” He queried the figure. It turned around, and was Gabe. But, not the Gabe he knew. This Gabe wasn’t smiling, wasn’t talking, and had staples running up the one side of his head.
“Oh hi,” Gabe smiled thinly, “I would ask how you know my name, but you probably recognize me from the papers, huh?”
“The papers?” Travis looked at him. What happened?
“No?” Gabe frowned, “Maybe I just don’t remember you then. Sorry.”
“What happened?” Travis asked, horror slowly creeping through his veins, “Where are the others?”
“You didn’t hear?” Gabe looked down sadly, “They’re dead. Our probation officer went crazy. Killed the rest of them. They said I was lucky. Found me half-dead, but…here I am.”
Travis back away slowly, shaking his head. No, it wasn’t supposed to…but, he wasn’t there to save them. Oh my god, he realized, they were dead. Mikey and Maja and…Travis felt every coherent thought fly out the window, replaced with William. William who was dead…because he had to make it so he didn’t get caught. He had to fix this. He had to save William.
His breath rushed out of him. Travis closed his eyes and rode it out, gasping when he was deposited back in the club. He caught sight of Katy dancing. She smiled at him and backed through the crowd in a clear invitation to follow. He pulled her into the alcove though and looked at her seriously.
“What?” She laughed breathlessly and he committed it to memory. He was doing this for William more, but there was still her.
The dealer approached them and Travis pushed her out of the way, taking the coke himself. He looked up and saw Nate, caught his eye before Nate yelled, “Freeze!”
Travis allowed himself to pushed up against the wall, the drugs taken from his hands. He smiled when his breath rushed out of his lungs, Katy’s screams and Nate’s Miranda Rights still ringing in his ears.
He opened his eyes and William, lovely, gorgeous, alive William was in front of him, smiling. Travis grinned at him.
“Hey,” William smiled softly. Travis looked around and motioned to the storage closet with in incline of his head. William looked around and grinned back mischievously. He turned and walked to it, a pronounced swing to his step. Travis just watched for a moment, then followed. Travis shut the door and locked it.
“Why the lock?” William asked softly, toying with the hem of his shirt when Travis looked around.
“Trust me,” Travis said vehemently, “We’ll need it.”
;;;
Travis grabbed his paint can and followed William out the door, grinning at him when William smiled coyly over his shoulder. He made to follow when someone tapped on his shoulder. It was Katy, his Katy, grinning at him.
“Hey baby,” She said, stretching on her tiptoes to peck him on the cheek while he stared at her.
Oh shit.
Part 4
“Hey,“ William smiled softly at him. Travis looked around quickly, before motioning to the storage closet with a quick nod of his head. William looked around and grinned back mischievously. He turned and walked to it, a pronounced swing to his step. Travis just watched for a moment, then followed. He shut the door behind them and watched appreciatively as William stripped his shirt off slowly, teasingly, watching Travis with dark, flashing eyes the entire time. Travis stepped forward and licked his lips, following the movements of William’s long fingers as they teased along his ribs, down to his hips, along the his waistband, stopping at the button on his jeans.
“Hey,” He said softly, and Travis brought his eyes back up to William’s dark ones, instead of the shape of his dick in his tight jeans, “This isn’t a one way show.”
Travis wasn’t William. He couldn’t tease or perform like that. He ripped his shirt off over his head, tossing it aside carelessly, and untying the sleeves of the jumpsuit from around his waist. He inched it down slowly, looking up at William with his eyebrow raised. William grinned and popped the button on his jeans, showcasing his lack of underwear. Travis momentarily considered long term effects of blood loss from the rest of his body. He honestly didn’t care just then. William teased his jeans down around his thighs and leaned back on the wall. Travis vaguely registered the bruises on his hips, but was actually pretty distracted by William wrapping his hand around himself and tugging, letting out a low moan, watching Travis the entire time, performing.
Travis got his own clothing out of the way pretty damn quick after that, groaning at the first contact of his hand to his own dick, pulling up slowly and smoothing his thumb over the head, watching William’s eyes as they followed the movement of his hand. William looked up and caught his gaze, gasping sharply and starting to pant. Travis was just getting a rhythm started when the door burst open.
“Holy shit!” Gabe’s voice filled the space. Travis saw William’s gaze flicker over his shoulder, distaste marring his features.
“Get…out!” He managed, and the door shut. They looked at each other for a second. Travis burst out laughing, William’s laughter soon following, before a gasp.
“Come on,” William looked at him challengingly, “If I don’t get off soon, we’re so over.”
Travis was definitely down with that challenge.
;;;
Travis kept his gaze low when they emerged, Gabe wolf-whistling. William had a smug grin on his face in the corner of his eye and Travis smiled as well.
“Ow!” Gabe yelped, and Travis knew that Maja had hit him. He looked up cautiously, grabbing a paint can before following the other four outside. William looked over his shoulder and smiled coyly. Travis grinned and made to follow him, and the rest of the group, before a tap on his shoulder stopped him. He turned around and blinked. Closed his eyes. Shook his head. Opened them. Katy was still standing in front of him.
“Um,” Travis floundered, “Katy? Shit. Katy.”
“Hi Travie,” She said softly.
“Wow, you’re out then?” Travis didn’t know what to do. He hadn’t seen Katy since the trial, since she had been sentenced to six months in prison for intent to deal, and he six weeks of community service for possession.
“Yeah,” Katy smiled bitterly, “I’m fucking out. Can we talk?”
Travis led her over to a table, racking his mind for something to say, coming up with nothing. He finally settled on a lame, “How are you doing?”
“How am I doing?” Katy asked, dumbfounded, “Did you seriously ask me that? I’m officially a charged drug dealer. No one wants anything to do with me. You never visited me and prison, and if I have it right, you’re shacking up with that girly-looking boy over there. How am I doing…”
Travis cringed, “I’m…look, I’m sorry. I wanted to visit you, I did, I just-”
“Then why didn’t you?!” Katy cut him off, frustrated hurt pouring from her body. She huffed a sigh, rubbing at her face, “Forget it. Yeah. Forget it. Fuck you Travie. You ruined my fucking life.”
Travis watched, unable to do or say anything as Katy stomped off. He felt completely drenched in guilt. He was supposed to be the one buying the coke for his friends, and Katy had just gotten caught at the wrong time.
Travis gasped as the punch of his power rolled through him. The lens descended over him, but every image was too fast, too much, he couldn’t decipher how far back he was going. He breathed in sharply as it finally let go, depositing him in a dark room with flashing lights, the heat of a hundred bodies pushing up against him to the beat of some unidentifiable song. He looked around him quickly, trying to get a parameter on when and where he was exactly, when he caught sight of Katy. Not the angry, hardened Katy he’d seen earlier, but the Katy he remembered, boisterous, full of life, smiling. She caught his eye and grinned, making her way back in the club, in a clear invitation to follow.
He did and she pulled them off into a small alcove, laughing breathlessly. He smiled back, so fucking glad she was happy, even now, with William. Katy hooked her hands around his neck and kissed him. He kissed back reflexively, before pulling away.
“I can’t believe we’re doing this,” She said, “You have the money, right?”
Travis’s mind whirled. This was it. This was the night they were arrested, and…yes! There was the dealer. Oh my god, he could…he could fix this. Katy had already whirled away from him, approaching the guy.
“Here,” He said, shifting it into her hands, “Now, payme-”
Travis didn’t hear anything else. He looked back and saw the cop, Nate, he remembered, who arrested them and charged Katy and him. This was it. Travis grabbed the coke from Katy, who frowned at him, then ran. He heard the footsteps and shouts of the cop behind him, spurring him on, as Katy’s frantic yells followed him. He managed to get into the bathroom and have it locked before the cop could reach him. He stopped and attempted to actually think, he had to think if this was going to work, while the door shook with the force of the cop’s attempts to get in.
Travis glanced down to the drugs in his hands. Okay, he had to get rid of these. He looked at the toilet, and moved, dumped them in and pulled the handle, jimmying it when nothing moved. Then he looked, really looked, and saw the little white packets floating in the dirty water that indicated a clog.
The door creaked at the next impact and Travis glanced at it frantically. The next creak was even louder. He looked around and jumped at the window, pitching himself out head first, hearing the door crack and bang open as he tumbled to the street. He was up and running in a flash, ducking between parked cars and barreling down the slope of what he realized was a parking garage.
He ducked behind a car to get his breath and pulled out his phone. He looked down and keyed in Katy’s number. Glancing every which way, he listened to her voicemail message, saying after the beat, “Katy! Fuck, are you okay? Look just, just call me!”
A shadow crossed his vision and he swore, shutting the phone and ducking lower. Someone tall and lanky passed in front of him. Travis squinted…it was…Gabe?
“Gabe!” He hissed, and Gabe stopped, looked around. Travis sighed, “Gabe!”
“Hello?” Gabe questioned.
“Over here!” Travis called, and Gabe turned to him, cocking his head.
“What’re you doing?” Gabe asked, “How do you know my name? Are you homeless? Aw, man, you’re not taking a shit are you? I don’t need to see that.”
Travis realized a second too late that this Gabe had no idea who he was. He sighed, then motioned at him to continue on his way, “Never mind man, forget it.”
“Will do,” Gabe said, and turned away. Jesus, Travis thought, he was just as annoying six months ago.
;;;
Gabe entered the bowling alley, a spring in his step and change jingling in his pocket.
“Hey!” A familiar voice came and Gabe grinned, that was more like it. He turned to the constantly sweating form of the manager, who swiped at his forehead and frowned at Gabe, “I thought I told you that you weren’t allowed around here anymore!”
“You did,” Gabe allowed, then turned and went right on his way.
“Don’t even,” The manager threatened and Gabe looked back at him and winked. The fat man started running. Gabe let out a delighted laugh and went for the lanes. Perfect.
;;;
Travis started back to the club after sitting behind the car for twenty-ish minutes. Careful to keep watch for Nate the cop. His phone rang then and he jumped, used to the general quiet with the undercurrent of the thumping bass of the club. He fished his phone out of his pocket and flipped it open, “Katy?”
“Travie!” She yelled over the music, “Where are you?”
“I’m on my way back,” He said, “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine!” She said, “Those guys were cops! But we didn’t have anything, we’re okay. You need to come back and pay though!”
“All right,” Travis sped up, “I’m coming.”
“You better,” A new voice said, and he recognized the dealer, “Or she’s your collateral.”
He hung up. Travis swore and started jogging. He reached a set of stairs and charged up without looking, and tripped on the landing. He back and saw Maja, laying their, piss drunk.
“Shit,” He muttered. He dragged her to the corner, placing his coat over her.
“Hey,” She mumbled and he had to hold his breath, the alcohol wafting her was overpowering, “Why are you being so nice to me?”
“Because,” Travis looked at this fierce girl he had come to love like a really annoying sister pooled on the ground, a hot mess, “You need it.”
He was up and running before he had even finished, entering the club and scanning the throng of people for Katy. He finally spotted her, scared and worried against the back wall with the dealer.
“Hey,” Travis said as he approached them, and Katy threw her arms around him. Travis hugged back, keeping his eye on the dealer, addressing him, “Good thing I pay attention.”
“Yeah,” The guy narrowed his eyes, “Almost like you knew.”
“Whatever,” Travis mumbled.
“So, you got the money?” He questioned and Travis reached into his coat…his coat pocket. Fuck. Fuck.
“Look man,” Travis started and Katy backed up, staring at him.
“Travie,” She said, “C’mon.”
“I…It’s right outside, I swear,” He explained frantically, “In my coat. I gave it to this girl on the stairs.”
“Sucks for you,” The dealer shook his head, then made a move for Katy quicker than either of them could react. Katy doubled over, grabbing her stomach and shrieking in pain. Travis reached out for her, putting his hands over hers…he blinked and drew them away, staring at the blood that stained them. He looked up at the guy, finally noticing the bloodstained flash silver in his hand. Katy fell to the ground and someone screamed, but everything was slow, heavy, telegraphed.
Travis took a deep breath and closed his eyes, expecting the blow to the solar plexus when it came. He rode out the screen playing everything behind his eyelids and opened them again, exactly where he was about a half hour ago. He looked about and caught sight of Katy, who grinned and moved back in the crowd in a clear invitation to follow.
Travis stalked over. This time he would do it right.
“I can’t believe we’re doing this,” Katy said, breathlessly happy once she had pulled them over to the alcove, “You have the money right?”
“Yeah,” Travis said, and looked over her shoulder, avoiding the kiss she tried. He locked eyes with the dealer and nodded. The guy came over, and offered up the drugs. Katy took them, looking back at Travis with a nervous smile. Travis looked up and caught the first sight of the cop. He grabbed the drugs, and ran straight for the bathroom, flushing them and jumping out the window easily.
Now, he just had to wait. And avoid Gabe this time.
;;;
Gabe was most definitely not pouting. He sat in the manager’s office while the sweaty fat man glared at him.
“You broke an automatic setter!” He was still ranting, “Do you know how much those cost?!”
Gabe scoffed, he didn’t care. He slouched lower in the seat.
“I’m calling the police,” The manager decided and Gabe glared at him. Whatever.
;;;
“Hey Maja,” He said softly when he ran into her, “Hey, let’s move, yeah?”
Travis helped her move into the corner, and draped his jacket over her, making sure to grab the money out of the pocket.
“Why are you being so nice to me?” She slurred, “I don’t even know you.”
Travis didn’t bother answering, just turned and made his way up the stairs, into the club. This time though, he was alright. In the clear. He wanted a fucking drink. He approached the bar and leaned heavily on it.
“Rough night?” A familiar voice asked, and Travis looked next to him. William looked back with twinkling eyes. Travis lost it. This was all too much.
;;;
Mikey felt awkward. He was still trying to figure out why he had been invited out, why his neighbor suddenly wanted to hang out with him again. But he was puzzled.
He grabbed the drinks from the bar, listening in to the conversation next to him between the pretty long-haired boy and the other one laughing with a slightly hysterical edge. He carried them carefully over to where he had seen the group sitting and set them on the table, standing awkwardly among them.
“Um, hi?” Someone Mikey didn’t recognize addressed him, but Mikey focused on his old best friend.
“Hey, I got your text,” Mikey toed his sneaker along the grimy floor.
“Oh shit,” There was laughter and Mikey glanced up. They were laughing…at him. Fuck.
“That wasn’t meant for you,” Someone said. Mikey didn’t bother to see who, “That was a different Mike.”
“Oh,” Mikey breathed deep, “Sorry.”
He turned and fled, their laughter spurring him out of the place.
;;;
“Travie!” Katy exclaimed and threw her arms around him. Travis hugged back and eyed the dealer. He pulled out the money and handed it to him.
“Thanks man,” He said and melted into the crowd.
Katy grinned. Travis grinned back. It was perfect.
The hit to his gut was a surprise and Travis panicked. It was right! He couldn’t go back! He squeezed his eyes shut to stop it, but it continued. When it finally ended, he was afraid to open them. A breeze across his face, and he opened his eyes to see…the community center?
He jumped up and ran around to where he knew the newspaper dispenser was. He checked the date. Double checked. Triple checked. He was…back. But…where were the others? They had to be here. He hadn’t exactly stopped their crimes, had he?
He opened the doors and walked in, his steps echoing down the too empty, too quiet hallways. It was fucking creepy. Finally, in the main room, he found someone.
“Gabe?” He queried the figure. It turned around, and was Gabe. But, not the Gabe he knew. This Gabe wasn’t smiling, wasn’t talking, and had staples running up the one side of his head.
“Oh hi,” Gabe smiled thinly, “I would ask how you know my name, but you probably recognize me from the papers, huh?”
“The papers?” Travis looked at him. What happened?
“No?” Gabe frowned, “Maybe I just don’t remember you then. Sorry.”
“What happened?” Travis asked, horror slowly creeping through his veins, “Where are the others?”
“You didn’t hear?” Gabe looked down sadly, “They’re dead. Our probation officer went crazy. Killed the rest of them. They said I was lucky. Found me half-dead, but…here I am.”
Travis back away slowly, shaking his head. No, it wasn’t supposed to…but, he wasn’t there to save them. Oh my god, he realized, they were dead. Mikey and Maja and…Travis felt every coherent thought fly out the window, replaced with William. William who was dead…because he had to make it so he didn’t get caught. He had to fix this. He had to save William.
His breath rushed out of him. Travis closed his eyes and rode it out, gasping when he was deposited back in the club. He caught sight of Katy dancing. She smiled at him and backed through the crowd in a clear invitation to follow. He pulled her into the alcove though and looked at her seriously.
“What?” She laughed breathlessly and he committed it to memory. He was doing this for William more, but there was still her.
The dealer approached them and Travis pushed her out of the way, taking the coke himself. He looked up and saw Nate, caught his eye before Nate yelled, “Freeze!”
Travis allowed himself to pushed up against the wall, the drugs taken from his hands. He smiled when his breath rushed out of his lungs, Katy’s screams and Nate’s Miranda Rights still ringing in his ears.
He opened his eyes and William, lovely, gorgeous, alive William was in front of him, smiling. Travis grinned at him.
“Hey,” William smiled softly. Travis looked around and motioned to the storage closet with in incline of his head. William looked around and grinned back mischievously. He turned and walked to it, a pronounced swing to his step. Travis just watched for a moment, then followed. Travis shut the door and locked it.
“Why the lock?” William asked softly, toying with the hem of his shirt when Travis looked around.
“Trust me,” Travis said vehemently, “We’ll need it.”
;;;
Travis grabbed his paint can and followed William out the door, grinning at him when William smiled coyly over his shoulder. He made to follow when someone tapped on his shoulder. It was Katy, his Katy, grinning at him.
“Hey baby,” She said, stretching on her tiptoes to peck him on the cheek while he stared at her.
Oh shit.
Part 4