Frenemies

8

An SUV pulls up only a couple of minutes later, and the passenger side window rolls down. "Well, I wasn't expecting this." Greg is leaning over, peering out the window. "You look like shit man." He shoves open the door and then reaches back to the back door. "What the heck happened?"

I help Alex into the front seat, then get into the backseat while Greg grabs the motorcycle and attaches it to the back of the vehicle, somehow.

When he gets in he pulls away from the house. Alex is silent, which seems to make Greg anxious. "So is anyone going to tell me why I'm picking you two up at two o'clock in the morning?" He asks, looking at me through the rearview mirror. We both stay quiet. "Well, I think I deserve some kind of explanation."

"It's all my fault." I say quietly.

"Shut up. Don't ever say that shit again." Alex growls from the front seat. "Don't take the blame for that man ever again." I look down at my hands. "If I had the strength in my body right now, I'd go back to that house and rip him to shreds, so I'll just have to wait."

"Don't say that." My words are just above a whisper. "You'll only get hurt again."

Alex punches the dash, and Greg yells. "Hey! This isn't your car man! Take your anger out on something else!" 

I look out the window. "Where are we going?" My voice is hoarse. I can barely talk.

Greg pauses. "Well, that's a great question. Where are we going, Alex?"

I wait and listen for him to respond. "Let's go to the car shop. My dad will flip his lid if he sees me like this, again." That's right. I almost forgot that Alex has a history of aggression. 

"To the car shop it is." Greg says, sounding like he was hoping he'd be driving us anywhere else. 

The rest of the car ride is silent. Greg doesn't play music, and Alex and I don't offer up any information about what happened. When we finally get to the car shop, Greg helps Alex in after unlocking the door. I guess he's the owner.

We get in, and Greg brings Alex to a couch in the back. I follow behind them, feeling like a lost sheep. "Lelia, could you get me the first aid kit? It's back up front behind the register."

I nod. "Yeah, sure." I leave them and head back into the main part of the store. It takes me a minute to find the first aid kit because it's underneath some old magazines. When I walk back, I hear them talking.

"I knew you liked her, but getting beat up for her? What the hell happened?" I stop before walking into sight. Alex likes me? No, that's not possible.

Alex grunts, probably readjusting on the couch. "She seemed desperate to get out. I couldn't just leave her like that. When we got back to her house, they grabbed me out of nowhere. I wasn't expecting it." He grunts again. "And then when I saw her hurt, I lost it, and punched him. She literally begged him to beat her instead of me, so I figured if I let him beat me, she'd be safe, but then he set his men on her, and they weren't going to beat her like he had me." 

Greg sighs. "Shit man. You just had to get yourself hung up on some mafioso's daughter, huh?"

I walk back in, not wanting to hear anything else. "Sorry it took me so long. I had to move some things around." I say, handing it to Greg.

"Ah, yeah, sorry. I need to clean up back there, but there are so many other things that need my attention, so I keep pushing it off. Thanks for getting it." He pulls a rolling chair without a back over to Alex and sits down in front of him. He peels off Alex's jacket and shirt, which are practically glued to him with blood. His skin is busted open in multiple places. I have to look away. I distract myself with my phone, and end up looking at the picture of Alex and I. Mindlessly, I end up making it my phone's wallpaper. Just hours ago, Alex was smiling and happy. I look up at Alex, and his eyes are locked onto me. I immediately look away, a stray tear falling down my face.