We make it to a house I've never seen before. I thought I was going home...
"We're just stopping by here for a sec, then I'll take you home, promise." Luke tells me with a smile on his face.
There is something about Luke that makes me feel safe. I trust him.
We all get off and enter.
Different feel for sure.
It's warm, but in a dingy way. It's not so clean, but alright. The kitchen and living room are attached and the aroma of mexican cooking is strong. It smells delicious. My mom hardly ever cooks anything that smells this good.
"Mijo, las enchiladas estarán listas en un rato" I hear from a woman at the stove, mixing a chili.
"Ok ama, I'm hungry, hurry up." replies James, looking at us laughing.
"Cabron!" she replied, knowing he was joking.
We went to a room and there was two sets of beds on the floor. "I share with my sister." James said, reading my mind.
"Oh. Yeah, lots of pink." I say looking around. He pulls a box from the corner end of under his mattress and gets back up. "Let's go!"
We make it outside and there is a guy standing on the lawn with his arms crossed, smiling.
"Is that for me?" he asks toward James.
I look over and James looks pissed.
"We were going over right now." Luke tells him.
"Right." the guy on the lawn says holding out his hand.
James walks up to him and opens the wooden box.
He pulls out money.
"Forty? You owe me ten more."
I look at Luke, and he looks upset.
"Well I don't have it right now, that's everything." said James, with an attitude.
The guy grabs the box and opens it, then throws it against the ground.
I am shocked. James, Luke and I just stand there.
I don't know why this is happening exactly.
The guy walks towards a black car and drives off.
"Fucking asshole!" James calls out as the car turns the corner. He picks up his wood box that was now in two, and looks at Luke.
"Who was that?" I ask.
"That would be your fucking boyfriend's brother." James said to me as he approached.
"Boyfriend?" I asked, unsure of what the hell he was talking about.
"JEREMY, genius! That's his asshole brother." I cower a bit. I don't like his tone at all.
Luke puts his hands on James' shoulder and whispers to him, "It's not Andy or Jeremy's fault babe, c'mon let's go inside."
James rolls his shoulder to get Luke off him.
"Take him home. Come back." and he walked back into his house.
I stood there with Luke until he moved towards the car. I joined him and we drove in silence. I could feel his sadness.
We parked a few houses from my place and sat.
"I'm so sorry you had to see him like that..." Luke tells me.
"No, it's okay. He was just really upset. I don't really understand what happened though..." I say.
"He has a problem, Andy. I've been trying to help him and be there for him, but it's really hard. I don't know what to do, I care for him, but I think I stay because I don't want him to fall deeper." Luke tells me.
I think I know what he's talking about and I feel for him.
"I'm sorry it's so hard on you." I tell him.
He's frowning and it looks like he might cry.
I don't what what else to do but pat his back. It helped me this morning, maybe it will help him.
He covered his face and took deep breaths.
He moved to hug me and we sat in an embrace. We broke apart a a moment later.
"I've gotta go be with him, help him out." he says.
Getting off the car, and shut the door. I wave him off and walk a few houses down to mine.
