Pessimistic [Completed]

11

Had a burst of motivation, so this chapter is done early.

Pico sat in the park, waiting. He would much rather wait for Keith than let him walk alone.

Not after what happened with the... 'Lemon'. He didnt trust that thing, no matter the time of day.

Maybe hes just making excuses. He'd been sitting here for over an hour waiting for him, and it looked like the afternoon was waning. He could just be tired.

He hadn't been getting sleep with these thoughts in his head. He'd been denying them for weeks, pushing them aside.

He just needed to walk around. Clear his head. Except that he had been doing that, and he had just sat down. He needed a distraction.

A shop door creaked behind him, and Keith came out of the convenience store.

Just walk up to him. You're his friend. Tell him why you waited. Say you don't know the way back. You've been on this walk plenty of times though, you know the way and so does he. Quick, think of an excuse!

Keith spotted him and came up to him.

"Hey Pico. I thought I told you not to wait up?"

"Oh. Right. Forgot?" Pico shrugged.

"You forgot? You don't forget things."

"I was... I didn't know how long you'd take."

"I can walk home myself."

"I just... I thought you'd take longer and then it would be dark out. I didn't want you to get hurt."

"Nobody comes out at night, and even if someone tried to hurt me I could fend for myself."

An image of that horrid lemon flashed in his mind for a moment.

"Its not people I'm worried about."

"What else? Stray dogs?"

"The lemon. Come on, let's go." He put his hands in his empty pockets. He did not want to be outside after dark.

Keith had to jog in order to keep up with Pico.

They passed multiple alleyways on the way back.

"Hey!" A deep voice yelled from nearby.

"Did you say something?" Keith asked.

"No." Pico stopped for a moment.

"Behind you!" Footsteps thundered towards them, giving Pico just enough time to turn around before another man crashed into him, knocking him to the pavement.

Pico struggled to get up, pushing the man off of him.

He reached for his gun, which wasnt in his pocket. It wasnt there. He'd been so focused on other things that he'd forgot it.

"Get the hell off of me-"

"Pico, how are you?"

"About to kill you if you dont get off me, bitch."

The man stood up. His chocolate skin glistened like he'd been running all day. His purple and yellow shirt was scorched and torn in some places, and his black hair stood up like someone had rubbed a balloon on his head.

He stuck out a hand to help Pico up, but he ignored it.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"I was in the area, and thought I'd say hello!"

Pico looked at the man skeptically.

"Fine, I'm homeless. I got kicked out."

"I got kicked out too." Keith said. "Why'd you get kicked out?"

"Set the kitchen on fire one to many times. You?"

"My mom threw a tantrum because I was 'leeching' off of her, like she wasnt depending on my grandma's retirement funds."

"Tough. So you're homeless as well?"

"I've been staying with one of Pico's friends. I'm sure she'd be fine with letting you stay for a while."

Pico glared at Darnell. He didn't trust him. He was a coward, and selfish. Maybe if he hadn't abandoned him when he really needed him, he wouldn't hold such a grudge.

He started forwards. Hopefully Keith would follow him back and leave Darnell where he was.

But he didn't. Keith and Darnell got along better upon first meet than Pico and Keith usually did.

This hurt him. Maybe Keith hated him.

No, that was dumb. Keith didnt hate him. People talk to eachother in different ways. He just happened to swear at his friends. That was normal, right? He wasnt making anyone uncomfortable? Maybe he should be nicer. He didnt want Keith to hate him.

They arrived at Nenes house shortly, and she was not happy either.

"What took you so long Pico?" She questioned.

"I'm not happy about it either. Just bear with him for now." He sat down in the kitchen.

"Why are you sitting on the floor-?"

Darnell and Keith came in the door, still chatting noisily.

Nene was surprised, to say the least.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE, YOU SON OF A BITCH?!" Pico halfheartedly held her back.

"Calm down, Nene, I just-"

"NO, IM NOT GONNA CALM DOWN WHEN THIS PIECE OF SHIT IS IN MY LIVING ROOM!"

"What did he do?" Keith backed away from the situation, running into the banister.

"I'LL TELL YOU WHAT HE DID. HE HID HIMSELF AND LEFT EVERYONE TO FUCKING DIE! HE COULDNT BE BOTHERED TO WARN ANYONE, BECAUSE HE WAS THINKING OF WAYS TO FAKE BEING SICK!" She screeched.

"Nene, please."

"PICO, WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST SHOOT HIM?!"

"I'm not going to kill someone for being a coward, Nene. Just calm down, it's fine."

Nene reluctantly stopped struggling and calmed down. She was still ticked off, but she wasnt going to kill anyone.