When He Calls My Name

48

"I... I love you," he says. "I really... love you so much. You're... so important to me. And I really don't want to let you go, Aether...but—"

"Then don't!" I say. "You don't have to. It's okay to be afraid of change—I get it—but being with me has done nothing but distract you from all that pain you've been through. I just want to be here to make your life a little happier. You deserve to be happy, Xiao... Please... I... I don't want to live without you..."

"Well, well, well."

Xiao and I look at each other, before the both of us whip our heads in the direction of an eerily familiar voice. The second I see him, my entire chest drops to my feet, and I'm frozen cold.

"Caught you queers in the middle of a breakup?" He smirks, and my suspicions are confirmed when he catches the light of the street lamp. It's the guy from the liquor store, and he's brought along two mates with him. "See? All faggotry leads to loneliness."

"Why don't you just leave us alone?" I say, though due to my crying and slight drunkenness, it comes out weak and unstable. My instinct is to step in front of Xiao, guarding him with my body. "We're not bothering you so don't bother us."

"Not bothering us?" he laughs, and his stupid posse laughs with him.  "We can hear you screaming from up the damn road. Was super easy to find you."

"Why are you looking for us anyway?!" Xiao barks. "Get the fuck away from—!"

I hear a hard thud, and Xiao is instantly silenced by the blunt force of a metal bat that strikes him from behind. I jump, nearly having a heart attack as I jolt my body to catch him.

"XIAO!!" I screech his name so loudly it's a wonder my voice box didn't detach. I fumble to the ground with him, panicked, body shaking, eyes searching him frantically as my breaths hitch. "W...what did you do!?!" He is clearly unconscious, and losing blood fast. I can't handle all of this in my drunken state—everything just feels so overwhelming. I've sobered up, but clearly not enough. How could I have been so blind?? So oblivious to the forth person sneaking up behind us? All I can do is scream in terror as I watch the love of my life slipping through my fingers. "Help!!" I shout, but I watch as that same metal bat comes down on me.

It's like everything is in slow motion in that moment. This is it. This is my fate. I've ruined everything... Xiao, he was right... had I not come into his life, he'd still be here. He wouldn't be in this situation with me. Everything would be back to normal...

No. I refuse.

That's when my fight or flight kicks in. It's like a light switch goes off in my brain, and my hand immediately clutches at the bat. I take it, and twist it around so that the guy's arm contorts in an awkward manner, causing him to cry out in pain. Right after, I kick him in the balls, and that's the end of him. He cowers down in utter pain, dropping himself to the floor in a squeal. I may not have my weapon, but it's a good thing I know a thing or two about combat.

I bring up my fists to the next guy that tries to attack me, punching him square in the nose until I hear a crack. He falls back a bit, but doesn't give up. Meanwhile, the store guy kicks me in the stomach while I'm distracted, and I'm sent flying backwards, landing on my ass with a groan.

"Hey! Pick on someone your own size!" I look up through my pain to find two women standing with fists raised—Oh my god, it's Dehya and Candace! I smile even as tears once again well up in my eyes, feeling a boat load of relief. They couldn't have show up at a better time.

"Or we can just pick on them?" Dehya says, a devious look in her eyes.

"Dehya!!" I shout. "Call paramedics, please! Xiao—my boyfriend is hurt! I think he's dying, please Dehya! Please, please help him!" I'm frantic, the tears now pouring down my face once more, terrified not of these men, but that the love of my life won't make it with all the blood he's losing.

"No worries, Aether," she says, "we called them when we saw this happening. They're on their way. In the meantime, how about we teach these fuckers a lesson?"

Candace and Dehya leave no room for them to retaliate. I watch as they beat these bastard to pulps, showing no mercy as they don't deserve a lick of it. They become the background, however, as my focus is back on Xiao who I cradle in my arms. I apply pressure to the wound on his head, rocking him back and forth as my tears stain his cheeks.

"I love you, baby boy..." I whisper to him. "Stay with me... please, don't leave me. You're not allowed to leave me, okay? I'll... I'll never forgive you if you just abandon me like this... You said you'd be here whenever I called, so you...so you have to be here forever so I can call your name and you can c-come... you hear me? I love you, I don't want you to go... please... please don't go."
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TO BE CONTINUED (here's a little more salt for your wounds 😶 I didn't think there was enough in there..)