What if they don't die at the end?

Rufus Emeterio

Rufus Emeterio
10:58 am

We finish off our food together, discussing our game plan for today.We can't just sit in his apartment and in bakeries forever, as much as I want to.We both knew we didn't want to tell them over the phone.Just have to rip off the band-aid and tell them.After some back and forth, we both agreed to start with Lidia since her place wasn't too far from here.Then we would go tell the Pluto's, then Mateos dad.
That's the plan.
We were going to tell them that we were the first guys to survive Death-cast. As scared as I am, I can't fucking wait.I miss the plutos. We've been given a second life and there is no way in hell I was going to waste it.Miracles like this only come along in movies and books.Now I get to show them the person I want to be,someone I like. I ain't gonna be the guy who beats the shit out of someone because he's too much of an idiot to know better.

Mateo ended up paying for our stuff, since my wallet is still in my pants in his apartment.We leave and luckily enough it's still pretty warm, that late-summer New York warm.I look to my right, seeing Mateo taking in the city.The buildings, the people, the trash, the constant smell of piss (God, isn't New York just a dream?).
"You good?" I ask, he flinches slightly as if I bought him out of some kind of trance.
"Yeah yeah I'm fine" he pushes his glasses up his nose and runs a hand through his curls.I take his hand in mine, hoping to calms his nerves.And maybe a little bit because my hands are cold as shit.Somehow Mateos are always warm.He shifts slightly so that we're facing each other, his gaze dart down to my lips and back up to my eyes.He's asking to kiss me, here, in public.I gladly accept, I've never really made a fuss about PDA.I raise my hand and gently cradling his cheek, pressing his lips against mine.He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls in me closer,we had to be less than inches apart.His grip increases slightly, making my head spin.He still tastes like coffee he had earlier.Once we pull apart, I rest my forehead against his, our eyes still closed as we try to stay in the moment.If I could, I'd freeze time just to stay like this.Though, I can't expect two movie miracles in one day.

"Rufus?" A voice questions out of nowhere, breaking us out of our happy little bubble.My head darts up to the sound, scared it's one of Peck's mates here for round two of Clint's Graveyard.But...its not.

Fuck

"Ames?"

My heart drops to my stomach.I'm stuck.Like a fly in a glue trap.I can't think.Fuck fuck fuck what do I do?. This was not the plan.I'm not ready for this.This is mad, there's an entire city how the hell is she here of all places?.Mateo is by my side, Aimee in front of me, both as stunned as I am. Her mouth hangs open for a few seconds, you can see the cogs turn in her brain as she tries to find the words.
"You" her voice cracks, her head shaking from side to side, as if she's denying my very presence "You're dead" her lips press into a thin line, tears shining in the corners of her eyes.
"Aimes listen"
"No, no no no this isn't happening" she stumbles back, accidentally bumping into an angry New Yorker as she does so.
"No no no,it is, I swear" Son of a bitch, this was not how this was supposed to go, I was not ready for this.It wasn't going to happen like this. I rub the back of my neck "God, I'm sorry. I was going to tell you I swear on my life." I immediately regret saying that but words are coming out of my mouth faster than I can stop them "Well, poor choice of words but you know what I mean.I don't know what happened but Mateo and I." I gesture between us "We're-we're alive, we lived for some reason." her hands tremble, she's staring straight through me.She's always had a wicked death stare, but this is the kind of look that makes kids cry.

Slowly, she edges towards me.Fear in every step she takes, she cautiously wraps her arms around my neck.Resting her face in my shoulder, she mumbles,
"You promise you're real, right?" I hug her back
"Yeah" I reply breathlessly "Yeah I am" I feel her trembling against me.Her shoulders hunched together, she clasps a hand over her mouth, attempting to quiet her sobs.She's never liked crying in front of people, let alone in public.If she has too, she'll usually leave the room to cry in peace.I wanna cry with her but I got all my we're-the-first-to-beat-death-cast tears out a few hours ago.She pulls away from me, turning around as she wipes her face on her jacket, now she has nowhere to escape to.

Whipping her head back around, she pauses, taking a look at me, then Mateo a few steps behind me.Her eyes and nose still red and cheeks still a little damp.She closes her eyes and takes in a deep breath, "You little piece of shit" her mood immediately changed, yelling at me with a slight crack in her voice, punctuating every word with an aggressive punch to my arm. It's not a proper punch, she'd never really punch anyone, but it still hurts.

"Hey! Hey, ow!" I whine, holding my arm once she stops.
"You deserved that, making me fucking worry" she gets one more in for good luck.I wanna be pissed but I was honestly expecting her to murder me, so its better than that I guess.
"God I- what the fuck? How did this happen?" she asks, hints of disbelief in her voice.I turn to face Mateo, hoping he'll have some sort of answer but he just shrugs his shoulders with an awkward smile. 

"I-I dunno it just kind of happened" He replies.Aimee looks at him, unimpressed. "Ok what do you want from me? it's not like I have all the answers" Aimee and I laugh, lightening the mood a bit.
"Does anyone else know?" she asks, and we both shake our heads
"I mean we did have a plan but thats kinda out the window now." she places her hands on my shoulders 
"Lets fucking go then! Pluto isn't that far from here and we gotta tell everyone else!" she jumps a bit in excitement, but right now the feeling isn't mutual.I don't wanna be a dick.We agreed we would visit his mate Lidia first.I look back at Mateo,
"Ames I-I dunno we said we'd go tell Lidia first" she cocks her head to the side, giving me that "Huh? Who?"  look.Makes sense, I don't think Lidia and her have met, not even at Clints.Mateo nudges me gently.
"Hey its cool, you guys should go." he says, calmer than I thought he would be
"Really?"
"Yeah, I didn't wanna say anything, but I really think I should talk to Lidia by myself"
"You sure?" he bites the corner of his lip, looking past me and at the ongoing buildings.He nods.
"Yes, I'm sure.Go see the Pluto's we can meet back in a bit" Aimee looks at me with a bright smile, just waiting for me to say to say it.
"I- alright then, fuck it let's go" she squeals, lightly hitting me in the arm
"Yes!"
"Ow, again seriously?" 
"Sorry" she apologies, giggling with a grin.She's really had an emotional 180 in the last ten minutes. And she's definitely not sorry.Before I go I take Mateos hand in mine.Somehow he's still warm.
"Ok, I'll meet you at the hospital at one, I'll see you then?"  he looks up at me as he smiles, an infectious smile and he kisses my cheek.
"I'll see you then"
"I love you"
"Love you too"

...

"You guys done snogging yet?" She interrupts, impatient "I mean it's super cute but I got places to be" we chuckle, pulling apart. "Come on let's go!" she grabs my arm and starts to pull me away.Before I know it we're running off together.
"Bye, good luck!" I yell as we're already halfway down the road
"You too!" he waves, pushing the glasses up his nose as he does so.Aimee and I dash through the streets of New York, pushing past any grumpy faces.This is amazing.I forgot how much I missed.I mean not this specifically. Before yesterday running through the street wasn't exactly part of my daily routine.But just, this.I'm invincible.

I'm alive.

I don't think I'll ever get sick of saying that.

I'm fucking alive.