KISSED BY AMNESIA

THE COLLAPSE

He was so out of energy, out of soul and heart, sick to the stomach from life, that for a moment, the gun weighed a ton in his hand.

He loosely took it to his face.

And placed it in his mouth.

***

Camila's POV:

Camila walked up the steps of the apartment. It was her first time going there. She looked around at the messy off white paint of the walls, the ugly green color of the doors, the sick stench of never cleaned carpet. She wondered how anyone could possibly live in a place like this.

Nico usually never lets her come over, and now she understood why. The difference in their social and financial situations was massive. He carries himself in school like he owns the world, and she always thought that he did.

She once told him how cool she thought it was that her step-father is a lawyer just like her mom. Is that what made him never invite her over?

Nevertheless, the fact that he did stirred something inside of her. Does he now trust her enough to invite her over to his weakness. Is he ready to completely let Camila in on his life?

She was so touched by this that in truth she almost, almost, forgave him for what he'd done.

The lights flickered, adding to the haunting feeling this place was giving her. She increased her speed down the hallway to the apartment number he'd sent. Sudden movement behind her made her spin around, and her heart to drop. Am I being overly sensitive? If its a bad looking apartment it shouldn't mean its inhabitants are bad, right?

Taking a deep breath in, she continued her way to the door and knocked.

Again.

And again.

Finally, after feeling like she could pee herself with fear, he opened the door.

Nico stood there, holding a towel and wiping trails of blood coming down from his nose and mouth. Without saying another word, he left the door and Camila's mouth wide open and limped his way to the couch.

Camila walked in slowly, the shock not leaving her face. "What happened to your leg? Your face?"

She quietly closed the door behind her and made her way to where Nico lay. Fighting back her disgust she pushed the ash trays and papers aside from on top of the table and sat across from him.

"Nico. What happened?"

His head snapped to her. "The fuck? You acting like you don't know?"

She had a feeling, she just had no idea that Audrick could be that stupid.

Her eyes fell to her feet, and he turned his head and looked back at the wall. They were in silence for a minute before Nico began talking again.

"Why do you hate me?"

"I don't." It was automatic. She wished she had the guts like the other girls to milk his love for her out of him, but instead, she always felt like she should lower herself for him. Over and over again.

"Then why did you tell that shit head what happens between us? Its a relationship for two, not a fucking triangle."

She shrugged. "He's my brother. He finds out things..."

"Brother my ass..." He mumbled, slowly straightening himself up and wincing in pain.

Camila quickly bent forward to give him a hand, instead, he pushed it away.