Boycotting Blue

32/Blue

Blue

 

Tio and Rodriguez had caught up to me. Both of them grabbed me, pulling me back into mi casa, throwing me on top of the sofa to tell me off.

     “Don’t be stupid, Blue,” Rodriguez growled. “I know who did it, too—but I don’t know where the bastard is hidin’ her!”

    I guessed his English was for mi madre’s benefit, but she was leaving the room, her eyes wide with fear. I wanted to comfort her, but she was safe here. Lou was the one that was hidden and possibly hurt. “Then let’s go find her,” I snapped, trying to get up.

   Tio pushed me back down. “No. We’re gonna wait until we find out more information, and then go after Lou. If we leave right now, you’ll get yourself killed.”

   I stood up anyway. “You don’t understand—Lou is with him. He could be doin’ anything to her right now.” Anger pulsed through my veins, making my blood pump faster. If he laid a hand on her and did anything to her without her consent… that bastard was as good as dead. But he’d suffer first, fuck what la policia did.

   Rodriguez frowned. “I understand, Blue, I do. But you need to understand that goin’ out there blindly is only gonna hurt more people than necessary.” He pushed me back onto the sofa. “You will go to school tomorrow, and the next day, and Friday I will have the information you need. Now please just wait. No need to kill yourself.”

   “Friday?” I questioned. The things he could do to her by then…

   “Friday.”

    I nodded. “If I don’t have that information by Friday, I’m goin’ for her.”

    Tio rubbed his temples, looking stressed. “Fine.”

*

Dylan came running up to me the next day. “Blue—Lou—gone—“ he panted, his eyes wide with fear.

     I pushed him out of my way. “Ya se,” I growled. “I know.” I didn’t want to talk right now or chat it up with Dylan. He was one of my major amigos, but I didn’t feel like being bothered right now. I needed to talk to Roberto first. I knew it was him. Nobody but that panocha would kidnap Lou. Nobody else had reason, too.

    He followed behind me, though, persistent. “She might die, Blue. How can you stand there and not panic?” he demanded.

   I wasn’t aware of my actions. One quick move had him thrown against the locker, my forearm at his neck. “You don’t think I’m not panickin’, Dylan? You don’t think that I tried to go out and find her last night when I found out? You don’t think I’m worried?” I growled, enjoying the way his face turned white. I wanted somebody to be afraid, be angry. Somebody besides me. “Because I am. Don’t think for a second I don’t care. Now if you’ll get the fuck outta my way, I’m goin’ talk to someone who knows where she is.” I stepped back, giving him a final dark look.

     He didn’t miss a beat. “She’s my friend, too, Blue—just like you. If you go after her, I go after her.”

     I stopped and stared at him. Here he was, a lanky boy with no tattoos and no fighting experience whatsoever. Pampered. He looked like he could’ve been a tall freshmen with his young face—and he wanted to help me? I laughed in his face. “Dylan, you wouldn’t go after a fly.”