NOVEL WEB Chapter 139: Mel
I walked outside the house and sat on the curb. I pulled out a cigarette and lit it. Don't look at me like that. Both my parents were dead, and I lived in a crime den.
Of course I smoked. It was the only thing that would take the edge off of the shitshow that was my life. I never did drugs or drank, but I did smoke cigarettes. I tried that vaping shit, but it didn't give the same feeling.
I was just about done with my cigarette when Mel sat down next to me on the curb and lit up a cigarette of her own. "I'm sorry. We shouldn't have fucked in your room. It was shitty. But there weren't any open rooms and he's the boss, so, yeah."
"Don't apologize. You didn't do anything wrong. It's like you said. He's the boss. It just pisses me off that he's so disrespectful to me. Of my boundaries, of my privacy, of everything," I said.
"It's not like you and I are dating or anything. We're just friends. Close friends, but still, friends," I said. We were best friends actually, but I wasn't going to say that. That would be me showing vulnerability and I didn't do that.
"We're not just friends, Dylan. We're best friends. That should mean something. That should mean you don't fuck your best friend's dad in front of him," she said.
"It should mean that, but it doesn't. At least, not while he's around," I said.
"Hey. We could be dating. If you wanted. It would give me a good reason to say no to him. Besides, I kind of want to see what that dick do," she said, nudging me. "You never told me you had an anaconda in your pants!"
"Yeah, well, I don't think of you like that. I can't. How would that work? We'd be in a relationship, but you'd still fuck clients? Sorry, but I'm not down for that," I said, lighting up another cigarette.
"No. It would mean I quit working. Come on. We could run away, start a band, live on the road. You always tell me how you want to start a band but you never have. We could do it together! You'd be drums and I'd be guitar and vocals," she said. "Come on! What do you say?"
"I don't know. That sounds kind of cool, I guess," I said.
Mel moved closer to me and turned my head towards her. She grabbed my cheeks and started puppeteering my lips. "Thanks, Brandy. I think that's a great idea! We should do it tonight!" She made me say.
She let go of my cheeks, looked really sad, and said, "That's what I hoped you'd say. I really am sorry for fucking Johnny. Especially in your room while you were in it. I just. I can't say no to that man. That's why I want to leave. That way he can never tell me what to do ever again."
"Hey. How about this? We run away and start a band. I don't know about the whole dating thing, but I'll think about it. But if you want to leave this place, I will help you do that. I never say this, but you're my best friend, Mel. I would do anything for you," I said, grabbing her shoulders. Stay connected through empire
"Even dick me down? With that lead pipe you have dangling between your legs?" She said, with forced puppy dog eyes and a small smile beginning to show on her face.
"Except that. Anything except that. As I said, I'll consider it, but no promises," I said.
"Ok, meanie. I wanna see what that dick do and my best friend won't let me see what that dick do," she grumbled.
I looked her straight in the eyes and said, "It's not the end of the world if you don't get to fuck one dick."
"I know, but it kind of feels like it," she said.
"Oh shush, you drama queen," I said as I put out my cigarette. "Let's get back inside before he wonders where we are. Then, tonight, after we're both done with work, we'll run away. I have a little cash stashed away we can use to get us on our feet until we find real jobs. It was going to be my exit plan when Johnny's operation went belly up, but I think it'll work better for this."
"Awesome! Let's do that. I'll knock on your door at midnight tonight and we'll split," she said. She tried to kiss me, but I pushed her face away.
"Stop that! I said, I'd think about it. I didn't say yes. But that sounds like a good plan. I'll see you then." I said as I pushed her back towards the house. I followed her inside.
—
Johnny had me pull a job that night. He pulled the "one last job routine" on me again. I didn't believe him. I had long since learned that was bullshit. I just did the job so like I always did, so he wouldn't get suspicious or anything.
I got back home with more than enough time. It was about 10pm. I went into my room, moved all the merch out of the way so I could get to my bed. More importantly, so I could get to what was taped to the underside of my bed.
A fat wad of cash. I had about $5,000 saved up. It wasn't much in the grand scheme of things but it was enough to get us on our feet and moving.
It was weirdly quiet that night. There was no moaning on either side of me. I huddled up in my bed and waited until midnight. Then 12:10am, then 12:20am, then 12:30am. It wasn't until 1am that I heard a soft knock on my door.
When I opened it, Mel was on the other side, covered in blood. She collapsed into my arms. "Dylan." She said. "Dylan, I love you."