5.

 

            Namine and Floyd pulled up to the diner, and both got out of their cars to look inside and see Payton there. For a moment, Namine was relieved he was alright. But only a moment. Then, she saw who he was with. A girl. Namine was confused. She saw Payton with the girl, then out of the blue, they kissed. Namine’s heart stopped. She didn’t know what to think.

            “Namine… We should leave-“ offered Floyd, but it was too late. Namine had seen it, and she was already broken. She got back in her car and was about to leave when Payton and the girl left the diner. Payton looked her in the eyes, and told her something, but Namine couldn’t hear them. Then they both walked to their own cars. Namine started her car, and began to pull out, when Payton say her.

            “Namine?...” asked Payton. Namine just stared at him, and then drove away. She began to cry as she drove away. She couldn’t believe it. She had trusted Payton. She never trusted anyone.

        

            Payton and Andriana walked out of the diner, and Payton turned to her and said: 

            “You’re very pretty Andriana, but... I can’t date you…” said Payton. Andriana seemed upset.

            “Why?...” asked Andriana pitifully

            “I love someone else already…” replied Payton. Andriana seemed upset. She looked down, and then back at Payton.

            “I understand...” responded Andriana pitifully, and she went to her car slowly. Payton turned to go to his car, and he saw Namine.

            “Namine?” he asked. But then she drove away before he could talk to her. He ran after her car, but it was futile. He turned back around to see Floyd standing there.

            “What happened?” asked Payton.

            “You weren’t at the meeting, we were worried. We went looking for you,” said Floyd, “She saw you kiss her.” Payton’s heart stopped. He had he done. He ruined his chances with Namine. He ruined his chances with the girl he loved. Payton was lost. He quickly got in his car and went home.

            When he got home, Chase was in his room, with all the lights off.

            “Chase?... Are you alright?” asked Payton.

            “Yeah man, I’m good- you worry about you, I’m fine,” responded Chase. But Payton wasn’t so sure.

            “Chase… Did you take your pills today?” asked Payton.

            “I… No…” replied Chase.

            “Why not?” asked Payton irritatingly.           

            “I ran out today, I’ll fill it tomorrow,” lied Chase. And Payton knew it was a lie. What he didn’t know, was that Chase hadn’t been taking his medication for close to three months now, and that his mind was starting to go.

        

 

            Payton lazily went to the grocery store three days later because they were out of ice cream at the apartment. Payton was in such a lull that he completely forgot that Namine worked at that grocery store. He walked up to the checkout area, and looked the cashier lazily, only to be given a mini-heart attack as he realized it was Namine.

            “H-hey…” awkwardly muttered Payton.

            “That’ll be $5.25. Unless you want to get the special deal of two quarts for $8.50.” replied Namine with as much poison and apathy as she could in that statement.

            “I… I don’t need… two quarts…”

            “Well, then it’s $5.25.”

            Payton gave her a credit card, and paid for the food.

            “Here you go,” Namine said as she flung his credit card back at him. Payton caught it, and then looked at her.

            “You know… I’m sorry…” said Payton pitifully.

            “Sir, the line needs to be moving” replied Namine as she rolled her eyes. Payton walked away slowly, and Namine watched him go out of the corner of her eye. The old lady behind Payton in line walked up, and Namine started scanning her food:

            “Now, it’s none of my business, but I could tell that that young man cares for you a lot” said the old lady.

            “Yeah, well I wish that was true…”

            “And I can tell you care about him a lot too,” continued the woman.

            “And?” replied Namine irritatingly.

            The woman smiled, a pure smile, and said: “Sometimes, the ones you love hurt you the most. It works both ways too. Give him another chance, sweetie. You won’t regret it.”

            Namine watched the old lady walk out of the store, and thought about what she said. Should she give Payton another chance? Did he deserve it?

        

 

            Payton spent the next week, sitting in his room, alone. Chase did the same, but for a different reason. Payton’s heart was broken, and Chase’s mind was broken. Both of them were close to the edge, they just needed the right push. Luckily, Chase pushed Payton in the right direction.

            “Dude, what are you doing?” asked Chase after five days of not leaving their rooms. Payton looked up at him.

            “What do you mean?” asked Payton.

            “You’re sitting in this apartment like it’s going to help anything! You gotta go out and find her, man! You gotta get your woman! She’s not gunna come to you, you gotta go to her. That’s how love works- you want something bad enough, you gotta fight for what you want!” chanted Chase.  And that was exactly what Payton needed. He got up, got dressed and headed out, but not before saying:

            “Thanks Chase, you always know what to say!”

            Chase smiled, but as soon Payton left, he began to cry. Chase thought this would be the last time he would see Payton. Because the real reason that Chase wanted Payton to leave was that he wanted to end the torment of the letters, the masked men, and the panic he had been living.  Chase wasn’t going to let the masked men get him.  He was going to go out on his own terms. Chase was going to kill himself.

                                             

 

            Payton ran all the way across town. He had to see Namine. He had to make things right. He had to tell her he loved her. He had to. Soul Coughing’s “Rolling” was rushing through his head as he ran.

            This was the only option. Anything else would be a waste. The last three months would have been a waste. Falling in love would have been a mistake. Rehabilitation would have been a mistake.

            Namine was all that mattered now. She was all that mattered ever. Payton couldn’t think of a time when he didn’t constantly think about Namine.

        

 

            Chase sat in the bathtub, curled up in a ball. He was shaking with fear. He just wanted to the pain to be over. He wanted the fear to be gone. He wanted to be free. He had left the stereo on, and “God” by John Lennon had started playing. He unclasped his hands, and revealed the razor blade he was holding. He straightened out his arm, and was about to place the blade to his wrist, when he heard a knock at the door. Chase hesitantly went to the door, and peered out the peephole, only to see the masked man standing outside his door. Chase’s heart stopped, and he ran back to the bathroom, and shut the door.  Chase sat in the bathtub again, sobbing and hyperventilating, in sheer panic.

            He heard someone open the front door, and the footsteps followed slowly through the apartment. A voice called out:

            “Hello?” and Chase felt a jolt of fear through his body. He curled up in a ball in the bathtub, and silently listened to the person walk through the apartment. Then, Chase heard a knock at the bathroom door.

        

           

            Floyd sat at the diner alone. He hadn’t seen his friends in almost a week, and had spent a lot of time thinking about his life. He was coming to a crossroads, he knew it. He just didn’t know where that would take him. He never answered Namine and Payton if he believed in love, and the truth was he didn’t; until he met Tom. Tom was the new server at the diner. He was tall, and had dark hair. Tom was a happy guy. Not an eccedentesiast. And that was what Floyd needed.

            “How can I help you?” asked Tom cheerfully. Floyd smiled, a genuine smile, and looked up at Tom.

            “Can I ask you a question?” asked Floyd. Tom happily nodded.

            “When do you get off work?”

        

Chase prepared himself for the worst. Maybe the masked man had finally come for him. Maybe it was finally all going to end. Maybe this was the last chapter of Chase Nathans’ life. Chase held up the razor, in preparation. The door knob turned, and fear jolted through Chase’s entire body. But it was not a masked man. It was a beautiful woman. With brown hair, and piercing blue eyes. It was so ridiculous. For the first time in his life, Chase had fallen in love. He quickly dropped the razor.

            “He-Hey,  Andriana,” muttered Chase. Andriana smiled. A genuine, happy smile.

            “Hello Chase,” replied Andriana. Chase smirked and chuckled.

            “Hey, you doing anything now?” asked Chase. Andriana smiled, and Chase knew that after that moment, everything was going to be alright.

        

            Namine was sitting in her room, contemplating the choices she had made so far. Contemplating everything.  She heard a noise from outside. She went to her window, and saw Payton, holding a boom box, playing “Brand New Colony” over the speakers, into her window. Namine laughed at such a cliché action.  She opened her window.

            “What are you doing?” asked Namine.

            “I’m going out and getting what I want!” replied Payton. Namine smirked.

            “What makes you think that what you want wants you?” asked Namine.

            “Because… We'll cut our bodies free from the tethers of this scene, and start a brand new colony!” said Payton, singing along with the song. Namine covered her mouth and laughed. She nodded her head, and then ran out of the house, and ran up to Payton. They embraced and kissed.

            “I’m so sorry,” whispered Payton, as they embraced. Tears streamed from Namine’s eyes. But for once in her life, it wasn’t from sadness. It wasn’t from pain. It wasn’t from anger. She cried from happiness.

            For the first times in their lives, Payton and Namine were happy.

        

 

THE END