Matt looked pleadingly at Mello. "Can you leave me alone for a minute? Just for a minute." He reassured the blonde. "I just need to be by myself and think."
Mello still looked unsure but he replied, "If that's what you want." He gave Matt one last look before he walked out the door.
Matt made sure Mello was gone before pulling out his cell phone. Scrolling through the list of numbers, he found the one he never thought he'd use again. He waited as the phone rang.
"Hello?" Came a hoarse voice from the other end.
"Paul, it's Matt."
"Hey, Matt, I thought you found a new dealer or something. You haven't been around lately."
"No, I didn't find someone else. I stopped using."
"So what are you coming to me for?" There was a moment of silence. "I knew you couldn't stay away. I told you the first time-"
"Shut up, Paul. I know what you said. Just meet me at the old spot." Matt felt disgusted by what he was planning behind Mello's back but he couldn't bring himself to stop now.
"Whatever. You got money?" Paul asked.
"Of course." Matt replied. "Meet me there in two hours."
"Coke or heroine?"
"Both." Matt hung up the phone. After slipping the phone back in his pocket, he slowly and painfully put on his shirt. As soon as he set foot out the door he ran into Mello.
"Where are you going?" Mello asked.
"I need to go out for a while. I'm just going to drive around for a bit." He brushed past Mello.
The pint-sized criminal was right on his heels. "I'll come with you." He offered.
"No." Matt said quickly. "I need to be by myself for a little while. Understand that please."
"I don't want you going alone. Take Jay at least." Mello pleaded.
"I'll be fine. I'm just going for a drive. You can even call every second if it makes you feel better." Matt hesitantly kissed Mello before navigating his way down to the garage. After a brief conversation with one of the security guards, Matt soon had the keys to the Nissan Skyline and was cruising down the streets. He got to his old drug spot on time. He spotted Paul quickly.
"Hey." Paul strolled casually to the car. "Nice car." He looked at Matt's face. "What the fuck happened to you? You look like someone beat the shit out of you."
"Shut the hell up, Paul. Are you going to sell me the stuff or no?"
"No need to get so defensive. I feel bad enough as it is, selling this stuff to you. I mean, you just got clean and everything." Nevertheless, Paul handed him a wax bag full of heroin, a needle, and a packaged container of cocaine. Matt handed him the cash.
"Hey, man. Be careful. Don't over do it." Paul warned him before Matt drove off.
Matt parked the car a small distance from the SPK headquarters.
I shouldn't but… He could remember everything the gangsters did to him. Without hesitation he prepared the heroin just like he used to. He willed his hand to stop shaking as he injected the drug into his vein.
He closed his eyes waiting for the drug to take effect. It wasn't long in coming. It was easier to breathe without his ribs hurting. His breath came slow and he felt warm all over. He was completely relaxed and slightly drowsy. The best part was he didn't care enough to remember anything that happened from before. They were only blurred images in time.
"Matt?" He heard a voice come floating through the slightly opened window.
Matt didn't even bother to hide the drugs and turned to the smiling brown face pressed against the window. "Todd? What the fuck are you doing here?" He unlocked the door. "Come in, it's cold outside." Matt smiled euphorically.
Todd opened the door, a cold wind blew inside but Matt didn't notice it. He was too high.
"I haven't seen you around lately. Shit! What happened to you? It looks like someone beat the shit out of you." Todd exclaimed.
"Don't worry about it." Matt grinned stupidly. "It was nothing. Some guys just kidnapped me, beat the shit out of me, and raped me but you know what?" He grabbed onto Todd's sleeve. "I am too high to care." He laughed effortlessly for the first time in days.
"Yeah, Matt, I can see that. You sure you're ok? I mean that sounds kind of fucked up." Todd picked up the drugs. "So you're still using?"
"I guess I am. You want some? Take the coke." Matt was clinging to Todd like a life line.
"Matt, maybe I should take you home. Where are you staying?" Todd took the cocaine and put out it out of sight when he noticed Matt eyeing it.
"No way, Todd. I can't go now my boyfriend would kill me if he found out I took drugs again. Seriously, he's in the mafia." Matt frowned. "Please, Todd. We were together in the streets, we're practically brothers. Don't tell him please." Matt leaned over forcing Todd to lean against the door, their noses almost touched.
"Calm down Matt. I don't even know you're boyfriend." He gently pushed Matt off of him causing Matt to fall back on the seat.
Matt gasped at the pain that broke through his drug induced euphoria.
"Matt, are you ok?" Worry was written all over Todd's face as he placed his knee on the arm of the chair to try and help Matt. He slipped and fell forward into an accidental kiss with Matt. They stayed that way for a moment before Todd seemed to realize what was happening and broke the kiss though he was still somewhat on top of the red-head.
"I'm sorry." Todd said quickly. "It was an accident."
Matt looked at him and smiled. "Todd, you're so cute."
Todd laughed. "Matt, I-"
One minute Matt was looking up at Todd, the next Todd was pulled off of him by a very angry Mello.
Mello held a gun to Todd's head. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" He glared daggers at Matt's friend.
Todd looked fearlessly at him. "Get the fuck off me, shithead. I don't who the fuck you are."
"Mello." Matt interrupted. "Let him go. I know him, we were together when I lived on the streets. I fell and my ribs hurt so he tried to help me but he slipped and fell."
Mello put his gun away but continued to glare.
"Mells, why are you here?" Matt asked when Mello seemed to calm down.
"You haven't answered your phone. I got worried and found out that Near has tracking devices on all his vehicles."
Todd laughed softly. "So this is your boyfriend. He looks like he's in the mafia."
"You told him I was your boyfriend?" Mello asked with no small amount of surprise.
"Yeah," Todd answered. "He said that you-" He saw Matt shake his head behind Mello. "He just told me you were his boyfriend, that's all." He turned to Matt. "I think it's time for me to go. I have to go work the corner." He waved as he turned to go.
"Wait, Todd, don't go. Mells, can you leave us alone for a minute so we can talk?" Mat was trying not to laugh because of the drugs.
Mello frowned but went back to where he parked his motorcycle.
"Todd, come back with me. Come stay with me. It'll be like living on the street only way better." Matt grinned.
"Matt, you're high. I can't come stay with you. Mike would kill me."
"Don't worry. He can't get you where we're going. I promise."
Todd looked around uncertainly, as if he was afraid someone was watching him. "Alright, fine." He slipped into the passenger seat.
Matt drove toward SPK headquarters, Mello following close behind.
"What the fuck? You live here?" Todd looked up at the giant building.
"No, I'm just visiting. My ex-boyfriend lives here. He hates my boyfriend." Matt giggled. "It's awful but you know what neither of them is as cool as you." He laughed.
Todd simply smiled and walked with him into the building.
