I Realize. |l.s.|

VIII

November 30, 2018

I know I'm in deep shit when mum texts for me to call her, and I curse to myself for reading the texts, because now she knows I've seen it. I wait a couple minutes on the chair while the tattoo artist finishes my tattoo going across my chest, just under my collarbones. It says "It Is What It Is" which I thought looked sick in the sketch. When it's finished, I sit up, calling her.

"Louis?" Is how she answers.

"Hey mum, you wanted me to call you?" I ask. I stand up from the chair, going over to the mirror and inspecting my new tattoo. It looks cool.

"It's about your grades," she sighs, and I roll my eyes. I'm thankful she's not actually here to see me doing it. "You need to get them up, alright? I've been patient and laid back for far too long. There's no reason for you to have missing assignments and to be failing tests. We've gotten enough emails from your teachers in the past few weeks."

"Look, I'll get them up, okay? Don't worry about it," I say.

"Louis," she warns. "I've heard that before, and they've only gotten worse. If you don't really start working harder, I'm gonna have to cancel your credit card."

"What? That's crazy!"

"I've seen how much you spend on ordering in and renting movies. If I don't see any changes, food will be he only thing you'll be buying."

"Alright, I promise, it'll get better."

"Thank you. Take care, we love you."

"Yeah, love you," I mutter half-heartedly before hanging up. I'm quick to pay and put my shirt on, leaving the parlor and heading over to Ryan's. When I'm there, I knock on the door. When Ryan opens it, he looks pale at the sight of me, which makes me immediately grow suspicious.

"You didn't tell me you were coming over," he says.

"I thought you wouldn't mind," I furrow my brows.

"No, I don't, I just have some people over. You need to le-"

"And whose this?" An older man's voice asks, stepping in front of Ryan to look me up and down. He looks a bit scary, and I shrink in on myself. His skin is deathly pale, and he's got wide eyes that look like they'd sting from opening so wide all the times. They're jet-black too, making them seem like bottomless pits. His eyebrows are sharp and scruffy, his nose arched and his lips think in a resting frown, but currently tugging upwards at the sides. He's tall and slender, but he has naturally wide shoulders and a big long coat on. His hair is long, half-up half-down, with bits of grey showing through at the roots. He must be in his late thirties, I'd guess,

"I'm his boyfriend," I say quietly. "Louis."

"Ahh," he nods in understanding, his voice too gentle. I can tell it's forced. "It's nice to meet you." He turns to Ryan then, a smirk on his face. "You didn't tell me you were seeing such a beautiful boy."

"Uh yeah," Ryan smiles uneasily. "Never really came up."

"Come in, have a seat. We're just discussing business, I'm sure you don't mind waiting," the man ushers me inside. I sit on the couch, my legs tightly together and my shoulders tense. They continue to talk, before the man walks over to me.

"You know Louis," he starts, sitting down next to me and placing a hand on my knee. I wish he wouldn't. "I'd never expect someone like you to be involved in anything like this."

"Oh, I'm not," I smile politely. 

"The point I'm trying to make is that no one would suspect you to be a seller. It'd be the perfect cover: an innocent little twink whose hardly gone further than a kiss with his boyfriend." I try not to get too offended. I'm not that innocent, and I am not a twink. "What would you say if I told you that you could earn enough money to be completely independent?"

"I don't think he needs to be so closely involved," Ryan tries to defend me nervously.

"Now Ryan, this isn't your decision." He turns to me, and I shift in my seat. "How would you like to seek? It's harmless, really. Just make sure not to get caught and no one should cause you any trouble."

"I- uhm... I-I'll think about it?"

"Excellent," The man grins, standing up abruptly as I flinch. "Just get in touch whenever you come to your decision. Your boyfriend can show you the ropes, I'm sure." With that, he says his goodbyes, with the two large men carrying guns following after him.

"Shit," Ryan says, running his hands through his hair. "That wasn't supposed to happen!"

"I'm sorry, I should've called before..." I frown.

"No, no it's alright," he shakes his head, sitting next to me and pulling me close. "There's no going back now. Dante is just a really dangerous man. I mean, you saw just now, he's even got his own henchmen."

"He was a little scary," I admit.

"I don't know if it's such a good idea for you to be involved in drug dealing."

"I never said yes," I quickly defend. "I don't think I'll ever do that sort of thing. I was a little too afraid to say no."

"Yeah," he chuckles. "He did make a good point though. If you just deal to a couple of kids in the school, you won't be in danger and you'll make some good money."

"I guess," I shrug, and the subject is dropped soon after.

~~

Oooooo it's getting a little crazy at this point.

I love hearing predictions and opinions, so feel free to comment some! Please vote, it motivates me to write more haha! Thanks for sticking with yet another chapter! xxx