Stuck between two bad boys

I stretched to take the tea and thanked her. My body still hurts from the injuries I sustained but Mom already got me some pills to stop the pains.

I sipped the tea gently and then dropped the cup on the small table by my side. I sat on the couch trying to feel better but it didn’t help much. I tried to crane my neck but I only succeeded in making the pain worse so I growled.

I held my neck gently and tried to position myself well on the couch. It didn’t take long before my arms began hurting too.

“Damn it,” I huffed in an undertone.

I still felt guilty and helpless. I didn’t want Mom to know what was going through my mind so I wore a fake smile trying to cover up how I was truly feeling.

I noticed Mom hadn’t said anything in some minutes. I didn’t want to ask if she was okay because I knew she wasn’t but I couldn’t help the silence.

“Mom?”

She didn’t respond instead I saw her try to dab her tears. She wiped her eyes with her hands and sniffed.

She was crying and I hated seeing her like that. I stood up and walked toward her.

“Mom?”

She sniffed again and turned to me. She was trying to hide her tears but they were all over her face. Her eyes looked swollen and the dark circles beneath her eyes were so noticeable.

“Mom you’re crying,” I said and swallowed hard. “I’m sorry.”

She tried to shake my apologies off but I had to apologize.

“No Xavier, you-”

“Mum just listen to me,” I said interrupting her.

She paused and the tears danced down her cheek. I used my hands to wipe the tears.

“I’m sorry I haven’t been a good son. I’ll make it up to you mom. I’ll get the ransom.”

She just kept whimpering, there was no way she believed I could raise the ransom.

“Trust me.”

I walked to the room and foraged my drawer. I kept some money in a jacket and hid it in the drawer. I reached for the jacket and tossed the whole out. I checked the money and counted it. When I was sure it was complete I picked it up and left the room.

I returned to where Mom stood and brought the money out.

“Here Mom, it’s 3000$.” I swallowed hard and continued. “The police cannot be the only one since the kidnappers haven’t called.”

Her jaw dropped open the moment she saw the money. “Where did you get this amount of money, Xavier?”

“I’ve been saving for a while. I knew I would need it someday.”

She didn’t look like she believed me, she couldn’t bring herself to believe me.

Her voice was getting louder but I just needed her to remain calm. I didn’t want dad coming to interrogate me but it was too late, he was already here.

“Xavier?”

“Dad,” I responded to him.

“Where did you get this money?”

“Dad I said I’ve been saving.”

There was no way I was going to tell them about the drugs or the risky shit I’d been doing lately. I couldn’t afford to tell any of them about the source of my earnings.

“You have to return this money right now!” Mom ordered.

I could hear the gravity of her tone. Dad joined her in yelling and I couldn’t stand the both of them screaming at the top of their voice.

“Just stop it!” I yelled back. “What the fuck is going on here? I’m only trying to get Emily back home. I’m doing all these for her and you can’t appreciate this!”

I clenched my hands in a fist and walked out before they had the chance to say anything.

“Xavier!” Dad yelled but I didn’t stop.

I walked to the door and pulled it open. Devin was standing right in front of the door and I felt like slamming the door in his face.

“Hey.”

I just looked at him without responding.

“I need you to get out of here,” I huffed in anger. I was breathing hard and I didn’t want to get in another fight.

“Xavier,” Mom called again when she reached the door. Her vision turned to Devin who was still standing in front of the house.

“Devin,” she called. “Please come inside.”

Fucking hell, not today.

Devin returned her smile and she gestured for him inside. In a short while, Dad started asking Devin if he knew where Emily was.

“I don’t-”

“I suspect you, I just have this feeling that you know something.”

Mom was talking from an emotional point and it was written all over her face. I tried to remain quiet but her questions kept making me want to say something.

“What do you know?” Dad asked.

“I don’t know anything.”

“You’re a bad boy and I’m finding it hard to trust you,” Mom added.

Devin took a deep breath. I had no idea what was going on in his head but I knew he was trying to defend himself.

“I’m not a bad person,” Devin said trying to defend himself. “Emily and I dated but she’s minor so I broke up with her. Just a day later Xavier called me to tell me she was kidnapped.”

I looked at Dad and then at Mom. I was trying to decipher the expression on their faces. I knew Mom was mad Emily got into a relationship with but it felt good to know they were no longer together.

Dad didn’t say anything, he just remained quiet and let Mom do the talking.

“Listen, I can pay you to bring my daughter home.”

Mom stops up from where she sat and walked toward Devin. She stood in front of him and explained what she meant.

“Since you’re a bad boy, I may need your help in finding my daughter. I can pay you 1500$.”

A frown fell on my face and she turned to me. “Give me the money Xavier.”

Why should I give her the money? Did she think Devin could do anything?

I huffed in anger as I took reluctant steps toward her. I handed her the money and she collected it.

“Here,” she said tossing some dollars to him. “That’s 800$. I’ll pay up the rest if you get my daughter back. I promise to pay the balance as long as you bring Emily home.”

Devin stood up quietly and left the house. He didn’t say anything and I just watched him. He walked away in silence and I just remained there staring at them.