Love within Ashes

Silence. The car was more silent than ever. The only thing that was alive was the engine, and the memories that we made in this car. I remembered how I sang to him, when he gave me the pencil and when he gave me my purse. I didn't even wanted look at him, so I just stared at my lap. Then, I remembered how he used to grasp my hand and kiss it. How could he do this to me? In my momentary wrath I ended up hitting really hard the left side of my sit. Billy frowned at my direction and glared at me.

"There was a cockroach there,"I lied.

"What?! Hell no! I cleaned the car yesterday."

I groaned in pain. And started to rub my hands. Billy took my hand and laid it on my lap.

"Son of a bitch! How dare you?" yelled in my mind.

I quickly slipped my hand and hid it from his. Was he trying to play with my feelings again? When I did that, he didn't show any emotion, and that was a good sign for me. I admit it, I've been turning into a mad woman. I just don't know who I am anymore.

We arrived to my apartment, and I didn't got out of the car. He tightly gripped the steering wheel and stared at the road. The car's engine was idling and so was my mind.

"Was it a bet, a game, or a dare?" I asked staring at the darkness of the night.

"What?" he lowly growled.

"I asked, if I was a bet, a dare or a game. How much was the bet? Did you proved to your manly ego that you can have any woman you like? Or maybe you like playing with other's feelings," I uttered followed by a sigh.

"No, it wasn't any of those," he mumbled.

Then he got out of the car slamming his door, I got out as well, and walked to my front door.

"Thanks for the ride," I muttered while I opened the door.

"How could you fucking think you were a bet or a game?" he yelled wandering the sidewalk.

"What?" I uttered.

"You.... you," he mumbled.

"Then why did you wrote that? That was my favorite song! How could you write that knowing that you were dumping me?" I asked with passion and madness in my eyes.

"I didn't know... Emma," he sighed.

"Why did you- I mean, did it had to be that day? After that moment, Billy?" I slightly sobbed.

He looked at me in the eyes and I started at his. Repentant was sprouting from his eyes, from his soul. I angrily wiped a tear in my cheek and stared at him, waiting for an explanation, but he couldn't speak.

"You are a coward!" I growled.

"What did you say?" he frowned.

"This is your moment, Billy. Be a real man and dump me! Right here, and right now! Don't be a coward and tell me what you wrote, in my face!"

"You want to know why I fucking dumped you?"

"Yes! For Peter's sake! Tell me! Say it!"

He walked rapidly to me facing me and looking me in the eyes. They were so bright and fuming. I thought he was going to hit me or shove me, so I flinched a bit.

"You will be better without me. I'm no fucking good," and then he sighed, "I don't want you to end like the girl in the windmill."

I sighed as well and opened the door.

"Come I have something to show you," I told him leading him to my studio.

We entered the room and I showed him the painting "The Lover Who Saved Her Windmill".

"I made this the next day you saw "The girl in the Windmill'. I didn't know why I made it, but I just did. Now, I know the reason why. ....I-I-I.... fell in love with you, Billy. I don't know how, and why, but I just love you. And-," my voice broke but I continued, "-and I will wait for you, just like she waited for him. I don't know if you love me or ... But I do love you, and I will always. I never judged you, and I'll never will. I accepted you just they way you are, and I will never turn my back to you."

He turned his back to me after staring at the paint. He gazed at my confession but didn't said a word. I felt relieved after confessing what I felt but he just stood there, frozen.

"Goodbye, Billy," I whispered.

He looked at me over his shoulder and continued his way outside my residence. He was gone, and maybe for ever, but I was determined to wait for him until the end of my life. Right now I feel like the freaking girl in the windmill. I was the girl on the windmill.

Three days went by, really fast. I communicated with my family in Florida. Paul got into a good college in Orlando, and played football there. Bob opened a pastry shop. Yeah, that lazy ass could bake anything, and it was good that he was progressing in life without drugs. He asked me about my relationship with Billy and I told him the truth, that we were not together anymore. He didn't insisted very much on the topic, thankfully. Grandma was doing fine, she was working with Bob in the pastry shop. It made me feel happy to know they were doing great.

Aubrey visited me everyday and we talked for hours. She informed me about some things with the gang. But I just didn't paid any attention to it.
I haven't talked to Joe since the night of the art exhibition, so I decided to give him a call.

"Hello?" Joe answered.

"How's my piece of tart?"

"Hi, Emma! What's good?"

"Not much! Anyways, Joe, I wanted to ask you something."

"Ok, shoot!"

"Do you want to paint?"

"Wha-wha-what do you mean?"

"I'm asking you, do you want to be a painter?"

"Holy shit!" he exclaimed.

"I can teach you some things and then I'm sure you'll find a job or a career you may be interested in pursuing."

"A job?!"

"Yes, piece of tart. But first, we need to find your passion. What do you say?"

"Uh, I don't know, Emma."

"Why?"

'What if I can't paint?"

"Everybody can paint, dummy."

"Paint good, I mean!"

"Practice makes perfect! Just say yes, and will find something for you."

"Um, ok!"

We ended up the call coordinating that he will come by in a couple of days to start the lessons. I was excited! Joe always asked me things about art and he sounded really interested. Maybe he wasn't made to follow the footsteps of Billy, but to make his own. Joe is not the arty kid, so I knew he wouldn't like to be a painter like me, but maybe a web designer or a cartoonist... who knows?

It was 7:09 PM and I was waiting for Aubrey. These couple of days, me, Arthur and Aubrey always went to hang out. Yes, the weird pedo mustache guy was becoming my friend. Arthur was really nice, and bright but I wasn't attracted to him, and I don't think I was to him, as well. A couple of days ago, we went to the Four Roses but I didn't saw Billy nor the gang there. Maybe they were already in their room, I don't know.

The doorbell rang. An I opened it to let Aubrey in.

"Yo, Emma! Hola!" exclaimed Aubrey giving me a bear hug.

"What's good, shawty?" I joked with a gangstah accent.

Aubrey and I were becoming real good friends. I mean, she was becoming my first real friend, and best friend. She was only eleven months younger than me, but I could easily talk and open myself to her, and she with me!

"So, let's go!!! Tonight we are going to Kukoo's Sport Bar!" she shouted and whooped.

"Awesome! Let me get my jacket!" I went to the coat-hanger, grabbed my jacket and closed the door, exiting my house.

I was wearing black jeans with a blue button shirt and sneakers. Aubrey had a pink skirt and a black tank top with heels. She looked so girly and ghetto, she looked awesome. We decided to walk to the bar and wait for Arthur there. When we were crossing the street I saw a man that was like following us. I stopped my pacing and started to stare at the man. I gasped when I saw his face.

"Emma, are you all right?" Aubrey asked me.

I was just frozen, I couldn't move, I was too surprised. The man looked just like Edward. He couldn't be Edward, Edward was in jail. He had 10 to 15 years in prison. I mean, that guy looked just like him. But he couldn't be, it was impossible. Edward was in New York, it was just impossible.

"Nothing, nothing, Aubrey. Let's go!" I uttered to Aubrey.

We continued our pace and got to the sport's bar. We ordered some beers and waited for Arthur. He finally came and we sat in a table and chatted.

"Haha, that was when your stupid brother made the little league," Arthur said to Aubrey as they talked about something I didn't know.

"Haha, he's s stupid jerk, but he's my baby brother!" responded Aubrey.

"So, Emma, I've seen you a bit happier these days. I'm glad to see you better," he said smiling at me.

"Yes... Painting does help, you know," I replied.

"Oh, hehe. And your painting does add coolness to my living room."

"Oh, I forgot you bought a painting. I'm glad you like it!" I said to him. Aubrey was drinking her beer at the same time we were talking.

"Yeah, it's the best thing I bought!" he chuckled.

"Well, guys I have to work. I got another job, baby-sitting the Gaskins," Aubrey interrupted taking her coat and saying goodbye to us.

"So, we are here... alone," Arthur chuckled.

"Yeah, Aubrey tends to abandon people, that's one of her hobbies," I uttered as I took a sip from my beer.

"And, you don't have a boyfriend do ya?" he asked.

"Well-.."

"Boy problems? Right? That was why you were so sad?"

"Yeah, well, sorta."

"C'mon, you can tell me what it is!"

"Well, it's actually a long story so-"

"I have plenty of time. Well, until I finish this beer."

"Ok, to make it shorter... Somebody dumped me."

"What? Who would dump you?! I mean, what asshole would?"

"Apparently, someone did."

"Then, he's a stupid ass. Forget him, you deserve much better."

"And what about you?" I decided to change the subject.

"Me?"

I nodded.

"Well, there's this girl... but agh, forget it."

"No, tell me!"

"Well, I like this girl, but she's not that into me."

"Oh, just give her time, or try to aim another girl who's interested," I uttered.

"Yeah, maybe I should," he said with a cheerless expression.

"Hey, it's late! Maybe we should go home."

"Yeah, I'll walk you till Pangado Street."

"Ok, thanks!"

We exited the bar and as he promised, Arthur walked me to the Pangado Street. There, we said goodbye with a friendly hug and I continued to my house.
I had the feeling that somebody was following me so I took a taxi cab, when I saw one.

A couple of blocks from my home, my phone started to ring. It was Arthur's caller ID.

"What up, Arthur?" I answered.

"AHH!, Emma...." he cried in pain.

"Arthur, are you ok? What's wrong?" I asked worried.

"Emma!!! I can't... I can't... AHH!" he yelled in agony.

"Tell her, you motherfucker. Ain't gonna see her!" some man yelled over the phone while Arthur's screams interrupted him.

I knew Arthur was been tortured, and some man was there, I could hear him.

"Arthur, do you want me to call the police?"

"No, no, no, no! I can't see you anymore. I'm sorry! I can't ... see you! We are no longer friends!! AH!" he yelled.

"Arthur, who's doing this to you? Tell me!" I asked.

"Don Quixote, Don Quixote is! AH! AH! PLEASE! Let me GO! AH!" the call ended.

I was perplexed. Don Quixote? Don Quixote? Who the heck is Don Quixote? And then... it stroked me... Don Quixote de la Mancha, he was the old crazy guy who fought the windmills. BILLY DARLEY! He had to be the one doing all this. I mean, he was the only one who knew about the windmills and he had the power to kill somebody, so beating Arthur was just showing mercy.

"Mister, would you take me to Stygian Street?" I asked to the taxi driver.

"No, Miss, I'm sorry, I never go to those types of corners."

"I'm sorry, would you please? I need to kick someone's ass. I'll pay you more", I insisted.

"Sorry, no can do."

"Ok, then to the Four Roses, it's near!"

I was on my way to see Billy and demand him an explanation. He couldn't beat Arthur just because he was my friend. And besides, he dumped me, so why he was acting like this? OR maybe I'm wrong, maybe Billy doesn't have to do with this... But I will found out. I will pay that bastard a visit.