Waters of Disillusion

The week passes by slower than a snail and to make ma happy, I begged and begged Pam to let Benji wash the dishes at Ringo's. It wasn't his first idea, but hey, at least he'll be making money while he's down here. And while he's nice and all and we have been getting along, I've been seeing less and less of Tyler.

Every July third, ma keeps the liquor store open til midnight because people like to stock up for the next day. It's only eleven o'clock, but Dickface is always dead as a doorknob until nine a.m. I actually have to sleep inside tonight to watch over Ruby and Sapphire. A knock on the window makes me jump out of my skin.

"Jeez, Ty," I slap him after I open it. "I hate you, ya know."

Right away, I can tell he's had way too much to drink. If it wasn't the smell of his breath, it's the fact that he nearly shouts right in my ear.

"I've missed ya, Nic," he tries to kiss my cheek, but ends up practically slobbering on my shoulder.

"Shush, Tyler," I try to push him away. "Ruby an' Saph are sleepin'."

"Y'know, I'm startin' to think you don't love me anymore, Nic," he squints. "Is it cause'a that guy?" I tell him to wait right there and slip on a pair of flip flops, joining him outside. I grab him by the waist and begin walking him towards his home. And boy, does he put up quite the battle.

"Stop squirmin', idiot," I whisper. Tyler's neighbor, Mr. Crawford, hates us. He's just one of the many old folk that think we're good for nothing and stupid. When we were little and ran around screaming our heads off, he'd throw old shoes at us.

"Does-does he know that you're my fiance? Does he?" he nuzzles his head on my neck, which might have been cute if he wasn't being so obnoxious.

"Stop talkin' dumb, Ty." I decide it's not worth it to bring him into his trailer and wake up his family. On a trip that usually takes ten seconds to walk, I have to keep stopping because he keeps tripping. He keeps mumbling something about how unnatural it is for a guy to be so pretty. A second later he falls flat on his face and erupts in giggles.

"Good Lord-" he yanks me down with him. Gravel bites into my back and butt. "You idiot!" I sit up and fish the rocks out of my shirt.

"You're-" giggles and sits up too, Indian-style. "-so pretty-" he snorts, "-in the moonlight, Nico."

I roll my eyes. He belches and keeps unseeing eyes on me. "Why do you do this to yourself, Ty?" I ask him softly, not even expecting an answer. He looks like he'll fall asleep any second. He doesn't say anything after a second, so I sigh and stand up, pulling him by the arm with me. I drag him to his truck and shove him into the back seat. Just as I'm about to leave him, wasted in all his glory, he grabs my wrist with a surprisingly sturdy grip. "I don't like sharin', Nico," he mumbles so quietly I can't hear him. I make a tsk sound and don't even bother saying something in return. It seems he isn't finished, though.

"Ill clobber him if he tries t' fuck you."

"Shut up an' go to sleep, Tyler Joseph."