Friends

Trigger warning: Minor trauma, minor violence, drinking and smoking to cope

"Dome, just go.. please, before he hurts you badly again!" Dome stared at his father who's currently in the middle of his rage. He already expected this; he knew it wouldn't take long until his peace is ruined once again. He looked at his father with mixed emotions; pity, anger, and hatred.

"My life is a fucking hell," He grabbed some of his things and put it inside a bag afterwards. He took some money from his vault and stuck a cigarette into his mouth.

"I feel like I'm a stranger in my own home. I'm always being kicked out even if I did nothing wrong. I'm so sick of this," Dome groaned as he waited for a taxi. [They even took my car away. Now, I don't know where to go.]

"Where do you want to go, sir?" The driver asked. [I have no choice, that's the only place I know.] Dome instructed the driver to go to the bar where he always spends his time. [I'm not even in the mood to drink.]

"Got kicked out again, sir?" The bartender teased him as soon as he saw Dome holding his bag. The way that bartenders can already mess with him shows how much of a regular customer he is to this bar. Dome only shook his head and chuckled.

"I'm curious, sir. When you're being kicked out, where do you usually stay?" The bartender gave him his usual drink immediately.

"Anywhere, it depends on my budget. But now, I don't know where my budget can take me. I don't have enough money," Dome took a straight shot of his drink.

"I can lend you some if you want," The bartender suggested. Dome shook his head to oppose.

"Stupid. Save it instead. I can just spend the night in cheap motels,"

"Alright, alright. By the way, when you got involved in a fight last time, that's the first time I've seen you talk to someone. Hmm, I didn't know you have friends," The bartender teased him again.

"I don't… he's just a classmate of mine," [Oh, I suddenly remembered what Kevin told me. I don't want to owe him anything but he's the one who suggested offering a place, right? Damn it, why is it so hard for me to ask him a favor? Ugh, whatever, I'd choose my safety over my ego.]

Dome unlocked his phone and started to type a message. The problem is every time he composes something, he deletes it right away. [Come on, Dome. One message won't hurt.] After many attempts, he finally sent Kevin a message.

Not long after, Dome's phone lit up with Kevin's notification. [Why am I nervous? It's just a reply.] Dome opened the message and read it afterwards.

"I'll pick you up," Dome read the reply out loud. It's too late when he realized it so the only thing he could do was to cover his mouth. [That quick? He agreed easily and he's on his way already? The fuck is going on with that guy?]

"Who's going to pick you up, sir? Oh, nevermind. He's here," Dome turned around quickly and there he saw, Kevin, in his usual specs and all black outfit.

"Just how fast do you drive, huh?"

"I'm on my way home and I'm near the area. You texted at the right time," The bartender asked Kevin what he could make for him, but Kevin resisted by saying he still needed to drive.

"Did something bad happen?" Kevin checked if Dome had any bruises but after seeing none, he heaved a sigh.

"Not much. I'm not hurt but I ran away even before that could happen,"

"Do you mind telling me your situation?" After Dome swallowed his drink, he put down the glass and stared at Kevin's eyes. [It looks like he's not here to judge me. Those eyes speak sincerity.] Dome cleared his throat before deciding to open up his heart.

"It's complicated but let me summarize it for you. First of all, I'm adopted by my foster parents when I was, I don't know, months old? So, I literally grew up with them. They're both males, by the way. When I was five, they adopted a child again which happened to be my younger sister. Everything was going well; I became a good brother to her and we had a good sibling relationship. Then one day, she was kidnapped because I lost her in the park. We searched and waited for days, weeks, until we suddenly received the news that she's gone," Dome bit his fingers while he was telling the story.

"My parents blamed me, hated me for my irresponsibility, and despised me as a child. That's where my so-called nickname 'psychopath' started, my father who acquired the worst trauma told me that maybe I'm a psychopath because I did that to my own sister. So, until now he still has that trauma and every time that happens, he will hurt me physically, verbally, and blame me all over again as if the incident occurred yesterday,"

[I think he's drunk because he's in his vulnerable state already. But damn, Dome really has bad experiences from his childhood until now. No wonder he keeps on pushing everyone away. Imagine also the trauma he's been putting up with all by himself.] Kevin put Dome's glass farther from him to stop him from drinking more.

"Dome, enough with the alcohol you're drunk already," Dome surrendered and plopped down his head on the counter instead.

"I feel like I'm living in hell despite being alive. I don't know why I'm still here,"

"Because your life has a purpose… as long as you're alive you can still do something to change the way you live according to what you want it to be," [I really think it's not yet over for Dome. He can start over again. He can change his perspective in life. I just know it. He can escape from this nightmare.] Kevin thought.

"What do I want it to be? I don't know yet. What I know is I just want to escape from everything. I just want to live peacefully," Dome mumbled.

"That's enough reason already," Kevin smiled. [Am I hallucinating or did I just see Kevin smile? I thought this guy is a robot, I guess he still shows emotions sometimes.] Dome blinked his eyes twice.

"You know, Kev? This is the first time, in my entire life that I've opened up to someone. More importantly, this is the first time I talked seriously with someone," Dome chuckled. "I don't know, I guess the saying 'make your friends close and your enemies closer' is true," Kevin laughed. [He's really dumb. That saying doesn't even apply to what he said earlier.]

The music started to sound louder than usual. The two needed to shout so that they could hear each other. The LED lights were blinding again and the people started to crowd on the dance floor. [It's getting late; I should drive him to the place.]

"Dome, let's go," Kevin nudged his shoulder to wake him up. [He's starting to fall asleep.] Dome already lost his sense of self so Kevin assisted him while walking. He let him sit on the front seat of his car before he started the engine.

[Dome is not even my friend to begin with. In fact, we can be considered as enemies. Why am I helping him again? Is this out of pity only? I don't know either. Or maybe because I know that Day has no one. He doesn't have someone to rely on; he doesn't have someone who will listen to him when he feels sad or angry. He chooses to keep everything by himself and act tough on the outside so he wouldn't look weak.]

"Wake up, silly. We're here," Kevin gave Dome a soft slap on his cheek. He slowly opened his eyes when he realized the vehicle had already stopped. [We're in a parking lot?]

"Have you sobered up a bit? Could you please walk on your own because you're freaking heavy, Dome," Dome nodded unconsciously.

"Where are we?"

"My family owns this hotel, each one of us has our own unit here. You can use mine. I can't bring you home, my mother would freak out," Kevin joked around. [Oh, yeah. If I'm rich, then Kevin is RICH rich.]

The elevator stopped on the 4th floor. Room 414. Kevin swiped the key card and opened the room. [What the hell, this is spacious! This room already looks like our living room.] Dome couldn't help but to admire Kevin's unit.

"This room has everything so you don't need to worry about anything. If you run out of food, just call the operator and tell them you're my friend," [Friend? We're friends now?] Dome was taken aback with what he heard. Kevin noticed that he was frozen for a moment so he snapped his finger in front of him.

"There's no ghost here, don't tell me there is?"

"No… I was just surprised, you don't hate me now?"

Kevin made a confused face. "What are you saying? Oh, that… well, I supposed not anymore? You're not a bastard for nothing. What about you? You still hate a loser like me?" He chuckled.

"Am I still allowed though?" Dome teased him. "I owe you big time now, so I guess not anymore too,"

"Friends?" Kevin extended his hand. [I'm not even drunk, why am I asking such things? And it's embarrassing if he wouldn't accept my hand.]

"Friends," Dome thought it was weird that Kevin asked that all of a sudden but he just found himself shaking hands with him. [After 24 years of being alive, I finally have my first ever friend.]