Chapter 69

Billy kept saying that it was over. That this was life’s way of telling them to go home. But Billy was wrong. Scared, too. And Xavier couldn’t blame him for wanting to turn back. This had never been Billy’s trip in the first place. Billy had gone as far as he could.

Exhausted, but clear-headed, Xavier waited for Billy to return from the store with their breakfast. This was it. Billy was going to tell him goodbye. But he deserved Billy deserting him like this. He really did. He’d promised him a better life in Mexico, but what had Billy gotten out of this mad journey? He’d been robbed, had slept in a shitty room for two weeks, had ruined his health, and worst of all, had lost his innocence. That sweet trusting way Xavier had loved so much about him.

He’d sworn to Billy’s friend that nothing bad would happen, but this morning, seeing Billy’s red-rimmed eyes and ashen face, Xavier had understood how much he’d wronged him. Francis had been right. Hewas the bad thing in Billy’s life.