8. Two Promises and An Indecent Proposal

Riley

I didn't mean to kill the mood, but it didn't feel right letting the kid be hopeful for a whole lifetime when he only had a little over a week until the world ends. As soon as I showed the kid the news, he sat back down on the couch in shock. I wouldn't blame him if he wanted to turn to suicide again, but the fact that the drug didn't kill him still puzzles me.

I walked over to the kitchen and started heating up water in my tea kettle. The kid was having what seemed like an anxiety attack, so I rummaged through my cupboards and took out some boxes of herbal tea to relax the kid. I prepared two cups of tea and handed them to Ethan and the kid.

"Here you go," I said as I handed them the cups. "Drink up, it'll calm your nerves."

The kid took the cup and was crying. "I want to go home. I don't want to die."

I felt sorry for the kid. He came here to die because he had a crappy life. Now that he wants to live, it just seems too cruel for the universe to do this.

"By the way," I ask, "What's your name? I forgot to ask you."

"My name is Aaron." the kid answered.

"Aaron, I'm truly sorry about all of this." I told him. "I promise I will take you home, ok?" Aaron nods in reply. "Where do you live?"

"Galveston." he answered.

Ethan began coughing as he choked on his tea in response. "Galveston?!?!"

"That's a pretty far trip to make by yourself." I say to Aaron.

"What should we do?" Ethan asked, worried about sending Aaron home amidst the chaos of the outside world.

"That's a good question." I say to Ethan. "We can't send him home on a bus since all the bus depots are more than likely not running. As far as driving goes, most of the highways in town are jammed. We can try the toll roads if they're open. No need to collect a toll during these next few days."

"We'll need supplies." said Ethan

As soon as Ethan said this, the TV which was broadcasting news suddenly went silent. The screen is completely blank except for the box in the center stating No Signal.

"It cut off." Aaron said, breaking the heavy silence that filled the room once the TV feed stopped.

"Who wouldn't lose motivation to work when the world is ending?" I meant for the question to be in my head but instead I asked it aloud.

"So, they ran?" Aaron asked.

"Seems like it," I answered. "Pretty soon, electricity, plumbing, internet, even mobile phones will follow soon." I turn around and see Ethan just staring at the TV. No emotion registering on his face. I can still read him even after all these years. He's terrified beyond reason and he's focusing on trying to remain calm.

"Are you okay?" I ask him, placing my hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah." was all he said, not even looking at me. He just kept looking at the blank TV screen.

I walk away towards the kitchen when he starts to cry, finally unable to hold back the tears he was fighting back.

"I'm lying," he sobbed, "I'm definitely not okay."

I grab his arm and pull him in for a hug. It has been so long since we have been in each others' arms. Even though the circumstances could be better, it still felt like it did back then. This was the first time ever that Ethan cried in my arms. I was expecting him to come to his senses and violently push me away. But he didn't. His arms held me tight against him as he broke down emotionally. I couldn't blame him. This planet is truly meeting its end.

Ethan

I couldn't hold it in anymore. The realization had hit me that the world was truly ending and I could not pretend that it didn't affect me anymore. What's worse was that I ended up in his arms again.

I don't know why I allowed that to happen or why I didn't want to push him away. I hate him, but somehow I couldn't hate him at this moment. I felt no revulsion, no sense of loathing in regards to his touch. In fact, my body craved it, needing it like water in a desert. Strangely, a familiar comfort washed over me as he held me.

"It's ok." He said. "You're not alone in this."

I managed to calm down and he let me go. My gaze followed him as he went to the bathroom. A thought plagued me as soon as he let me go. He was planning to use that drug to die, wasn't he? But why? He has it all.

"What could've cornered you to the point of death?" I ask softly to myself for Riley.

It bothered me the whole night that I couldn't sleep well. I decided to let go of that burning question and focus on getting Aaron back home.

The next morning, I told them that I had some supplies at home to help with the journey. Since Riley has the means to drive, he decided to take me home and help pack the supplies.

"Be careful out there." Aaron said as we both were leaving.

"We'll be back with the supplies I have stashed at home."

"What about the convenience stores?" he asked.

Riley answered his question, "They've been looted already. Which leads us to another dilemma, how are we going to get gas?"

"Let's solve one problem at a time." I stated.

Riley was surprised when we pulled into the parking lot of my apartment complex. "Man, this takes me back. I didn't think you'd still be living here."

"Well," I replied coldly, "I am." I take Riley up the familiar path to my apartment.

"Seriously," he said as he walked through the door. "Nothing's changed."

I ignore his ranting and begin packing up canned foods, snacks, water, even glow sticks and batteries. Riley helped out and in doing so, tried to make some small talk.

"By the way," he started, "What was your job before this?"

"I worked at a call center." I answered.

"Pretty nice."

"Not really, the hours were long and the pay sucked. But it was easy work."

"Were you happy?" asked Riley.

I couldn't answer his question. Truth be told, I never thought if work made me happy or not. It was just a job for me and nothing else. It paid my bills and gave me a steady schedule. Even though it didn't pay well, looking at the situation we are in now, saving money doesn't matter anymore.

"Never really thought of it." I answered as I took out empty boxes from my room. I was heading towards the kitchen when Riley started talking again.

"Now this brings back memories." He said when he sat on my bed. "I remember your neighbors would always complain about how noisy we were while going at it on this very bed."

He had to bring up those memories, and not the ones where I was left broken and alone. "I'm surprised you remember something so trivial." I told him. As much as I tried to focus on the task at hand, my mind suddenly recalled all our nights together. His voice was always on the loud side, especially when I was inside him.

"I wonder," He said, "If it still holds true that you can make me scream." He said with that impish grin of his.

I angrily set down a box and respond, "Shut your fucking mouth."

After a few seconds, Riley called out to me. "Hey, come here."

I walk to my bedroom and see him still sitting on the bed, patting the space next to him, inviting me to sit next to him. "Come, sit here with me." He said in his seductive voice.

"Huh?"

"C'mon," He continued, "Don't be shy."

I roll my eyes at him and entertain his request. I sat down next to him on the bed, just like he wanted. I have an idea what he wants to do. That horny little bitch.

"So." He said while looking at me with that familiar, lustful glare in his eye.

"What now?" I ask him, the annoyance clear in my voice.

He leans in close to me and whispers in my ear, "Want to do it for old times sake?"

I looked at him as if he asked me if he wanted to go on a crime spree with him. "Are you out of your fucking mind?" I asked him.

"Look," He said in rebuttal, "I know we're not on the best of terms, but who cares now? The world is going to hell anyways."

"That's still no reason to-" I tried to protest but he jumped on top of me, straddling his legs over my hips, his hands pinning my wrists down on the bed. He looks at me while I look back, pinned underneath him. He grinds his hips over my crotch and I feel myself getting hard by the movement.

"I know you're scared about what's going to happen in a few days." He said with sincere eyes. "I want to make you feel good so you don't have to be scared anymore." He released my wrists and his hands began caressing my chest, moving down to my belly. He lifts up my shirt and his right hand disappears under my shirt. His touch on my bare chest was enough to make me want him again. "I still remember your birthmark right here." His hand caresses the area under my left nipple where my mark is. He leans in close, his lips just a couple inches away from kissing mine. "What kind of sex have you been having?" He asked me. "Tell me, Ethan."

I can't take it anymore. I wrap my arms around his waist and flip us over. Now he's on his back and I'm on top of him, his legs still wrapped around my waist. I lean in close and whisper to him, "Do you really want to know?" He nods. "Well, it's none of your fucking business." I angrily tell him and push myself off him and leave the bedroom. I stood just outside the hall, my back turned away from Riley. "Our fling may have been a page in your book of fond memories, but you left me traumatized!" The anger and sadness I have been carrying with me these past ten years have finally come to the surface.

I turned around to face him, tears streaming from my eyes. "I'm still deeply scarred by the whole experience. To me, sex was something sacred. It was a form of trust between us. You betrayed that trust and shattered it to pieces." I started to shake as I said this.

"So," he said, clearly shaken by my outburst, "You haven't been with anyone since."

"No," I answered angrily, "I've had sex with plenty of guys. I hated myself for trusting you so much that I became the one person I truly hate. I became you. Sex was something sacred to me. Was, meaning past tense. But despite my history, I wouldn't fuck you even now with the world ending. I fucking hate you."

And there it was, the mission I had set out to accomplish when we met up again had been completed. I had hurt him. But despite that, I didn't feel better. My revenge was not satisfying, even though I'm sure I hurt him more than he hurt me. Why did I feel bad for doing this? Why was this pathological fuckboy tugging at my cold dead heart.

It then hit me, something I thought was dead, but it was just buried under all the anger and sadness. The resentment I felt for him was part of that, but underneath all that, deep down in the depths, was the love I had for him. No, the love I still have for him. My revenge didn't make me feel better, just worse. All because I still love him. Even with that knowledge, I still cannot trust him.

I return to packing the supplies when he says to me, "All the more reason for us to stick together." He grabs my shoulder and turns me around to face him. "I know you don't believe me, but I want to make things right between us. So I'll prove it to you. We have over a week left, so until we die, I promise I won't have sex with anyone but you."

Who the hell does he think he is? Of course this fuckboy can swear his eternal love for me with over a week left on this Earth. I shrug him off and get my stockpile of batteries. I have AAA's, AA's, C's and a nine-volt. I was still shaking from my angry outburst that I dropped the case and some batteries rolled around all over the counter. I saw some roll off down the space between the kitchen counter and the refrigerator. "Damn it." I shouted as I collected the batteries on the counter. I tried to reach for the ones in the nook but couldn't so I decided to move the refrigerator.

"Wait," Riley stopped me. "Go and finish packing. I'll get the batteries. Besides, I have smaller hands and skinnier arms." He grinned and went to retrieve the batteries that fell in between.

I had finished packing the final box and looked over at Riley. He was looking at something in his hand. "What do you have there?"

The question startled him and he started acting suspiciously. "Oh nothing, but when we get back, you may need to really clean that area. It's filthy there. I'm going to go wash my hands. Here are the batteries," He handed me the batteries he retrieved and rushed to the bathroom. Once he got in, he closed and locked the door. What's with him now?

His words still echoed in my head. "We have over a week left, so until we die, I promise I won't have sex with anyone but you." Honestly, after I told him that I hated him, he looked utterly destroyed. I was tempted to apologize and hold him in my arms again. But how can I still love him when I can't even trust him?