I'm now clearing all the clutter here at Dylan's apartment while I wait for him to arrive so we can eat together. I have also thrown away the trash need to be thrown away, especially the paraphernalia that he uses every time they have a drug session here. Dylan has a strong connection because he knows big people who are in positions.
This isn’t the first time I’ve been here. I’ve been here a lot of time since he became my boyfriend. I almost live here whenever we have a misunderstanding at home.
Dylan is stow-away and I don’t know his family. All he told me was that he was tired because his parents often quarreled so he left. He said he was left because he was tired of the noise of their house. He only goes home to visit his siblings but when his parents are there he leaves immediately.
"You already here?" he asked as he entered and then threw the shoe to the side as if he didn't care.
"Hey! Haven't you seen it just now finished clearing up the mess? It's like you did not see anything.” He looked around as if surprised and then laughed out loud.
"Ah, you're cleaning? As if nothing happened because it's still messy." Then he laughed out loud again.
I threw the pillow at him but he laughed even harder. He went to his cabinet then took a shirt and got dressed. I prepared food and sat down. We only eat on the floor because we are both more comfortable.
He washed his hands then set beside me and handed me a paper bag.
"What is this?" I asked as I took the bag from him.
"You won't know if you don't open it," he replied and began to eat.
I wondered as I opened the bag and pulled out the things inside to see what it was. My smile widened when I saw what was inside the bag. Two ripped jeans and two gray oversize shirts.
"Is this for me?" I asked then lifted the clothes and forget that I need to eat first.
"Why do you think I'm wearing that?" he asked me while eating.
I approached him then touched his face even though he was chewing then kissed him on the lips and winked.
"Thanks, handsome." Then I kissed him again.
"The bitterness of your lips tastes like bitter melon," he said chewing so I slapped him on the shoulder.
"That's your last kiss."
I also got rice and a dish and then started eating.
"I will sleep here," I said but he just looked at me then nodded and smiled broadly.
"Why, are you going to give in now?" he laughed at the question.
"Your mouth is rude." Suppose I am disgusted with the question but I wasn't offended because I know he did not mean it. If it’s offensive for others to listen to me it’s normal as a joke. Because it just proves how open we are to each other.
"Just kidding," he said then eat again. "You're still saying while you're always sleeping here when there's nothing you can do about it." He's right. I may have spent even more time here at his house than at ours. It has become more my home than ours.
One of the things I like about Dylan is that even though he’s crazy he respects me. As I said, sometimes his hand is light but he never forced me to do something I didn't want. Even though we are side by side in bed and hugging to sleep but he doesn’t take a step against my will. In fact, it is very difficult to resist that temptation, especially for a man.
"Hey, something bothering you?"
I shook my head and then accompanied him to eat. We didn’t talk until he first finished. He put away what he had eaten and then approached the small sofa with a table in front. When I finished, I also put mine away and then washed it before him. I saw him sitting down while he was counting the money.
"Oh!" at once he handed me a folded bill. “You were the one who took Diks in addition to that. I need to build this so that I can finish our problem with Uncle Pao.” I nodded and took the money he gave me then counted. It is ten thousand pesos
"Pass Diks tomorrow before you go home so you can give something to your sister." I did not answer him. I just put the money aside and went to the bathroom to clean my body.
When I finished cleaning up I found Dylan using drugs. I turned to him and when he noticed me he blew smoke at me. I didn't avoid hitting him as I used to when he did that so he was surprised.
"Why you did not avoid it?" he asked me and started again.
"Dy, can I try?" to my question, he suddenly lowered the lighter and remove the pipe out of his mouth, this is the foil that makes straw.
“What did you say?” I averted my gaze and then sighed. His voice was a bit angry so I didn’t look at him.
"I just want something soothing and encouraging," I said. "Something that can make me brave.
I felt him hug me and pull me closer to him.
“You are brave even without it and you are calm even without it. So you don't need that.” I looked at him who was now also looking at me seriously.
"But----" I replied when I saw that he was still standing.
"Don't ever try to use it, Mia. Because I'm the first one you can fight when you do that. You are broken in the eyes of some because of your wring doing so don't add more,” he said then took back the one he used earlier. "Do you understand?" he asked and I just nodded in agreement.
“Let me do this alone because my life is already chaotic. I also accepted that my life is miserable. I already include you in this kind of a mess but I won't allow you to be more misserable.” he added then continued what he was doing.