Tales of the Underground: Crestfallen - 10. The King of the Underground

Pulling back into my driveway that night I felt like a million bucks. I couldn’t help but laugh as Perry politely hurried out of the car and up the stairs. I suppose he wasn’t as big a fun as rock as I had wished. As I made my way up the stairs I heard the familiar sound of a glass clinking, a sound that seemed to haunt the house the later it got. I not so eagerly made my way into the kitchen knowing what awaited me.

“Aidan” my dad called out in a stern voice “Why are you awake?”

“Just putting in a late night training session” I answered with a smile

I tried by best to hide the stitching on my eyebrow but my dad’s eyes seemed to zero in on them “What’s with the different color stitching? Shouldn’t it be out already?”

“Yeah about that” I said in a nervous laugh “My friend was helping me train and he accidently tagged me”

“You’re still not fast enough to avoid Henry?” My dad sighed

“No!” I stubbornly blurted out “I can avoid him in my sleep. It was a new friend Jayden”

I watched my dad’s expression change from disappointment to anger “Are you serious? A new kid tagged you?”

“Yeah but dad…”

“No Aidan, that’s totally unacceptable!” he began “What weak excuse for a fighter are you?” he took a few steps forward and I could start to smell the alcohol in his breathe “You’re gonna keep training with this kid until he can’t touch you. Is that clear?”

“Yes sir” I nervously replied

“You have a fight Tuesday night, I want that kid in your corner” He said wrapping up his lecture

“That’s not such a good idea” I nervously pushed out

“What?” my dad angrily bellowed grabbing onto my shirt

“He’s not the type of person you really want in your corner, ya know?” I could feel my voice shaking as I tried to squirm free of his grip

My dad gave me a good shove that nearly forced me to the ground “Then I want him in the crowd, and I want you to show him exactly what you can do. I want a brutal submission. I want to see you snap a man in two in that fight.” I bit my lip out of fear and looked away “I’m not asking you Aidan, I’m telling you!”

“Yes sir” I spit in hopes that our conversation was finally over

“Good, now get the hell out of my face”

He didn’t have to tell me twice, as I quickly ran up the stairs and into the shower. I did my best to force the encounter out of my mind, and sure enough by time it was time to go to sleep I had. Despite the whole situation I slept like an angel. How could I let that down when I’ve met a cute guy that loves the same type of music as me? That’s GOTTA mean something right? Plus the way he’ll look at me every now and then, I can’t possibly be making this all up in my head. There has to be something more! There just has to!

I anxiously went about my morning routine the next day, breakfast, getting changed, the car ride it all turned into a blur as I couldn’t wait to see Jayden. We’ve finally found a common ground, and what seems to be the foundation of something new…something special. As I approached my locker, I saw a slim figure leaning up against it. I took a deep breath, and carried on. What the hell is with this school and morning visitors? What is this all one big game of telephone?

“Are you the new wrestler?” I heard the slim figure spit

“Yup” I sighed “I’m Aidan Taylor”

“Really?” she said in some surprise “You seem pretty small for a fighter”

I felt her words bounce right off me “screw off”

“No reason to get upset” she said in an almost taunt

“We get it I’m short, we’ve all noticed that” I said trying not to get too defensive “I don’t go to your locker and start shit do I?”

“You might as well have” she muttered “You’re Eli’s new mentee right?”

“Oh lovely so this is more shit about him” I rolled my eyes and began to pack my bag “Look I go it, I got the spiel from that other kid. I’m not…”

“No” she interrupted “I’m not here to stop you, like he was trying to. I’m here to ask you a favor” I looked over at her with curious eyes “Save him”

“Alright you people are out of your damn minds” I spoke starting to get frustrated by all the confrontations “I’m literally just trying to be friendly and survive the year as his student”

“Yeah well that means you’re gonna get close with him. It means he’s eventually going to let you in. From what Jacob told me, he’s already defended you once.” I looked into her brown eyes and was met with a will equal to mine “To coexist and be friendly with him you’re going to have to understand him”

“I’ll get right on that” I mocked shutting my locker

“You might take this as one big joke but Eli meant something to a lot of people” she reprimanded “He was one of the last pure souls left on this godforsaken earth. I would do anything to get him back”

“Ever think he’s not that person anymore? That he’s permanently changed?” I leaned in and faked a smile “Who the hell are you anyway?”

“God, Jacob was right. You’re just like he was” she sighed “I’m his best friend…or at least I used to be” she said out of grief “Trust me, he hasn’t permanently changed, he just won’t let anyone in. He can be brought back…he just needs to be understood first.”

“Well, he’s not exactly an open book” I sighed “Just let me do my thing, I can handle it”

“No you can’t. Not without understanding…”

I rolled my eyes and pulled my bag onto my shoulder “You said that already, I got it okay?” I interrupted

“without understanding who Jamie Free was” she finished

I felt the gears in my mind begin to turn “Jamie Free? Where have I heard that name before?”

“On the news probably” she muttered “He was Eli’s boyfriend...before it all happened”

“It all happened?” I repeated

“Put your bag down and have a seat” she said sliding to the floor “Prepare yourself for the nightmare Eli lived through” I did as instructed and plopped down right next to her “Eli and Jamie were friends since I met them. They were inseparable…perhaps their souls really were made to be together. For every stupid thing Jamie did, Eli countered it with something equally rational. It seemed like every time one went to tip the scale the other stopped them from going to an extreme. That was all thrown off after Eli came out, and Jamie’s mom passed. I guess the two things were too much for Jamie to handle, and he jumped ship without even so much as a goodbye. It was then the two carved out their fates, Eli plunged himself into a tough honest work ethic, if people were gonna write him off that easy…well he was going to give them something to regret. Jamie threw himself into a cesspool of sin. He buried himself in grief and threw away the shovel. That’s when the racing began. I don’t know why he did it. Eli said for the money but me…I think it was because it was the only place he could feel in control. One things for sure, the second he entered himself into his first race he sold his soul. That night he dove into a pit of darkness and despair, and never came out. I didn’t know about it at first, in fact I didn’t know about it until after Eli and him started dating, but once I knew I instantly figured out everything he was going through. He was on a self-destructive path, one he was hell-bent on finishing. But no matter how much I begged, cried and pleaded that’s never how Eli saw it.” Her voice started to shake as she got further into the story “I mean Jamie was his other half, how could he even think about leaving him? When they started to date…it was the happiest I had ever seen Eli. It was like he was on top of a mountain, and no one could touch him. Eli devoted himself to saving Jamie, yet something was terribly wrong. Instead of saving Jamie he was becoming just like him. He thought he was pulling Jamie out of the pit, only to find that the whole time Jamie was pulling him in. Once more I tried to warn him…I tried to warn them both, but no one would listen. I swear there was one time I reached Jamie, I could see it in his eyes…he knew he was dragging Eli down with him, but he couldn’t bear to lose him. He was fine with taking Eli right down to the bowels of hell so long as they were together. So there they sat Jamie, The Reaper, the king of underground racing and his beautiful boyfriend Velocity, a hostage who didn’t realize it. That was until Eli was actually taken” A stray tear rolled down her face as she thought about the ending of the story “You’ve seen the news reports…. I don’t need to explain what happened after that right?” I shook my head “Then there you have it. Jamie Free was the one who caused the fall of Babylon. He took Eli’s clean soul and wove darkness all throughout it. To be honest I really don’t know who Eli blames for it all. He used to blame himself, but that seems to have passed. Maybe he blames Matty for not being there, or me and Jacob for acting rationally. You’re the only one who can really figure that out. Aidan you have to”

I sat there silently absorbing it all, trying to separate her facts from her opinions “Look” I began “I really don’t know how to take that. I mean I appreciate the background, but how do I know you didn’t just have a crush on Eli and couldn’t handle that Jamie got the guy in the end?” I saw anger cross her face, but I wasn’t trying to provoke her I was just trying to be honest “I’m sorry I’m just being honest. At least now I know more about Jamie I guess.” I let out a deep sigh and her eyes suddenly jumped to life “Anyway can you tell me anymore about the Sanders. I only know that…” it was at that moment I felt a presence towering over me “that Eli hates them” I quietly finished

“Why are you here?” I heard Eli growl from next to me

“Because he needs to know!” she defended jumping to her feet

“I’ve already caught Jacob trying this shit” his voice grew angrier and angrier with every word “But now you. After all the hell YOU’VE caused? This is low even for a bitch like you.”

I watched pain begin to grow in her “He should know what he’s getting himself into. Who’s footsteps he’s following in.”

“For the last goddamn time he’s not following in anyone’s footsteps. Why do you both keep trying to compare him to Jamie? You’re forcing a square into a circular hole like a god damn baby. Perhaps if you took the time to get to know him you would see that.” the intensity in his voice was enough to even make me shake “and guess what? My locker hasn’t moved between last week and this one! I’m still gonna walk by every single time you two try and talk to him! I’ll shut it down every time too! So go get a life, and worry about your selves” she went to open her mouth but he slammed his fist against the locker “No fuck you! Goodbye Stephanie! I don’t miss you”

She shook her head and disappeared around the corner “Damn you didn’t have to be such a dick” I spit finally getting to me feet

“What did she tell you?” he demanded

“Nothing” I shrugged

He stared me down with nothing but aner “What do you know?” he ordered

“I know who Jamie is” I admitted “but don’t worry! I don’t believe much of what she said about him.” I saw a sadness so deep grow in his eyes that it shook me too my core “I’ll forget it all for now okay? I’ll let you tell me about him when you’re ready”

“I’ll never be ready” he sighed

“Then I won’t push you” I offered with a lighter expression “I’m here to learn from you, not judge you or save you.” He nodded and began to walk away “Eli it’ll be okay…you’re not alone” I forced out not knowing what else to say

He turned back and shot me a look so evil I was forced to take a step back “Never tell me it will be okay” I nodded as he turned back and went to his locker.

What the hell is in the drinking water at this school? Is everyone this crazy? God I really hope this isn’t gonna be a struggle for the whole school year! Yet still…Jamie really seemed like he meant something to Eli. Maybe he was his other half. After all, this definitely isn’t the same kid I met last year. Perhaps the Reaper’s kiss of death spares no one…even if it was just a nickname.