The bed groaned loudly as both boys bounced on it with a loud thud. The wooden frame that served as a support to lift the bed up from the ground also creaked at the impact of the way they had bounced on the bed at the same time.
Nothing, absolutely nothing was good and functioning properly in that house. Not even their clothes. Jamil had helped stitch the holes in Ashton's underpants when he had intended to throw them off into the street garbage bin.
Jamil had nagged Ashton every time about keeping them instead and he offered to stitch them up so they could save some pennies instead of wasting them on some new butt_huggers.
Ashton folded his arms around his head which served as a pillow for his head. He sighed exasperatedly now staring into absolute darkness.
He strained his eyes to get the smallest glimmer of light, but it was of no use. Everywhere was pitch dark, the street was now quiet like a silent graveyard. Everyone had gone into their homes and no one dared light a candle.
The streets were so quiet for a long while until the piercing cry of a stray cat shrilled through every corner of the street. This was the only sound that rang through the street and after a while, it stopped after an old woman screamed 'Get lost you little bastard' at the cat.
It was as if everyone was waiting for the grim reaper to come down that night, as if everyone was waiting for their death, which would not happen in their slumber. It happens every night so, it has become a daily quest for everyone to not do things that will attract attention to their home-in the night.
Jamil broke the disturbing silence by clearing his throat. He began to say,
"Ashton, you should give up getting into the MTA"
Ashton shifted his back to proportion to a better sleeping position for himself. It was his own way of shrugging at what Jamil had just said to him. He refused to reply to Jamil until after a few seconds had passed away.
"I have to go Jamil," Ashton started. "I cannot stay here and do nothing. I do not want to die in this slum...I would rather choose to die in the walls of the academy than die in this slum Jamil."
Jamil didn't respond to whatever Ashton had just said, and they both remained silent for the next couple of minutes again. Ashton felt uncomfortable dealing with the empty silence that was dancing in between them.
It was weird enough for both boys to be sleeping together-with little closure between on the same bed in the tiny slum they call a house and now, a deafening silence was making a ceremonial parade across the room.
Ashton couldn't bear the silence anymore. If Jamil was going to stop the conversation at the starting point, why bring up the discussion in the first place?.
'Dang! What's with the radio silence now?'
Ashton stood up from the bed and got his feet in motion. He removed his trouser and stride towards their shelf to drop the fabric. As he headed back to the bed in his underpants alone, he hit his leg against something he never thought was in his way.
"Fuck!" He cursed, now leaping on one foot.
Jamil did not bother to sympathize with him as he changed his sleeping position. He muffled a little laughter which sold him out as still awake. Ashton didn't mind this and just flung himself to the bed again, now sleeping on his face. Again, the bed creaked at the impact.
Suddenly, Jamil spanked Ashton's butt and squeezed it a bit. Ashton was sick of this gesture already, Jamil was having fun doing that stupid thing he always does whenever he smacked Ashton's butt -squeezing.
Jamil's intent was that Ashton should stop removing his trousers or shirt while they are going to bed. Who knows what might chase them out of the house suddenly into the street in the middle of a grave night? leaving the other on_lookers who might have rushed out of their homes as well staring at Ashton's protruding tarse.
Jamil had dreamt about this happening multiple times and he had warned Ashton about it, but the ignorant boy wouldn't listen. Ashton would always say, "Dreams are just films we watch while we are asleep, they never happen in real life."
~~~
"Gay!" Ashton said, "Get your hands off my property."
A smile spread on Jamil's face and he let out a small chuckle. He turned again as the position he shifted to earlier was getting uncomfortable for him.
"So, what are you going to do now?" Jamil asked, in continuation of their former conversation. "What are your plans? Steal again to get detained?"
"Bro..." Ashton started sighing exasperatedly. "Nicking from a shop will only get me detained for hours and I will get released eventually. I have to improvise something bigger and better."
"And...., What would that improvisation be?" Jamil asked again, trying to fuel his suspicion. "Kill someone?"
"Tch" Ashton sighed inwardly, clicking his teeth with a sly smile making way into his face. He smiled so much one could mistake it for a blush.
Jamil felt a little bit guilty for being too blunt with his question, but he wouldn't want Ashton to do something crazy just to get into the MTA. Why sacrifice your life just to get into some damned academy?
Ever since they had met in that segregated part of the town, Ashton's obsession with the MTA had always been ringing into Jamil's ears. He did not know why Ashton was really determined to get into the academy but one thing was sure_ it was to avoid being tagged as weak because of his small physique.
Ashton wasn't willing to share his reason for wanting to get into the MTA at all cost and he wasn't ready to share this with other people, not even with his closest pal-Jamil. Ashton was notoriously independent when it came to petty crimes. He had never called Jamil into any of his heists because he knew Jamil was a pure boy unlike him- the bad egg.
"What's your plan Ashton? Tell me that at least if you consider me as your friend or better still brother"
"Jamil," Ashton started his speech. "I have to commit the perfect crime that will take me straight into the MTA_perfect crime!"