"Let's get ourselves out, man," Luke stated in a low tone.
I was still in the car, not sure how much time we had spent parked out here in this parking area. I was just feeling irritated, vulnerable, and experiencing a wrench in my heart in addition to the disgust I felt for Kate's parents.
After Luke's words, I touched the car knob and slightly opened the car door. I heard Luke too, leaving the car, as I stepped out. Right outside, after closing the passenger door, a nauseous feeling embraced me. I felt sick, my stomach uncomfortable, and in a few seconds, I was already running towards the drainage system of the hostels, vomiting vehemently as Luke lit his phone's torch to see me.
"Dude," he stated, rubbing my back, but I just raised my hand, indicating not to interfere, to let me go through this, through it.
After, I let myself up the stairs towards wherever I lived, as Luke followed me. I opened my door and entered, removed my shoes, and came upon the sight of the alcohol that I still hadn't finished drinking. I didn't think I needed alcohol at the moment, but there was something beautiful about drinking it. The drinks, the whiskey, the way it burned your throat in a devious way, made it feel like it was draining your problems.
As if Luke was reading my thoughts, he went into the kitchen, I guess, brought some glasses, and just opposite me, he sat as I let myself sink into the chair.
"It's gonna be alright, man," he stated. I needed him to stop talking about being alright; I needed him to talk about the happy times, the happy times before Kate. However, I knew there was indeed no happier time than Kate's presence.
"What should I do? She is my girl, Luke. I can't just forget it; she is family. She is..." The next thing I did left me shocked too; I banged the bottle of whiskey, full, onto the floor and watched the glass shatter as Luke jumped up in surprise. He had never seen me this horribly broken. He was used to the happy me, the old fuckin' Hayzen, but this was...well, I was also surprised by this reaction.
"Dude, I think you should rest," he stated, being very cautious with his words, from the lowering of his voice, and the fact that he jumped over the shattered glass and took my hand. Letting him, he took me inside my room, the damned room which Kate and I shared.
If it weren't for the fact that Luke was being so nice, I would slap him and ask why he was bringing me inside the hellhole I was trying to get out of. I just wondered. But out of respect, I threw myself on the bed as he took off my shoes, shoved me to the center of the bed, and placed the well-folded duvet over me.
"Goodnight, man. Tomorrow is a long day. You don't want to disappoint Doctor Kingstone," he stated, then rubbed my hair a little, closed the door, and left. I think he left for his home, as I heard the front door open and close.
But sleep invaded me before I could think of everything that was happening to me. Maybe my dream life would be better than this hellhole. And f* Kate's parents.
I woke with my head aching, my throat dry, but the sharpest pain was in my foot. So I slowly uncovered the duvet that covered me as the sunlight embraced the room. It was Monday; I knew I had practicals, I had Doctor Kingstone's demanding job, and there was Kate.
Kate's issue was another...and then after a small time contemplating my headache and trying to slowly raise my foot to see what was going on down there, my door, my apartment door, was knocked on. I think I had visitors.
Trying to step on the ground, my foot started bleeding; it couldn't steady my weight, and the banging on my door was becoming very annoying. Thus, I first sat on the bed, examined my right foot, and realized a small piece of glass had pierced deep into it. So I painfully removed it, using one of my t-shirts to stop the bleeding. It's funny that despite working in a chemist, I didn't have important materials for first aid. So, I just rolled the t-shirt perfectly over my foot, as the doctor I was, and then slowly headed towards the outside door to see who it was.
I opened it. "Police!" My heart shattered, and my whole body froze at the moment.
One of the police officers was a tall white man with a disturbing mustache that almost covered his small-lipped mouth. The other one was a short, muscular black man with no visible facial hair.
"Hayzen Levin-Jason?" the tall one stated.
"Yes, sir," I stated before they could even breathe.
They were checking me out from top to bottom, so I decided to check myself out. The white t-shirt I wore had a slight stain on the belly, which I'm not sure why it had it. I didn't know the cause. I didn't like someone seeing me in this manner, looking out of place, and looking like a homeless man, or like someone who can never help themselves.
"Can we come in?" the same police officer questioned, and before I could answer, they just stormed in. The shattered glass, everything...
"Who sent you?" I asked despite knowing they could sense the fear in my voice.
"You are not to be seen near Catherine McDavie," the short one stated.
"Here is your order." They slapped a brown envelope on my chest, and I took it before it hit the floor. The next thing they did was leave, banging my front door, not sure why they were acting so badly towards me.
So, I opened the envelope slowly, and a bulk, three-paged white sheet of paper was inside. I let it slide out of the envelope, throwing the envelope down, not worrying if it hit the floor or not.
'NYC POLICE FORCE RESTRAINING ORDER 5678*** KATE MCDAVIE TO HAYZEN LEVIN-JASON Reason: Drug abuse and Bullying …'
I didn't have enough time to finish reading the damn thing. I just picked up my phone, called Doctor Kingstone first to state that I was still not feeling well, and then directly called Kate's mother. This was the worst decision I ever or probably will ever make in my life.
After two rings, she picked up,
"Hello..."
"Hello, ma'am. It's fucking Hayzen, Hayzen Levin-Jason. The bastard who got your daughter pregnant. You like that, yeah? That I got her pregnant and now you can restrict me from goddamn seeing her. I know you have money, fucking dollars or whatever, but listen to me, listen to me wo..." I wanted to say woman, but just cut my statement by clearing my throat. She was not saying anything, the damned woman, but I continued, "Well, congrats, because all my dreams, all the dreams of being a great father with my son and with a family, you are shattering them. I know you got shit, money, and you think that can affect my damned life. Oh God, yes, you have; do you know you have done it? You have made me look insane, you have made me buy damned spirits that I don't even drink. What do you want me to do? Okay, I made the mistake, I made the mistake, like it was not something I had planned for. Even Doctor Kingstone warned me about it, he told me I should have known better and used protection. I know you think I am currently mentally unstable, or you think I have some damned mental condition. However, let me ask you this, what's the difference between me and Melissa and Funky? You let them see her, and I was just shoved off. And now this restriction, what else could you not do to me? Okay, listen, let's do this, ma'am, let's do this. Just allow me to see Kate once, just once. I don't even have a hand-up if my son has been born. I look like a goddamned father who does not care. I have saved a lot of money for this day. C'mon, ma'am, c'mon."
"You are crazy, and a person like you cannot be near my daughter and grandson," the mother stated.
"I am not, I promise. I am the least mad person in this University…"
"Please follow the police order, or I will have you arrested," she stated, and I knew her threats meant she could do it.
"Okay, just tell the boy I love him," was all I stated, and then hung up, letting myself rest on the walls of the apartment living room, as I slid down to the floor and just sat there as tears embraced my face.
And that's how Kate and I became a past ghost!