Three weeks.
Fourteen jobs.
Twenty-eight hundred dollars off the debt.
Seventy-seven thousand, two hundred left.
Vex stopped doing the math after the second week. Made it worse.
He was sitting in the convenience store. Tuesday night. Late shift. 10 PM. Two hours left.
Store was empty. Just him and the fluorescent lights.
That one still flickered.
Manager still hadn't fixed it.
Probably never would.
His burner buzzed. Vex pulled it out.
"Tomorrow. 11 PM. Same corner. Bigger package this time. Payment: $400."
Four hundred. Double the usual.
Bigger package meant more risk.
Didn't matter. Not like he could say no.
Vex typed: "Received."
Put the phone away.
His real phone had seventeen unread messages. Mostly Kairo. Few from Senna. One from Tobi. Even one from Lira asking if he was mad at her.
He wasn't. Just couldn't deal with them right now.
Couldn't deal with the questions. The concern. The looks.
Easier to avoid everyone.
Door chimed.
Vex looked up.
Kairo walked in.
Shit.
"There you are," Kairo said. Not smiling. That was new.
"Working."
"I can see that." He walked to the counter. Leaned on it. "You've been avoiding me."
"No."
"Vex. Three weeks. You've canceled on me six times. Won't answer calls. Texts are one word responses. What's going on?"
"Nothing. Just busy."
"Busy with what?"
"Work. College. Life."
"Bullshit." Kairo's expression hardened. "I know you, man. Something's wrong."
Vex didn't say anything.
Kairo stared at him. Waiting.
The silence stretched.
"Fine," Kairo said finally. "Don't tell me. But I'm not stupid. And neither is Senna. She thinks you're in trouble. I told her she was being paranoid but..." He shook his head. "Now I'm not so sure."
"I'm fine."
"You look like shit. You're losing weight. Dark circles under your eyes are worse. You flinch when your phone buzzes. That's not fine."
Vex wanted to tell him. Right there. Everything.
The debt. The deliveries. Raze. All of it.
But Raze's words echoed.
You talk, they die.
"Just stressed," Vex said. "College applications. Money. You know."
Kairo studied him. Not buying it.
"Okay," he said. "But if you need help—"
"I know. I'll ask."
"Will you?"
Same question Senna asked.
Vex didn't answer.
Kairo sighed. "I'm gonna keep checking on you. Whether you like it or not. We're friends. That's what friends do."
"I know."
"Do you? Because from where I'm standing, you're shutting everyone out. That's not what friends do."
He left.
Bell chimed.
Gone.
Vex sat there. Store too quiet again.
He pulled out his real phone. Looked at the messages.
Kairo: "movie night friday?"
Kairo: "hello?"
Kairo: "seriously man where r u"
Kairo: "ok now im worried"
Kairo: "if u dont respond im coming to ur place"
Senna: "call me"
Senna: "vex this isnt funny"
Senna: "im giving you one more day then im showing up"
Tobi: "hey u ok? kairo said ur MIA"
Lira: "did i do something wrong?"
That last one hurt.
Vex typed to Lira: "No. You didn't do anything. I'm just dealing with stuff. Love you."
She replied instantly: "love u too. but seriously r u ok?"
Vex: "Yeah. Promise."
Another lie.
He put the phone away.
Looked at the clock. 10:47 PM.
Hour and thirteen minutes left.
Then home.
Then tomorrow night, another delivery.
Bigger package. More risk. Four hundred dollars.
Seventy-six thousand, eight hundred after that.
Still impossible.
---
Wednesday. 11 PM.
Same corner. Fifth and Morrow.
Different car this time. SUV. Newer.
Window rolled down. Different guy. Older. Scar on his neck.
"Vex?"
"Yeah."
He handed over the package. Bigger. Much bigger. Size of a shoebox. Heavy.
"Careful with this one. Drop it and you're done."
"Where's it going?"
"Same warehouse. Seventh. But different floor. Second. Room on the left."
"Got it."
Window up. SUV drove off.
Vex looked at the package. Heavier than usual. Felt like... he didn't know. But it wasn't good.
Started walking.
Halfway there, his real phone rang.
Senna.
He stared at it. Kept walking. Let it ring out.
She called again.
Again.
Third time, he answered.
"What?"
"Where are you?" Her voice was sharp.
"Out."
"Where?"
"Walking."
"At 11 PM? In Ashward?"
"Yeah."
"Alone?"
"Yeah."
Silence. He could hear wind on her end. She was outside too.
"I'm at your apartment," she said.
Vex stopped walking.
"What?"
"Your mom let me in. Said you went out an hour ago. Lira's worried. Kairo's worried. I'm worried. So I came to check on you."
"I'm fine."
"Then come home. Right now. Let me see you're fine."
"Senna—"
"Now, Vex."
She hung up.
Vex stood there. Package in his hands. Warehouse ten minutes away.
Senna at his apartment.
Fuck.
He texted the burner number: "Problem. Need to delay delivery."
Reply came fast: "No delays. Deliver now or you're done."
Done meant... he didn't know exactly. But nothing good.
Vex looked around. No one nearby. Dark street. Broken streetlight.
He started running.
Warehouse. Fast. Didn't care about being careful now.
Got there in seven minutes. Breathing hard.
Inside. Second floor. Room on the left.
Different guy than last time. Big. Tattooed. Looked like he could break Vex in half.
"Package."
Vex handed it over.
The guy took it. Checked it. Nodded.
"You're late."
"Five minutes."
"Still late."
"Had an issue."
"Don't care. Don't be late again."
"Got it."
The guy jerked his head toward the door. "Go."
Vex left.
Ran again. Back toward Ashward. Toward home.
Twenty-three minutes since Senna called. She'd still be there.
Got to his building. Stairs. Up. Third floor.
Door unlocked. He walked in.
Living room. Mom on the couch. Lira next to her. Both looking worried.
Senna standing by the window. Arms crossed. Face unreadable.
"Vex," his mom said. "Where were you?"
"Just walking."
"At 11 PM?"
"Needed air."
"You've been going out a lot lately. Late at night."
"I know. Sorry. Just... stressed."
His mom studied him. That look. The one that said she knew something was wrong but didn't know what.
"Okay," she said finally. "But please. Be careful. This city isn't safe."
"I will."
She stood. "I'm going to bed. Work in the morning." She kissed his forehead. "I love you."
"Love you too."
She went to her room.
Lira got up. Looked at him. Still worried.
"You sure you're okay?"
"Yeah. Just need some sleep."
"Okay." She hugged him. Quick. Then went to her room.
Just him and Senna now.
She walked over. Stood in front of him. Close.
"You're sweating," she said.
"Told you. Was walking."
"You're out of breath."
"Walked fast."
"Your hands are shaking."
They were. Vex shoved them in his pockets.
"What's going on, Vex?"
"Nothing."
"Don't lie to me."
"I'm not."
She grabbed his arm. Pulled him toward the door. "Outside. Now."
They went out. Hallway. She closed the door behind them.
"Talk."
"There's nothing to—"
"Bullshit." Her eyes were hard. "Three weeks you've been like this. Avoiding everyone. Losing weight. Looking like you haven't slept. Going out at weird hours. And now you show up at 11:30 PM, sweating, out of breath, shaking. So talk."
Vex looked at her. Really looked.
She was worried. Genuinely worried.
And he wanted to tell her. God, he wanted to tell her everything.
But he couldn't.
You talk, they die.
"I'm dealing with some stuff," he said. "Personal stuff. I'll handle it."
"What stuff?"
"Can't talk about it."
"Why not?"
"Because I can't."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only one I have."
Senna stared at him. Frustrated. Angry. Worried.
"Fine," she said. "Don't tell me. But I'm not going anywhere. I'm gonna keep showing up. Keep asking. Until you either tell me or... I don't know. Figure it out myself."
"Senna—"
"I'm serious, Vex. You're my friend. I'm not letting you destroy yourself over whatever this is."
She walked past him. Down the stairs. Gone.
Vex stood there. Hallway empty now.
He went back inside. Locked the door. Leaned against it.
Closed his eyes.
This was getting harder.
The lies. The avoidance. The double life.
How long could he keep this up?
How long before someone figured it out?
How long before it all came crashing down?
---
Thursday morning. 8 AM.
Vex woke up to pounding on the door.
Dragged himself out of bed. Opened it.
Kairo. Standing there with coffee and bagels.
"We need to talk," he said. Walked in without waiting.
Vex closed the door. Followed him to the kitchen.
Kairo put the food on the table. Sat down.
"Sit."
Vex sat.
"Eat."
"I'm not—"
"Eat."
Vex grabbed a bagel. Took a bite. Wasn't hungry but Kairo wasn't budging.
"Senna called me last night," Kairo said. "Told me what happened. You showing up late, sweating, shaking, won't talk to anyone."
Vex chewed. Didn't respond.
"I've known you for three years," Kairo continued. "And I've never seen you like this. So I'm gonna ask once. And I want the truth. Are you in trouble?"
"No."
"Vex—"
"I'm not."
Kairo leaned back. Studied him.
"You're lying. I can tell. But fine. You don't want to tell me, that's your choice." He leaned forward again. "But here's what's gonna happen. I'm gonna be around. A lot. Showing up at your work. At your place. Texting you every day. You can ignore me. You can lie. But I'm not going anywhere."
"Why?"
"Because you're my friend. And friends don't abandon each other when shit gets bad."
Vex felt something crack inside. Just a little.
"I can handle it," he said. Voice quieter.
"Maybe. But you don't have to handle it alone."
"I do."
"Why?"
"Because it's my problem."
"Problems shared are problems halved. Or whatever the saying is."
"Not this one."
Kairo sighed. "Okay. I'm not gonna force you. But the offer stands. Whatever this is, whenever you're ready to talk, I'm here."
"I know."
"Do you? Because from where I'm sitting, you're drowning and won't grab the life raft."
Vex didn't have an answer for that.
Kairo stood. "I gotta go. Work. But seriously. Eat. Sleep. Take care of yourself. Because if you don't, I'm dragging you to a doctor."
He left.
Vex sat there. Coffee getting cold. Bagel half-eaten.
His burner buzzed.
"Tonight. 10 PM. New location. Corner of Eighth and Vale. The Hollows. Pick up and deliver to Midhaven. Address will be sent at pickup. Payment: $500."
Five hundred. Biggest payment yet.
The Hollows to Midhaven. Different district. Further. More exposure.
More risk.
But five hundred dollars.
Seventy-six thousand, three hundred left after that.
Vex typed: "Received."
Put the phone down.
Looked at the coffee. The bagel.
Kairo brought him food. Senna showed up to check on him. Tobi texted. Lira was worried. His mom was worried.
Everyone cared.
And he was lying to all of them.
Because if he didn't, they'd get hurt.
Or worse.
Vex finished the bagel. Drank the coffee. Both cold now.
Tasted like ash.
But he finished them anyway.
Because Kairo was right.
If he didn't take care of himself, he'd break.
And if he broke, everything fell apart.
So he'd keep going.
One delivery at a time.
One lie at a time.
One day at a time.
Until either the debt was paid...
Or he couldn't do it anymore.
Whichever came first.