Wild West of the Heart
SEVENTY TWO

There is an ancient Japanese art called Kintsugi.

It simply means repairing with gold. As a potter, having your ceramic shatter to the ground may seem like the end of the world-seeing something break right before you. That's where this practice comes in.

Kintsugi is an art that deals with repairing those cracks, mending the broken pieces with gold. As a philosophy, it treats breakage of that object as history, rather than something that needs to be hidden. Personally, i think it is a metaphor for something bigger.

Life.

There are times everything crumbles to the ground, shatters before your eyes completely. And it seems like there's no hope, Kintsugi teaches you that your broken places makes you stronger than ever before

that when you are broken, you can pick up the pieces and put them back together, embracing your cracks. It is a metaphor for the hardest of times.

Kintsugi fosters the idea that a broken object, a broken person or a relationship can heal. Can be made useful and made beautiful again. But there has to be some limit. Some degree to a damage that can't be fixed.

There is no art for that one, or a metaphor for the end of your life, although i wish there was. The idea of Kintsugi is beautiful but it isn't always the case.

Sometimes things fall apart so bad, there is no putting together. There is no healing and there is no hope. Nothing.

That's what you'd be left with. That feeling of nothingness.

That's what Fiyin felt as she stood above his body with tears in her eyes. He was lifeless on the ground and a shiver went up her spine. Her hands quivered as she dialed 911. "Hello" There was a crack in her voice. "This is 911, what's your emergency?" A sharp pain pierced her chest as she said the words. "I think he's dead-" She whispered. But we're a bit ahead ourselves.

THREE HOURS EARLIER

There was a knock at the door, instantly drawing both Mary and Titi's attention. She dropped the smoothie to the table, staring out through the windows to see the pitch darkness.

"Are you expecting someone?" Titi asked, standing from her seat and walking by the edge to the door. Mary stood as well, looking to the clock. "Ola wouldn't be back till tomorrow morning. He's spending the night with Obi-" "After the party" She added as they stood behind the door.

There was another frantic knock just before the thunder rumbling. Mary could swear it rained every week, and it wasn't even the season yet. "Should y-"

Before she could complete that sentence, Titi already swung the door open, staring down on her front porch and the person that stood on it. She rolled her eyes to the back of her head, slouching a bit. A sigh escaped Mary's lips as they exchanged a stare. "Akin?" She mouthed.

And he stood there in the silence, as if he'd walked all the way here. "Mary" Her name fell out of his chapped lips and she heaved in a deep breath. "What do you want?"

-

"What do you want?" Nathaniel hefted up the two powders in the corner that led to the bathroom. He had to scream over the music that boomed through the walls.

Fiyin didn't have a clue what he said, she just snatched one of the sachets, pouring it unto the table before her like a lion with it's prey. She held her hair up with her hands as she bent forward. Her lips touched the table before her nose did, sniffing in the powder. She threw her head when she was done and Nathaniel took the second sniff.

They looked to each other before falling into laughing fits. Their vision encircled and it was soon as if the walls were spinning and the music heated their blood.

It was somewhere between a good feeling and a not so good feeling but Fiyin still went for a second sniff, and a third to the enablement of Nate. They looked to each other when the table was smooth and they burst out laughing again. They heard footsteps draw closer to the bathroom and she dusted it off, pulling his hands after.

He was in oblivion, his eyes set to the ceiling that looked like starlight skies and he leaned into her. "Wanna go dance?" She yelled into his ears and he fazed out of an episode. Looking to her, he had a smirk across his lips.

"Hell yeah" Was a definite answer before she whisked him past the empty corridors and towards the hall where the actual party was. The further they went, the louder the music got, beats banging against the walls and neon lights flashing from the ceiling.

-

They halted before Nate pushed open the doors, slithering between sweaty skins till they got to the very center. The lights flashed in her eyes as Fiyin leaned into Nate, his hands going down her back as she arched. She glided her hips to the song, holding him towards her.

Everyone turned around. It was not as if she had an idea what was going on. She tilted her head to the lights, turning around to back him. He held her close, raising his arms in the air. They appeared to be having a little too much fun as she twerked against him and the moment Ola figured she was the one that drew this much attention, he almost spilled his drink to the table. "What the fuck?" He stood.

Obi gnarled beneath his breath, adjusting his vintage shirt from the table cloth and his jaw dropped. "That son of a bitch" He cussed as they both looked to each other. "She's high as fuck" Obi whispered the obvious and Ola sighed. Deborah watched as well from the corner of the room with a glass of wine in her hands. She just shook her head, somewhere between the lack of surprise and actual disappointment.

Abdul crept behind her, stealing glances at Obi from across the room. And while Ola had all of his attention on both Nathaniel and Fi, Bade's eyes were on him. Somehow there was a party with drinks and fun, but no one was where they were supposed to be and that was the origin of the problem.

The night had barely started yet everything began to feel off. Only if Obi had listened to his extinct to go leave. If—

"I just confirmed" DaSilva looked to his partner. She was sat in the long couch, head buried in a book. But once she heard his voice, she looked over it. "What-"

"I just got off the call with Rushell" He turned around from the windows as the breeze blew eerily against his smooth head. "It might hit the shelves as early as tomorrow" Mira exhaled at such news, rising to her feet. "That's good" "Right?" She felt the need to ask, noticing how bland his expression was. He just shook the phone in his hands. "I don't know" He replied. "You don't know what?" Mira inched closer to him and he let out a sigh. "What if" He paused.

"What if it doesn't go as planned? What if everything changes" Mira reached for his palms, seeing it was just cold feet and she squeezed them lightly. "Everything is supposed to change" She replied. "But it's not always for the better"

"This will. Think of all the hundreds, the thousands of lives you would be saving. You're the hero, Silva. And the people deserve to know the truth. This is the truth" Mira was smitten by her emotions. "And when it's out, we can sneak in a copy for Reginald" She smiled and Silva scoffed.

"Yeah?" He said with a questioning tone and she poked his hard cheeks. "Yeah" Mira looked into his eyes and suddenly the cold feet was gone. "I'd be nothing without you, Mira" He whispered and she just nodded, laughing it off. "I know" Came a shrill response.

Now, normally he would shriek at such cringe or cuss under his breath that she had this attitude. But this time, he held tight her hands just as she was about to walk away.

She turned around to face him and he had tears in his eyes which was unusual for someone as charismatic as Dasilva Grey. "I love you, Mira" He said, and by the tone of his voice, you could tell he meant every word. She smiled- knowing if she couldn't have a conventional family, she would always him. "I love you too" She whispered back. And sometimes conversations like these needed to happen, because everything was about to change the next morning. And as Silva said, it's not always for the better.

-

"You're still not talking to Abdul?" Ola turned to Obi who sipped his sprite with a straw.

He looked to lock eyes with him in what was now a calm music that played behind them. So there was no need to yell, there was also not that much people on the floor. Just a few that made out by the chairs and went second base by the corridors- the rest were slow dancing to some spanish song that played from the speakers.

"No"

"That sucks" Ola looked away at him, across. Obi did as well before he heaved a deep breath. "I think we're done this time. Actually" He whispered. "Like there's no healing and there's no going back" Obi seemed to have been hurt by his own words but he accepted it. He spent the last week accepting the fact that he and Abdul were actually over.

And all they were now to each other were strangers with memories. Alot of them, and alot of pictures and audios. And videos they had taken together. Most of which Obi watched religiously as he sulked in his tears.

And Ola noticed he was already drifting away, so much that he suddenly grabbed his palms. "Come on, let's dance" He said, clapping and Obi turned to him in quagmire.

"It's not even a danceable song" He chuckled and Ola's lips folded in a pout. He'd tried his best not to look at Fi in the corner of the room with Nathaniel. They were seated on the long bench together, talking about God knew what. "These people are dancing to it. Come on, it could be ballet" Mide joked, pulling a sulking Obi from his seat. He as well knew he needed to dance it out, but not to rock or to some fast paced song, rather to some blues.

He held Obi, placing his chin upon his shoulders. Alot of Hillway High knew they were best friends, it was not as if he cared if they even said anything at all. His hands fell to his waist as they both swayed from left to right.

Obi chuckled, failing to get it like the first five times but Ola was way determined to teach him. He was reminded of the time they were kids, doing this on the beach. Obi was a good dancer in some commune out-of-the-ordinary sense. He just needed time and space to hatch.

"When i go left, you go right" Ola whispered in his ears.

And perhaps some lessons.

He knew now why the first boy he ever felt anything towards was Obi because as kids, they spent all of their time together doing the weirdest, craziest shit. They don't think they enjoyed anyone else's company other than themselves and it was often good- Except it left Obi very codependent when Olamide eventually left.

And it took months for him to get rid of those feelings, never mentioning it to Obi or anyone else. It was also amongst the many reasons he didn't keep in touch. But then he actually didn't have a phone and he was going through alot with the migration and change in environment.

And he'd met Williams. And Sarah. But Will especially.

And suddenly things weren't as bad as they used to. He reminded alot of Obi, it was why they instantly clicked. In terms of charisma and the stupid ways he acted. His sense of humor and even his signature grin.

Sarah on the other end was that one friend that shipped them off. And then Ola hadn't come to much terms with his bisexuality, and even moreso now, he never thought anything would happen between them. Will was gay, and Sarah was straight, the Westland football team was proof.

And whenever they talked about things like that, Ola was quick to shrug it off. I mean he'd admired Fiyin as well when they were still kids. Plus he was obsessed with one of his physical education teachers and Shakira.

He loved girls, and people loved to tease him about even in Texas. So he just had this thought that he had to be linear, there was no girl and boy. Just girl. Just boy. But a long time had passed since then and he even went as far as share a kiss with Williams but that moment was short-lived-

—and he was robbed of whatever could have been. He thought about that alot recently, especially since he waited a reply from him the past week. He wasn't sure Will was angry, or maybe he was because Ola never said goodbye. It wasn't his fault.

Though when he did have the chance to send a text, he couldn't come up with the words. There was no good way of saying goodbye to the person that you liked. And now, standing there with Obi, as much things it reminded him of, Williams happened to be one of them.

He pulled away from Obi, looking into his eyes.

"What?" The latter asked. "Did i do something wrong?"

And in a moment of spontaneity, Ola muttered. "Obi, there's something i want to tell you. About me" He paused, knowing the moment he told him, it would be real. The moment he said it aloud, he would have to accept it.

Obi arched his brows. "Is everything okay?" He whispered.

Ola nodded. "It's just-It's just i'm bisexual"

There was not a single thing in the world that had made Obi's jaw drop that wide. And he scoffed, a large smile on his face as he held his biceps. He could feel the tension ooze off his best friend as he said those words and he kept his hand against his racing chest. "Were you "

"Were you nervous to tell me that?" He teased, a sly smile on his lips. But before he could utter another word, someone bumped into him from behind, spilling something cold unto his flare shirt.

Obi felt a shiver go up his spine as he turned around, only to see a staggering Nathaniel. "Oops" He exclaimed, tongue stained with chapman and Obi looked down at his white shirt to see the large stain across the sides. He fumed, his hands instantly balling in a fist.

"You dumb fucking bi-" He punched Nathaniel in his face, letting the glass slip out of his palm to shatter across the ground. There were gasps that came from the crowds and this was the second time he'd done that. Now, everyone was too drunk to separate both of them, leaving only Olamide with two boys that fought back.

Nathaniel got the shorter end of the stick, earning two blows against his nose and Ola getting one. It was then Principal Collins stepped out from literally nowhere, pointing a finger at Obi. He froze the moment they made eye contact, stepping away from Nathaniel.

"You. Come this way" His voice raged the hall as the music completely died down, drawing everyone's attention to the scene. Nathaniel had a smile across his burst lip and you could tell some part of him did that on purpose. Even though both Obi and Ola were unsure why. He fell into the seat as Obi crept closer to Collins. "Shit" He cussed-

knowing this was never good. It didn't look good, not his bleeding knuckles or his stained shirt, not Nate's burst lips. None of it was good, and it only went downhill from here.

To be continued...