1 Devanté Wake Up

~ Devanté POV ~

I opened my eyes to see my usually grey room painted a lemon yellow. Not exactly my colour but it matched my jovial mood, so I didn't complain. The sun radiated in through the window, illuminating an old school stereo that was left here by the tenants who lived here before us. I never listen to music, but strangely I felt like I could almost hear the sun begging me to turn the stereo on, so I did. 'Don't Stop Me Now' blared through the speakers and my feet began to shuffle, I don't find joy in dancing but something in the morning air hit different.

I could feel the stress lift off of my shoulders, and this energy I've not felt in years filled my body. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror for a second and I did a double take. The man I saw in the reflection was vastly different to who I was. My lifeless, tired eyes suddenly looked bright and my blank expression was replaced with a sunny smile, my dark skin was radiant, and my curls were shining.

I don't know how long I had stared at myself before my image started to blur and freeze like an old computer screen. The yellow walls began to break down into pixels and crumble before me, the stereo disintegrated into a million pieces; the music was cut off abruptly and the newfound silence was deafening. My heart began to race and sweat began to soak my face. In a desperate attempt to hold on to something real I looked up at the sun in solidarity. It burst open like a balloon and hot rays of fire rained down onto my skin, my body began to dissolve, and I yelled in agony. I closed my eyes, and everything went black, as I ceased to exist the pain evaporated and terror crept in.

In the darkness, I heard a distant voice, but I couldn't make out what It was saying. As it got closer, I realised they were calling my name.

"DEVANTÉ WAKE UP!!!!"

I opened my eyes to find myself back in my regular old room. The grey walls had returned and somehow looked colder than I'd remembered it, the dusty stereo lied in the corner untouched, covered in a thick layer of cobwebs. I held my breath in fear and my hands were still shaking. I looked up and saw my roommate Faith sitting at the foot of my bed, holding my digital shades in her dainty hands and I exploded.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?"

I screamed while ripping the shades out of her hands.

"I'm sorry" she blurted out quickly. "I didn't want to do it, taking off your shades was my last resort"

Despite the apology my anger hadn't subsided just yet.

"YOU COULD HAVE KILLED ME!" I continued to yell.

"DON'T YOU GET HOW DANGEROUS IT IS TO UNPLUG SOMEONE FROM THE DIGITAL REALM!"

"I know, but I didn't know what else to d-"

"I COULD HAVE NEVER WOKE UP?!"

"I get that, but will you just listen to me for a second-"

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT FAITH, THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN SAY THAT COULD JUSTIFY WHAT YOU DID-"

"Luca is here to see you"

Immediately my stomach felt like it had looped itself into a double knot, my anger melted away and panic took its place. Before rushing out the door at record speed to deal with Luca, I gently placed my digital shades in its yellow container and carefully closed the lid. I raced down through the corridor expecting to meet him outside, only to find him with his feet up on my coffee table, comfortably leaning back on my tattered sofa. He wore a relaxed expression and a tracksuit with a puffer jacket lying on the armrest. When he clocked me, he looked me up and down as if I was the intruder.

"What are you doing here?" I asked trying to sound as calm as possible.

"We can't talk outside, so I let myself in. Do you have a problem with that?"

"No" I said as to not start trouble, although I definitely did.

"I know you have my money, so where is it?"

Luca spoke slowly as if he had all the time in the world to deal with me, which scared the hell out of me.

"I don't have it anymore" I replied simply.

He looked me dead in the eyes and I couldn't read him at all. His cold stare pierced through my defences and I could feel the knot in my stomach getting tighter. I sensed he wasn't satisfied with my answer and was waiting to hear something worth listening to, but I stayed quiet, I'm bad with words and I've never known how to talk my way out of things. Tension continued to build as the silence dragged on, it started to get heavy, I held my breath as my palms began to sweat. I cursed myself internally for acting impulsively and getting myself into this mess. Finally, I spoke up.

"Look I know I fucked up, but I'll get you the money by the end of the week I promise"

Luca got up slowly, still looking me dead in the eyes. He began to approach me and with every step my heart pounded louder, as if its beat where the orchestra and his feet the constructor. After what felt like a lifetime he stood before me. Him and I were toe to toe and his enormous figure loomed over me. I didn't realise how tall he was until I had to force myself to look up and meet his gaze. Perhaps he was always a giant or maybe I was shrinking. I could feel his breath on my forehead and with every moment that passed I became increasingly on edge; my ears were on fire and my fists tightened with anticipation.

"You have 1 day to get me my money" he calmly stated without breaking eye contact.

Before I had the chance to negotiate, he walked out the door. I couldn't understand why he let me off so easily, I was almost certain things would get ugly. A minute passed as I wracked my brain for an explanation or an answer before I finally exhaled and began to relax.

I wiped my sweaty palms on my trousers and quickly headed back to my room to gather up as much of the money I owe as I can. As I walked through the door, I found Faith still in my room, sitting cross-legged on the floor with a glossy look in her grey eyes. Her thin black hair laid messily on her shoulders and her pale skin looked dull and dry.

"Are you upset that I yelled at you?" I asked, suddenly feeling bad about the way I spoke to her.

"I'm upset because I don't like the way you live your life" She whispered shakily.

I rolled my eyes in irritation; I couldn't believe she was bringing this up again. I tried to ignore her and began sifting through my belongings trying to find anything I could sell to make up the money I owe.

"You can ignore me, but you can't ignore the problem Devanté" she exclaimed loudly.

Her words began to get under my skin and anger rose up inside of me again. My chest tightened and I tried to control my rapid breathing as I continued looking for money.

"You've just spent 5 years in prison and you're risking your freedom again for a bit of money? Don't you understand how this world works? If you don't live honourably you and your family will suffer for it, you're lucky your Class on the Divine Hierarchy wasn't relegated for your crimes the first time but it will be if you keep living like this"

I could feel my head getting hotter and my hands beginning to shake. It took everything in me to not allow myself to erupt. Just as I thought I was gaining control she spoke again.

"Don't you think of your future?"

My...future?

And just like that I exploded.

"I DON'T HAVE A FUTURE AND NEITHER DO YOU, WE NEVER DID. THEY TOOK IT FROM US THE SECOND WE WERE SEGREGATED INTO CLASSES ON A FUCKING HIERARCHY"

As I screamed the words all I saw was red. Rage controlled my body completely, it was as if a monster had me on strings. I could tell immediately that my poisonous words tainted Faith's good intentions of helping me since the regret in her face was clear as day and tears began to stain her cheeks.

After I spoke a painful silence followed. I despised myself for always knowing the right words to make things worse but never the right ones to make it better. Despite knowing how much trust Faith has in the system I just had to tell her she was wrong. Why did I have to be so stubborn and unrelenting?

Faith believes heavily in living 'honourably', an ideal that came about with the conception of the Divine Hierarchy - A system created by divine nobles hundreds of years ago that categorised the world's population into five classes. 'Class Five' houses the nobles and 'Class One' houses low-lives and peasants. The system was created to motivate peasants that we call 'dishonourables' to become valuable assets to society, this is achieved by allowing the higher class to indulge in privileges that the lower class are excluded from. For example, Divine limits are implemented to stop people of a certain class from entering establishments, essential places usually have a low Divine Limit of 'Class One' but most other places are higher. It is believed that the Class you are born into is decreed from a higher power; those who are low class are given an innate gift of strength and perseverance to endure the hardships that come with life as a peasant. If you work hard and obey the laws set by the nobles you could advance your family's class on the hierarchy, but if you live dishonourably and disrespect the Divine Hierarchy and noble law, your family could be relegated to a lower class. Faith is a firm believer in the Divine Hierarchy even though she is a dishonourable housed in 'Class One', we constantly butt heads about this.

Faith cleaned up her face with her sleeve, I tried to break the silence with an apology, but the words were stuck in my throat. Before I could get them out, she got up hastily, opening her mouth to speak but eventually deciding against it, then she stormed out of the room.

Guilt started to flood me, I tried telling myself that Faith has always been on the sensitive side and maybe I wasn't as much of an awful person as I thought I was, but it didn't work. I tried taking my mind off of it by going back to getting the money I owe Luca, but all it did was serve as another example of how I always mess things up. Everything I hated about myself began to swirl around in my head, I couldn't stop thinking about how stubborn, impulsive, and stupid I was, I needed an escape and I needed it bad.

I looked around my room and my eyes landed on my digital shades. My mental sanctuary, a safe haven away from the rest of the world. The second I put them on, a familiar euphoric sensation enveloped me, all of my problems became a distant memory as the sun shone on me in my lemon yellow room.