Dust and Shades of Grey

Shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot… I thought as I walked up the garden path towards my front door. WiL was behind me, surprisingly, but, although I should be happy about that, Chris’ words were echoing around my head.
”I’m telling you, Rhianne, he’s bad for you!”
Well, wiL saved me today, so he can’t be that bad, right?

I opened the door slowly and cowered against the explosion that was sure to hit very soon.
“RHIANNE!” And there it was…“What did you think you were doing?!” The voice was getting louder as it got closer. I bravely stepped inside, letting wiL follow me.
Just as wiL had stepped over the threshold, Chris appeared from around the kitchen wall; he’d been out in the garden.
“If Mom were here she would – oh.” He stopped dead as his eyes fell on wiL.
“Chris…” I said slowly, “this is wiL. You remember wiL, right?” I glared at him, not letting wiL see.
He didn’t take any notice. “Get out.”
“Chris!” I snapped.
“Shut up, Rhianne. Now I understand why you ditched school today,” he didn’t take his eyes off wiL. “Go on, get out!”
WiL held his hands up in defeat.
“I’m so sorry about this,” I said, turning away from Chris.
“Get out!”
“You don’t have to go,” I said, ignoring the angry curses coming from my brother as I said this.
“It’s fine. I only came to make sure those…those friends of mine” – he gritted his teeth – “didn’t bump into you again.” His expression lightened and he smiled at me. “Don’t get into any more trouble, okay?”
“That might be a hard promise to keep,” I muttered. I was sure he’d heard me, because I thought I heard him chuckle, but before I could turn to see if what I had heard was right, I felt his arm brush against mine and then he was gone.
I quickly let my thoughts fly back to physics. Things couldn’t get back to how they were before? Ha! I was very wrong there.

I heard and impatient cough from behind me and cringed. “An explanation would be nice,” Chris said.
“Hm? I’ll get back to you with that,” not the most witty response, but at least it would stall him for long enough, I quickly stepped forward and reached my door.
“To save you time later, why don’t you explain now?” Chris suggested. Damnit! When did he become so quick?
I spoke quickly, in the hope of escaping to my room faster. “Mr Davids was being a prat, as usual, and wiL stepped in for me.”
“So, why are you at home?”
“This wouldn’t bother you if it was about anyone else!” I complained.
“Answer the question, Rhianne,” my brother’s voice was calm now.
“I sided with wiL.”
Chris smirked. “What was I saying last night?”
“Oh, shut up. He’s only been back a day! He’s changed, Chris, just give him a chance!”

He kept on smiling, and I couldn’t put up with him when he was like this, so I opened my bedroom door, pushed my dog (who was desperately scratching at the door) and myself inside.