Passing Looks and Disappointed Faces
Let's Do the Time Warp!
[Gee's P.O.V.]
I was bombarded with question after question once I found the lot of them in the living room, huddled together and talking in hushed tones. When they noticed my presence, they seemed to swarm me, questioning me in urgent voices what all of this meant. They noticed the blood; they noticed the bruises. They noticed his blank eyes and my own horror-struck features. And they were curious; they were concerned that this boy would be the end of us all. I could only shake my head, unable to handle the onset of inquiries, seating myself on the couch.
I stared at the blank television screen, my thoughts elsewhere. I had to do something, that much was certain. Trying to prevent the headache I was sure to have, I began massaging my temples. I wished life was more like a video game where you could start over and choose a different route when you knew you would be screwed if you came across another one. I wish I could turn back the time and restart this game of life and stop many events in it from happening.
I suddenly felt arms around my neck and I moved, startled. I only sat back when I realized it had just been my brother in his peculiar show of affection and support by hugging me from behind. I patted his hand, my mind still obviously on the boy in my room. I decided to allow him a few more minutes before I barged in on him; worry was coursing through my veins for his mind. I didn't want his head to be warped when I had just met him. The seconds passed like hours from the wait as I jiggled my leg impatiently, my friends and brother watching the colorful screen of the television that had been turned on whilst I continued staring at it.
Finally, when I thought I couldn't stand it anymore, I stood, walking away without a word. I knew they would understand; they were quite good at doing such. My pace was quick and controlled as I tried to not race down the stairs; I was capable of falling down them and breaking my neck if I did. The sight before my eyes made my heart swell with some sort of overwhelming affection. Yes, it was definitely affection; it had to be. I simply couldn't deny it. I walked towards him, noting the way the dark wet strands of his hair fanned out on the bare mattress. I marveled at the way he was wrapped up in my sheets, his eyelashes brushing his skin softly.
I stared in fascination as his chest rose and fell gently with each soft breath, his lips soft and relaxed in his sleep. I could hear the strains of music from the Ava Adore vinyl and I grinned as I stepped close enough to see that he had been reading from my edition of Catcher in the Rye. I picked up the novel, carefully placing my fingers so as not to lose the page he had been reading. I smiled sadly when I realized it was the scene on James Castle and so I closed it, placing it back on my bedside table.
Grabbing the pillow from my bed, I placed it beneath his head as gently as I could so as not to wake him. Still, he whimpered when I lifted his head and let it drop back softly. He did not wake, however, which allowed me more time to stare at his peaceful, sleeping face. He seemed like those fabled angels with his features relaxed in such a manner. He appeared to have fallen into the real world from one of my novels, perfection personified. And yet, his flaws seemed to be glaring at me, staring at me in the face. He had killed a man.
I shook the thought from my head, standing up as I realized exactly what I was doing. No matter how much affection I held for him from the short time I actually knew him, it was wrong to stare at him in such a manner as I was; it was nearly sacrilegious. I turned away, assured of his well-being for the moment; it appeared he was completely at peace in his mind and was not reliving the moment. This I was glad of.
I bounded up the stairs, resolved to drink myself into a stupor; I really needed it at the moment. I was delayed, however, by my inability to find the bottle. I have no idea where Mikey might have placed it (for I'm sure this is of his making) since I checked all of the usual hiding places. Cursing under my breath, surly and cranky, I went back down stairs, deciding I could watch a movie instead. After removing the still-playing vinyl, I picked up a movie at random, popping it in the VCR above my television and lowering the volume so only I could hear it and I wouldn't awaken Frank. I chuckled quietly to myself when the movie began playing, temporarily forgetting everything. From all the movies I could have possibly chosen, I had chosen The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
I hummed along quietly to the various musical numbers; that is I was quiet until they reached the Time Warp. This I couldn't resist, despite everything weighing on my mind, and so I began dancing, my voice escalating in volume until I was full-on singing:
"I remember doing the Time Warp
Drinking those moments when
The blackness would hit me and the void would be calling
Let's do the time warp again...
Let's do the time warp again!
It's just a jump to the left
And then a step to the right
With your hands on your hips
You bring your knees in tight
But it's the pelvic thrust that really drives you insane,
Let's do the Time Warp again!"
With a sudden realization that there was a disturbed sleeping young man in my room at the moment, I glanced guiltily at his form on the mattress. His green eyes shone brightly in the dim light from the television set. I immediately shut my mouth, pausing the movie for a moment to walk towards him. He didn't move at all, simply following me with his gaze as I dodged mounds of clothes and random objects on the ground. He lifted his chin, resting his head against the pillow.
"Had a nice nap?" I asked, embarrassment at having been caught dancing to the Time Warp in the dark making my cheeks burn. He gave me a drowsy smile, closing his eyes for a brief moment before he answered:
"Not as nice as the Time Warp." I swallowed hard, wanting to hide my face. He chuckled slightly, disentangling himself from the sheets so that they pooled around his hips and left his arms free. He squirmed into a sitting position, still staring at me intently.
"Care to join me?" I asked lamely, extending my hand towards him. He laughed, shaking his head slightly before grasping my hand. I was surprised to say the least but I pulled him up either way, the warmth of the clasp of our hands giving me some sort of courage to pull him in front of the T.V. I gave the tape a rewind to the beginning of the scene. "Now, do you know how to do the Time Warp?" I asked him, a smirk beginning to spread across my lips.
"So-so," he replied, sending me a smile. I pressed play and the bells began ringing. He surprised me by his knowledge of the song; he knew every line, every word and he did every enunciation exactly the way it should be. He mimicked every move, executing the dance with such precision; I remained rooted to the spot, completely missing the first two verses. Then I merely laughed, joining him as we acted out the different characters, using the grand area of my room to our advantage. I even forced him to join me on the bed in order to mimic the dance of the commentator.
And we were just as exhausted as the actors when the Time Warp ended, collapsing on the floor as they did, our chests rising and falling at the same rhythm, spontaneously laughing. "So-so?" I asked sarcastically, wiping away a bead of sweat running down my face.
"Well, I might have seen the movie a few times," he replied with a shrug, a grin on his face.
"A few times?" I asked incredulously, raising myself up on my elbows, "How 'bout a few dozen times?" Frank laughed again, gazing at me from the floor though his eyes were slightly closed. He nodded, raising himself up on his elbows as well, gazing at the television screen as, of course, the movie kept playing. He became so immersed in it and yet I couldn't; all I could do was stare at his face, enthralled as he seemed by the scene.
"I'm just a sweet transvestite from transsexual Transylvania," he sang along softly and I couldn't help but smile, shifting to wrap my arms around my legs. Finally, he noticed my gaze and he looked at me, curiosity etched on his features. "Yeah, Gee?" he asked seriously, the smile having faded long ago. Do you know his birthday? Where he lives? Do you know what he likes to eat or what his home life is like? You don't know shit Gee.
"When's your birthday? Where do you live? What's your favorite food?" Puzzled, he cocked his head, still looking at me quizzically.
"Halloween, Belleville, and I love chocolate cake, mashed potatoes and butter sandwiches," he answered. "Why?"
"No reason," I muttered, turning my attention to the T.V. though I could still feel his gaze on the side of my face. "What?"
"Well, since you know that about me now, tell me the same about you."
"April 9, here and Cajun," I replied earnestly, both of us completely ignoring the movie playing in front of us. He began laughing hard, stretching himself out on the floor. I couldn't help from chuckling; he had an incredibly contagious laugh. "Why are you laughing?" I asked.
"Because I burn everything and call it Cajun," he answered, getting up into a sitting position again. I shook my head with a grin, pushing him lightly so that he fell to the floor again, still giggling.
"You're insane."
"You love it," he teased, prodding me in the side with a silly grin on his face. I couldn't help but agree, bringing him in for a quick hug, ruffling his hair. He giggled again, his eyes bright. He was truly happy; he had forgotten everything. And I felt a surge of pride and satisfaction for being the one to have done that.
I was bombarded with question after question once I found the lot of them in the living room, huddled together and talking in hushed tones. When they noticed my presence, they seemed to swarm me, questioning me in urgent voices what all of this meant. They noticed the blood; they noticed the bruises. They noticed his blank eyes and my own horror-struck features. And they were curious; they were concerned that this boy would be the end of us all. I could only shake my head, unable to handle the onset of inquiries, seating myself on the couch.
I stared at the blank television screen, my thoughts elsewhere. I had to do something, that much was certain. Trying to prevent the headache I was sure to have, I began massaging my temples. I wished life was more like a video game where you could start over and choose a different route when you knew you would be screwed if you came across another one. I wish I could turn back the time and restart this game of life and stop many events in it from happening.
I suddenly felt arms around my neck and I moved, startled. I only sat back when I realized it had just been my brother in his peculiar show of affection and support by hugging me from behind. I patted his hand, my mind still obviously on the boy in my room. I decided to allow him a few more minutes before I barged in on him; worry was coursing through my veins for his mind. I didn't want his head to be warped when I had just met him. The seconds passed like hours from the wait as I jiggled my leg impatiently, my friends and brother watching the colorful screen of the television that had been turned on whilst I continued staring at it.
Finally, when I thought I couldn't stand it anymore, I stood, walking away without a word. I knew they would understand; they were quite good at doing such. My pace was quick and controlled as I tried to not race down the stairs; I was capable of falling down them and breaking my neck if I did. The sight before my eyes made my heart swell with some sort of overwhelming affection. Yes, it was definitely affection; it had to be. I simply couldn't deny it. I walked towards him, noting the way the dark wet strands of his hair fanned out on the bare mattress. I marveled at the way he was wrapped up in my sheets, his eyelashes brushing his skin softly.
I stared in fascination as his chest rose and fell gently with each soft breath, his lips soft and relaxed in his sleep. I could hear the strains of music from the Ava Adore vinyl and I grinned as I stepped close enough to see that he had been reading from my edition of Catcher in the Rye. I picked up the novel, carefully placing my fingers so as not to lose the page he had been reading. I smiled sadly when I realized it was the scene on James Castle and so I closed it, placing it back on my bedside table.
Grabbing the pillow from my bed, I placed it beneath his head as gently as I could so as not to wake him. Still, he whimpered when I lifted his head and let it drop back softly. He did not wake, however, which allowed me more time to stare at his peaceful, sleeping face. He seemed like those fabled angels with his features relaxed in such a manner. He appeared to have fallen into the real world from one of my novels, perfection personified. And yet, his flaws seemed to be glaring at me, staring at me in the face. He had killed a man.
I shook the thought from my head, standing up as I realized exactly what I was doing. No matter how much affection I held for him from the short time I actually knew him, it was wrong to stare at him in such a manner as I was; it was nearly sacrilegious. I turned away, assured of his well-being for the moment; it appeared he was completely at peace in his mind and was not reliving the moment. This I was glad of.
I bounded up the stairs, resolved to drink myself into a stupor; I really needed it at the moment. I was delayed, however, by my inability to find the bottle. I have no idea where Mikey might have placed it (for I'm sure this is of his making) since I checked all of the usual hiding places. Cursing under my breath, surly and cranky, I went back down stairs, deciding I could watch a movie instead. After removing the still-playing vinyl, I picked up a movie at random, popping it in the VCR above my television and lowering the volume so only I could hear it and I wouldn't awaken Frank. I chuckled quietly to myself when the movie began playing, temporarily forgetting everything. From all the movies I could have possibly chosen, I had chosen The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
I hummed along quietly to the various musical numbers; that is I was quiet until they reached the Time Warp. This I couldn't resist, despite everything weighing on my mind, and so I began dancing, my voice escalating in volume until I was full-on singing:
"I remember doing the Time Warp
Drinking those moments when
The blackness would hit me and the void would be calling
Let's do the time warp again...
Let's do the time warp again!
It's just a jump to the left
And then a step to the right
With your hands on your hips
You bring your knees in tight
But it's the pelvic thrust that really drives you insane,
Let's do the Time Warp again!"
With a sudden realization that there was a disturbed sleeping young man in my room at the moment, I glanced guiltily at his form on the mattress. His green eyes shone brightly in the dim light from the television set. I immediately shut my mouth, pausing the movie for a moment to walk towards him. He didn't move at all, simply following me with his gaze as I dodged mounds of clothes and random objects on the ground. He lifted his chin, resting his head against the pillow.
"Had a nice nap?" I asked, embarrassment at having been caught dancing to the Time Warp in the dark making my cheeks burn. He gave me a drowsy smile, closing his eyes for a brief moment before he answered:
"Not as nice as the Time Warp." I swallowed hard, wanting to hide my face. He chuckled slightly, disentangling himself from the sheets so that they pooled around his hips and left his arms free. He squirmed into a sitting position, still staring at me intently.
"Care to join me?" I asked lamely, extending my hand towards him. He laughed, shaking his head slightly before grasping my hand. I was surprised to say the least but I pulled him up either way, the warmth of the clasp of our hands giving me some sort of courage to pull him in front of the T.V. I gave the tape a rewind to the beginning of the scene. "Now, do you know how to do the Time Warp?" I asked him, a smirk beginning to spread across my lips.
"So-so," he replied, sending me a smile. I pressed play and the bells began ringing. He surprised me by his knowledge of the song; he knew every line, every word and he did every enunciation exactly the way it should be. He mimicked every move, executing the dance with such precision; I remained rooted to the spot, completely missing the first two verses. Then I merely laughed, joining him as we acted out the different characters, using the grand area of my room to our advantage. I even forced him to join me on the bed in order to mimic the dance of the commentator.
And we were just as exhausted as the actors when the Time Warp ended, collapsing on the floor as they did, our chests rising and falling at the same rhythm, spontaneously laughing. "So-so?" I asked sarcastically, wiping away a bead of sweat running down my face.
"Well, I might have seen the movie a few times," he replied with a shrug, a grin on his face.
"A few times?" I asked incredulously, raising myself up on my elbows, "How 'bout a few dozen times?" Frank laughed again, gazing at me from the floor though his eyes were slightly closed. He nodded, raising himself up on his elbows as well, gazing at the television screen as, of course, the movie kept playing. He became so immersed in it and yet I couldn't; all I could do was stare at his face, enthralled as he seemed by the scene.
"I'm just a sweet transvestite from transsexual Transylvania," he sang along softly and I couldn't help but smile, shifting to wrap my arms around my legs. Finally, he noticed my gaze and he looked at me, curiosity etched on his features. "Yeah, Gee?" he asked seriously, the smile having faded long ago. Do you know his birthday? Where he lives? Do you know what he likes to eat or what his home life is like? You don't know shit Gee.
"When's your birthday? Where do you live? What's your favorite food?" Puzzled, he cocked his head, still looking at me quizzically.
"Halloween, Belleville, and I love chocolate cake, mashed potatoes and butter sandwiches," he answered. "Why?"
"No reason," I muttered, turning my attention to the T.V. though I could still feel his gaze on the side of my face. "What?"
"Well, since you know that about me now, tell me the same about you."
"April 9, here and Cajun," I replied earnestly, both of us completely ignoring the movie playing in front of us. He began laughing hard, stretching himself out on the floor. I couldn't help from chuckling; he had an incredibly contagious laugh. "Why are you laughing?" I asked.
"Because I burn everything and call it Cajun," he answered, getting up into a sitting position again. I shook my head with a grin, pushing him lightly so that he fell to the floor again, still giggling.
"You're insane."
"You love it," he teased, prodding me in the side with a silly grin on his face. I couldn't help but agree, bringing him in for a quick hug, ruffling his hair. He giggled again, his eyes bright. He was truly happy; he had forgotten everything. And I felt a surge of pride and satisfaction for being the one to have done that.