The Prince and the Pauper

"Attis, if you're hungry you can go get some food from the trash. I think there might be some fish leftover," Layla said as she washed the dishes. Her hands stopped the circular motion they were scrubbing a plate with. She looked over her shoulder to fix a death stare at her stepson, then put the plate slowly back in the sink. "I don't know why I'm bothering to wash the dishes. Why don't you do your chores?" she snapped and rinsed her hands from the soapy suds.

Attis nodded and dragged his feet to the sink, taking over. Layla dried her hands on the hand towel that hung from rung on the wall next to the sink. "When you're done you can go fish for your food," she said.

As he scrubbed the dishes, Attis pondered over the bruises covering his body. He would have to cover those up with concealer later on. He didn't see why he should even bother; he was only let out of the house to throw garbage away, and get groceries. It was summer anyways.

When the last dish was finished he dried his now wrinkled hands and walked to his room. He wasn't hungry for fish leftovers.

Inside of his room he took out his makeup kit that consisted of Layla's cosmetics that he had stolen. He took out the concealing powder and lifted his shirt up, grimacing at the assortment of colors. He lightly dabbed the power over them, occasionally hissing in pain.

When he was done he started working on his arms and his face, feeling like a clown. He wanted to be natural, but he didn't want all the evidence of his abuse to be seen. Then he frowned and put his stash under his bed. If he had money he would runaway. He would runaway to a far off place and start his life over again.

"Attis! We're out of milk. Go get some!" Layla shouted, "Use the cash on the kitchen table and walk there so we don't waste gas!"

At the grocery store Attis found himself stuck between two kinds of milk: whole and fat free. He didn't know what Layla or Cory wanted. So he just stood there, in the dairy section, staring from one type of milk to the other.

"Can't decide?" a voice asked. It came from a beautiful boy who had flawless skin and silky black hair atop his head. He smirked. "I personally like fat free better," he said. Attis moved aside so the boy could get two cartons of fat free milk.

Then the boy looked at him and Attis blinked. "Can you talk?" the boy asked, his face showing curiousness as he placed his milk cartons in his cart. Attis nodded. "You don't like to talk?" the boy pressed. Attis nodded. "Oh... I'm Leslie, by the way."

Attis nodded then turned to the refrigerated cartons. He reached in to take a carton of fat free milk but stopped when he saw Leslie drop in his side vision, propping himself up one of the shelves. Attis felt his gut churn. That was the move he saw a lot of guys pull on girls at school.

"What's your name?" Leslie asked in a sweet voice.

Attis pointed at his throat.

"Oh," Leslie said with a frown. Then he smiled and took Attis's hand, pulling him to the ice cream freezers. He breathed on the glass doors until there was a large cloud of breath on it. "Write your name," he said with a charming smile.

ATTIS.

"That's a beautiful name," Leslie said, smiling. He took Attis's hand then said, "A beautiful name for a beautiful face."

Attis looked away. He felt awkward all over, and his face was probably heating. This boy was flirting with him. He had never been flirted with before, mostly because no one got to know him with his lips sealed all the time.

"Are you into guys?" Leslie asked, making Attis shiver. He didn't like where this was headed. The flirting felt good, but now he was starting to get creeped out. He took the fat free milk carton and walked away, wishing that Leslie wouldn't follow him.

"Hey! I'm sorry!" Leslie said, jogging to Attis's side, "I didn't meant to sound like a freak."

Attis just nodded and quickened his pace.

"Tell you what, I'll pay for those two milk cartons, okay? To make up for sounding like a man whore."

Attis shook his head but Leslie took the cartons from him to the checkout line and paid for them. He gave the paper bag to Attis with a smile, "The least I can do for you, beautiful." Then he quickly added, "Ah! I'm sorry! I shouldn't have!"

Attis smiled at the troubled look on Leslie's face.

He looked kind of cute.