Mystery Boy

For some reason, I didn't want to be here. I didn't want to be sitting on a raggedy couch surrounded by people who had only known me a few days. I didn't want to be in this crappy apartment because once upon a time I would've screamed if anyone tried to force me to even look at this place. But most of all, I didn't want to be in this city. The “city of sin” was just like everyone had ever told me. It was a place for gamblers and prostitutes. This is was no place to live.

My thoughts were running around my head as I stood up and abruptly excused myself from the group of people who were scattered around the room. Ronnie looked at me oddly as I slid out of the front door and scampered outside, feeling claustrophobic and dirty. I went to my car and climbed inside, locking it once I was in.

Then I called the girl who I was missing the most. I got her answering machine the first time but my phone was ringing just minutes after I hung up and let myself slouch against the seat.

“Kelley!” I shouted into the phone, feeling tears well in my eyes. “I miss you so much!”

”Airea, I miss you too! Are you okay? What's wrong?” She replied quickly, letting worry and angst seep out of her words.

“I'm fine,” I said sadly, “I just want to come home.”

”Oh honeybunches,” she replied dramatically, causing me to chuckle pathetically, ”It's no fun around here either.”

I groaned and closed my eyes. Content with just having her on the phone and hearing her rhythmic breathing as she quickly tried to think up a solution that would make everyone happy. We were quiet for a few minutes then she bursted from the seems.

”Maybe I can come down next weekend!? I have a teacher's institute day or whatever on Friday and I'm sure your dad will let you skip!”

I grinned at the thought. Friday was only three days away. Surely I could survive three more days, I mean, I had already done it once. Then I realized that she wasn't used to this kind of thing, these kind of people, I added guiltily. “I don't know, Kell,” I replied, “It's a lot different down here.”

I could basically hear Kelley rolling her eyes. ”Are you saying that you don't think I can handle it?” She scoffed playfully, ”Go ask Tom, you loser.”

I laughed and nodded, “I will when I get home.”

”Where are you? Not still at school, I hope.”

“I'm just out with some friends. We're at one of their friends' house. I'm not going to stay long though we've been here for about an hour already,” I told her, waiting for the inevitable reply.

“Boy friends? Are they cute?”

I rolled my eyes, “Shut up, Kelley Ann Aims. They're my neighbors.”

”What does that have to do with anything?”

“Nothing,” I said distractedly as I noticed a pair of Ronnie's friends come stumbling out of the building, “Hang on one second.”

”What is going on!?” I heard her shout as I set the phone down on the seat next to me and rolled my window down as Derek and Ryan walked over to my car.

“Are you okay?” Derek asked, looking at me oddly. “Ronnie sent me to find out.”

I rolled my eyes. “What are you guys, like his little puppets or something?” I shot at them, hearing the malice in my voice. “I'm leaving,” I added, “Run up there and tell Jacky and Ronnie that if they need a ride they better come now because I'm not staying here any longer. I've got better things to do with myself.”

They looked surprised and as they turned around to walk back upstairs I heard Derek murmured “bitch” under his breath. I just rolled my eyes and flicked my hair out of my face. A minute later I had to tell Kelley to hang on one second as I pulled up to the front of the building, seeing Ronnie come walking out.

“What got into you?” he asked as he leaned down in the window, “D and Ryan said you're acting like a spoiled bitch.”

I rolled my eyes at him. “You know what Ronnie,” I sneered, “I really don't care what your little friends think of me.”

“Woah,” Ronnie said with a sarcastic smile on his lips, “Guess they were right. I'll see you around Air, why don't you go and get your dog out of my house.”

“Forget you, Ronnie,” I growled as I revved the engine and tore out of there.

It took me awhile to get back to my Dad's house seeing as I couldn't really remember the direct route. When I did pull into the driveway, Decklan's friend's car was parked on the street and in return my father's car in it's place. I growled and slammed my door shut behind me, locking it with a click of a button. My phone vibrated in my pocket with the reply text from Kelley.

I ignored it as I stomped across Ronnie's yard and up to the front door. I banged on the door loudly and Riley pulled it open, looking confused. I slid past the younger boy, noting that he was taller than me. I called out for my dog as I grabbed his empty dog bowl from the floor. He was in Ronnie's room along with everything I bought for him. I attached his leash to his collar and lead him out of Ronnie's room with the bowl and bag of food in my arms.

“I'll see you around Riley,” I said as I walked out of his house and over to mine. I pushed the door open and rolled my eyes at Decklan and his friends who were all spread out on the couches.

“You can't bring that thing in here!” Decklan shouted as he hopped to his feet.

I glared at him, “Get out of my face, brother.” I lead Charming into the room and slammed the door, hearing my father yell my name. I locked the door and threw myself down onto my bed, patting the spot next to me and giggling as Charming heaved himself onto the blanket. “Good baby,” I cooed as I patted his wrinkles. He licked my arm.

“Airea, open the door. What's wrong?” I heard my father's voice.

“Go away Dad!” I shouted, “I don't want to talk to you.” I remembered Kelley and I pulled my phone out of my pocket.

Major bitch attack(: it read, causing me to scowl.

I texted her back telling her that my Dad said it was cool if she came down on Friday and that we'd buy her ticket and everything. My Dad had given up trying to talk to me and had walked away from the door. I could hear Decklan in the living room complaining about Charming and my Dad trying to fend him off. Kelley texted me back excitedly and said that she'd go talk to her parents about it. Her fully functional and still-in-love parents. I had known Hal and Naomi Aims all my life. They were my godparents even. They were the perfect pair. They married straight out of high school and put each other through college. Then they had two beautiful children. Kelley Ann Aims and Preston Daniel Aims. I'll admit that when I was younger I had a huge crush on Preston. Our parents used to set us up on little dates in our early preteen years but as we grew older our gap in age became more prominent.

Preston now lives alone in New York. He probably has a roommate or something but he never mentions it when he comes home for holidays. He's a sophomore in college now and we're still really good friends. Once I got over my little crush he was like the big brother I never had.

I found his number in my phone and sent him a text. ”Hey Prest. I miss you. How's school?” I wrote, smiling at the thought of him. I sent it and then tucked my phone under my pillow as I played with my puppy and put a movie in on my laptop. My stomach growled halfway through the movie and I remembered that I hadn't eaten anything today except half a Poptart.

I slipped out of my room, shutting the door behind me so that Charming couldn't get out. I looked towards the living room and Decklan was playing video games with his friends. I went into the kitchen and leaned against the counter as my Dad fiddled with a few things. “Do you need help?” I asked him, causing him to start and jump to face me.

“Oh Airea, um, no,” he said, offering me a smile. “I've got it.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Since when do you know how to cook?”

Dad looked up to me and shrugged, “I can make a few things. Ina usually cooks around here though.”

I looked around, “Where is she, anyways?” I noticed that the youngest boys were gone too.

“She took Taite and Easton to her parents' for dinner. We usually all go but I didn't want to thrust that on you yet,” he said offhandedly as he pulled the milk out of the fridge and poured two glasses.

“No thanks,” I said as he handed me a glass. “I don't like it, remember?” He didn't.

“Oh yeah, sorry.”

I shrugged and folded my arms over my chest. I watched for a few more minutes as he tried to cook something. When he started moving things around instead of actually making anything I said, “Why don't we just order in?”

Dad turned around and smiled at me gratefully. “Good idea.”

We ended up ordering a pizza and sitting around the living room watching a movie. Decklan's friends left after they ate and the three of us and Charming watching horror movies. I cuddled up with my Dad as I rested my head on his shoulder and texted Kelley. She was telling me about how excited she was now that she'd get to come here on Friday.

I bit my lip as I agreed with her. “Dad,” I whispered as I received a glare from Decklan. I wanted to flip him off but I knew my Dad wouldn't really appreciate that.

“Yeah, honey?” he asked quietly, looking down to me where I was slouched against him.

I didn't look at him, I just stared at the t.v. as I spoke. “Kelley wants to come down,” I told him quietly, “She's uh, coming on Friday.” I mumbled the last part and bit my lip as I let the words process in his mind. He turned to me and stared down at me with harsh blue eyes.

“What?” he asked although I knew he heard me perfectly.

I winced. “I might of, uh, told her that I'm buying her a ticket for this, uh, Friday.”

Dad shook his head. “Oh no. No, no, no. We can't afford that, Airea. No way. Call her back and tell her that she is not coming down any time soon.”

My jaw dropped and I stared at him with a glare in my blue eyes. Decklan was smirking at the two of us and this time I actually did hold my middle finger out towards him. My Dad smacked my wrist out of the air and then grabbed onto me, yanking me down the hallway. Charming watched from the couch as Dad roughly dragged me into the bedroom and shoved me through the doorway.

“What is your problem?” I shouted at him as he closed the door behind him.

Dad crossed his arms over his chest. “What has gotten into you, Airea?”

“Nothing,” I snarled, copying his posture.

“Airea, knock it off!”

I stayed quiet and stood there with my arms crossed over my chest. I didn't understand why Kelley couldn't come down for the weekend. We did have the money but Dad just didn't want to spend it on me now that he had his new family. “What ever,” I growled after a few minutes, “I don't need you anyways.” I grabbed my keys off of my bed and went to storm past him. Dad grabbed my arm.

“Let me go!” I shouted, shoving him off of me. I slid past him and yanked the door open, letting it slam into the wall. Decklan made a nasty reply about not breaking the house as I stormed past, calling for Charming who jumped off of the couch and followed me out of the house.

When I got into my car I realized that I had no where to go. Charming was sitting in the passenger's seat and looking at me with the darkest eyes ever. I slammed my hands down on the driver's seat and growled. I wasn't about to run over to Ronnie's house. He had basically called me a bitch. I sat in my car for about a half an hour before I climbed out with Charming, deciding where to go.

I walked down a few houses and crossed the street. I kept a sharp eye on Charming since I didn't have his leash. When we crossed the street I reached down and held onto his collar and lead him across.

I held my breath when I walked through the yard. I jumped when Charming starting barking loudly. “Hush up!” I demanded as I crouched down to his level. My eyes grew wide when I noticed what he was barking about. It was starting to get a little dark out and there was a figure coming around the side of the house.

I bit my lip and watched as the character picked up speed as he got closer. “What are you doing here?” he asked, causing me to sigh.

“Don't scare me like that, Jacky!”

Jacky grabbed my arm, “What do you want?” he asked.

I looked up at him, surprised. He'd never talked too much let alone been rough with me before. “What's wrong?” I asked as I pulled my arm away from him.

“Go home,” he said quietly, pointing back down the street towards my house.

I shook my head, “I can't, Jacky. My Dad and I got into a fight and everything is just blowing up in my face.” I looked up into his incredibly light colored eyes, feeling my bottom lip jut out just slightly. “Can't we just stay here for a little while?”

Jacky slouched as he looked to his front door. He tossed his head back with a silent groan and then nodded, grabbing onto my arm more gently this time. “Quiet!” he demanded as he pointed at Charming.

“He'll be silent,” I whispered.

Jacky nodded in a way that showed he wasn't convinced before he took my hand in his own and led me around to the backyard. Charming followed after us quietly. I smirked in satisfaction. Jacky lead me over to a window that was basically on the ground. I knew that it was the basement instantly. He pushed on it and it slid to the right, opening.

“Go ahead,” he murmured, motioning me forward.

I looked at him shyly and told him to go first. He nodded and crawled through the window. I heard the quiet SMACK! as his converse clad feet hit the floor. He pointed to Charming and I pushed Charming forward until Jacky grabbed onto him and lifted him and then set him on the floor.

I bit my lip before I let myself slid down through the window. I felt Jacky's hands on my hips as he steadied me on my feet. I looked at him awkwardly and then looked around the basement. “This is your room?” I asked.

Jacky nodded. He walked over and sat on the mattress that was on the floor. There were black silk blankets on it and black pillows. On the walls there were posters of bands like Iron Maiden and Metallica. The floor was linoleum and the walls were a dingy white color from all the years of dirty fingers touching it.

On the side farthest from the best there was a brown couch and a small t.v. There was a guitar stand with a tan and white guitar on it. At the bottom there was a blue “HellRaiser” sticker that looked cute with all the other stickers that were on the left side, away from all the switches.

Charming was already sniffing around. I thanked the earth that he was being quiet. When I looked back to Jacky he was sliding his jacket off and walking past me over to the the brown couch. I slid out of my shoes and walked soundlessly towards him. I curled up on the couch next to him as he put in a VHS movie and hit play. My head rested on his shoulder and my eyes eventually fell shut.