Let Loose
Royden
Royden Anderson glared at the mess that seemed to always follow J wherever he went. He rubbed his eyes, unable to look at the bedroom. Clothes were thrown all over the carpet and brown leather couch. The green bed sheets were thrown to the floor, wrinkled and dirty. Glasses and plates were piled into of his oak dresser, days, and maybe weeks, old. Royden thought of the last time he was in Zagger’s room. Even that psychotic boy has a clear room than J did.
He leaned against the doorframe, the border between chaos and cleanliness. J and the rest of the gang were still in school. Royden had the year off before going to University, leaving him bored and lonely during the day. He hoped that J would be home soon, but miscalculated the time by an hour.
“Royden, darling, come downstairs,” Mrs. McCarthy called from down the hall. “Joshua will take some time getting him. Why don’t you watch some TV?”
“That’s alright, Mrs. McCarthy,” he answered back. Mr. McCarthy was no doubt downstairs and Royden hated football or any other kind of college sport. Maybe he’d join the book club at University. The one thing he was really good at was reading. He had always wanted to write but decided that he didn’t have a chance in that career area after reading the wacky stories that Zagger wrote.
“Suit yourself. Feel free to make yourself at home. I’ll let Joshua know that you’re here when he gets home.”
“Thank you!”
Royden looked around the room once more, not sure where he should sit. Everything was so…Royden couldn’t think of another word besides the ones he already used. No, wait. Disgusting.
He settled on the bed and fished a book from under the mattress, hoping that it wouldn’t be something like Playboy. He’d never known J to read those kinds of books but then again, everyone has their secrets. What he picked up was a copy of Oliver Twist. Royden was shocked to find a normal book among J’s extensive collection of manga.
Royden prepared to lay back and enjoy the book when Oliver Zimmer, Jamie’s younger brother, and look alike, barged into the room. His face was flushed and his blonde hair was wind blown into a crazy style.
“Oh, damn, J isn’t home yet,” Oliver panted. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “I forgot that we get out at different times. But good thing that you’re here, Royden. Jamie sent me and Zagger to go look for you. We’re all meeting at the skate park.”
Royden stood up and threw the book onto the bag. “Why didn’t Jamie text me,” he asked Oliver as they left the room and headed down the stairs.
“His phone is dead,” Oliver explained. “Anita doesn’t bring hers to school. Zagger doesn’t have one.”
“Leaving already-Oliver! Dear, I didn’t see you come in,” Mrs. McCarthy said, surprised.
Oliver bit his lip and blushed a little. “Sorry, Mrs. McCarthy. I came in through the back door. If J comes back, tell him to meet us at the skate park.”
“Will do,” she promised with a nob. “Bye boys.”
“Goodbye Mrs. McCarthy,” we chorused and waved goodbye to Mr. McCarthy.
Zagger waited in the front yard, balancing on Oliver’s skateboard. Royden called out to him, wanting the half blind Romanian off the board before he hurt himself. The job of keeping that boy from killing himself fell onto Royden. The others tolerated him but didn’t bother to look out for him. With Zagger’s reckless attitude, he wasn’t sure how long he’d be alive.
“Where’s J,” he asked handing the skateboard back to Oliver. He wasn’t wearing his contacts today so one eye was really light blue instead of its natural blue. Royden sometimes felt uncomfortable looking at Zagger when he wasn’t wearing his contacts. The two colored eyes scared him a bit. “We can’t leave without J.”
“We’ll pick him up from school,” Royden said, fishing his car keeps out of his pocket. He was feeling terribly tired so he tossed them to Oliver, who, at fourteen, could drive.
“Why can’t I drive,” Zagger whined.
Royden and Oliver stared at him for a minute as if making sure that he was serious. Deciding that he wasn’t, they began walking towards the car.
Drive? He really was insane.
He leaned against the doorframe, the border between chaos and cleanliness. J and the rest of the gang were still in school. Royden had the year off before going to University, leaving him bored and lonely during the day. He hoped that J would be home soon, but miscalculated the time by an hour.
“Royden, darling, come downstairs,” Mrs. McCarthy called from down the hall. “Joshua will take some time getting him. Why don’t you watch some TV?”
“That’s alright, Mrs. McCarthy,” he answered back. Mr. McCarthy was no doubt downstairs and Royden hated football or any other kind of college sport. Maybe he’d join the book club at University. The one thing he was really good at was reading. He had always wanted to write but decided that he didn’t have a chance in that career area after reading the wacky stories that Zagger wrote.
“Suit yourself. Feel free to make yourself at home. I’ll let Joshua know that you’re here when he gets home.”
“Thank you!”
Royden looked around the room once more, not sure where he should sit. Everything was so…Royden couldn’t think of another word besides the ones he already used. No, wait. Disgusting.
He settled on the bed and fished a book from under the mattress, hoping that it wouldn’t be something like Playboy. He’d never known J to read those kinds of books but then again, everyone has their secrets. What he picked up was a copy of Oliver Twist. Royden was shocked to find a normal book among J’s extensive collection of manga.
Royden prepared to lay back and enjoy the book when Oliver Zimmer, Jamie’s younger brother, and look alike, barged into the room. His face was flushed and his blonde hair was wind blown into a crazy style.
“Oh, damn, J isn’t home yet,” Oliver panted. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “I forgot that we get out at different times. But good thing that you’re here, Royden. Jamie sent me and Zagger to go look for you. We’re all meeting at the skate park.”
Royden stood up and threw the book onto the bag. “Why didn’t Jamie text me,” he asked Oliver as they left the room and headed down the stairs.
“His phone is dead,” Oliver explained. “Anita doesn’t bring hers to school. Zagger doesn’t have one.”
“Leaving already-Oliver! Dear, I didn’t see you come in,” Mrs. McCarthy said, surprised.
Oliver bit his lip and blushed a little. “Sorry, Mrs. McCarthy. I came in through the back door. If J comes back, tell him to meet us at the skate park.”
“Will do,” she promised with a nob. “Bye boys.”
“Goodbye Mrs. McCarthy,” we chorused and waved goodbye to Mr. McCarthy.
Zagger waited in the front yard, balancing on Oliver’s skateboard. Royden called out to him, wanting the half blind Romanian off the board before he hurt himself. The job of keeping that boy from killing himself fell onto Royden. The others tolerated him but didn’t bother to look out for him. With Zagger’s reckless attitude, he wasn’t sure how long he’d be alive.
“Where’s J,” he asked handing the skateboard back to Oliver. He wasn’t wearing his contacts today so one eye was really light blue instead of its natural blue. Royden sometimes felt uncomfortable looking at Zagger when he wasn’t wearing his contacts. The two colored eyes scared him a bit. “We can’t leave without J.”
“We’ll pick him up from school,” Royden said, fishing his car keeps out of his pocket. He was feeling terribly tired so he tossed them to Oliver, who, at fourteen, could drive.
“Why can’t I drive,” Zagger whined.
Royden and Oliver stared at him for a minute as if making sure that he was serious. Deciding that he wasn’t, they began walking towards the car.
Drive? He really was insane.