Wanted
2
Cedar’s bedroom was large, when he had moved in, Ridley had made the decision to give him the larger bedroom, for the sake of his studies, and to keep the peace. Though Cedar and Ridley lived together, they were not what you would call, close brothers, they had indeed only known about each other for only a few years, when Ridley had met the boy around thirteen, neither had been happy that their mother, and Cedar’s father, had kept such a large secret from them. Cedar had moved in only as an alternative to what he wanted, his own place. Everyone had argued that he was not yet old enough or ready for that, so they had made him agree to live with Ridley, where he would get the master bedroom – which he had cleverly turned into a sort of mini, open plan apartment, and he would have far more independence than he previously had at home. So far, up until that morning, the plan had worked out well.
For the first time in his life, Ridley felt like a father. Standing in the door looking at the bratty teenage child who was sat on his bed saying nothing. This time Cedar was not reading a book. He instead sat holding his pocket knife, something Ridley would have usually forbidden, but he saw no point arguing. The knife was turning in his hand, slowly as though being inspected. Eventually after a painfully silent five minutes, he snapped the blade shut and turned back toward Ridley. “Have you finished yet?”
“finished what?”
“Mocking me.”
“What are you talking about?”
“It doesn’t take a genius, any idiot would know you’re mocking me, thinking that I’m just a child, and that I wouldn’t know. Well it hurts. You betrayed me.”
“Betrayed you? What the hell are you talking about?”
“I Asked you to leave it alone, in fact, I told you. Yet you call mom. I moved out of there for a reason. You’re not my dad you know!”
“I’m aware yes.”
“Well, then why don’t you keep out of my business.”
“You were scared of him, that much is obvious.” Ridley’s blackberry pinged to say he had am email, probably the school, he ignored it. “I don’t want my little brother scared.”
“I’m not scared, never was, besides, you never cared before now. Why care when you don’t have to?”
“Thats not exactly fair.”
“You weren’t there when I was really scared, so don’t make me look scared just so you can stick up for me. I can do that myself.”
It took all of Ridley’s power not to do two things, laugh at the fact that a boy, who had on many occasions been mistaken for a girl, could look after himself. At 5 ft 4 inches, Cedar was hardly the size of a Middle school child, let alone big enough to take on anyone who could be described as an adult. The second thing to resist was slapping him for his first comment. When Cedar had been twelve, he had spent a long stay period in the hospital. Lasting for almost ten months when he had been diagnosed with acute kidney failing and possible liver and brain damage following a car accident. Though Ridley had not known him at that time, he had learned about it soon after, Cedar had never forgiven him for not being there. Now he was using it against him. Low blow.
“Cedar. You know that wasn’t fair.”
“You’re not fair.”
“Don’t go child on me.”
“You keep reminding me, I’m just a child. So why not?”
“Fine. I’ll leave you alone.”
“Thank you.”
He did, though reluctantly, leave the room closing the door behind him. Once down the hallway, at the top of the stairs, he checked his blackberry looking at the email.
Mr Chaucer.
From our records, there is no mention of Cedar Anderson ever being in Mr Alinsons class, though he could have met him on the corridors, as is common in a school the size of ours. I would say that if Cedar is having problems with this, it is probably still the shock of knowing that someone so dangerous was working at the school you attend, which we do apologise for, we did not know and did not mean for such stress to be put upon our students, We care for all out students and if Cedar is having difficulty coming to terms with this, we have a school councillor and if his parents call the main office, we would be glad to make him an appointment to meet with her.
Sorry for any distress this may have caused.
Principal Johnson.
May have met on the corridor?
Distress from a murderer working as a school teacher?
it was more than that. It had to be. For the years they had known each other, that had been the first time that Ridley had ever spotted fear in his brothers eyes, and the fear had been genuine and deep, Something more had happened. Something he wouldn’t get to know without help.
He looked back at his brothers door considering it, as he stepped closer and heard the sobs, he decided to back away. Any explanations could indeed wait till another day.
For the first time in his life, Ridley felt like a father. Standing in the door looking at the bratty teenage child who was sat on his bed saying nothing. This time Cedar was not reading a book. He instead sat holding his pocket knife, something Ridley would have usually forbidden, but he saw no point arguing. The knife was turning in his hand, slowly as though being inspected. Eventually after a painfully silent five minutes, he snapped the blade shut and turned back toward Ridley. “Have you finished yet?”
“finished what?”
“Mocking me.”
“What are you talking about?”
“It doesn’t take a genius, any idiot would know you’re mocking me, thinking that I’m just a child, and that I wouldn’t know. Well it hurts. You betrayed me.”
“Betrayed you? What the hell are you talking about?”
“I Asked you to leave it alone, in fact, I told you. Yet you call mom. I moved out of there for a reason. You’re not my dad you know!”
“I’m aware yes.”
“Well, then why don’t you keep out of my business.”
“You were scared of him, that much is obvious.” Ridley’s blackberry pinged to say he had am email, probably the school, he ignored it. “I don’t want my little brother scared.”
“I’m not scared, never was, besides, you never cared before now. Why care when you don’t have to?”
“Thats not exactly fair.”
“You weren’t there when I was really scared, so don’t make me look scared just so you can stick up for me. I can do that myself.”
It took all of Ridley’s power not to do two things, laugh at the fact that a boy, who had on many occasions been mistaken for a girl, could look after himself. At 5 ft 4 inches, Cedar was hardly the size of a Middle school child, let alone big enough to take on anyone who could be described as an adult. The second thing to resist was slapping him for his first comment. When Cedar had been twelve, he had spent a long stay period in the hospital. Lasting for almost ten months when he had been diagnosed with acute kidney failing and possible liver and brain damage following a car accident. Though Ridley had not known him at that time, he had learned about it soon after, Cedar had never forgiven him for not being there. Now he was using it against him. Low blow.
“Cedar. You know that wasn’t fair.”
“You’re not fair.”
“Don’t go child on me.”
“You keep reminding me, I’m just a child. So why not?”
“Fine. I’ll leave you alone.”
“Thank you.”
He did, though reluctantly, leave the room closing the door behind him. Once down the hallway, at the top of the stairs, he checked his blackberry looking at the email.
Mr Chaucer.
From our records, there is no mention of Cedar Anderson ever being in Mr Alinsons class, though he could have met him on the corridors, as is common in a school the size of ours. I would say that if Cedar is having problems with this, it is probably still the shock of knowing that someone so dangerous was working at the school you attend, which we do apologise for, we did not know and did not mean for such stress to be put upon our students, We care for all out students and if Cedar is having difficulty coming to terms with this, we have a school councillor and if his parents call the main office, we would be glad to make him an appointment to meet with her.
Sorry for any distress this may have caused.
Principal Johnson.
May have met on the corridor?
Distress from a murderer working as a school teacher?
it was more than that. It had to be. For the years they had known each other, that had been the first time that Ridley had ever spotted fear in his brothers eyes, and the fear had been genuine and deep, Something more had happened. Something he wouldn’t get to know without help.
He looked back at his brothers door considering it, as he stepped closer and heard the sobs, he decided to back away. Any explanations could indeed wait till another day.