Coming Back Down

I wasn’t allowed to talk to strangers, dad said. Even if I liked them. We almost got into trouble with police because I had brought a newly found friend home once. And the police were horrible people, dad said. I've seen them. But I never met one of them or talked to them. I couldn’t help but wonder what they were like. If they were just like us. Their clothes were horrible though, plain hideous. I guessed there was no use getting to know one of them. I wouldn't be able to tell them apart. They really all looked the same.

He was different though. That boy. He was cute. It had been dark but I could tell. And I liked him but I couldn't trust him. The only ones I trusted were my family. And none of them were cute. Not that I had anything against them. Like I had said, they were family and I loved them all. Looks weren’t everything.

I wondered what he wanted. Maybe I shouldn't have chased him away. He just walked up to me and asked how I was. Who even did that? No one except for family. So, it made me wonder. Why did that boy do that?

Addison. That's what his name was. Why was I even thinking so much about him? It wasn't like I was ever going to see him again.

Except that that thought kind of irritated me… for some reason. I was curious to be honest.

“What are you looking for this time?” Blade asked me, breaking away from one of his bitches. They weren’t family. They came and went like the cats that would sneak around in the allies. Sometimes you’d see the same one twice, but never again. This one had wild curly hair that was a raging red. It reminded me of fire and made me picture her head burning which was actually quite amusing if you asked me. Not that anyone ever did ask me.

“I wanted to tell dad that was I was going out. But you’ll do too. So, I’m off now,” I turned to walk away in an awful hurry because I did not like tricking people and lying. I never lied to dad or Blade but it was part of my plan now and it had my heart pounding.

“Whao! Wait, Calen!” he called, immediately running after me and grasping my shoulder, forcing me to turn back in his direction. “Where do you think you’re going?” he asked, staring straight at me while I fought to keep my calm and gaze back with a smile.

“Out,” I told him with a short hand motion toward the door.

“You know, you’re not supposed to go out during the day,” Blade said lowly. His eyes searched mine like he didn’t know me. As if I was an exotic kind of cat or something that he’d never seen before.

“But dad told me yesterday that I can go out if I tell you or him.” My mouth dried out as soon as said that, hoping Blade would believe me. He had no reason not to and if I came back before dad did, there would be no reason for dad to find out where I was. Of course, I had to have a good amount of luck.

“Why didn’t I hear any of this?” Blade asked, his forehead creasing. I shrugged and he let me out of his grip in that process.

“Dad left pretty surprisingly, didn’t he? And he didn’t take you with him this time, so I guess something important came up and he forgot it,” I tried to reason. Dad never told me about where he went or what he did. He said it would be boring for me and even though I was still curious, I trusted dad’s judgement.

The only reason I was going out during the sunlight today was to find Addison. And I didn’t believe that would happen all too quickly, which is why I made this story up. If I just left, someone would notice I was gone sooner or later and I probably wouldn’t have enough time to properly look for him.

“Hmm,” Blade just muttered, his thoughtfulness visible on his face. I waited, trying to be patient. The bitch with the unique red hair didn’t seem to be in the mood of waiting much longer and gave out a sigh. When both of us glanced at her though, she was checking her nails as if we weren’t even there. I would never understand women.

Rubbing the back of his neck, he then nodded. “Run along, then,” he told me quietly. I gave him a quick hug and flashed him a grin before heading out. For a second, the dimness of the world outside confused me. Looking up to the sky, grey rainclouds faced me instead of a shining sun swimming in the blue.

I wouldn’t let that stop me though. Not only could this be my only chance but I didn’t have anything else to do anyway. Slipping a previously rolled joint between my lips, I started walking down the streets. I kept my pace slow so I was sure none of the people that passed me were him.

After a few hours, I found myself doubting if I could still remember exactly how he looked or that I would ever find him. I was about to give up this search despite my earlier promises to myself of never doing so until I found him when a bench appeared behind the tree to my right. A bottle of half-full coke stood next to him on the bench and I stopped in my tracks, just looking at him until I was sure it was Addison.

As soon as I was, a feeling of happiness and accomplishment filled me. But then again, I had no idea what to do next. Go up to him? And talk to him? Or should I just continue walking and pretend I didn’t recognize him? My joint burned out and after I threw it away, I looked up to Addison and found him looking back at me.