Behind The Mask

Chapter 5

New York is nothing if it isn't darn cold over winter break. It's snowing and icy rain falls down on your cheeks and neither E.J. nor I had anticipated that we would need a lot more clothing if we wanted to not freeze to death, so dreading the rain and cold we decided to stay inside on our first morning in the Big Apple.

"We need something warmer. It's a waste of money coming here if we aren't going to see anything. Is it my imagination or was it warmer last night?" E.J. asks staring out the window to the rain bounding against it.

"You were high as a kite on caffeine and I was tired," I exclaim, laying on the bed and making sums of how much money we can spend in New York, which is stupid since the money should be enough to keep us alive for the next couple of months, even a year or two, depending on how we spend it. "Maybe we should just hop on a plan to California. Somewhere it doesn't bloody snow the whole time."

"We're here. We can just as well try and make the best of it," E.J. exclaims. I hear the hesitation in his voice but then he says; "There's a lot we can do here in the city after we get some warm coats or something. I have some money I brought with me as well. Should be enough."

"I invited you along. It's my treat," I say looking up at E.J. turning around and looking like a lost and cold puppy. He seems to have every article of clothing on him that he brought along with him. "You're really cold aren't you?"

I didn't say anything about him waking up on my chest, and he didn't say anything either. He just pulled away really quickly and I kept my eyes closed even though I almost didn't sleep at all. There's no need for E.J. to know that I know.

"Yeah... I'm actually scared to go outside," E.J. answers.

I walk over to my duffle bag and pull another one of my hoodies out. It would probably be too big for E.J.'s scrawny body, but at least it will keep him warm. I toss it over to him.

"Put this on. Maybe you will be a bit warmer," I say as I walk toward the door. "Now let's go shopping."

"This is way too big for me," E.J. says with a bit of a laugh and I turn around to find him in my hoodie that almost goes down to his knees. He looks so cute, like a little child but I try my best to compose the smile on my face. I didn't realize I was that much bigger built than him, but then again, that hoodie is even too big for me.

"Let's dare the winter snow!" I shout gallantly with my fist raised in the air, once again my best British accent doing all the work.

"Not that funny," E.J. says as he walks past me and punches me on the shoulder.

"I'm gonna get you for that," I say as I start locking the door, leaving E.J. to giggle and run just a little bit ahead of me toward the elevator.

"Only if you can catch me!" he shouts as he darts into the elevator and pushes the bottom for the doors to close.

The last thing I see before the door actually close between us is E.J. sticking out his tongue at me and leaving me to run down two flights of stairs as fast as I can. To no surprise E.J. is already waiting for me when I get there, my breath racing.

"You little shit," I say as I grab him by the arm and pull him into a hug and start squeezing his breath out of him.

"Stop it!" he whines as he struggles to get out of my grip, but one thing playing football has helped over the years is the fact that I can firstly hold on to anything, and I have a little more strength than E.J. who I don't think has played a sport or exercised in his life.

When I finally let him go he is wheezing almost as hard as I am from running down the stairs, but a grin is still plastered on his face.

"You promised me warm clothes," he complains. "You didn't say anything about attempted murder."