polarize :: [hood]

[iv.ix. the hills]

"When I'm fucked up, that's the real me, babe..."
___

"Okay..." Ashton looks between his friends as they stand outside the car, "You find Emma or what?"

He's ignored.

"Wait..." Luke looks so confused. "But, I thought--"

"Her biological mom, man."

"So she--"

"She calls her stepmom her real mom."

"Wow," Michael prods, "I didn't know you two were so close."

Calum ignores this, too.

"Wait," Luke shakes his head again, "so what the fuck is she, like, Royce's mom, doing with Emma?"

That shit is really fucking Calum up, too.

"And wait--Royce doesn't know?"

"They aren't exactly close."

"So...they don't talk? Like? I didn't think Royce knew Emma existed until Michael started bringing her around..."

"Dude," he sighs, "your guess is as good as mine."

"Because she stays with her a lot," Michael replies matter-of-factly. "That's why."

"Why," continues, "if her fucking dad's around!?"

Luke narrows his eyes, "Yeah, mate. What the fuck's going on with Emma? And you?"

"And don't lie about it this time, Mikey," Ashton exclaims, giant hands scrubbing his face. "I'm over all the fucking lies."

"I haven't lied!"

All three boys deadpan.

"I haven't!" He scowls, "Look, we came all the way out here just to stand?" He motions backwards, in the direction of the house. "If you want answers, get 'em."

But Calum hesitates.

"What?" Michael challenges. "You want answers? Get 'em? The fuck are you afraid of?"

Luke and Calum and Ashton all exchange glances.

"He's right," Ashton says.

And Calum nods.

"Fine," Luke scowls. And he motions back towards the house. "I'm following you."

__

Nice.

It was nice inside the house.

It was nice inside Dina's house.

It was warm. And welcoming. And based on the things Calum had been told about Royce's mother, he'd expected the house to be cold. And dark. And drugged out, kind of like The Reptile Room.

And it was anything but.

"Would you boys like anything to drink?" She asks. She's wearing a long woolen shawl over her clothes that she keeps wrapping tighter around her body.

"Water's fine."

She nods, retreating into the kitchen, leaving the boys on a worn leather couch in the small living room.