Theo (Boyxboy)(Trans)

Chapter Twelve

"Is this guy bothering you, René?" He asks, his baritone voice intimidating.

The woman scoffs, "Please. I can handle myself, Darren."

I don't really know what to do with myself, so I just end up staring down at my beat up sneakers, wondering why on earth Violet thought this stranger could help me.

"What do you need, kid?" This Darren guy asks.

My head jerks up to meet his curious gaze, "I was sent by a friend of hers to... uhm, to be honest I don't even know. Violet was probably just--"

"You know Violet?" Darren asks, his eyes lighting up with recognition.

I nod, "Yeah."

"You good here, Dare?" René asks, sounding bored as she counts over what is in the till, not looking up at either of us.

Darren looks between the two of us before something seems to click for him and he smiles to himself, resting a hand on the woman's shoulder and taking her place, "Have fun."

For some reason, she rolls her eyes, and I open my mouth to say something, but she grabs my shoulder with a shockingly strong grip and turns me on my heel and starts dragging me towards the door.

Once outside, I stumble and come to a halt, "Where are we going?"

"My place," She says in a 'duh' voice.

I stay quiet, wondering just who this woman is and what Violet was thinking and what this woman seems to know that I don't. She seems to have caught on to Violet's intentions, but I'm still unsure if that means that she knows that I'm-- well, that. Why would we have to go to her place? Is this smart? Is it really safe to take off with some stranger to their home? Then again, both her and Darren seem to know Violet well, and Violet doesn't seem the type to hang around sketchy people. I doubt she'd send me off with someone dangerous.

"Would you relax? Jesus, I'm getting stressed out just looking at you," The woman sighs, shaking my shoulder as a way of making me loosen up.

I offer a small smile, "Sorry. I just... this is odd for me, I don't normally take off with people I don't know. Hell, I hardly talk to anyone in general."

"Good thing I'm not just anyone," She says, sending a playful wink my way.

I blush, choosing to stay quiet the rest of the walk. We eventually come down a street, which looks more like a large alley with brick, industrial looking buildings on either side, that would make my mother faint if she knew I wandered down it. We eventually come to a metal door, and the woman--who by the way doesn't look like she belongs down here at all in her white blouse and black plack pencil skirt-- unlocks it with a key she pulls from her purse and pulls the sliding door open and gestures for me to go first.

We climb up a flight of stairs and I'm soon led into what looks like a warehouse styled apartment. There are large industrial windows, and the walls are brick, and ceiling is high and you can see the metal rafters. Everything else though, is comfy and actually strangely nice. Much like everything else about this woman. She's not rich by any means, but there's something really homey about the place.

"You can take a seat in the living room. Want a cup of tea?" She asks, still sounding bored.

I nod, "Yes, please."

I take off my jacket, leaving me in my maroon coloured, long-sleeve and black skinnies. My chest aches, but I'm sure this won't take long so hopefully I can go home and take the bandages off soon and soak my sore body in a warm bath.

The woman comes out moments later and sets down two cups of tea, sitting in an armchair across from me, "What's your name, kid?"

I frown at that, "It's Theo, so please stop calling me, Kid."