Colors

Twenty

Just a warning, this one has a bit of swearing in it...

Noah stepped forward so that he was able to look over my shoulder and around the street suspiciously, presumably to make sure that no one was following me. Admittedly, it was kind of amusing to see him try and peer over my shoulder, due to the fact that the fourteen year old was much shorter than myself. 

After a second he stepped back and turned to walk inside, instructing me to shut the door in a nonchalant way that showed he knew I would whether he said it or not. I followed him into the kitchen where he passed me a damp cloth. 

"Don't get blood on the floor or my brother will be pissed." He said in a steel-like voice and I nodded slowly, starting to clean up the white smeared down my arm that was drying more as each second went past. "Who are you, really?" He turned so there was no way I could avoid his gaze and I tried to avoid the wry smile creeping over my face. Now was not the time to ponder family resemblance. 

"I'm Scott..." I trailed off, unsure how to explain who I was without sounding like a maniac. I think deep down I was hoping that the boy would recognise my name and tell me everything I'd ever need to know but he didn't. He just stood there. "I'm friends... I was friends with your brother. Can I talk to him? Is he home?" I gestured to my arm and laughed bitterly. "It's a little important." 

"He's home. I'll ask if he wants to see you though, he's been kind of sick recently." He turned to walk out of the room but stopped and retraced his steps to push his finger roughly into my chest. "You're lucky that our parents aren't home, but if you hurt him in ANY way, I'll make you wish you never existed, pretty boy." His snarl was somewhat reminiscent of a lioness protecting her pack as he left fully this time, giving me time to start regretting what I'd done so far. 

It wasn't long before I heard a loud crashing sound and a high-pitched voice yelling "he's what?! I can't believe this. Noah stay up here please, I need to settle something." The voice was followed by heavy footsteps that were making their way toward me. "What the fuck Scott?" 

The situation was serious, and I knew that but I couldn't help grinning as I saw Noah's brother standing in the doorway, his lips pursed and his arms folded. His eyes were burning with anger which made my stomach drop and my facial expression fade immediately. 

"I'm... I need your help." I said softly, stepping toward him "what happened to your hair?" 

The boy with crimson skin stepped back, shaking his head as he left the kitchen. I dropped my bags and followed him into what I assumed was the loungeroom, a tattered couch placed in front of a small television set. "You can't be here." He said with such finality that I nearly agreed, but then I remembered the promise I'd made to Lauren, the promise I'd made to myself. I stood staring at the boy whose face was much slimmer than I remembered, but I couldn't tell if that was due to how he'd changed his hair, which was now completely shaved. It was growing back slightly, but not enough to see any more than dark maroon stubble across his scalp. I couldn't look at his hair for long though, his strict gaze always bringing my eyes back to his. 

"But I am here. Please just listen to me." I pleaded, not stepping forward again because I didn't want to scare him off. "Mitch, please." 

"I told you to leave. Last I knew, leaving didn't include turning up a month later with a fucking purple face and a bullet wound in your shoulder!" Mitch yelled, his hands clenching and unclenching by his sides in a way that just made me mad. 

"Listen, I risked my life coming here. Do you think I wanted to leave my family and put my friends' lives at risk for you?! Last I remember, you were the one who jumped into my life! You were the one who couldn't stay on his fucking side of the border!" I was probably crossing a line, but I couldn't care less. I was mad and if he was going to pin this all on me, he had something else coming.