Supernovas & Escapism

Chapter Four

     I could practically feel him roll his eyes at me from underneath his fringe. Everything about the kid suggested he wanted to hide, but there was still that urgency to fight in him. The way he snapped, and prickled at the smallest thing suggested maybe there was more to this story. It was like that one law of nature; fight or flight. Everything in his presence suggested flight, but there was a fire behind him that told me he wasn't done fighting just yet. There was still a point that he had to prove to someone.

     No one who took a beating that relentlessly was man of fight though. It just seemed to go against the word in all of its entirety. Someone who used their fight instinct wouldn't have balled themselves up like a coward. They wouldn't have waited out the attack like it was the norm.

     Little did I realize just how scarcely I knew about the world, or rather the people that inhabited it.

     There was a stillness, in which neither of us really said anything. A few minutes passed before the boy actually spoke again. "Look dude," he said, eyes burning with intensity. "I don't need anyone looking out for me." His face seemed to resemble a look mixed with equal parts anger, disgust, and sadness. It made me wonder for a moment. All of these things on his face seemed natural, as if they were the most normal thing in the world. "It's always been me, myself, and I. I don't need your help, got it?" Strained and cracked, his voice hit my ears with half the weight and significance that he probably wanted to convey. There was a second where the frown had wiped itself from my face, instead leaving me numb where my lips had dared to curl down.

     "And how's that working out for you?" my snarky reply followed.

     So maybe poking the bear with a stick wasn't the best idea. Then again, I never claimed to be the hero of this story.

     It was almost instantly clear that he didn't make light of these issues all too often. His eyes locked with mines once more, unmoving and somewhat restless. The more I looked into his eyes, the more I couldn't help but get distracted by all the flash and show he was drawing to them. It was like some symbolic magic act that only he knew the answer too.

     "Poorly," he remarked with a broken smile, bowing his head down for a split second. "But that doesn't give you the right to fight my battles."

     I shrugged my shoulders, heavy with my own spirits. "It's hardly a fair fight when it's three on one." I considered the thought for a moment longer. "Of course that's not really saying much when I managed to take two of them down a peg or two."

     He did that internal laugh thing. Like where you smile, and your nostrils betray your need to let something out. His eyes tried looking away, but I caught them once more, looking slightly more sad and pensive than they had looked a second ago. My frown returned with growing concern for the kid.

     "Xavier Sutton," I expressed, holding out one of my raw and reddened hands towards him.

     It took him a moment to register me, and even then he seemed a little more reluctant to accept the situation. His brow cocked as he stared at me for a moment longer, observing me as if I were a threat. There was part of me that wondered if this was what he actually did with everyone he met.

     "Garth Vega," he finally spoke, not daring to shake my hand. Normally I'd have found it rude, but there was something different about Garth. It wasn't that he didn't want to shake my hand, but that he was hesitant to trust a handshake.

     Reeling my hand back, I smiled enough. It was one of those fake ones to try and put forward that I had no bad feelings towards his rejection, even if I did. There was no doubt in my mind that he seen straight through that in an instant.

     He followed through with an expression that seemed to suggest 'sorry.' It was either that or he had just let one rip.

     "Sooo Garth," I started, wondering on how best to present my question, "What's with the make-up."

     Sharply he looked down and away, probably wishing that the world would swallow him whole. His smile (which was contrived) forced itself down into a frown. Knees instantly collided with each other as his head ducked lower down to the floor.

     There was probably something to it, but I wasn't going to get it from him right now.

     I sighed to myself for a moment, leaning back in my chair. Dad would probably round the corner at any moment, so now was not the opportunity to try and mince words around. If it really was a big deal, then I would leave it at that. But there was something about him that sort of made me want to press the issue.

     It was only when I truly decided not too, that he brought his head up.

     "It's..." He paused for a moment, trying to compose himself. "It's to give them a reason... an excuse."

     And now I was just as confused as before.