If Red Means No, Invert The Color

Chapter 2

They arrived to class about 8 minutes late. Kieran expected a detention but when Mrs. James saw Everest, she let it slide.

"Where do you sit?" Everest asked.

Kieran shrugged. "I don't care"

Everest headed towards the back of the class and set Kieran's books down on top of an empty desk, placing his things next to him. Throughout the class period Kieran found himself looking at Everest. He could care less about the lesson. He just wanted to look at Everest. As much as he hated him, he couldn't help but stare. It was like he was carved by Jesus. His bronze hair shined brightly, it falling in curly cues around his forehead, falling just above his eyes. His eyes caught the light perfectly, the contrast of green and brown seemed to be swimming in swampy orbs in between his eyelids. His jawline was curved to perfection, giving his face a very chiseled look. His shoulders were broad, his skin dark and toned from constant workouts and hours in the sun. Everytime he would notice Kieran's gaze, he'd just smile, showing off his perfect pearly white rows of teeth. It made Kieran's heart skip a beat at this action. He found his gaze going lower, inspecting his lips, his back, his legs. His lips were full and pouty, his back was perfectly angled and fairly toned as well. He was not "ripped" so to speak. But he did have muscles.

Looking at his lips made Kieran's thought go elsewhere, to more uncharted territories. He wondered if his lips were as soft as they looked. He couldn't help but remember the feelings of Everest's strong arms wrapped around his waist, he couldn't forget how his heart nearly stopped when he found Everest gazing up at him. He just couldn't. But he wanted to. He didn't want to have a crush on this boy, he didn't want to even befriend him. He felt confused. Why was Everest suddenly being nice to him? Why was he suddenly helping him out? It didn't make sense. For years Everest didn't even acknowledge his existence, let alone carry his books for him. So why now?

Another questioned resurfaced in Kieran's mind; Who had hit him with their car? It was obviously a student here, but he had no clue as to whom it would be. All he remembered was a silver flash and then boom. Black. His mother had told him they wouldn't be pressing charges, but she wouldn't tell him who in fear he may try to pick a fight with his perpetrator. He felt defeated in his mental fight to find the person who had temporarily crippled him.

Then there was the flowers... Who had been leaving them whilst he was in the hospital? He knew his family wouldn't have. And it's not like he had any friends at school who would have brought them. So, who?

For the rest of the day, Everest carried Kieran's books for him, leading him to every class, even the classes they didn't share. He even sat with him at lunch, and offered him a ride home, seeing as Kieran was unable to drive in his given state. They stood in the parking lot by the back doors while Kieran protested. But eventually, he gave in. He was tired after a long day of walking around with the support of his crutches. And he honestly did not want to go through all of that again, walking across town to his house.

Kieran sat in the passenger seat of Everest's car, he couldn't help but gape at the sight of it.

"So, what's your address?" Everest asked, holding out his phone for Kieran to type it in.

Kieran shuffled awkwardly in the leather seat. He was embarrassed in all honesty. He knew that after Everest saw his house, his sudden pang of generosity would crumble into mockery. Reluctantly, Kieran typed in his address and handed Everest back his phone. And then, everest put his car in drive, and they were off to Kieran's.

The drive was, for the most part, silent. But a single question bubbled through Kieran's head that he just couldn't drop. He needed to ask. He just couldn't find the words to do so.

"You can turn on the radio if you like" Everest says, breaking the silence, Kieran looks up, and nods, turning on the radio and switches to a random station before looking back out the window. They were already almost halfway there. He watched as the town slowly transformed before his eyes. Large tall buildings shiny buildings, mansions, and parks slowly turned into abandoned warehouses, rusty swingsets, bars, and rickety old houses. He could feel his stomach churning. He didn't want Everest to see this. He knew Everest had never seen a house with less than 6 bedrooms in his whole life, let alone a house that was falling apart at the seams in the middle of a bad neighborhood, in the poorest part of town.

He felt the car come to a stop and he soon realized he was home. "Thanks for the uhm.. Ride." Kieran stammers out, beginning to shift back and forth awkwardly in his seat. Everest shot him another one of his killer smiles.

"It was no problem. I'll help you with your things." he says, getting out of the driver's seat and rounding to the back of the car, grabbing kieran's bag and crutches and walking over to Keiran's side, opening his door for him and handing the boy his crutches. Kieran flipped his hair back and tucked the stray strands behind his ears. He stood up unsteadily, making Everest place a hand on his shoulder to steady him. He took his crutches from Everest's grasp and placed them underneath his under arms, Walking towards his house. Everest met him at his front door.

"Could you erm, get my keys from my bag?" Keiran asks, biting his lip.

He looks down and soon his house and car keys were placed in his palm, they were cool to the touch. He looks up at the door and begins fumbling with the lock, sighing when he heard a "click" and the door opened.

"I uh.. I should go inside. Thanks for the ride" Kieran murmurs. Everest nods and hands kieran his bag, in which he tosses on the sofa sitting next to the front door. He was determined not to let this boy see the inside of his home.

"Thanks again" he mumbles before shuffling inside, giving everest one last look before shutting the door behind him.

Kieran sighed audibly, what had he gotten himself into?

He hobbled off to his bedroom, shutting the door behind him and collapsing on his bed, setting his crutches aside. His eyes loomed over to the empty bed sitting across from his, vacant. The sheets and blankets still made almost as if it had been waiting for its owner to come home. But he knew that would never happen. She would never come home.

He closed his eyes, his thought lingering to his day at school. Why had Everest helped him today? It didn't make sense. They had never even spoken before. The exertion of today's activities had definitely gotten to him. He soon found himself slowly drifting off to sleep.

Kieran was woken by the sound of his mother's voice calling out to him.

"Kieran!"

Kieran sighed. "Yeah?" he called out, his voice cracking in the process.

He could hear his mother's footsteps entering his room. "I'm heading over to Wilken's to visit your sister. Would you like to come with me?"

Kieran immediately felt more awake. Katy... He hadn't seen her in months. He sat up and turned to his mother, nodding numbly and beginning to get ready.