Cal didn't make an attempt to wake me up after I went to bed, didn't even knock to say goodbye, he probably left right after he was called down. From what mother told me, which wasn't much, he'd be picking me up from school today, there were apparently some great youth groups in our area that I had no idea about. So naturally, I dreaded the end of the day.
Unfortunately, the day sped by, Advanced Math and Physics went by in a blur before I knew it I was sitting across from Thomas, snacking on my lunch, seems like Coriane had left behind some Haggis or mom stole some because that's what Sara had packed. I nearly ate half sliding the rest across the table to Thomas who more times than not did have lunch. It's not that his family was poor or anything, well they sorta were, but not the bottom of the barrel, far from it actually. Though Thomas was here on scholarship, gifted in both the arts and academics. I've been to each and every marching band performance courtesy of Cal and nearly every S.T.E.M competition. He was a genius, both on the football field and in the laboratory, his mind was remarkable only 16 and master of the flute, and clarinet and drum line major.
He looked up at me with bored green eyes "Gracias," He had a startlingly odd coloring, Similar to Cal's but much more attention grabbing with his rich coffee brown skin and emerald green eyes topped with a head of shoulder touching chocolate brown curls. His Jaw soft, an odd contrast to his overstated cheekbones, yet soft nose. If Disney ever needed a gender bender for Esmerelda he'd be the first person they'd call.
"De nada," I said leaning across the table to scan his sheet music "Paramore?" I said reading the title of the music. We probably looked crazy at our deserted table with me practically sprawled out on the table. I could see the phones from the corner of my eye. Though Thomas and I sat our own private oasis all the tables around us vacated like always, third lunch was empty. Sadly that didn't stop people from realizing that I was close enough to Thomas to actually kiss him, everyone had been anticipating it since the semester began, the rumors had bit at me for weeks. Everyone was readying themselves to relay any and everything in my life back to Cal which would ultimately lead to Father being informed and once he brang it up to Mother, I'd be skinned. Thomas was openly bisexual but I wasn't, would I even be allowed to be?
Remembering the thought I fell back in my chair, I sometimes wished he would sit next to me but it was easier communicating, plus it gave us our....space.
"Yeah, Welch want's all section leaders to review the music before season starts." He huffed taking a bite of the haggis releasing a soft moan "Your Mom make this?" He asks stuffing his face once more
"Have you ever seen my mother in or near a kitchen? " I said with a grin
"Yes, she's started multiple fires, Maven." He said cocking a grin of his own, flashing his startling white teeth "Remember that time she stabbed your Xbox multiple times then shoved it in the oven because you were late for dinner." He chuckled "Didn't she try to feed it to you for dinner or something?"
I blushed at the memory, I remember that like it was yesterday, that was the day my sixth hamster, Vince, had died mother decided if I wouldn't eat it he would. "Like your families much better, didn't your mom light your hair on fire or something?" I giggled trying to direct the embarrassment away from me.
"I was like fourteen when that happened," He retorted his laughter only gaining in volume, as he made failed attempts to control it. We still weren't sure what possessed him to put his head in a running gas oven. The kids one or two tables away began staring, they never could quite understand that our relationship was just like everyone else's, they probably expected my head to burst into flames or something crazy like that.
"Marching Band papers are due at the end of the week, has your mom agreed yet?" He said with a trace of laughter from our conversation not two minutes ago. "Spots are filling up and if you wanna be on drumline with yours truly, you gotta pick up the pace."
"Of course," I said biting my lip, He still didn't know about the cruise, Marching band was partly a summer thing, prep for the season took nearly two months. The cruise took nearly all summer, an expensive thing it was, ridiculously long. Thomas with the age he's at was already full heartily consumed in the circle of elite band leaders, hopefully, he could talk to the director to an exception. Thomas could work with me extra hours, I wouldn't mind that at all. It actually might be nice, just me and Thomas and no one to laugh at my failure to march. (Thomas and Cal had tried to teach me once, let's just saw I wrecked four drums and my pants)
"So I saw you were online last night without me" He playfully glared "Trying to catch up?" He smirked he reached grandmaster ages ago, always a step ahead of me, he didn't get his electronics taken away nearly as much as I did, but then again he didn't get nearly as many software upgrades as me, so you could call it a fair trade if you really wanted to.
"Yeah, and you'll be doing the same, considering My darling Mother broke my screen," I checked this morning and it had shattered hopefully the hardware was unscathed, though the Jack had imploded and would most definitely be an inconvenience, luckily if the hardware was unhealable I'd backed up most of my data on a hard drive this wasn't the first time mother had destroyed one of my desktops.
"That's the fourth time this year" he complained "and we were only in May. Did you actually do something this time, or was she just in a mood?" As Mom wasn't a big fan of him Thomas wasn't a big fan of her. She wasn't home enough to be openly rude to him, but Thomas disapproved of most people, he didn't seem like was picky about people but he was
"I guess a little bit of both, Dad was over with his family. So we were actually having dinner, and you know it was Tuesday.." I didn't have to finish the sentence for him to understand where my night went.
"You'd think that the man would have keys to his own house, to let himself in, considering it's in his name," Thomas scowled. Yes, Dad was indeed paying for our house, Mom had convinced him long ago that it was the least he could do for his bastard son was pay for his home and education which is how I ended up the preppiest school in Archeon, Mountain Vista Private Prep Academy, Or Mount Vista for short, we were the omniscient owls.
"Yeah but there's nothing I can do about it now..." I said trailing off removing my stolen from my lunch bag.
"I guess we'll see each other enough at Camp," The Stollen turned to ash in my mouth, it just hit me I'd spend my entire summer without Thomas by my side. Sure we could talk over the phone even face time, but it wouldn't be the same as arguing beside him on the couch over who should be first player, or playfully wrestling on my bed at our lengthy sleepovers. Sometimes he'd stay over for weeks at a time, I've only stayed over at his house once when I was little, well in middle school Mom was out of town on business so I was staying with Dad and he freed me for one night.
Possibly one of my favorite nights ever. It was so refreshing to stay in an environment like Thomas's house. It was moderately sized so you saw everyone in the house whether you wanted to or not, there was no hunting for someone in an empty house. Small enough to call for someone downstairs and they'll hear it upstairs on the first shout, but not too compact to ever feel suffocated. Thomas's parents had always been kind, his mother a struggling author while his father was military, his siblings had always been a delight his baby sister Aria was adorable, while his older brother Bristen was concert master at a rival Academy heading towards River Row, was hilarious.
I nodded slowly morning the loss of my main source of happiness and entertainment throughout the summer. When I told Thomas he'd probably be upset at first but he unlike me had his marching band friends and the girls that drooled at the sight of him. The last thought made me uneasy at first, but Thomas never showed much interest in dating anyone, though he'd openly claimed himself bisexual. Maybe I should tell him about the Cruise? Before I could finish the thought the bell chimed announcing the end of third lunch I quickly slid my stolen uneaten to Thomas who grinned and snatched it up gratefully. With how much he ate I'm surprised he could still contain that maddeningly attractive slender form.
"Bis später," Thomas whispered in German We'd both agreed to take it together without the thought we'd be able to take it together all four years sadly he had it last term while I had it now. It was the class I'd woefully head back to, to finish the last 30 minutes of class. We'd had German one and two together, Hopefully, we'd have German 4 AP/DE together. I had never really had an interest in German. Latin was more my speed, but Mom took German and breezed through it because her mother had taught her growing up. Unfortunately, my Mother liked to disappear on me the majority of the week so I was left on my own.
"Tschüss," I responded, heading back to German before I knew it that whisked away too and it was time for Orchestra.
YOU ARE READING
Family Bussiness
FanfictionA modern Red Queen AU, following a nerdy teenage schizophrenic, an abusive mother, and a crippled family altogether. I guess you could say the things that go on here is family business.
