The Stars That Night [boyxboy]

The Stars That Night {10}

                "So first I get hit with a firework, and now you're makin' me go to lunch with him?" Silas said, looking annoyed.

                Ray had loosely bandaged the wound on Silas's arm. Now the two stood back in the kitchen, me awkwardly wondering if Silas would really refuse to eat lunch with me. I'd already texted Akira that Jack was in trouble and I'd explain it all when I saw him later.

                "Do you want lunch, or do you want to starve?" Ray said, raising an eyebrow. "I'm not making you lunch."

                "I can make my own food," Silas said.

                Ray held up his wallet. "Or, you can let me pay for food. Go get Panera. You like that place, right?"

                "Not when I'm going with him," Silas said, nodding at me.

                "I know a good place out near Panera," I said. "It's got really good food, and the owner is super friendly. It's a bit more expensive, but it's fresh food."

                "There, see, try new things," Ray said, pushing money into Silas's hand. "You're the only kid I know who refuses food money, I swear."

                "Better not annoy me," Silas said to me.

                "Absolutely not making a promise on that one," I said, getting up. "I can drive us."

                "Only if I get to pick the music," Silas said.

                "Fine, fine. But if you pick anything that kills my driving vibe, you're banned from DJ duties," I said.

                "Just text me if you're going somewhere after. And don't you dare lay a finger on the Waymire family. The last thing I need is the cops getting called on you," Ray said. "Better keep your arm wrapped, too."

                "You have so many rules," Silas said.

                "Three whole rules, I can see how you're overwhelmed," Ray said. "Get out of here."

                Silas and I left the house, heading around to Jack's driveway to get in my car. I tried to peek in the windows, but I couldn't see anything in the house.

                "Hope Waymire whoops that kid's ass," Silas said as he hooked his phone up to the aux cord and searched for a song.

                "Mr. Waymire wouldn't hurt Jack," I said, backing out of the driveway. "He's intimidating, but he's not abusive. He just makes Jack do all the annoying chores, really."

                Silas finally settled on a song, setting his phone in his lap as the music crept out of the speakers and filled the car. I turned the volume down a little.

                "Didn't know his name was Chester," Silas said.

                "Oh, yea, Jack is just what everyone calls him," I said.

                "I knew that. I just didn't know his real name," Silas said. "Jackal, right? 'Cause he looks like one of those creepy ass things."

                It was true. Jack had sharp, pointed features, which had earned him the taunting nickname "Jackal" as a kid. He'd embraced it to spite his bullies, and everyone ended up taking to calling him Jack for short.

                "We're a group of bad nicknames," I said.

                "Oh, yea, doesn't Akira's mom call him something stupid?" Silas said.