The Bad Boy and the Other Bad Boy

Chapter 23

Again, I sighed. I seemed to do a lot of that when it came to Mal.

"fine"

-from 💎

- - -

Mallory's house was near mine, so it didn't take me long to get there on my bike. I liked riding down this particular road, which barely had any cars on it and was lined with thick tall forest on either side instead of houses so I could speed as much as I liked.

Mal's house was on a side road with a really long fucking driveway up a hill, with deer-fenced paddocks on either side of the dirt road. Rabbits raced into their warrens at the sound of my bike, so I slowed as to be more polite as I got closer to the house.

Mal was adopted. Her house was a massive old brick thing which was freezing in winter, but her room had its own fireplace which was always lit because she liked the sound. It was getting darker now, but since the house was up a hill it got the last rays of sun.

Her dad opened the door. He was a slightly stooped short old man with a really, like, round beard. He was dressed in a plush red dressing gown and old man slippers, one hand clutching a mug of some steaming drink, a newspaper tucked under the other arm.

He grinned at me, his eyes smiling over his spectacles.

"Ayy, Rocco!" He laughed in delight, ushering me into the house.

"Hey, Ben, " I grinned back. "I brought you guys some apple crumble from Grub'N'Stuff. D'you want me to put it in the fridge?"

"Oh, good on you boy! I knew we made the right decision in adopting Mal, because she made friends with you!"

"Well thank you so much Dad. It means a lot. "

Mal's deadpan voice echoed from above us and she rounded the corner coming down the stairs. She was wearing a neon green outfit to match her new hair, with massive green platform boots, and extremely short green skirt, and green glitter smeared under her eyes and up her cheekbones. The flickering light from the hall-way lamps made her shadow on the back wall look huge and ominous. She reached the bottom and kissed me on the cheek, probably getting glitter on me, taking the brown paper bag I handed to her. "Thanks Rocco! Why don't we just eat this now, while it's fresh. "

I followed her from the dimly lit hallway to the bright kitchen, painted all shades of green, the cupboard doors all slightly dented and chipped, with black and white tile patterning of the floor.

Mal popped the apple crumble into the microwave, chattering about something Sirena had done today, her hair and clothes clashing extremely awfully with the kitchen walls. I made listening noises as I took out cream and ice cream from their green fridge.

"She's just, she's unbelievable, you know?" Mal said, her eyes glittering as she leaned over the counter. She was also wearing green contact lenses and green fake eyelashes. "Like, how does she do it? Where does she get the nerve?"

I shrugged, trying to look astounded. "No clue."

Mal stopped and looked me over suddenly. "Hey, where's your costume?"

The microwave beeped and I took out the crumble, dishing it into the the extravagant glass bowls Mal had taken out. All of the plates and stuff in Mal's house was second-hand and also way over the top.

"Costume?" I repeatedly. "I'm not wearing a costume. "

"What the hell? Of course you are! It's Euphoria - themed! How did you not know that!"

"Of course its Euphoria-themed." I scoffed, pouring the cream over each of the servings of apple crumble while Mal carved out perfect balls of ice cream from the container and placed them neatly beside the servings in the bowls.