His Many Masks *The Boy fan fiction*

Chapter Nineteen

Blah I'm running out of quotes...
- Ri

I grumbled to myself, as I flipped through a book. Brahms had been avoiding me since our argument yesterday about the police. Didn't he see that I was just trying to help him? The last thing either of us needed were the police on our backs, you'd think he'd get that through his thick skull.

I, especially didn't need the police on my back.

I closed the book with a loud slap, and placed it back on the shelf. I needed fresh air.

-

As I walked through the garden, I thought a lot about my whole situation. My ankle was healed, which left me completely able to leave whenever I wanted.

It made my heart sink when I thought about leaving. In all honesty I didn't want to leave. If I left, I'd be back on the road, constantly moving, never being able to find a home. I didn't want that. Not anymore.

I sat on the stone wall overlooking the woods. I closed my eyes and leaned my head back. The fresh misty air felt good on my face. If only I could stay in this moment forever.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and jumped almost completely off of the wall. I turned around startled only to relax at the sight of Brahms standing awkwardly behind me.

"How did you know I was out here?" I asked.

"It's not hard to figure out where you run off to," he said comically.

I turned back around to face the view once more, had he forgotten that I was still fairly upset with him?

"You're still angry with me," Brahms stated.

I wanted to chuckle and make a snide remark back at him, but I held my tongue. What good would it do?

Brahms then sat beside me on the wall. I'd be lying if I said I didn't get goosebumps feeling the heat from his legs near mine.

The silence was tense, how it usually was.

"Don't you have somewhere to run off and hide to?" I asked, intentionally trying to get him to leave me alone.

Brahms smirked under his breath, "not particularly, no."

I rolled my eyes, "well you did yesterday."

He turned to me, "why are you so bothered about the police?"

I refused to answer that.

"Kátalin," Brahms scooted closer to me.

My breathing began to quicken at our close proximity, but I refused to crack.

"Are you running from them?"

My eyes widened and my mouth parted wide. How did he know?

"And there's my answer! You didn't lose your home. You're worried about getting thrown in the pokey!" His voice was raised.

He wasn't angry, he was almost, amused.

I kept still hoping he'd leave me alone, I couldn't keep up my tough front for long. Brahms had a way of cracking me open like an egg.

"Who would have thought someone as tight up as you would ever be running from the police," he teased.

I clamped my mouth shut and swung my legs over the side of the wall. I was done with this conversation.

Brahms saw my sudden urge to leave and grabbed  my arm.

"Let go of me! I'm going in the house," I growled.

"Oh no you don't," Brahms sighed and pulled me into his chest on one swift motion.

My heart began to race as my face was smushed against Brahms' chest.

He took my shoulders and held me out in arms length, "you should have told me that."

I looked down, "it's nothing important. It happened a long time ago."

Brahms quirked a brow, "what was it?"

I shook my head, desperate to be out of the conversation, "nothing, honestly; just a bad experience with police, so I get anxious whenever they come around is all."

Brahms narrowed his eyes at me, "robbery? Petty theft? Murder?"

I froze once he said murder. My body language was impossible to hide.

Brahms noticed my stiff reaction and his eyes widened. After a long pause, he let go of my shoulders, "you killed someone?"

I shook my head, heavily breathing through my nose to stop myself from having a breakdown, "it wasn't like that, honest."

"Then what is it like?"

I squeezed my eyes shut, "please don't make me talk about it. This is about you."

Brahms ran a hand through his matted curls, "how am I supposed to protect you if I don't know the whole story? You're the one keeping secrets and acting strange. Don't try to put this all on me!"

I glared at him, "protect me? Protect me? You were the one that hid when the police were at the house! Protect me? From what?!" I paused to catch my breath, "last time I checked they were here for Mr. Heelshire! Nowhere ever did they say my name."

Brahms took a deep breath, "Kátalin-"

"No!" I interrupted, "don't. I'm done talking about this."

Brahms didn't argue, nor did he go after me. I fled to the house, tears of anger and embarrassment flowing down my cheeks in streams. Why did he feel the need to constantly make me feel worse?

"Never was this situation supposed to be about me, but yet he found a way to push the blame off of him!" I yelled as I slammed the front door shut.

At this point, all we have done is fight and bicker and ignore each other. What good are we? I wiped my face and climbed the stairs.

We both were hiding things. It was clear as day. I knew he would never tell me what he was hiding so I decided then and there that I would find out myself.

I glared at the attic door on the ceiling. "What are you hiding Brahms?"

-

I grabbed the attic hook that was propped up against the wall. I hooked it around the metal loop and yanked as hard as I could. The latter slid down swiftly landing and upturning a cloud of dust in its wake.

I climbed the steps of the latter as quickly as I could. The last thing I needed was for Brahms to catch me snooping after I had just screamed at him about how the police were after me.

I pulled myself up and crawled out of the opening and onto the attic floor. Aside from its large size, the attic space was cluttered with countless furniture pieces and boxes. I stood up and patted my hands on my pants.

After taking a look around I headed to one of the corners to start searching. Pictures, letters, anything I could get my hands on about Brahms.
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Short little update for ya!! So Kátalin is now about to find some shit on Brahms.... let's see how that plays out.

Happy thanksgiving!! And thank you for 4K reads!! Not a lot compared to other books on here but I am still grateful!! Thanks again for reading,

- Ri