Vic and Mike's house was friggin huge. Huge. Three stories tall, a gaping lawn on all sides, a full circle drive complete with those cool animal shaped hedge thingies. Marble steps led up to the giant double door entrance, windows lining either side of it. Large, potted trees, sat one on either side symmetrically, in full bloom. Vic pulled into a giant garage and everyone got out.
I was kinda in shock, staring out the window at the row of fancy cars next to us. Charlie nudged me. "Pretty I know. Now c'mon Kelly let's go watch some movies!"
I turned to him, gave him a small apologetic smile, then helped him out of his seat. I settled him on my back, ignoring the pain of my recent cuts and bruises. I followed Mike through the door he'd just gone through, but much slower. I was still gawking at the cars.
Charlie flicked my forehead, "C'monnnnnn." His heels gently clicked against my sides, like he was leading a horse, "Giddiup." I grimaced, scolding myself for being so weak. Get over it Kellin. It didn't hurt that bad.
We walked into a mudroom of sorts, coats and shoes lining the pastel walls immaculately. Poles ran horizontally about six feet up the left and right walls, mostly empty hangers. Below were one foot high white wooden racks for shoes. Two pairs were under two corresponding coats on the right; Vic's and Mike's. Jaime's was on the other side, positioned in the same way with his shoes under his hanging coat. I gently let Charlie to the floor. He put his shoes right next to Jaime's and I helped him with his coat up so high. Mine went directly next to his.
There was a mini chandelier in the middle and I stared up at the sparkling surface as I helped Charlie settle into his position on my back. Suddenly I was enveloped in darkness, Charlie's hands moving to cover my eyes. "Kelly c'monnnnnn. Just start walking and I'll direct you. This way you won't be distracted."
I rolled my eyes and Charlie smacked my head, "I felt that." I chuckled, then started slowly moving forward. Charlie gave some really great instructions seeing as though we made it to our destination without a hitch. I flinched as we passed through a piece of cloth but Charlie just told me to keep going and I did.
"Oh there you are," I heard Jaime's voice come from my left.
"Yeah Kelly had to stand and stare at everything!" Charlie said. "Like he's a newborn mouse."
Everyone laughed, including me but it couldn't be heard over the other's. Mike laugh was obnoxious, in fact. That itself was enough to laugh at.
Charlie huffed and poked at my shoulder to get down. I released him, grateful for the lack of lighting. "Movies," he whined, tugging on Vic's arm childishly. "C'mon I wanna watch Emperor's New Groove!"
I looked around the room. We were all standing on a bright blue carpet and surrounded by black walls. Four large speakers were in each corner, lit by small ceiling lights that served as one of the only illumination points in the room. A thick, wide, red curtain hung behind me and an array of comfortable looking chairs were positioned in front of a giant TV. The floor was slanted a bit, like a real movie theater except without the uncomfortable chairs.
A long couch sat in the middle, recliners on either side. There was no coffee table, but a few end tables were around the recliners, unlit lamps and a stack of coasters adorning them. Towards the bottom left of the room was a small bar and high red swivel chairs. I could see the rows of alcohol lit up in the display case, wine glasses hanging overhead.
Mike chuckled at Charlie, "How 'bout Kellin picks?" he asked.
Charlie gave Mike a death glare, "Kelly hasn't seen Emperor's New Groove which makes it the best choice to watch first," he snapped, voice comically low and gravely as he tried to make himself sound angry.
Mike held his hands up in surrender, "Alright alright." He looked around to the rest of the guys, "That okay?"
Vic shrugged and Jaime clapped his hands excitedly, "Of course!" he exclaimed. "I love that movie!"
"Cool," Mike said. "I'll set it up."
"I'll go get food," Vic announced.
"I'll come with you," Jaime offered and Vic nodded. They pushed through the curtain.
I looked at Charlie nervously and he gave me a slight nod, "Mikey what do we do?" he said as Mike moved towards the bottom of the room.
"Do you remember where Vic's room is?" Mike asked, not turning around.
"Uh-huh," Charlie answered.
"Right next to it is a big wood door. Inside are blankets and pillows. Bring as many as you can, alright?"
"Okay!" Charlie jumped up and grabbed my wrist excitedly, tugging me through the heavy curtain and up a small utility staircase. He led me down a hall decorated with family pictures and lit by overhead lights. The hallway curved a bit, opening up into an indoor balcony overlooking the foyer. The railing was black steel with a dark red wood handle. I tried to stop and look around but he tugged me harder and man was he strong.
We passed another utility staircase, an actual balcony and a few rooms with closed doors. The hallway curved again, widening a bit and then opening up into a sitting room with a large flat screen TV. It wasn't larger than the one in the movie room but it was still pretty impressive. There were tall black cabinets on either side filled with what looked like movies or games. A few xbox controllers sat on a black ottoman, a mini fridge in the corner, and empty chip bags thrown carelessly on the floor. A totally fun and not at all stuffy room. Cool.
Down the hall some more was an open bathroom, the light still on. In this part of the house all the doors were open, revealing the rooms inside. Charlie pulled me over to one door and pointed,
"That's Vic's," he said, then turned and gestured to the room across the hall, "And that one's Mike's." I nodded. "Here's our closet I think," Charlie said, opening it to reveal tons of pillows and blankets stuffed in there haphazardly. It kind of made me want to laugh how friendly this part of the house seemed. So very teenaged boy.
We started gathering as much as we could carry. Charlie had me layer his tiny body with blankets as he hunched over and he managed to hug two pillows between his small arms. In the end I couldn't even see him anymore. I did the same, only modified a bit, draping blankets over my shoulders, then piling up pillows in front of my face until I was sure that no one could see me, either.
"Are you ready?" I asked softly.
"Yup!" came Charlie's muffled voice under his mound. I really hoped that the weight wouldn't hurt his back. "Follow me."
Charlie started hobbling down the hall in the same direction we had been going before. We turned a corner and were met with a set of stairs. I opened my mouth to say something to Charlie, but he just plundered on, stepping down the carpeted steps with ease. It occurred to me that he could probably see his feet.
I follower but with much less speed. He led me through a kitchen, then another sitting area and finally we passed the mud room and went through the red curtain. No one was in the movie room when we got there but Charlie didn't mind. He made his way over to the couch and flopped down onto it, detaching himself from his mound of blankets and coming to help me with my shoulder ones. I placed the pillows down on one of the lounge chairs.
"Phew!" Charlie said, wiping a hand across his brow in a way that made me have to stifle a laugh. "I need a drink," he said, making his way over to the small bar. He climbed up onto one of the chairs and clambered down into the bar. He swept his hand across the space in a grand gesture, "Have a seat, Mr. Quinn."
I rolled my eyes, but obliged. He grabbed a glass from below and set it on the table, turning behind himself to get some alcohol.
"Wait what the fuck Charlie no!" I half yelled, lunging forward to stop him, then clamping my teeth together when my ribs struck the counter. Jesus fuck that hurt.
Charlie grabbed something from the mini fridge, turned around and held it up, smirking, but his face instantly fell. He set the bottle of Sprite down on the shiny black counter and frowned at me.
"Why did you agree to come if it hurt this bad?" he whispered.
I shrugged and got down off the chair. I just kind of stood there awkwardly, staring at the floor.
"Kelly look at me." Why did Charlie sound so mature? Why couldn't he just be a normal seven year old kid who was oblivious like everyone else? "Kelly," he snapped and there was actual anger in his voice. I cut my eyes to him, but then quickly averted them to the floor again at the look of rage on his face. I heard him clamber up and over the counter. He moved so that his toes were in my line of sight. I saw him place his hands on his hips. "Why do you let them, Kelly? Why don't you just leave?"
I shrugged.
"Come live with me," he suggested like it was the easiest thing in the world.
"I can't." My voice broke. Jesus shit kid just leave me alone. I turned away right as Vic and Jaime walked in with arm fulls of chips. I smelled popcorn, also. They dumped them carelessly on the empty recliner and Jaime surveyed the blankets and pillows.
"I FOUND IT!" We all turned to where Mike had just burst through the curtain, holding up a case triumphantly.
"Where was it?" Vic asked.
"West wing," Mike answered shortly, going to one of the bottom corners where I assumed a DVD player sat. Jaime and Vic piled all the pillows and blankets onto one side of the couch, grabbing the cushions out from under all of it. They put the cushions on the floor and the pillows against the edge of the couch, then threw the blankets down and spread them out. I thought that Charlie would move, go lay down or something but he was glaring up at me with his arms crossed.
I glared back, fed up with his stupid innocent brain not being able to understand anything. I couldn't just leave my house.
"Do you even care?" Charlie asked. "Do you think you frickin deserve it?"
I felt the eyes of Vic, Jaime, and Mike turn to us at his words but I didn't care. I signed yes sharply, figuring that Charlie could keep up with the basics I'd taught him.
"What the hell is wrong with you?"
"What's going on here?" Jaime asked, stepping in front of Charlie protectively and shooting me a look.
I just shrugged and Charlie said, "Nuffin J." He turned to Mike, "Is it in?" His face was adorably eager but I was still mad at him. At least he was being really careful about what the other three knew. I couldn't have them finding out about it and calling the cops. I'd be totally dead.
Mike answered him but I didn't listen. I went to the farthest recliner and curled up with my knees against my chest, completely zoning out in my own thoughts. Two movies later Jaime put in some horror flick since Charlie had fallen asleep. I got scared all alone by myself so I crawled around to the other side and laid down next to Vic.
"I don't like horror movies," Vic whispered to me, leaning over and touching his body to mine in order to be close enough for me to hear. I gave him a pout in agreement, ignoring the tingles I got when we touched. He turned his attention back to the opening credits but his body didn't move away from mine. I kind of enjoyed the warmth, but a bit of uneasiness crept into my belly. I couldn't tell for sure, but these guys felt like they were going to stick around.
And that terrified me.