Liam Hart

"Levi? What the fuck?" I was shocked seeing Levi as I walked into my favorite gaming center. Levi looked up at me dead eyed and miserable. It was obvious that he was in really bad shape, dark circles under the eye, oily messy hair and a dead expression. Does this guy just like looking pitiful? "Why are you here? Why haven't you come to school this past couple days. Tyler's completely freaking the fuck out!"

Levi got up from his chair and started for the exit.

"That's your friend?" The owner asked from behind me suddenly. "SHIT!! I let him play through the night! If anyone finds out he's a minor I'll be shut down and my wife's going to murder me!"

"He spent the night here?" I asked.

"He's been here playing games for three days straight, Liam. I've never seen such a dedicated campaigner."

What the fuck was going on with this guy? Levi was suddenly a game addict? Tyler's been a mess looking for this motherfucker because he went AWOL!!! I should call him now!

That guy you saw wasn't George. He died for nothing....don't get involved or you'll die.

Levi's words echoed through my head. Tyler could wait a few more hours as he's been waiting for days already. I had questions that definitely had to be answered no matter what. Those were more important.

I limped as fast as I could and grabbed Levi's arm. "What is it?"

What was it Tyler said to get Levi to chill? "H-have you eaten yet?" I asked. "My dads making a huge dinner tonight. It probably won't be good but then again you look like you haven't eaten or showered in days."

"Why do you care?" Levi glared at me. I did my best not to flinch at him but my body remembers just how violent he can get.

"It's called getting to know my best friends boyfriend. Beside you obviously need a shower and some food. Look at you, you look like a bum." I blurted out.

"Why are you trying to help me?"

"I have my reasons." I took the lead towards the direction of my house with Levi obediently in tow. He looked nervous as hell while I watched him mutter something to himself and twiddle his fingers.

I've only ever seen him like that when Tyler wasn't around...but even so not to this extent. He was like a defenseless child getting in trouble. Was this an act?

Am I about to die?

"I apologize for everything I did to you," Levi suddenly said. "You didn't deserve it. I really mean it....I've been horrible to you for nothing but my own jealous selfish reasons. For three days, I've been reflecting on myself....and no matter how much I want to blame someone else, I did this to you of my own volition. I'm so sorry."

The genuineness of this apology was shocking to me as Levi and I only ever had superficial conversations before. It felt amazing to hear and honestly I felt lighter now, mostly because he seemed firmly dismounted from his high horse. Why the fuck was Levi acting like this? What the fuck happened to him? He looked absolutely broken. Was he sick?

"Um, ok," I said.

"I'm also sorry for that day at the hospital, I ended up taking my insecurities out on you. It was definitely overkill. I was acting like a psycho even though I knew how much George meant to you," Levi continued. "And-"

"Relax a bit. While what happened sucks, I won't be crippled for life. But the George thing was hard to hear."

"But I-"

"I like to look on the bright side of things now. Just think of it as my bad karma for making everyone bully you and Tyler because I was jealous of how close you two were. My therapist has told me to confront my trauma, and my family actually gets along now after what happened. I'm not thanking you, but I can't deny that I honestly let it go a while back. Let's just be friends now." I told him. I'll ask about George in a bit. I just got to relax him because he seemed more emotionally unstable than usual. "We're here."

"Is it ok for me to come in?" Levi looked more nervous than usual.

"They don't know what you did," I let Levi take a few deep breaths before walking into my house. "Dad, is dinner ready, I brought a friend with me!"

"Why are you lying?" Levi asked.

"I'm not lying," I brushed him off. I almost let myself forget how annoying his low self esteem was.

"Just come in here!" I walked Levi into the kitchen where my dad was taking a whole chicken out of the oven. "I hope it's perfect this time."

"It's still raw," Levi said quietly.

"You can cook? Please help me!" Dad pleaded desperately at Levi. The therapist we've been going to see has encouraged family time. But when it was dads turn to cook it was a snack night as he could ruin putting ice in water.

I pushed Levi forward to take control of a bad situation. "You should put it back in the oven. Then stir whatever is on the stove," Levi started to direct my dad. Who knew he could cook?

Basically Levi ended up cooking us an entire meal while I waited in the dining room with my mother and sister. My dad seemed to just be observing and taking notes.

"Who's your friend?" Mom asked. "I like him, I can't believe he just took over the kitchen like that! He's perfection! It smells so good."

"Dads cooking can't kill us tonight." My sister smiled at my dad.

"At least I'm old enough to work a stove!" Dad shot back.

"That's Levi, he's sleeping over tonight," I said.

"I am?" Levi brought out five plates filled with food like a waiter before setting it down in front of us and starting to eat while standing up.

"Sit down with us sweetie!" Mom urged Levi seeing him standing awkwardly. Levi sat down while we all conversed. "So, this is Levi Winchester who's going out with the Moss boy?"

"Yeah, top of the class. The whole school really."

"So why are you here looking so down?" Dad asked. "Did you fight with your parents? Tired of it all?"

"No sir, I live alone," Levi looked extremely uncomfortable.

"Where?"

"Brooke and Vanderhaven. Last house on the corner."

"Isn't that house abandoned?" My sister asked.

"It's not," Levi continued to eat. My sister looked at me confused. I shrugged because I too know that house was empty except for a mattress and a weird generator thing and a hot plate. We've broken into that house before out of curiosity and just assumed homeless people lived there so we left.

Was Levi actually homeless? Where are his parents? Who's been taking care of him?

Long story short, the rest of dinner was awkward as hell.

When it was done Levi started to gather up the dishes but my dad forced him not too. Seeing my chance, I quickly brought Levi up to the front door.

Finally a chance to speak to him alone.

"Didn't you say there's something you had to ask me? Maybe you didn't, but isn't that why you brought me here?" Levi asked as soon as I made sure the coast was clear.

"I did, but first let's visit George's grandmother," I motioned for Levi to follow me. He did without question.

Submission? Something bad must've happened to humble him this much. Fuck I'm feeling bad for him, I need to get to the bottom of understanding what happened to George so I have to be nice, I'm just being two faced for answers right now.

A different approach.

The silent walk was extremely awkward and I just wanted this to be over. I'll decide wether to feel bad or not after I figure out if he killed George or not.

"Ah, it's George's friend! George isn't home...Ah!" Grandma Peterson looked right at Levi and rushed at him. Shit! To my surprise Levi kept calm and let her do that. "Finally you came home George! Come on in, you must be cold and hungry! Let's wait for your father together!"

"She has Alzheimer's," I whispered to him to just play along and followed him inside. "Poor grams, she forgot that they both died. Now she sees you as George."

Levi looked incredibly guilty and uncomfortable. Like he was trying not to burst into tears.