Sleepover VI: The stars above
Matthew got down the stairs, slightly annoyed by his sister taking her time to take snaps while descending the marches.
Matthew: “Do you need to do that now?”
Maya turned to him and grimaced with “Fuck off bitch” kind of look. She then proceeded to walk down the last stairs leading to a parking lot underground. It was designed so that the inhabitants of the building wouldn’t have to always park their cars above where they can easily be vandalized. After all, this part of the city wasn’t really the nice-candy-neighborhood. Matthew and his sister had to get there so that they could take the car of their late old man. Soon, they reached the underground parking lot and Matthew got a text, he took his phone out and looked but the text was deleted right before he could read it. It was from Wyatt. He thought it was perhaps an error and right when he wanted to confirm that, Maya pinched his belly.
Matthew: “What!”
Maya: “hey don’t shout at me! I didn’t ask you to get me there, so don’t put your frustration on me”
Matthew sighed and pocketed his phone as she continued.
Maya: “I just wanted to ask if we could quickly stop at the super market, promise I will be fast, I just need a moisturizer”
Matthew frowned and rubbed his eyes before nodding while walking through the vehicles finally reaching a truck, an old vintage model of Ford. Matthew would always drop by every now and then during the month to clean it up and just sit inside…to him it was like a place he could talk to his dad like back then. Melancholy filled his heart once more as he opened the door to get it in. He cleaned it last week, thankfully. As he sat and fastened his safety belt…his hands were gripping tightly at the old leathery wheel before him…that sound would never get old to him. It reminded him of his father as they would get back home after being at his father’s friends barbecue parties, typical American. He laughed inertly before Maya snapped her fingers in front of his eyes.
Maya: “Dude, my flight is getting close, can we please hurry the f up?”
Matthew: “yeah yeah, sorry”
Maya looked concerned but said nothing. After all, she was even younger when their father…she never really showed any of it and seemed to be fine but Matthew remembers she used to walk to the door every night saying she is waiting for their father to come back… then one day, she just stopped. Matthew started the engine and the old motor was smoking thick through the pipe. They took off and rose to the main road above.
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Wyatt was taking forever to get down, which made Lauren questioned about the matter. She didn’t want to just move around freely in the house but she was already bored here alone. She started walking up the stairs and one march winced more than the others. It was slightly cracked as if someone jumped on it several times. She continued and reached upstairs a hallway with four doors. The closest to her was on the left and it had the little bathroom sticker on it. She continued and reached another door on her right; she was about to knock then noticed the door behind her was slightly open. Her hand retracted slowly as she got to that one. She pushed it slightly and coughed a bit, it was dusty and dark. She tried to flip the light on but it wasn’t working. She understood she probably went in the wrong room. So, she turned on her feet but a light got on the corner of her eye and she looked back. Although the room was pretty dark, there was a glint of light. Coming from a small opening from the closed curtains. The light was enough to see now that her eyes adjusted to the lack of light. It seemed to be a bedroom but, the walls were covered with frames. She couldn’t see well what as framed but it seemed to be degrees, and other contests winning paper. The room felt like it was a child though because the bed itself was small and there were several little cars here and there. There were dust particles floating in the air and it made her sneeze before stepping on a hard card. She lowered and crooked before looking at what she stepped on, it looked like a Uni badge but not from RASAC. And the person on it, he looked like Wyatt but not quite…she screamed as a hand landed on her shoulder. She turned as a flashlight was pointed at her. She shielded her eyes and heard a voice in monotone.
“What are you doing here?”
Lauren: “W-wyatt? Sorry I was looking for you and then I –“
Wyatt lowered the flash and looked down at her before sighing.
Wyatt: “It’s fine, I was too long? We should get downstairs; I need to start making popcorn for the movie, right?”
Lauren wanted to ask but her lips were sealed when she looked at Wyatt neutral expression. She got out of the room and Wyatt closed it before following her. Once downstairs, she got back on the couch and her mind was still driven to that room. Was it, Wyatt’s brother? She thought as she got a text from her mother that she read and got annoyed over. Apparently, her little plan didn’t work and her mother was angry. Lauren simply ignored the text and leaned in the couch as she looked at Wyatt in the kitchen looking for stuff around. He didn’t seem enthusiastic but he didn’t look sad either. She wondered as she closed her eyes for a bit.
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Emma walked in her room; she was glad her father wasn’t present right now. She could have a nice day with her mother. It had been a while since they could do anything without her father not allowing it. She crashed on her bed making it squeak a bit and she slightly winced. She remembered her bruises and went immediately to the door to lock it. She lifted her shirt a bit and could see her belly properly. With her fur being slightly plucked out here and there, she could see how awful she was. She lowered her shirt and sighed. Her phone beeped and her breath stopped…if it was the German shepherd…she took her phone and looked to see it was simply a notification from the school. Apparently, they will have a sort of outdoor activity on the next Saturday. She smiled. This was probably one of the only things she was glad of, she could attend RASAC. Back when she was still in high school, she thought he will have to stop then since her father threatened back then to not pay anything anymore for her…but her mother tried convincing him and it worked…she did have to get a scholarship but it was totally cool now. All of this made her realize she hadn’t joined a club yet. She lied down on her bed and thought of a club she could join. She giggled as she recalled during the tour that there was a gastronomy club and she liked making pastries…she used to do them when her brother was still there. Her hand was lifted towards the ceiling as she put her earphones on to listen to her music “Not gonna die tonight” by Skillet.
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(*drifting noise*) Wyatt’s head violently knocked again the window, knocking him out for a while. As his eyes opened, all he could see was that metal beam going through the car…his brother motionless beside him. He couldn’t move much but he could smell burnt flesh and gas all around.
The sudden popping sound of corns made Wyatt get out of his trance. He had been staring at the window for a while now, after he had started making popcorn. He reached for a glass in the cabinet above the kitchen plan and filled it with tap water before drinking it in one go. He exhaled before bringing his head fur flatter as he kept having flashbacks of that day. He had seen a therapist before after the death of his mother and brother, but it didn’t help much and he even had to take the pills his father was getting him. His face went blank for a moment as he recalled his father lying about that accident…but he didn’t know why. He turned down the fire when the popcorn was done and was starting to pour it in a bowl. Lauren was ignoring for the fourth time the calls of her mother, then her sister called and she picked up.
Lauren: “Yes sweetie”
?: “Your mother is literally destroying the car to reach my apartment and she expects you to be there…we will be in there in less than 30 minutes”
Lauren rose from the couch and replied with a bit of annoyance.
Lauren: “Thanks Cassie, I’m on my way”
Lauren pocketed her phone and walked to the kitchen. She saw Wyatt looking like he was about to commit a suicide.
Lauren: “What’s with the gloomy face?”
Wyatt turned nonchanantly to her and raised an eyebrow in confusion.
Wyatt: “You said something?”
Lauren sighed and patted his shoulder.
Lauren: “Yeah, sorry to tell you that but I need to go…my mom is…let’s say I don’t want to have to deal with her so I have to go”
Wyatt’s expression turned to concern then he put down the bowl he had in hands.
Wyatt: “Is everything all right?”
Lauren: “Yeah, she sucks, kinda isn’t also for me hanging outside of the house, the party was already one night, I guess she became suspicious. My sister called saying she is going to be at her apartment in less than 30 minutes”
Wyatt jolted around as he spoke with a sense of urgence.
Wyatt: “Then less talking and more gathering your stuff”
Lauren wanted to say a thing but refrained before hurrying up to gather everything and change her clothes.
Wyatt: “I’m calling you a car”
Lauren: “Thanks man, I am all set”
Wyatt nodded before speaking on his phone to someone before hanging up and looking at her.
Wyatt: “He will be there in 2 minutes, you got everything?”
Lauren: “Yeah thanks…huh Wyatt, about earlier, when I was in that room…(*looking for her next words*) you didn’t tell me you have a brother”
Wyatt’s face was washed with that feeling again, reflected by a blank expression yet somehow melancholic.
Wyatt: “Had. (*sighing*) I used to have a brother yes, but…he is gone”
Lauren felt guilty for asking something that could be so easy to predict, after all, the room was seemingly abandoned for years. She raised her head as she reached closer to Wyatt but the ring of Wyatt’s phone stopped her mid track. The latter looked at his phone and spoke with a masked pain in his voice.
Wyatt: “Your car is here. You still have enough time to reach your house, I asked him to take the 02”
Lauren: “but ain’t that the diplomatic road?”
Wyatt: “Yes, the only road that could be free at this time so you could reach your sister’s apartment in less than 10 minutes”
Lauren: “How did y-“
Wyatt: “let’s say being the son of Dr. Fael helps a lot with these things. Go, hurry or your mom is going to twist your neck”
Lauren was a bit sad for leaving him like this but she had to go. She hugged him tightly while saying.
Lauren: “We will catch up about this, okay? Sorry again about your loss…”
Wyatt hesitated before hugging back still hit by the upbringing of his brother’s loss. He simply hummed in approval as he helped her out and reach the car. As she walked in, she looked through the window before waving goodbye. He stood there for seconds after the car was speeding away. He went back inside and started making the living room neat and clean. He looked at his phone, it was soon to be 7. He didn’t see time fly that quickly. He saw the school had sent a mail about an outdoor activity on the next weekend. He smiled a bit to himself before walking up the stairs. He wanted to go to his room but he stopped and looked at the door of his late brother’s room. He reached for the handle and opened it. The lights here were off but not all of them. His brother as smart as he was, was still afraid of the dark, so he had bought himself some night light next to his bed. Wyatt knew this room well and the lack of light wasn’t bothering his walk. He reached the bed’s side and flicked a switch on the bed’s frame and the ceiling lit with a beautiful galaxy display. Stars and nebula, shining bright above. He removed the white sheet on the bed and lied on his back. He stared at the ceiling for a bit. His brother was so curious about the stars, about everything. Wyatt always felt like it wasn’t fair that his brother who had everything to become someone important for this world just died…tears filled up his eyes as he tried not to cry but it was so much. He lost his mother that same day, he was almost forgetting her laughter, but he knew he missed it so much. He could remember her scolding him for not sleeping in his room and sneaking to his brother’s one just so the latter could tell him long stories. Wyatt loved his brother more than anything else. His loss and the loss of his mother made Liam colder although the latter was trying not to show it much and even tried to be closer to his son…the truth was he was only trying to run form his pain and with his job, he had that chance, leaving Wyatt more and more alone to the point, He spent sometimes months without seeing his father, all alone in this house. Wyatt sometimes thought of reaching for his mother’s side family but he remembered them literally out casting their own daughter because she married a wolf. As for his father’s side, there was nothing, no brothers, no living parents, nothing. Wyatt was Liam last family and so was the other way around…sad that they were growing apart. Wyatt was thinking about his current conditions, he had it all that any teenager his age would dream of, freedom, money, attending a nice college…yet there was this void ripping through his soul. The door downstairs was opened then closed but he didn’t hear that, still mesmerized by the infinite stars above that fueled his thoughts.
“Wyatt?”
“Lauren?”
“Where did they go? Lauren?”
He finally heard that and sat as he forgot Matthew said he would be back. Another one who is also messing with his mind lately. He was intrigued by the gator, someway, somehow, the gator was making him feel…whole again.
(*Matthew moving downstairs and makings some mumbling noises*)
Wyatt stood up and tide up the bed before switching the night light off then leaving the room. He quickly tried wiping his tears and cleared his throat before shouting.
Wyatt: “I’m upstairs, coming!”
Matthew replied shouting as well.
Matthew: “Okay, is Lauren with you?”
Wyatt was descending the stairs and stopped when he saw the gator was removing his shirt. Wyatt’s face lit up and he turned his head away before speaking.
Wyatt: “M-Matthew, huh I, yeah, Lauren went home, family matters…”
Matthew was folding his shirt nicely as he stared at Wyatt shirtless. He sighed before speaking.
Matthew: “Huh? That suck.”
Wyatt still trying not to look at the gator was looking around the house while speaking.
Wyatt: “So huh? Did you sorted your…huh…well whatever you had to do?”
Matthew was confused before putting his pajama shirt on, then he remembered.
Matthew: “Oh yeah, just had to get my sister to the airport, she is visiting family in another state”
Wyatt smiled and looked at him, his tail wagging a bit.
Wyatt: “You have an even larger family than I thought”
Matthew laughed and started unbuckling his belt then before replying he remembered Wyatt being kinda wary of nudity so he stopped before saying.
Matthew: “Oh yeah lots of it, I have like 2 cousins, one aunt and her husband so my uncle in law aside from the members you already saw. Huh Wyatt? Could I please use your room? I need to get in pants”
Wyatt: “Oh yeah sure.”
Matthew walked past him and was ascending the stairs then Wyatt spoke aloud.
Wyatt: “So they live in another state huh? You visit them often?”
Matthew replied despite being even farther.
Matthew: “Kinda, not much nowadays. My sister and brothers still do pretty much every now and then”
Wyatt: “Why don’t you go as often if that’s not too personal?”
Matthew paused as he was pulling his pants down in the room before shouting.
Matthew: “Well, let’s say it’s not because of them but the state itself”
Wyatt: “I am not sure to understand”
Matthew: “It’s complicated. People there are not very fond of me”
Wyatt was confused and wasn’t sure if he could still push to make Matthew speak exactly the issue. Before he could try, the gator was already getting downstairs before looking at him with a soft smile.
Matthew: “Apparently I look scary”
Wyatt looked at the gator and couldn’t help but be undecisive. The gator was tall and built like a powerhouse…he was objectively strong but terrifying was a bit of stretch besides…Wyatt’s eyes were clearly not seeing him as a dangerous man but…Wyatt was lost in his thoughts for a second until the gator waved his hand at his eyes level.
Matthew: “You okay there, bud?”
Wyatt stuttered in embarrassment before replying.
Wyatt: “Oh huh sorry I huh was thinking”
Matthew: “It’s fine man”
Matthew sat on the couch and stretched his limbs. Wyatt couldn’t help but stare a bit at him in mix of feelings before the latter snapped him out of his trance again with words.
Matthew: “So I know Lauren’s gone but we could still watch that movie if you want? I mean I don’t want that popcorn go to waste”
His head turning at the bowl on the kitchen island. Wyatt looked and remembered that he had let it there. He reached for it and put it on the small table in front of the couch he had placed back after Lauren’s departure.
Matthew: “better having it next to us on the couch, don’t you think? Or you rather go to the floor to watch the movie? I am fine with either”
Wyatt: “Nah the couch is comfier.”
Wyatt put the popcorn in the middle seat and sat on its left while Matthew was on the right but got up and looked around for a bit before turning to Wyatt.
Matthew: “Huh…did you happen to see my bag?”
Wyatt: “Didn’t you brought it upstairs when you came earlier?”
Matthew: “Did i? (*chuckling*) I don’t remember, I will go check, be right back in a minute”
Wyatt nodded as the gator got upstairs again. Wyatt’s phone buzzed and he looked at it. He frowned with slight fear, it was that shark again, he sent a picture. Wyatt hesitated before opening his notification and could see it was a picture of a small restaurant frontside. A text followed the picture. “456 Northern hill road. It’s the restaurant I do my part time…if you want you could meet me there, I work there everyday from 6 to 10 PM. Sorry to write this late, bye (*waving hand emoji*)”. Wyatt was really confused at all of this and decided to ignore it for now. He pocketed his phone at the same time Matthew was back and was grinning while showing the DVD of that movie he so much wanted Wyatt to watch. He got next to the TV and spotted where to insert it, he crouched and Wyatt could see how massive his back was, it was clearly a mix of good genetics and hard work. Matthew got up and sat back to his seat before looking at Wyatt.
Matthew: “Now you just have to enjoy”
Matthew was having a smirk which made Wyatt ask.
Wyatt: “Why do I have the feeling you are preparing something twisted”
Matthew rolled his eyes playfully before waving his hand dismissively and saying.
Matthew: “who? Me? Nahhh I am innocent”
Wyatt: “yeah…sure”
Wyatt used the remote to start the movie and leaned back. He glanced on his side to see Matthew looked excited for some reason. That feeling rose again in Wyatt’s chest…that warmth that was tickling his heart, what could it be? He turned his attention back to the movie starting.