Chapter 11:New Neighbours

Lucas woke up to the sound of hushed voices downstairs. He blinked, momentarily disoriented, then remembered the events of the previous night—the confrontation with Mr. Morton, the treehouse, the snake. He pushed himself up, feeling the familiar weight of resentment and determination settle in his chest.

Dressing quickly, Lucas tucked the jar with the snake safely into a corner of his closet, covering it with a pile of clothes. He then slipped out of his room, moving quietly down the stairs. As he approached the foyer, he heard Mrs. Morton's voice, bright and overly friendly.

"Lucas, come here, please," she called out, her tone suggesting she was trying to make a good impression.

Lucas walked into the room, his expression carefully neutral. His pale skin stood in stark contrast to his dark, tousled hair and sharp, calculating eyes, which missed nothing. His movements were quiet, each step measured and purposeful.

Standing beside Mrs. Morton was a boy about his age, even smaller and slighter than Lucas. The boy had dark hair that fell into his eyes, making him look even more bashful. He was dressed in expensive-looking clothes—a neatly pressed shirt and designer jeans that spoke of his family's wealth. His eyes, wide and brown, darted around nervously, betraying his introverted nature. He was fidgeting slightly, his hands twisting together as he stood awkwardly by Mrs. Morton.

"Lucas, this is Dimitri," Mrs. Morton said, smiling. "He's our new neighbor. The Bennetts moved in next door, and I thought you two might get along."

Dimitri offered a tentative smile, his eyes scanning Lucas with open curiosity but also a hint of apprehension. "Hey, Lucas. Nice to meet you," he said, his voice soft and unsure.

Lucas nodded, his gaze flicking to Mrs. Morton, who was watching the interaction closely. He could almost feel her calculating how this friendship could benefit them, given Dimitri's obvious wealth.

"Hi," Lucas replied, his tone noncommittal. He didn't offer more, his stance relaxed but his eyes watchful.

Dimitri shifted his weight from one foot to the other, clearly feeling the pressure of the moment. He tried to maintain eye contact but found it difficult under Lucas's intense gaze. The silence stretched awkwardly between them.

Mrs. Morton, sensing the tension, approached Lucas quietly. "Lucas, could I have a word with you for a moment?" Her voice was low but insistent.

Lucas followed her to a corner of the room, his expression unreadable. Mrs. Morton looked at him with a blend of urgency and coaxing.

"I know you're grounded," she began, "but I'll made a deal with you. If you take Dimitri out for a walk today and show him around, I will lift your grounding completely."

Lucas raised an eyebrow, skepticism evident in his gaze. "Why would you want to do that?"

Mrs. Morton's eyes narrowed slightly. "It's a chance to get out of the house and spend time with someone who might be beneficial for us in the long run. Besides, it'll be good for you to get some fresh air."

Lucas considered her offer, weighing the prospect of a permanent reprieve from his confinement against the effort of spending time with someone he barely knew. After a moment, he nodded. "Fine. I'll do it."

Mrs. Morton smiled, relieved. "Good. Just be polite and make it seem like you're actually interested in getting to know him. It'll help smooth things over."

Lucas turned back to the foyer, where Dimitri was still waiting, looking increasingly uncomfortable.

"So, uh," Dimitri began, his voice barely above a whisper, "I just moved here a few days ago. Still getting used to the place."

Lucas continued to observe him, taking in the boy's discomfort and nervous energy. He recognized the signs of someone who was used to being overlooked or underestimated. Lucas, on the other hand, thrived in the shadows, using his unassuming appearance to his advantage.

"Yeah, it takes time," Lucas said finally, his voice flat. "You'll get used to it."

Mrs. Morton clapped her hands together, breaking the tension. "Why don't you show Dimitri around, Lucas? Maybe take him to the park or something."

Lucas forced a smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Sure. Let's go."

As they walked out of the house, Dimitri trailed slightly behind Lucas, his steps hesitant.He tried to match Lucas's pace but found it difficult, his shorter legs struggling to keep up. Dimitri's nervousness was evident, his cheeks tinged with a soft blush as he occasionally glanced at Lucas. Despite his discomfort, there was an undeniable spark of curiosity in his eyes—a mixture of admiration and shyness as he looked at Lucas.

Dimitri tried to strike up a conversation, his voice trembling slightly. "So, how long have you lived here?"

Lucas glanced at him, his expression unreadable. "About a year," he replied curtly.

Dimitri nodded, trying to think of something else to say. "Your, um, your mom seems nice."

"She's not my mom," Lucas corrected sharply. "She's my adoptive mother."

Dimitri hesitated, sensing the tension. "Oh, sorry. I didn't know."

Lucas shrugged, not offering any further explanation. They walked in silence for a few minutes until they reached the park. Dimitri seemed eager to fill the quiet.

"Do you like sports?" he asked, trying to find common ground.

Lucas shook his head. "Not really."

Dimitri glanced at him, then changed the subject. "So, what do you do for fun?"

Lucas thought about his nights in the treehouse, his jar of animals, and his twisted games with Kane. He knew he couldn't share any of that with Dimitri. "I read. Sometimes I explore the woods."

Dimitri's eyes lit up. "The woods sound cool. Maybe you could show me sometime."

Lucas gave a noncommittal grunt. "Maybe."

They spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around the park. Dimitri talked about his previous home, his family, and his hobbies. Lucas listened but offered little in return. He could sense Dimitri's growing frustration at his unresponsiveness, but he didn't care. He had no interest in making friends just because Mrs. Morton thought it was a good idea.

As the afternoon wore on, Dimitri seemed to grow more comfortable, his shyness slowly giving way to a more talkative demeanor. The conversation shifted from general small talk to more personal topics, with Dimitri sharing stories about his previous school and friends. Lucas listened, his responses still curt and detached.

"Yeah, back at my old school, I was on the soccer team," Dimitri said, kicking at a loose pebble on the path. "It was fun, you know? Being part of a team. Everyone knew each other, and it felt like a family. I miss that."

Lucas remained silent, his gaze fixed ahead. He had never felt that sense of belonging anywhere, least of all in a sports team.

"And the teachers were great too," Dimitri continued. "They actually cared about us. Not like some schools where the teachers just want to get through the day. They really tried to make a difference."

Lucas's jaw tightened slightly. The teachers at his school were a mixed bag, and he had little patience for most of them. He couldn't help but feel irritated by Dimitri's nostalgic praise.

As they continued their walk, Dimitri's nerves seemed to settle, and he began to speak more freely, though his tendency to make offhand remarks sometimes missed the mark.

"You know," Dimitri said casually, "it's kind of weird living next to a family like yours. My aunt and uncle were always talking about how they wanted to move to a place with better people, not just anyone who could end up here. They say it's important to be around people who have the same values."

Lucas stopped in his tracks, his expression darkening. "What do you mean by that?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous.

Dimitri glanced at him, noticing the shift in Lucas's demeanor but too caught up in his own thoughts to fully grasp the implications. "Oh, nothing much. Just that they want to be around people who are more... well, accomplished, I guess. People who are successful and have their lives together."

Lucas's face went pale, his eyes narrowing with a cold, simmering fury. The implication that his adoptive family and by extension, himself, were somehow inferior struck a nerve. He had spent much of his life feeling like an outsider and an object of scorn, and Dimitri's casual dismissal cut deep.

"So, you think you're better than me because your family has money and social status?" Lucas said, his voice like ice. "Is that it?"

Dimitri's eyes widened in confusion. "No, I didn't mean it like that. I was just saying—"

"Just shut up," Lucas interrupted harshly. "You don't know anything about me or my family. You think you can just come here and make judgments about people based on their status or where they live?"

Dimitri's face flushed with embarrassment and guilt. "I didn't mean to offend you," he stammered. "I was just talking."

"Well, maybe you should think before you speak," Lucas snapped, his eyes blazing with anger. "Not everyone's life fits into your neat little boxes of success and failure."

The air between them was charged with hostility. Dimitri looked down, his shoulders slumping as he tried to navigate the sudden hostility. Lucas turned away, his fists clenched, feeling the sting of Dimitri's insensitive words,he didn't consider the Morton's wealth as his accomplishment as he was taken from nothing. The encounter had tapped into his deepest insecurities and resentments, fueling a cold, seething rage that simmered beneath his surface.

As they continued their walk, the awkwardness was even more pronounced. Dimitri's attempts to make amends were met with Lucas's icy silence. By the time they returned to the Morton house, the tension between them was palpable, leaving both boys feeling the strain of their fractured interaction.