(GQ #11) New Kid on the Ship

5. Eyes That See All

Four and a half days of peace. That's what Leon ruined the moment he and his brother stepped foot into Aiden's room.

"You're in luck Ángie, looks like Aiden's not here right now!" Of course, Leon didn't see him hovering on the wall beside the door.

"Boo."

Both screamed, with the pipsqueak launching himself halfway across the room before his brother caught him by the shirt tail. He hung sideways in the air, desperately clutching at his pocket. Must've nearly lost his phone or something.

Leon stood him back upright. "There you go." He patted him on the shoulder, too busy gawking at Aiden to notice him flinching every time. "Aiden, this is my little brother, Angelo."

While Aiden got a better chance to take in the shivering little weirdo, his hand still gripping his pocket for dear life. Wide eyes darted in every direction, as if he fought for his life by just standing there. The kid looked haunted. "Is he good?"

"Oh, Ángie gets nervous around new people. I told you about the ghost thing, right?"

Aiden shrugged. Everything Leon said went in one ear and out the other. "Probably."

Leon clamped both hands on his brother's shoulders. "He's really shy." He continued, completely oblivious to the poor kid hyperventilating. "So please don't be too mean to him."

Aiden gave a non-committal grunt. He didn't want this new guy to get too comfortable, but he had no interest in messing with him. Angelo seemed like the type to crumble to dust if Aiden even looked at him wrong. He didn't want a heart attack on his hands.

"It's okay, really...!" Angelo jerked away. "I-I-I don't wanna make you guys change because of me." His hands folded over each other as his head lowered. "Just pretend like I-I'm not here."

"Okay." Aiden pushed himself off the wall and over to his bed.

Leon pointed to the bunk above it. "I guess that'll be your bed for now."

"Th-That ladder looks really high..." It didn't, but someone as short as Angelo might think so. Aiden wondered if his arms could even handle the strain of climbing up; they looked like they could snap under any pressure.

"I'm sure you can climb it! We're in zero gravity anyway, so you shouldn't have to worry right now. See?" Leon drifted over to the ladder and pulled himself up with one hand. His feet rose above Aiden until they stopped with a faint thud. "Ow! Be careful of your head."

Aiden snorted, only to have his amusement interrupted by bug eyes staring daggers into him. Funny for someone on the verge of tears two minutes ago. What did Angelo think he was gonna do, cry him to death? Aiden stared right back. That got him to stop looking and focus on his pocket.

"Ángie, come up here!" A hand reached down from the top bunk. Angelo took it, getting lifted up and out of Aiden's way. Good riddance. "There's seatbelts to help strap you in while you're sleeping. You also wanna make sure your covers are tucked in good so they don't float away."

"Kind of like a human pizza pocket?" With a bed between him and Aiden, Angelo's voice could barely be heard.

"Yeah!"

"Where's your bed?" Process of elimination should've told him it was the single bed on the other side of the room.

"This one!" Leon kicked himself off the top bunk and down to the single bed on the other side of the room. He lifted an orange bag at the foot of it. "Your backpack's over here. I realized there's no space under your bed to put stuff. Well, technically there's a lot of space, but Aiden probably wouldn't be too happy about you using it. The good news is that you'll be safe from seeing..." He trailed off after making eye-contact with Aiden.