The Changeling

Chapter 3

I have managed to avoid Bronx until this afternoon, today is Tuesday, and I am outside attending the gardens after school.

"Hey Alaska, how are you?" Bronx asks over the fence, pulling me from my thoughts.

Sitting back onto my bare heels since I am barefoot, placing my palms flat on my thighs, I stare up blankly at him. I am trying to decide how to answer the man, and I decide not to answer. Focusing on the flowers, I continue pulling the weeds from around the plants.

"Alaska, please look at me?" he gently requests, but loud enough for me to hear.

Letting out a frustrated sigh as I stop again, and sit back on my heels once more; "I am fine, thanks for asking. How are you? Hope the remodel is going well?"

Bronx instantly frowns at me; "I am okay. I wanted to apologize for snapping at you the other day. I should have minded my own business."

"Yes, you should have minded your own business," I grumble with a glare at him. "I am not your son, or you brother. I am just the neighbor you had just met, and you don't know the dynamics between my brother and me."

"I know, you are right," he sadly agrees which catches me off guard. "Why are you always in the gardens?"

"I like being in nature," I shrug as I focus on my flowers again.

"Why is that?" he questions, and I glance at him, and he is starring at me intently.

Weird.

Shrugging my shoulders at him; "I don't know. I have always loved being in nature since I can remember."

When he doesn't respond, I swipe the sweat from my forehead as I look at him again; "What?"

"Nothing, I am just surprised to see a teenager like being in nature," he replies, but there is something off about his tone, or facial expression, I just can't decide.

Finishing my task, I stand to walk to the side of the house to the hose, turning the spicket on, so I can water the flowers, and veggies. The veggie garden doesn't need to be weeded. Watering everything, I turn the water off, and coil the house back onto the reel, and the entire time, I can feel Bronx's eyes on me.

"Can I help you?" I ask turning to face him, crossing my arms over my chest in irritation.

"Why are you still angry with me since I have apologized?" he questions, his tone seems sad and unsure.

Scoffing at him, I glare at him; "Just because you apologized doesn't mean I accept it. Yes, you are older than me, but you don't have the right to boss me around. My mum is the only person who can do that."

"I get that, and I know I was of life line in scolding you," he replies. "May I ask you a personal question?"

Shrugging my shoulders, giving him a slightly board expression; "You can, but no guarantee I will answer it."

"Fair enough," he chuckles before turning serious. "Are you adopted, or is your brother? You and him don't look anything alike, but your brother looks like your mum."

"That isn't any of your business," I growl lowly, instantly defensive and angry.

"I am sorry," he quickly apologizes, holding his hands up in the air.

Bronx's P.O.V.

Yup, I truly believe he is the person I am looking for. He looks like Sol, and some of the things he says and does fits with the person I am looking for. Me buying this decreped house next door to him and his family wasn't an accident. It took me a month to locate him and his family since they have moved a couple of times of the years.

No, I am not stalking them, I am finding him for some very important people who want him back in their lives. They have been searching for Alaska for years. Alaska was taken by his maternal biological grandmother when he was six-months-old, and she left him at a fire station with no note on who he was. Now, you might ask why she did this, and I have an answer for you - she's an evil person, and her reason was because Alaska had some hearing loss, and she didn't want that tainting her family.

Thank goodness she is no longer alive. Hey, don't judge me for my feelings on her. She was a extremely horrible woman.

Now, I need to convince Alaska to come come home with me, and I have a sinking feeling that he isn't going to be cooperative on this matter. I also have to explain to him, his mum, and his brother who Alaska really is, and why he needs to come with me. Both are easier said than done.

"Why don't you leave me alone?" Alaska demands making me glance at him with sad eyes.

"Because I want to be your friend," I answer with a faint smile.

He scoffs at me again; "Why in the bloody hell do you want to be friends with a guy almost four years younger than you?"

"Everyone deserves friends," I return seriously, and he shakes his head making my frown deepen.

"All most friends do is fuck you over when you need them the most," he replies, and I don't think he is joking.

"Alaska," Arizona calls out as he steps through the slider door onto the small deck. "Gil is here."

Alaska's mood instantly brightens at the mention of his best friend, who exits the house and steps past Arizona.

"Hey Ka, how ya doing?" the new boy greets with a grin as he sits on the grass next to Alaska.

"Hi Gil, I am okay," Alaska answers with a true smile toward his friend. "How have you been?"

"I am good," Gil answers with a fond smile at Alaska, and their closeness instantly pisses me off for some strange reason.

Wow, I seriously need to get my emotions in check in order to do my job correctly. I need to become his friend, but I am hoping this will make the news, and his transition home will be easier. Fuck if I know how I am going to do this job without fucking it all up. This is definitely my most challenging tracking task ever in my four years on the job.