RED PARALLEL

Chapter 32: Momma Issues

(Owen)

Traviz walked out of the bathroom, hair all wet and wearing some random cloth he decided would be his permanent pajama. The scent of shampoo filled the room, vapor steaming through the air.

"Maaan, your shower's like, damn hot. How do you do it... I'd rather use the other one..." Traviz tossed the towel over the bed, sighing. His hair was not even partially dry. Water dripped on his shoulders and behind his neck. "Yo, look, I guess I burned my skin, bro. Here." He turned around and pulled the collar of the t-shirt the to side. His shoulder was slightly reddened.

Owen took a close look, touching it lightly.

"Yep, it burned." No, it didn't, but contradicting Traviz was not worth it. Never. "I'll fix the shower."

"Do you have some cream or stuff?"

"Cream?"

"Yeah. Mom had a magic pomade. I use to rub my knees every fucking time when I was little, and she'd pass the magic cream... Do you have it?"

"Hm, your mom had a magic pomade?" Owen beamed.

"Yeah..." Traviz sat down on the bed, nostalgic. But then, he closed his face. "Before missing out like a bitch."

"But your mom seemed pretty nice. I imagine." Owen sat next to him, trying to avoid the moody downfall. And it worked. Traviz opened a smile.

"Yeah, def..."

"What did she do?"

"Yo, hella things." Traviz chuckled. "Man, you're just like her, sometimes." He tilted his head, looking up. "But she didn't cook. That's the difference... She once burned the kitchen, freal, hahahaha... Then the next day there was this fat man, making pizza..."

Traviz was immersed in his sweet early childhood's memories. So his mom was pretty nice, before missing out like a bitch... Well, Owen had no idea what to think about his own mother, though... And Traviz was back to moody dark. "Bitch... I hate her..."

"Did she use to sleep with you and stuff? When you were little?" Owen asked.

"Uhum... Always. She was my blanket, too. But she used to say I was her pillow, I still don't get it..."

"Hahah..."

Traviz grabbed the pillow and lay down, relaxed.

"Nah, your hair's all wet. Get up. Seriously, you have a cold and you don't even-"

"Hahah, you're like my mom, def!"

"Is it a bad thing?" Owen picked the towel, feeling slightly upset. Being compared to Traviz's angelical mom didn't seem okay.

"Hm, no." Traviz sat down, looking at his motherly friend with innocent eyes. "My mom was nice and you are, too."

"I'll take that as a compliment..." Owen started rubbing the towel on Traviz's hair.

"... but you don't push me to eat green stuff and you don't cry all the fucking time..."

"Hm..."

"... And then she was gone..."

"That's very bad, Troy."

"Hm... Yo!" Traviz suddenly pointed his forefinger at Owen, accusatory. "You went missing, too, motherfucker! Man, you're totally like her!"

Owen looked up, rolling his eyes. "I said I was sorry..."

"Humpf..." Traviz crossed his arms. "Whatever... Ow-stop pulling my hair."

"Sorry..."

Traviz forgot about his imaginary bruise and lay down, spreading his arms across the sheets. Owen left him rapping and went to shower. The bathroom was a mess, Traviz's clothes everywhere, the Tommy boxer lying over the toilet seat. Black and grey. Owen asked himself if he went crazy or if Traviz had switched his behavior for good. That was all so weirdly provocative. Owen took a quick shower and was about to dress up when Traviz swung the door open.