Out

What Never Would.

"Hey, I want you to pick up some dinner for tonight, okay?"

Dmitri nodded, pulling himself out of his bed before Vadim could lecture him. The school had a day off, and as nervous and unsure as Dmitri felt about the night before, he was sure that today would be okay. He wanted to talk to Nicodemus about what ge had said, wanted to apologize for going and making things weird, but was it better just to leave it unsaid? Let the tension melt away?
Dmitri hastily took the twenty dollar bill from Vadim, but Vadim lingered in the door way, gently grabbing Dmitri by the chin to look at his black eye.
"You know I didn't mean to hit you that hard, right? Sometimes I forget you're just a kid." Dmitri nodded and Vadim let go of his face, giving a close lipped smile.
"Why don't you get yourself some lunch too, you can try out that new cafe. Bring one of your friends along if you want."

"Thanks dad."

"Alright, now off you go."

Dmitri scurried out of the house before Vadim could change his mind.
**********************************************
Dmitri really didn't mind living in Friday Harbour. He used to hate it, couldn't wait for the day he could get out, and he still wanted to, sure, but the urge wasn't something that consumed him anymore, and it wasn't as if Vadim was always terrible, sometimes he was just a Dad. Sometimes he was just a depressed old man trying to raise his seventeen year old son and deal with his wife's death. Dmitri remembered what it had been like before his mother had died. He was sure that they had been a happy family once, family dinner every night, a beautiful home with white walls and family pictures scattered about. He remembered how Vadim used to tuck him into bed, he used to read him stories and use funny voices. He had carved Dmitri the most beautiful wooden rocking horse for Christmas once, hair of brown yarn and black marbled eyes- now he was lucky if he got a pack of cigarettes or a bottle of Jack. Dmitri squeezed his eyes shut, trying to hold on to that feeling, always a little tainted by his mother's death.

Dmitri studied the store windows as he passed. Signs advertising garage sails, yard work services, fruit and vegetables for sale, the like. He stopped into the town bakery, where he always liked to get his lunch when he went walking, they made the best cheese bun sandwiches out there, though they weren't for those who didn't like mustard. He ordered a Turkey and cheese sandwich, a fudge nut brownie, and a Diet Coke, only noticing Nicodemus as he searched for a place to sit.

"Hey!" Nicodemus smiled

"Hey. Can I sit with you?"

"Of course."

"Look, about what I said yesterday... I didn't mean to insinuate that anything was going to happen."

"Ok." Nicodemus nodded, taking a bite of his fry
"Not great."

"What?"

"Oh, I meant the fry. Anyway, I didn't think anything of it, really. It's fine, we're fine. I promise." He nodded reassuringly and Dmitri sighed

"Thank you." He whispered

"What are friends for?" Nicodemus shrugged, standing up, Dmitri followed.
"So, where are you off to now? Mind if I join you?"

"My dad just wanted me to pick something up for dinner, so grocery store I guess? You can definitely join, I'd like it if you did, but I guarantee it won't be anything fantastic."

Nicodemus felt himself bristle, doing his best to hide the uncomfortable feeling he got when Dmitri mentioned his dad. He didn't want to be pushy, he just wanted to help, and right now he wasn't sure how.

"Well, that's alright, I just like to hang out with you."

"Emily sure didn't seem too happy about it. 'Babysitting." He scoffed