Close Behind || Aaron Minyard

3

The car ride to the court is increasingly uncomfortable, because Naomi has to practically sit in Neil's lap to avoid sitting on Aaron or Nicky. One of those two options feeling even less safe than the other, and it's not the angry straight boy. The only consolation being how short it is.

They pull into the parking lot, blessedly, finally. Naomi pushes herself off of Neil enough that he can get out first and she grabs his shoulder as he moves to leave.

"Give me a minute," She signs to him. Not caring if anyone sees this.

"Tricky tricky, Kitty playing with the rabbit," Andrew is giggling, god she can't wait for that to stop.

"You're sure?" Neil asks out loud, ignoring the jeering and looks.

Naomi nods and he moves to follow after Kevin and Nicky, who don't seem to actually care what they're doing, the twins are interested though.

She spins around to find both of them looking at her, Andrew is analyzing it with a sick grin and Aaron is mildly interested. "I'm only talking to one of you."

Aaron huffs but takes the hint and jogs after the rest of them.

Andrew quirks a brow that looks mockingly serious but she thinks it's as close as he get to looking how he wants, it makes her feel a bit bad but not much.

He walks a step backwards towards his car and sits down on the roof of it with a smile. He digs around for his cigarettes in his pocket and lights one, handing it over to her.

Naomi takes it with a frown, takes a drag as he gets himself one, wondering how she's going about this. "Sometimes, when someone says something or does something specific, they don't look like themselves. They look like someone else, someone cruel."

"Cruel world or cruel people, kitty?" Andrew asks with fake joviality, but his eyes are narrowing. "Baring your soul for me so soon? I thought you'd be more fun."

"I am baring nothing," Naomi says with a shake of her head. She takes another drag and sighs with it. "I am asking you, where your lines in the sand are."

"I don't draw lines," Andrew says laughing. "I don't like to draw at all. I etch them."

"Do I need to give up mine for you to tell me yours?" Naomi muses, growing irritated. Her she was, trying to respect him. "If someone puts their hand over my mouth I'll probably slit their throat."

Andrew tilts his head, looking overly interested but Naomi takes it a different way. He takes a drag and laughs for a few seconds. "Don't touch me, don't touch my things."

"Do what you need to put Neil in his place but if he has permanent damage I will retaliate," Naomi says with a shrug. "Dont call me sweetheart."

"Don't say please, don't call anything a," Andrew leans down towards her and blows his smoke in her face but she doesn't move. "Misunderstanding."

When he leans back she shrugs and doesn't say anything for a while, takes a few more drags before ditching the cigarette. "Simple enough. Neil will learn his lesson on his own, I trust."

"Trust is a funny idea, giving it to someone like me is even funnier."

"I'm not disillusioned to what your methods might be, but Neil needs to learn and I can't be the one to teach him," Naomi says simply.

"Because you never told him."

"He would've done something stupid," Naomi says. She shrugs again and stands up when Andrew gets off the hood of his car. They walk towards the door in silence for a few seconds before they get in the lounge, she stops and looks at Andrew again. "Brother's do stupid things, it's almost like they were made to be stupid."