• BURN ME •

• 14

Sweater Weather

~ The Neighborhood

Snow

Flame gives me a curious look as we sit at the table in the café. I sigh, "So, what did your cousin do to end up in Palm Springs?" he asks me, I sigh. "Well, I have to go back a bit. My uncle and aunt argue a lot. They have for years and Nathaniel and his sister have witnessed it. Leo is not a very nice person. And the two of them seem to have argued again, and Nath wanted to go to his sister because of it. But somehow it didn't quite work out the way he wanted." I tell him, Flame nods, "what are they arguing about?" he asks. He crosses his arms, I click my tongue. "Money, love and cheating, the normal stuff. Sometimes they argue about me too. Before my uncle sent me to boarding school, we argued a lot. He couldn't get along with me. I was too difficult for him. And because he couldn't control me like he actually wanted to. Living with a bipolar, manipulative asshole isn't easy." I run my hand through my hair and lean back in the chair, Flame looks surprised. "Bipolar?" he asks, I nod. "Yes, and in these phases he has usually been characterized by either anger or listlessness, or even elation and overestimating himself. And then there's his manipulative nature, but it's not so bad with Nathaniel's sister. It was diagnosed relatively early on, and she was given medication for it from the start. Nath hasn't had anything so far. Well, my family is pretty... what do you always call it? Fucked up, I fit in pretty well, don't I?" I ask. I force a smile and drink from my cup.

The redhead runs his hand through his hair, "shit," I shrug. "Believe me, shit is not the word for it. But that was my life, so I'm not complaining." I say, Flame sips his Coke and sighs. "And have you known Sam for a long time?" I ask the older man, just to know if Nathaniel is in good hands there. Flame nods slightly and smiles. And again I notice how good he looks when he smiles. I like his dimples, I would love to poke them. "Yes, he's actually always been there. Since I was little, Sam is my father's best friend. But for me, he's a better version of my father than my own, Mierda, I even lived with Sam for a while. When I couldn't even look my father in the face. Sam and Mary, along with my sister and the other troublemakers of Sam, are my family." He tells me, I nod slightly, "Mary?" I ask confused, Flame looks at me, "oh right, you don't know her. Mary is Sam's wife," I nod, "so, Levins and Nacho's mother?" the redhead shakes his head, "Levins yes, Nacho's no. Nacho's biological mother divorced Sam when Nacho was two years old." He explains to me, I nod slightly. Then I remember that Sophia said something similar. "Oh, okay... well, anyway. I think Nacho is very nice, he reminds me of my older brother. I think they would have got on well if they had known each other, can I ask you something?" I ask quietly. Flame takes another sip of his Coke and just nods silently, "why were you hurt last time?" I ask while I let my index finger slide over the rim of the cup because I don't know what else to do with my hands. Flame stays silent for a moment before answering, "The first time was after I was in the factory." He looks me straight in the face and smiles. What the hell is that? The factory? My eyebrows furrow, "What is the factory?" Flame's grin gets wider and a little evil, "I'll take you with me next time so you can see for yourself." Why doesn't he just tell me? I put the cup down and cross my arms, Flame grins slightly but remains silent.

Flame and I chat for a while until Sophia, Olivia and Tero step out onto the café terrace. They sit down at the table with us, "Wow, I swear, one more hour in this museum, and I'll jump off a bridge." Olivia groans annoyed, Sophia laughs quietly and leans back in her chair. Tero stretches slightly and nods approvingly in Olivia's direction, "I agree with you." Comes with a sigh from his lips, Flame grins slightly, and I'm glad that he has somehow become friends with Tero. Sophia smiles contentedly and looks around, she seems to feel the same way as I do. Would she still be smiling if she knew what Flame and I are doing? I nervously start to bounce my leg, would she still be smiling at me? I don't know, but I know that I'm going to take this risk. Because I've always been curious, and he makes me curious. He is one big mystery and I want to understand him, to see behind his facade. After Reed, I should have learned not to play with fire. But when I think about how he pressed himself against me, I get all hot.