What Walks Among Us (book one)

He's My Boyfriend

Chester and I were quiet for the first part of our walk. It was clear to him that Beck and I had just had some sort of deep conversation, and I wasn't sure that he knew how to start talking in comparison. We passed by most of the compound I had already seen, and then took a turn, down a street that I had never run with Cody, and hadn't explored.

It was weird, I had been living here for a while now, and have yet to explore really, other than the one time when I had thought I was lost, and ended up meeting Evan. Everything had just been so busy, from being injured and having to sit on the couch, and make sure it didn't get infected, to Mabel being tied up, and I turning away from her.

We took another turn and over top of a few trees that still managed to block most of the building, I saw a church tower, complete with a bell and everything.

"Is that where we're going?" I asked, breaking the silence.

Chester looked over at me and smiled, "No, but I do have something to show you. That's not until later though," he shoved his hands into his pocket, "I know you've got some questions, and I can't promise that I'll be able to answer them, but I will try," he looked down at me, "And before you ask, no I will not be your boyfriend. I mean, you're gorgeous and all but not my type," he said, in an attempt to lighten the mood.

I laughed, and knocked my shoulder into his, "Darn, I was so hoping... oh well, I guess I'll just be an old maid," I teased.

Chester grinned at me and then we both fell silent again, prepping up for the conversation ahead. As we rounded another corner, I looked around while I asked the question I had been meaning to ask for a while, "So. You guys told Mabel and I we would have a house... whatever happened to that?" I kicked a pebble on the road, and watched as it bounced one... two.. four times before coming to a stop against a curb.

Chester nodded, like he was considering my question before he started to speak, "Well, it's been done for about a week now..." he saw my expression and quickly went on, "I know, I know. But they guys like having you in the house, and I kind of wanted to see if Mabel was done with her shit. I'm not sorry we didn't tell you about the house Kodi, because if we hadn't, you could very well be dead."

I looked at him in surprise, "You guys don't mind me taking up an extra room?"

"Well, sweetie, we can't mind you taking up a room when in reality you take up this tiny ass corner of a room. But no, Kodi, we love having you around the house. Believe it or not Cody's been being nicer, since you've joined the house."

I meant to reply, but just then a little girl with blond pigtails and blue eyes ran over to us, chasing after a baseball. I picked it up as it rolled to my feet, and crouched down as she approached.

"Hi, I'm Kodi," I said, making my voice cheerful and light, "What's your name?"

The girl blushed and looked up to Chester, whatever he did must have given her a little bit of trust because she looked back to me and pressed her hands flat on her thighs, rocking on her heels, "I'm Abby," she all but whispered, "I'm this many," she added, holding up her hand with all five fingers up.

"That's a very pretty name," I said, and then looked down at the baseball, before looking back to her, "Does this belong to you?"

Abby looked from me, to the ball, and then back again, "No," she said, finally, "It's my brothers," she said and then turned around to point over at a guy, who looked about my age.

He was standing on the sidewalk, hands on his hips as he watched us with an easy smile.

"...was playing catch with me," I heard the last bit of Abby's sentence but it didn't take me very long to piece was she had said together.