Prom Sucks... Or Maybe Not

3: In Which There Are Secrets Revealed

The long walk to the bus seemed to take forever. Alois got lost in the monotonous passing scenery of the busy metropolis he lived in.

Cars sped by, honking at one another as they each tried to reach their separate destinations.

The blond turned a corner, making sure to check for incoming pedestrians, as it was a rather busy section of town. The bus stop was just ahead, now growing larger as the distance decreased. 

People already stood around the depot on groups, chattering benevolently about the weather, and tourist filled places, or even prices of tea in China, whatever that means.

Alois joined them after pulling the amount of pounds needed for a ticket out of his pocket. He paid his fare and boarded the bus.

It was the first of the three he would have to take to make it over to Ciel's house. That in itself was a small price to pay for the safety another teenager could give him from his father.

Twenty minute later, Alois had reached the farthest point that the bus could bring him. The next leg of his journey started in about ten minutes, when the noon bus arrived. Spotting a street side vendor, the blond pulled out another couple pounds to buy a candy bar and pop.

He grinned as he plopped down on the bench to wait with his duffel bag between his feet, one strap hooked around his lower leg. When the noon bus finally pulled up to the stop, Alois again paid his fair and settled in for the trip. Then he fell asleep.

Big mistake.

When the bus halted at the stop before his, Alois fell to the side, knocking his shoulder on the harder section of the seat. That jolted him awake immediately, but what really struck home was the pain reverberating through the small of his back.

The blond reached a hand underneath the back of the grey hoodie he wore, finding a warm, wet spot bleeding through his shirt.

He swore under his breath, readjusted his shirt over the bandages, and pulled the hoodie back down. Ten minutes of this ride left.

Ten. He could do this.

Luckily, the ride ended more swiftly that Alois had anticipated, so he was able to escape to a building with a public restroom, in which the teen washed out bloodstained t-shirt he wore to the bast of his ability. He also rewound the bandages covering his back and waist.

Alois checked his watch. Four minutes to get to the bus station. He speedily repacked anything he'd removed from the duffel and sprinted back to the stop, where the bus was about to pull up.

The ride went without incident although Alois was rather uncomfortable, as the bandages were now chafing against his back while he was seated.

He got off at a stop about five blocks from Ciel's house. The blond glanced at the incoming traffic and expertly weaved across the street before the light changed.

Food vendors were yelling, young and tired children were wailing their displeasure, and disgruntled workmen yelling on their mobile telephones filled the air with a stifling cacophony of noises.

Alois wrinkled his nose as he passed by a dumpster overflowing with garbage and buzzing with large, black flies. As it were, a great many things can change in five blocks, and so, by the time the blond reached his friend's house there was hardly a car on the street; much less a person.

The few he'd passed by had given him disdainful looks and walked away with their noses sticking in the air. Kind of like turtles trying to breathe.

Alois glanced down at the scribbles of blue ink on his arm. According to what Ciel said, he should be right in front of his house.

The blond looked up. Consequently, he almost fell over. Ciel's house was huge! It was two stories tall and looked regal and imposing.

As Alois picked himself and his belongings up off of the pavement, the main doors of Ciel's house swung open. A young woman with huge glasses and a uniform dress peeked out, then pulled her head back inside. Both doors closed.

Moments later, a single door opened on the side of the building. The uniformed girl rushed over to him, heels clacking rapidly as she stumbled over her shoelaces.

"You must be the g-guest the Young M-master said we needed to let i-in immediately, yes!" She exclaimed, stuttering. The woman wrung her hands together as she waited for his response.

Alois nodded, responding with faked enthusiasm.

"Yeah, I called Ciel earlier, is--"

He was abruptly stopped as the uniformed woman snatched his arm and dragged him inside the manor.

Well, to be more precise, the kitchen of Ciel's house. A very tall (and admittedly handsome) man in black looked down at the blond, scanning his appearance until he stepped backwards with a smirk. Alois swallowed, his throat tightening from nerves.

The man in black leaned towards the red-haired woman and muttered something.

Her cheeks flushed; she nodded in answer, stumbling over to Alois and leading him through the kitchen and upstairs into a large, spacious room with a solid oak desk.

A familiar figure stood in front of the window, facing outside with his hands clasped behind his back:  the perfect figure of an aristocrat. Ciel turned at the knock the maid. His eye widened marginally when he saw Alois, most likely because of his ratty clothes and beat up duffle bag.

Alois felt his cheeks burn from embarrassment. Normally he wore something nicer than a grey shapeless hoodie and frayed skinny jeans.

"Mei-Rin, you can go now. Ask Sebastian to prepare something sweet."

Mei-Rin squeaked, blushed, and quickly stumbled out of the room, closing the door sharply behind her.

Ciel strode around the desk to Alois. The taller teen smiled warily at the bluenette.

"Are you hurt?"

The bluenette's question stopped Alois' heart. His mouth dried, and the blond swallowed uncomfortably.

"No, my dad gets really hammered after work sometimes and it's best to not be th--"

Dizziness struck Alois in waves. Warmth spread across his back, creeping along his sides, staining his hoodie. He stumbled, unable to finish his excuse.

"Alois? Are you okay?"

There was a thump. Dimly, the blond realized he had collapsed. A voice kept calling out for him. It was so hard to keep his eyes open.

A ripping sound. Cool air pricked at his chest. Two warm spots were on his shoulders, his face. A dark blue eye hovered above him.

A voice insisted he stay awake. It was a nice voice, so Alois listened to it. His eyes fluttered open more, but it was so bright.

He blinked, bleary eyes focusing. Ciel's face was centimeters away, eye panicked looking.

Alois cracked a dazed smile.

"Your breath smells like chocolate, Ciel."