We Protect Each Other

Chapter 5

Scott's pov

I opened my eyes and looked around the dark room. I knew that I was back in the crawl space that I shared with Mitch but I don't know how I got here. Last I remember, I was laying in the alley getting the shit kicked out of me after I tried to stand my ground. I tried to shift my position so I could look around but felt a sharp pain in my stomach right away. I winced and settled back into my position. "Mitch." I said quietly but was met with silence. "Mitch?" I said a bit louder this time. When I got the same silence, my mind began coming up crazy thoughts. What if the guys that got me got him too and and he was too weak to get back here so he was laying in the alley? What if he ran and got lost? Why isn't he here? If he wasn't the one to drag me in here, who was? Where is he?

I was forced into sitting on the dirt, staring at a wall and letting my mind create crazy scenarios that explained Mitch's absence. It had only been about 20 minutes and this was already driving me insane. My heart was racing and I was scared. Why I was scared, I don't know. I've known this boy for a few days and I was already obsessed with him. You know what, he probably left at his own will. If he left at his own will, he can fend for his own damn self!

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the scrap metal door being moved. I quickly searched the floor until I found my pocket knife. I was quick to flick up the knife and point it in the direction of the door for self defence. I recognized the silhouette standing in the entrance, it was Mitch. Thank God, he's okay. I flicked my knife down and rested my head back as he crawled in. He moved into his corner with a few things in his hands... where did he find all that?

"Where have you been?" I asked quietly.

He whipped around to look at me, I must've startled him. "You're awake!" he exclaimed and smiled.

"Yeah, and I've been worried about you. Where were you?" I repeated my question to him.

"You were... worried about me?

I quickly brushed away his question, "What do you have there?"

In response, he held up 3 bottles of water, a bag of chips and a carton of strawberries and smiled at me. My eyes widened in shock at the load he brought in, not bad for someone that has been here for less than a week.

"Wha- um how?" I asked.

"It's nothing." he turned back around and put down the bag of chips and one of the waters.

"Who did you take it from?" I asked.

He continued doing whatever it was he was doing in the corner and simply said , "nobody"

"Then how?"

"I bought it." he turned around and started coming towards me with a water and the strawberries.

"You could have told me you had money!"

"I didn't."

"But then how did you- what?" Now I'm even more confused.

"I just got it."

"You found it?"

"No, I earned it." He sat down beside me and opened the water then took a small sip.

"You have a job?"

"No."

"Then how?"

"I uhm.. I just kinda did a mini performance thingy. It's nothing. How's your head?" He spoke quickly and quietly then tried to change the subject... something is up.

"My head is fine. What type of performance?" my mind was racing with possibilities. Did he have some sort of cool talent or was it a type of performance that made me sick thinking about?

"It was nothing Scott." he sounded almost scared to tell me.

"What is it Mitch? Please tell me you didn't do something you will regret."

"Ew no! Not like that."

"Well what is it!"

"Nothing!" he boomed. Well that came out of nowhere.

"Why won't you just tell me!" My voice was starting to rise.

"It's not important!" I could tell he wasn't up for discussing this right now so I gave up.

He opened the container of strawberries and placed the it between us. He took a strawberry but I kept my arms crossed, I was still trying to figure out what he did to get money for these.

"Eat." his voice was back to the regular, quiet tone that I'm used to.

I groaned and slowly moved my aching body so I was sitting upright and reached for a strawberry. I took a bite and my mood boosted by a lot. I forgot how good these were, so juicy and sweet. Man, I miss good food. I caught Mitch looking at me and smiling, he immediately looked away.

"Thank you." I said quietly. He brought his eyes back up to look at my face.

"No problem."

We finished the entire container since they would go bad if we didn't eat them all now.

Mitch retreated back to his corner for the night. We both went to sleep and I for the first time in a while, got to sleep without the pain of hunger eating at me.