Not A Straight Thing About It

Chapter Five

Zayne sighed in relief as he walked back up his driveway, running a hand through his hair and adjusting his jeans after seeing the guys off. He hated these parties, he hated his parents snobby friend, and he especially hated these stupid fucking jeans. Everything about the day had ruined his mood, especially the shit with Raphael. Well, the shit his friends pulled. The shit he let happen.

Zayne walked briskly through the house, looking everywhere for Raphael now that his friends were gone. He suddenly felt a desperate need to make things better between him and Raphael. Even if they couldn't be actual friends, it didn't mean they had to be on bad terms.

He had looked in every room, and was heading to his own room before stopping outside the door that lead into his sister's room. There were voices inside and he slowly pushed it open, seeing Raphael, Anneka, and his own sister.

"Uh, hey guys. . ." he muttered, smiling awkwardly. He really hoped Raphael wasn't too angry. . .

Raphael looked up at Zayne with a neutral expression. "Hello," he said blandly, looking back down again. Raphael was braiding Zayne's sisters hair for her, while she and Anneka talked excitedly about school and classes and such. He was almost done with putting her hair into a fishtail braid, and Zayne smiled at the gesture.

Zayne sighed after a moment, looking around awkwardly before looking back at Raphael. "Um, can I talk to you?" He asked, playing with the sleeve of his dress shirt.

Raphael paused for a moment, finishing the braid and putting a hair tie in it "There you go. All done," he said, watching as she reached back and felt the braid, smiling and giggling lightly.

He looked up at Zayne, standing up and sighing. "Sure, why not. . ."

Zayne stood aside, moving to the hallway and watching Raphael. "I'm sorry. . ." he muttered, looking down at the ground as soon as Raphael was in front of him.

Raphael crossed his arms, leaning against the wall on the other side of the hallway. "It's fine. . . you don't have anything to apologize for. . ." he said quietly. "I'm sorry I was vulgar to your friends. . ."

Zayne looked up at Raphael, surprised he wasn't angry. People usually avoided him after Brandon pulled things like that. Finally, he found his words. "You don't have to be sorry either. Brandon is an asshole, and probably deserves to go choke on a dick." He said, laughing quietly when he realized how vulgar that was. "But anyway. . . Do you want to. . . Hang out?" He asked, looking up and hoping Raphael didn't say no.

Raphael looked up at him and shrugged, and Zayne sighed silently to himself in relief. "Yeah sure, why not. . ." he said, looking back at the room Anneke and her new friend were in. "Are you okay with leaving them alone? They've become besties in the span of about an hour. . ."

Zayne laughed, looking in at them. His sister stared ahead and laughed, while Anneke did a dance near her. He smiled warmly, watching them for a moment. "They'll be fine. She hasn't had a friend like this in a while. . ."

He looked back at Raphael. "What do you want to do? I have games in my room if you like that. . . Or we could go talk to people. . . If you like people. . ."

Raphael nodded. "What kind of games?"

Zayne shrugged in reply. "Video games and stuff. . ."

Raphael looked at him for a moment, then mirrored his shrug. "Alright, let's do it." He said, inclining his head. "Lead the way. . ."

Zayne smiled, walking further down the hallway and into his room. It was already clean, like it always was, and he gestured for Raphael to enter. "Here it is. . . It's boring but. . . Yeah. . ." he said, closing the door with a grimace when a particularly loud wave of laughter rose up the stairs. "They're always so loud. . ." he muttered, walking toward the small, red couch in front of his tv.