Being Wrong | ✓

Part 6

Travis heard a plaintive meow and looked up from where he sat studying on the sofa. He met Artemis' pleading green eyes as she prodded her paw at the gap under the front door.

"It's raining, Artemis," Travis told her before refocusing on his textbook.

Artemis meowed again and Travis heard her claws scratch against the wood of the door.

"I know you don't like the tray, but I reckon you like rain less." When Artemis just kept scratching at the door, Travis sighed and stood. "Stop that, you'll scratch the paint. I'll open the door, but I know you don't really want to go out there."

Travis cracked the door open and stood back so that Artemis could go out. She stuck her head out, mewed curiously, then sat down in the doorway and stared outside.

"In or out," Travis said. "I'm not leaving the door open."

Travis was just about to give up and force Artemis to move in one direction or the other when he saw something shift in the darkness. He slid the door open further and squinted through it.

There was someone outside, leaning against the wall of the small sheltered porch. Travis hesitated, tempted to grab Artemis and go back inside before making sure all the doors and windows were locked. This wasn't exactly a high crime neighbourhood, but it still gave him the creeps.

But... why was the person sitting? That seemed like an odd thing for a thief to do. As the mysterious stranger watched Travis, they pushed the hood of their sweatshirt back to reveal their face.

Out of his uniform and in dim lighting, Travis didn't recognise the boy at first. It wasn't until he flicked the porch light on that he realised who it was, though that made the situation no less confusing. "Charlie?"

Charlie stared back at Travis with no less confusion. "You know my name?"

"Well, you're in my maths class," Travis said. It came out sounding more defensive than he'd intended.

Charlie studied him carefully for a moment before realisation flooded his face. "Oh, you're the guy with the guitar. Oh..."

"Yeah. I'm Travis." Travis didn't like the way Charlie's shoulders hunched, how he seemed more uncomfortable with knowing who Travis was than thinking him a complete stranger. Travis hadn't seemed that threatening, had he? Travis dismissed the thoughts with a shake of his head. "Okay, so if you didn't even know who lived here, what are you doing on my porch?"

"Oh..." Charlie looked around as though that confused him as well. "I was listening to your music and then it started raining and I didn't want to get wet so I got stranded. Sorry. I live there." He pointed to the house next door to the block of flats Travis lived in.

Travis leant against the doorframe and folded his arms over his chest. "I've never seen you over there before."

"I just moved in with my grandparents."

"Ah." Travis considered Charlie for a moment. He didn't seem to be lying, but he didn't make much sense either. "So you're saying you came over here to sit outside my house to listen to the music I was playing. Don't you have your own music?"

Charlie scratched the back of his neck. "I have a walkman but I don't have any batteries and I just... Music makes me feel better."

"Yeah, me too." Travis hesitated for a moment. "Want to come inside?"

Charlie didn't move. "Why?"

"Because just lurking out there is kind of weird, dude. Come inside until the rain stops or go now and deal with getting wet. Up to you."