Stealing Cinder (No Not Cinderella!) (BOYXBOY)

Chapter 19: Seeking Crispin

Micah POV

    “Any news?” I whispered. My mom lifted her eyes from her coffee cup and I saw the red rings around them that brought my answer. She shook her head sadly and waved me over to her. As usual with the motion I obeyed and stood by her side. She sighed,
    “I really am sorry Micah. This is turning out just like last time...”
A few tears slid down her cheek and I awkwardly shifted from foot to foot. It’d been a month since they’d gone missing and people we’re starting to lose hope. I heard the front door open and close. A cold sweat broke out on my forehead before I heard dad’s voice calling to us from the door.
    “Are you guys ready!? We’re going to ride around some of the back roads and look for any leads!”
    “He’ll never give up,” Mom murmured. I shrugged and watched the steam rise from her coffee before she promptly stood up and poured it into the sink. She slipped on her shoes that had laid beside the counter and brushed my shoulder lightly to encourage me to follow her. I did.
    “Why are you such a good boy Micah?” She sighed. I clammed up.
    “Th-they were very strict...” I said listlessly. We turned the corner and were swept up in dad’s haste to get on our way. I huddled in the backseat of Crispin’s car. Crispin’s car. I could feel the tears wetting my eyes. It didn’t seem like his anymore. Not when he wasn’t in it. His voice wasn’t filling the small space and it didn’t smell like him anymore. There were a few stray shoes on the floor in front of me. I couldn’t hug those though. It wasn’t even the same in his room anymore. No matter how many nights I slept in it.
    “It’s too quiet...”
Mom and dad glanced at me in the rearview mirror.
    “Do you want to talk Micah?” Dad asked. I shook my head slowly. I didn’t want to talk at all.
    “C-can you put in C-Cri-Crispin’s Marilyn Manson cd? I want to h-hear Running to th-the edge of the world,” I whispered. Mom’s face twisted a bit but she sifted through his cds and put in the appropriate one. Turning it up so I’d be able to hear it clearly.
    “ Remember when I took you up to the top of the hill?We had our knives drawn. They were as sharp as we were in love. If god crossed us we’d take all his drugs, burn his money and his house down, and wait for the fire to spread. Sometimes hate is not enough to turn this all to ashes. Together as one, Against all others. Break all of our wings to make sure it crashes. We’re running to the edge of the world. Running, running away. We’re running to the edge of the world. I don’t know if the world will end today,”
    The song played through and I sang it in low confident notes.  Mom shut the radio off immediately and dad and I both turned to stare at her.
    “Megan...you can at least let him listen to the music, he hasn’t sang a single song in an entire month. I know you don’t like the artist but-”
    “Is that you and Crispin’s song?” Mom cut him off. Her eyes were on me.
I nodded and fidgeted with my seat belt. She sighed and began crying again.
    “I-I didn’t mean to push him away so much. And we fought before it happened. I could’ve tried u-understanding but I didn’t. I couldn’t e-even listen to his music,” she mumbled.
    “He loved you Megan. He was always a mommy’s boy remember? He always was,”
    “H-he is a mo-mommy’s boy. Not w-was. He r-r-really lo-loves you,” I stuttered.
Mom smiled small through her tears.
    “Thank you,”
She switched the radio back and relaxed into the seat. She opened the glove compartment grabbed something then thrust it at me. The familiar smell wrapped around me and I cuddled the hoodie to my face.
    “I made him keep it in there just in case you know. He wore it a few times and it picked up the smell of his cologne from when it spilt in the glove box last summer. You should have it,” She said. I nodded my thanks and we continued to search while nothing turned up. I couldn’t even remember the way to the house, even if I had I couldn’t tell they’d kill all three of them.
                        *****
    The hallways were quiet as I walked down them excluding the few whispers of my sad peers.
    “Cinder?”
I almost trudged past the person, not recognizing the name at first. I caught myself, stopped and glanced up. There was a small blonde girl standing in front of me, her eyes glassy,
    “I’m sorry...that they haven’t found anything. I-it’s hitting everyone hard...Kalea was my boyfriends sister after all...he’s taking it hard to. Jason. I think it would be to both of your benefit if you guys were to talk. About them and how you’re feeling...” She said lowly.
    I blinked at her. Students were milling about us, casting curious glances our way.
    “He needs someone to relate to...I’m not enough for this Cinder. P-please talk to him,” she whimpered.
    I narrowed my eyes. This was a trick...I couldn’t trust Jason. Not when he’d wanted to hurt Crispin and hurt Crispin, humiliated him even before I was around. Why would he want to talk with me? But...maybe he’d help find them...Kalea is his sister after all. I nodded reluctantly. Her lips lifted in a side smile.
    “Perfect. I’ll bring you over there after school. It won’t take long at all.”
She walked away leaving me to contemplate my decision.
                        *******
    “Cinder!”
She met me after my last class. I didn’t have time to think before she was hauling me away towards her car talking incessantly about nothing. She ushered me in, I didn’t bother to protest against her. All she wanted was to make Jason feel better right? Maybe he’d be angry and beat me up, but who cares about that. We drove in silence until she pulled into the driveway of a very large white house.
    “We’re here!” She announced. I nodded and got out of the car. We walked together to the house. She threw the door open without knocking. She pushed me inside and shut the door behind her.
    “I’ll be here when you guys are done!” She called loudly from the other side.
I walked forward suspiciously. The home was quiet  and dark and unsettling in such a cliche way that it was making me physically ill.
    “Cinder,”
I jumped and found Jason standing off to my right. He smiled.
    “How are you feeling?” He asked.
    “F-fine,” I muttered. He nodded.
    “Do you miss Crissy as much as I miss him and my sister?” He whispered. I nodded in response to his question and that’s when his fist shot out and struck my stomach. I crumpled and backed against the wall. Jason laughed loudly and punched me in the face. His class ring cut my skin and blood trickled from under my eye. A discolored unnoticed tear. I fell to the floor my head spinning from the hit. He didn’t give me time before he began kicking. He made sure every inch had been hit at least once before leaning down and grabbing my hair,
    “You’ll see him again soon. I’m taking you home so I can get my sister back. You and the other faggot can rot in your parents basement for all I care,” He hissed. I cringed,
    “You, you kissed him.” I whispered. Jason’s eyes narrowed.   
    “Searching for a quick fuck,” He seethed.   
    “You’re a liar,”
He dragged me to my feet and held me there,
    “He’s worthless. Nothing more than a somewhat nice piece of ass when you’re lonely. I’ve been pushing him to suicide for years. He’s miserable,”
    I didn’t have the strength nor the courage to defend Crispin. My head was swimming and every part of my body was prickling with forming bruises. Jason laughed and dragged me out the door. His girlfriend was gone but I figured that. He shoved me into his car. I was utterly fucked but if it meant seeing Crispin and maybe saving him and Kalea and Jeremy from being hurt more than they had obviously been, I could handle it. I’d been through it once and if it saved them I can do it again. This won’t end happily, for any of us.