The Safe House

7 - I Think It's Love

THIS STORY IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REWRITTEN. IF YOU GET CONFUSED GO WITH THE FLOW HAHA YOULL PROBS GET IT LATER MAYBE MAYBE NOT. OR YOU CAN JUST WAIT UNTIL FULLY REWRITTEN!

“This Safe House has been around for around 3 years now, I think, and the only one in this area.” Cody has been taking about the Safe House for about 10 minutes now. After we left the food hall, he jumped straight into the history of it about who came up with the idea, which is the ‘Head Leader’ of this place. His name is Fredrick something-or-other. I couldn’t remember. The wallpaper that lined the walls was old and ratty and was peeling off, revealing the brickwork underneath. The floors were the same everywhere. Grey carpet that wasn’t even soft. “Uh, Cody?” I stop him midsentence about how Fredrick had been abused himself as a young person. “Yeah?”

“Do you think, maybe, you could give me an actual tour of the place?”

 “I was actually about to start that, but I was rudely interrupted.”

“Sorry.” I mutter. We turn the corner and through an archway.

“This is the meeting room where the supervisors and important people have meetings. They probably talked about you here.”

“Why would they want to talk about me?”

“To decide whether you needed help, and a proper family.”

“Family?”

“We are your family now,” He says, as a matter of fact kind of way. “We will look after you and see you grow into someone who could actually go somewhere, have a proper life.”

“Hey, Cody. Can I ask you something?”

“Go ahead.”

“Why are you here? I mean, why aren’t you with your biological family?” His face-hardens and he seems to close in on himself. Maybe it was too personal for now. “Actually, you don’t have to answer that. It was probably to personal for you to tell right now. We just met.” He shakes his head.

“No it’s okay. Maybe I’ll tell you later.” I nod in understanding. I hadn’t told him my backstory, why should he tell me his? He coughs, as if it will break away the awkward silence that had settled around us. “Anyway,” Cody says, his voice shaking a little. “Here’s the outdoor area.” We had left the meeting room and had walked down some steps that led outside. The floor was all brick with picnic tables that came with the chairs, and a little further was a big grass oval. “How can you have a whole field if this is ‘secret’?” I ask, suddenly curious. “I’m not actually sure. This is where friends can chat and stuff. You have your room as well, for friends to come over. As long as it’s before 9:30!” He laughs, and I laugh with him too. And that’s when I realize, that it’s the first time I have laughed, really laughed, in a long time.

-

After walking around the rest of the Safe House, Cody showing me where all the shortcuts were and even his group’s secret place. Now we were walking down our hall. The wallpaper was just as bad as the rest of the place and the carpet was just the same. It was just past 11:00am by the time we got to his place. We were quiet walking down the hall until we got to my door. I put my hand on the doorknob, but he quickly puts his on top of mine. My heartbeat quickens and I’m pretty sure I stopped breathing for a second. “No,” Is all he says. “Come to my room.” I nod. His hand stays there, a second longer than needed. He looks into my eyes and then turns and walks towards his room. Cody opens his door and lets me in first. His room was clean, and had the same style as mine with posters on his wall as well. The only difference was that it had been used. Just by looking at the room, you could tell that it was more his than the supervisors that had set it up. “Sit.” He offers, motioning with his hand to the lounge. I do as asked and look around, as if interested. An awkward silence settled around us. “Uh, want something to eat?”