Awsten felt his eyes becoming filled with tears and his heart sink. He shook a bit and looked at his mom.
"H-home? B-but mom this is California..." his voice sounded meek.
"I know, this is our home n-" she wasn't able to finish before her son ran into the forest.
Geoff shot her a look and ran after him as well. He followed Awsten through the forest and grabbed him by the waist. Awsten squeaked but didn't kick or scream he just wept silently and let Geoff hold his waist. He just cried to himself then wiped his tears.
"did you know...?" he asked
Geoff went to answer truthfully but then Awsten turned around and looked at him. He wanted to be honest but locking eyes with him wouldn't let him. Awsten's eyes shouted innocence and pain and begged for solitude. His eyes craved someone who could just make him feel safe and Geoff knew that if he told the truth the big eyes that felt safe in his gaze would soon fill up with tears and the tears would crash to the ground like waves to rocks.
"No I didn't, if I did I would've told you. I'm so sorry..." he lied and looked away.
Awsten didn't question it and nodded. He kindly pushed Geoff off of him and started to walk back. When they arrived back at the house Awsten didn't dare look at his mother and followed Geoff up to his new room. Geoff smiled and looked down at him. Awsten fingered the sleeve of his pastel blue cotton sweater. He looked up at Geoff then right back down and walked in. He looked around and seemed very troubled by the room.
"I know it's not like your room at home but it's-"
"too white..." he pointed out
"Yes it is very white but-"
"It's too white.." Awsten backed away from the room. He squeaked when he ran into Geoff.
"Listen I know it's got a lot of white but this is the room you were told to have and I can't really do anything but on the bright side it's right next to my r-"
Awsten pushed past him and grabbed his boxes. He put them in his room and went to go shut and lock it but noticed it didn't have a lock. He growled and went to the dresser to slide it in front of the door. His mom ran in and grabbed his arm.
"Do not shut yourself in again! please!" She pleaded
He whimpered and looked away.
"Let me decorate my room please...." He asked as he tugged his arm away
She sighed and left. He shut the door and made vines grow and keep the door shut. He stayed up all night making vines and roses and all kinds of flowers. He painted the room pastel colors and made a whole wall of just pastel salmon colored roses. He changed the bedsheets and strung up lights and made them the colors he wanted. He hung up the photos he took and the pictures he drew.
He made himself try to seem as at home as possible. He still felt a hole in his heart. He opened the door and looked out into the distance. He noticed a lake and smiled, he made vines go down the side of the house and got out and climbed down them. He ran towards the way and smelt the air.
He made it to the lake and seen how the shore looked damaged. He made flowers grow and made vines sprout up the trees. He smiled then heard the crack of a stick. He snapped towards the direction and seen a brown wolf coming towards him. The wolf wasn't growling really, it just hesitantly came towards him. Awsten's eyes lit up and his chest blinked, this made the wolf jump and back up. Awsten's eyes dimmed down as he felt bad.
"No no I'm not gonna hurt you please don't run from me too...." he asked with pleading eyes too
The wolf slowly walked back to him and sniffed at his hand and licked it, Awsten's eyes lit up again and his chest flashed again. The wolf slowly sat next to him. Awsten petted the wolf kindly and started to make flowers bloom again. The wolf watched in amazement and looked at Awsten. Awsten didn't say a word and just made flowers grow. The wolf laid down as Awsten hummed to himself. The wolf whimpered to hear more. Awsten looked at him and nodded and sang out loud.
"You won't like what you see, So keep your eyes off of me... I fall in love with everything that wants nothing to do with me. I know that there's no dealing with the way I'm feeling, I'm so out of touch with everyone and everything's a blur to me..." he sang
The wolf cuddled into his side and huffed at the ground. Awsten stayed close to the wolf and laid back and started to fall asleep. He napped for a bit before he awoke next to a tree. He sighed and looked around then heard yelling.
"AWSTEN! AWSEY!" His mom hollered.
Awsten appeared into sight and look at his mom and them. They all seemed worried about his disappearance but Geoff seemed most concerned. He went to Awsten and checked him out making sure the younger had no cuts or bruises. He hugged Awsten after he made sure he was okay. Awsten hugged back and blushed. The moms looked at each other then started heading back to the house. Geoff had the bottom of Awsten's shirt in his grip. Awsten sighed and looked around the forest. He closed his eyes and inhaled letting the fresh scent of freedom and beauty consume every inch of his nose. He couldn't tell if the scent was the forest or Geoff but he wasn't complaining. He smiled brightly to himself. He looked up at the boy and blushed.
"Mama... I want to dye my hair..." Awsten blurted
"No not at all," she answered sternly.
Awsten sighed and looked at his hands and messed with his fingers.
"Please let him, he would look nice with dyed hair" Geoff insisted
"No he does-" she stopped when she locked eyes with Awsten's big Heterochromia eyes. "Fine... What color would you like?"
"Hm... Blonde!" he smiled brightly
"Geoff, hun can you take him to get it, please?" Geoff's mom asked
"Uh sure," Geoff smiled
Awsten smiled brightly and tried to hold Geoff's hand. The taller let him and sent him a warm smile. They walked to the store and looked around. Geoff saw one of his friends and looked at Awsten.
"Awsten can you go look at the jewelry?" he asked nudging Awsten away letting go of his hand.
Awsten did as told and looked over and seen Geoff talking to two taller men. Awsten was confused but dismissed it and looked at the jewelry. He found a really handsome and aesthetic looking crown. He just admired it, he put it on his head and looked in the mirror. Next thing he knew he had gotten pushed. He snapped around and looked at whoever did and growled a bit. He noticed it was one of the tall guys. He backed up as much as he could which wasn't much because he had already been close to the shelf. The boy towered over him and smirked.
"I knew it was fresh meat that I smelt." he laughed
Awsten cowered down and gulped. He looked around for Geoff but couldn't find him. He slowly backed away and then took off still with the crown on his head. The buzzer went off as the other guys continued to chase him along with a worker. He didn't stop running but threw the crown back and darted left towards the woods, he came to the lake and looked at the tree. He darted to it and reached for the closest branch. The sound of the guys came closer and he started to get worried. He then made vines grow up to the branch. He climbed onto the vines and made it onto the branch. He sat on the branch and seen the guys come and looked down at them. The boys growled and one shouted out,
"Get down here you little shit!"
Awsten just looked at them with a blank stare, he seen as one got frustrated and started to walk back. Awsten sighed in relief then heard something zip past his head. He noticed the boys had a handful of rocks and were throwing rocks at him. He tried to dodge them without falling. One made Awsten fall out of the tree but then a vine caught his leg. Growling then was heard and out came Awsten's wolf snarling, hair sticking up and eyes looking hungry. Awsten didn't know what to do. He was at a crossroad. The wolf started darting at him then went past him and after the guys. They all chucked rocks at the wolf. Awsten made vines grow and whip them in the leg. The wolf growled and went to jump on them.
"Heal!" Awsten shouted
The wolf stopped and sat down. All the boys took off running and the wolf went to Awsten and licked his face then ran off. Awsten had the vines let him down and he started to walk back when something grabbed him by his waist.
