Metanoia

6: "Home" Sweet Home

I tried to enter the house as silently as I could, feeling like I should have gotten the hang of sneaking around unseen and unheard after eleven years in and out of foster homes, early in the mornings, or in the nights. I felt like I was pretty quiet as I walked in, closing the door behind me slowly,using my hand as a cushion so it didn't squeak, before I slowly tried to make my way to the stairs so I wouldn't be caught, but just as I took my first step to the stairs, the wood floor under me creaked,

"Keith! I'm so glad you could make it home for lunch today" A familiar voice came from the dining room, Mr. Shirogane. With the walk of shame, dragging my feet and my shoulders hunched as I look down, I walked into the dining room,

"Look, I'm sorry I left this morning, I just wasn't in the mood," I mumbled a bit, although it may have perhaps sounded a bit snappy, especially since these people don't know me that well.

"It's alright son, what I said wasn't sarcastic, I'm happy that you decided to come home for lunch" I looked up to see a smile on his face, cringing when he called me son, but, did he actually feel that? He was looking up from his book, he probably did actually feel that way. I just nod a bit, not really knowing what else to say, tapping the toe of my shoe against the floor. "It's alright Keith, you can go do your own thing until Anzu comes home with lunch, I'll call you down when she's back." He added to dismiss me, probably seeing how uncomfortable I was not knowing what to do next. I nod to him again silently, then turn around to head upstairs like my original plan was.

My room was bare, nothing special. It was just the spare bedroom that they just gave to me, and most of my personal positions I keep in my backpack, while the nessesitys like my pillow and my clothes I keep hidden in the drawers or under the sheets of the made bed. I know that Mrs. Shirogane will be home soon with lunch, so I probably shouldn't do anything time consuming, so perhaps a time waister instead.

Today wasn't the best day so far, I feel groggy and slow, and I know I probably won't leave the house again today. I take the shirt that I was wearing off and slipped on an overly large soft gray sweatshirt with the words 'Garrison University" with a washed out looking 'G' logo, the one that mrs Shirogane gave to me to wear to help calm me down after that fight I got into the day after school ended. She said that I reminded her of her son.

I just laid in bed, more or less curled up, while I just play on my phone. I just did that until I heard the door open from downstairs, an unfamiliar voice quickly being erupted from downstairs,

"It feels so strange to be home!" The voice that I didn't recognize proclaimed almost as soon as they walked in. At this point, my phone was down at my side and I was sitting up, knowing I should head downstairs to save mr Shirogane the pain of coming upstairs to get me.

"You weren't gone for that long! It shouldn't feel that weird!" I heard mrs Shirogane say with a laugh. So mrs Shirogane is home, did she bring someone else home? I get up and walk down stairs slowly,

"Mrs. Shirogane, who else is he-" I started as I walked down the stairs, knowing that she was at the bottom to answer, but once I passed the middle of the stairs and was able to see this mystery person. I've seen him only in pictures around the house, but now he seemed completely different then what I knew him as, because now he's here, and he's smiling and alive, and not just a stagnant frozen person in 2d. It's their son, Takashi.

I froze when I saw him, and it seemed like all three of the Shiroganes noticed that.

"Oh! You must be Keith! Shirogane Takashi, Nice to meet you" He said in the most rehearsed and militaristic seeming introduction, making him seem too trustworthy to trust. He was holding his left hand out for me to shake, he seemed so excited to meet me.

"Yea. Um.. I'm Keith. Its-,, um,, nice to meet you too" I responded, but I didn't move. Mr Shirogane softly put his hand on his shoulder and I saw him whisper something to Takashi, Takashi hand falling back to his side. My face instantly felt hot, my chest fluttery from embarrassment, my head clouded from anger, I knew he said something about me, something about how I'm 'going through something' or some shit like that.

I. Am. Not.

Mr Shirogane must've seen my face because he smiled in his way that said 'everything will be alright' like always, it didn't help, it just made a me more agitated at him. I turn back around in my toes and run up the steps in the white vision of my anger, and next thing I know I'm slamming and locking my bedroom door behind me.

I hear a bit of muffles from the other side of the door, like they were talking softly still at the bottom of the steps, except this time it was probably about me instead about Takashis visit. I tried to hear their conversations, pressing my ear to the door, but it stoped soon after it started, then sounds of footsteps were headed up the stairs,

"Go the fuck away," I call out to them, my voice somewhat shaky even if I try to suppress it, my voice even cracking.

"Keith, it's Takashi," I heard his voice from the other side of the door, his voice sounding less like a machine and more like an actual person. I don't know weather the fact that it's him should make me more angry, or not.

"Please just leave me alone.." I grumbled in the same kind of tone, but perhaps softer and less rude or whatever..

"Well, I cant help but to think that I made you upset. So, you don't have to talk to me, but, I'm just going to sit out here, give you some company. Is that alright?" I heard him from just beyond the other side of the door.

"Yeah. That's alright."