Café Anomalies

Desperate

Here's the fourth chapter to Café Anomalies. I guess you're starting to learn that Erik has serious issues. <3

___

des·per·ate /ˈdespərit/

adjective: desperate

1.   feeling, showing, or involving a hopeless sense that a situation is so bad as to be impossible to deal with.

2.   having a great need or desire for something.

3.   tried in despair or when everything else has failed; having little hope of success.

 

Ziven woke with a start.

He could hear the morning birds chirping outside and caught a glimpse of the sun’s rays shining through the cracks of the window shade. Staring up at the bare ceiling, Ziven took a moment to recollect the memories of yesterday’s events. He had left to check up on Erik and... Ziven turned his head and came face to face with a sleeping Erik. The auburn-haired teen breathed slowly, his slender fingers tangled around with Ziven’s. His hair had been pulled back slightly from moving around while sleeping giving Ziven a full view of his face. Without all that hair covering his face most of the time, Ziven thought Erik was quite beautiful. Not handsome- beautiful.

Erik stirred, cuddling closer against Ziven as he lazily draped an arm across Ziven’s torso. He rested his head on top of Ziven’s chest, mumbling a few words as he did so. What he said, Ziven didn’t know. His voice had been too low to be coherent. But he did catch one word: “Alex.”

Ziven didn’t say anything.

He didn’t want to know and he didn’t want to care either. That gnawing feeling was back. “Stop it,” he said out loud. Whether it was for Erik or for himself, it didn’t help at all. Ziven looked away and lightly pushed Erik carefully without disturbing his sleep and slid off the bed. The floor felt cold beneath his feet as he shivered upon contact.

A full body mirror furnished the space beside the bed- something he hadn't noticed before. Ziven glanced in the mirror, dark gray eyes, now a murky blue under the small rays of sunshine that dimly lit the room, met his. He let his eyes wander from his head and to his feet, and then back up. In comparison to Erik, Ziven was larger in every aspect. Unlike Erik, Ziven had more muscle definition and was much taller by nearly six inches. Erik was frail and lithe- like a newborn deer. Sometimes Ziven felt as if Erik might break under the slightest touch.

Ziven turned away and left the room. When he arrived downstairs in the living room, he somehow found himself picking up after Erik. He didn’t know why he even bothered. He’d probably drink again and leave a mess all over. Ziven carefully picked up an empty beer can and observed it. He recognized this brand. The company had stopped selling this type of beer due to the sheer amount of alcohol in the mix. Ziven looked at the rust on the edges. The said company had stopped selling it months ago. Ziven took a look around the room and realized, the house was clean.

Very clean, in fact.

Ziven slowly dropped the beer can into the plastic bag and placed the bag on the ground.

“Oh, you’re still here,” a voice came from the stairway.

Startled, Ziven whipped around, nearly tripping over his feet as he did so. He heard Erik laugh as he composed himself, “I was about to leave.”

“You don’t have to,” Eli approached Ziven. He took no notice of the black plastic bag on the floor beside the couch or the decreased amount of beer cans.

“It’s late. I need to open my shop.”

“...Can I hug you?”

Ziven didn’t answer.

Erik took it as a ‘yes’. His skinny arms wrapped around Ziven’s waist, his cheek pressing against his chest. The top of his head only reached Ziven’s shoulders, giving light to just how short the other male was. Ziven thought he was an average height for an adult but Erik was probably average for a freshman in highschool. Whatever the height difference Ziven observed, he didn’t return the embrace or move.

Ziven looked at the clock hanging on the wall. “I need to go.”

“A little bit longer,” Erik whispered, tightening his grip.

“Let go.”

“Please.” Erik’s hands balled into tiny fists clinging onto Ziven’s shirt.

“Erik.” Ziven’s tone came out firm and commanding, subtly implying that he’d force Erik if he had to.

“Can I visit you?”

“Erik,” Ziven said almost exasperatedly.

“Please, please,” Erik whimpered.

Ziven reached around himself and firmly untwined Erik’s fingers and pushed him away. “Goodbye, Erik.”

“Ziven, please.” Erik looked like he was about to cry—but Ziven merely looked away.

For a few seconds, the only sounds that could be heard were the chirping of the birds and Erik’s quiet sniffling. Finally, Ziven said, “Do what you want.”

Erik broke out into a smile.

It had been hours after he'd left Erik's house. It was mid-afternoon now and there was no sign of Erik. Good. I didn't want to get dragged into his crazy messed up world anyways. 

"Erik's not here today," Rose stated, twirling the cup of coffee between her hands.

"I know," Ziven stated.

Her dark brown eyes flickered onto Ziven and narrowed suspiciously, "What did you do?"

"Nothing," he lied. 

"You went to Erik's house yesterday." Her statement was more of an accusation than anything. "Don't lie to me, Ziven Mais."

"Nothing happened, okay?" Ziven almost slammed down the glass cup he was holding. He looked at Rose's empty cup, "You're done, right? Don't you have to go to work?" 

Rose scowled at Ziven. "Fine. Be like that. Some friend you are," she snorted as she slid off the stool and stomped out of the store. 

Ziven sighed and looked at the clock. He wanted this day to end already. Things didn't get any better when Erik walked in a few minutes later.