I left the bathroom and found the table that I had been sitting at with Vic. I had already pushed Mike's dead body from my mind, because he wasn't my problem anymore. But he was going to scare the shit out of whoever decided to use that stall. I slipped into the seat across from Vic. I was about to say something, but his expression stopped me. He looked scared, and I didn't know why. It sent me on edge. Had someone talked to him while I was in the bathroom?
"Sorry that took so long," I broke the silence, because it didn't seem like he was going to, "The lines in there were insane." I lied. I didn't feel bad about lying, because it was necessary. Lying was 'wrong' in most people's eyes, but in mine, it was something to rely on. If you didn't like how things turned out, lie. Change it. No one knows what happened but you, so you might as well make yourself look better whenever you can.
"It's fine." He said in monotone. I tapped the table with my finger, unsure of what to talk about. How had it gone from flirting to uncomfortable silence? What could have happened in a span of maybe ten minutes? I had a terrible feeling that someone had recognized me and warned Vic, and he was just distracting me until the cops came to take me away...
"Sorry I'm so quiet, I'm just tired." He was lying; I could see it in his face. I kept my cool though.
"Oh, that's fine. You're free to leave any time." I pointed out.
"Obviously." He said with a smile. I tried to smile, but I couldn't. He was hiding something.
"Would you...would you like to stay wth me?" He said abruptly. I stared at him with a look of confusion.
"Sorry if I'm being sudden, and I barely know you...but you seem nice enough." He commented with a smile. I wasn't buying it. I mean sure, this is what I wanted him to do, but I didn't expect it to be this easy.
"It's just an option, Kellin. You don't have to." He stated, sipping on his beverage. I knew I needed to say yes, because I didn't have the money to pay for a hotel. Maybe I'll just stay with him a few days until I get a job and I can rent a cheap apartment. I really did want to better myself, and I would. I always get what I want.
"Okay, I will." I said after a little bit of silence. He smiled in accomplishment and finished his drink. He then took out some money, put it on the table, and stood up, slipping his jacket onto his tiny frame.
"Are you ready to go?" He asked. I nodded, standing up as well. He led me out of the bar, and he instructed me to just follow his car, so that's what I did. He led me to a small white house. I pulled into the driveway behind his car and got out, following him into the house. He flipped the light on, illuminating a fairly spacious living room-kitchen area. It was actually very nice. He slipped his coat off, and I did the same. He took it from my hands and hung it on a hook near the door along with his own.
"So this is my home. It's nothing fancy, but eh. It doesn't really need to be. I live here with my younger brother, Mike. He's probably in his room, hold on." He disappeared down a hallway, and a wave of guilt hit me. .He wasn't going to find Mike in there. I felt bad, honestly. Usually I don't, because quite frankly, I don't care about others. But I did feel bad, taking Mike away from Vic. I had to keep in mind that Mike was trying to take me back to Radley, and that my decision was for the best. Vic emerged from the hallway with a look of confusion on his face, and it only made me feel even more guilty.
"He's not home yet, which is weird. He's usually always home before ten..." He trailed off, clearly getting lost in his own thoughts. I knew he was worried, and I felt terrible.
"He's probably just running late. I'm gonna wait up for him, but if you're tired, you can go to sleep. We don't have a spare room, so I hope the couch is alright." He said, but the monotone was back. He was talking like he was disconnected from the world. I got the feeling that he got like that when he was deep in his thoughts.
"No, I'll wait up with you." I didn't want to sleep knowing he'd be awake waiting for someone that wasn't going to come. He walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge.
"Are you thirsty? Hungry?" Vic asked. I quickly shook my head. He shrugged and shut the fridge, taking a seat on the couch. I felt unsure about everything. Should I sit? Keep standing? My decision was made for me when Vic patted the spot beside him, motioning for me to sit. I walked over and sat down. The weight of the silence dropped on both of us as I realized we literally had nothing to talk about. I searched my brain and asked the first question that came to my mind:
"So why does Mike live with you?" I asked out of raw curiosity. A look of pain crossed his face and I regretted asking. I don't really think about things before I say them, mainly because I think it's better to get things off of your mind instead of letting the curiosity eat you inside out. He got really quiet, and it made me feel even worse for asking.
"I'm sorry, never mind," I said, but he shook his head.
"No, it's a perfectly fine question. Uh, well, shortly after I turned eighteen, my parents were in a car accident, and they were both killed. Mike and I are all each other has now." He mumbled. The guilt was just building up more and more. I felt utterly terrible for what I did. I wanted to tell him, but I couldn't. So, we just sat and waited for someone that wasn't coming home.
