The Delinquent's Haven

Chapter 5

Chapter Five

 

          "Dinner!"  Haven heard as she neared the top of the steps.  She smiled to herself as she took in the fresh aroma of tacos.  Skipping down the steps, she landed on her feet and rushed to the dining room to take her seat next to Matthew.  

          "Hello, there," Darin said as he placed her plate down in front of her.  She snickered and he smiled down at her before his eyes landed on Matthew.  The smile quickly faded to a grimace and he took his seat across the table from Haven. 

          "How are you doing?"  Matthew cautiously asked Haven without taking his eyes off of Darin.  She kept quiet as everyone filed into the room, taking their seats.  Jackson was the last the come into the room, his body language showing that of an overjoyed state. 

          "What're we eating?"  He bellowed loudly through the dining room.  Charlie was soon in the room, pulling out his chair and scooting it in quickly.  His eyes zeroed in on Haven and he smiled weakly at her as if to apologize for Jackson's behavior. 

          "Obviously tacos, Jackson," Darin said tiredly from next to him.  

          "Right, right," Jackson said, oblivious to the fact that he looked like a fool to everyone in the room.  It wasn't hard for any of them to tell he was high and at the moment, it peeved both Darin and Haven.  They didn't see why Jackson had to do that stuff, anyway; it was only going to screw up his life. 

          Although, Haven wasn't one to talk or judge. 

          Looking across the table, Darin's eyes landed on Haven.  Her head was turned down toward the table, her eyes were slightly widened and she looked lost.  Something clicked in him and he wanted to stand and go over to her, but he couldn't make his legs work. 

          "Haven . . . ?"  Matthew whispered in her, snapping her out of her lost gaze.  She smiled weakly at him and nodded.  Darin watched her for awhile before they were told they could eat.  He kept his eyes on her as she put a taco on her plate, but didn't touch it the whole meal.  Then, she excused herself, leaving her food on the plate.  

          Matthew's eyes followed Haven as she rushed out of the house.  The front door slammed, catching Darin's attention.  The boys stared after her, just watching and waiting to see if she would come back into the house; her brown hair flowing behind her, and her big, almond eyes smiling at them. 

          "Where's Haven?"  Charlie asked after he returned to the room with a glass of water and Matthew shrugged before going back to his food.  Darin felt his eyebrows creasing together as he stared at Matthew.  He had looked like he was worried before, but now, it didn't look like he cared at all about her.

          "You aren't even concerned?"  Darin demanded his question through an annoyed and frustrated tone.  He felt like Matthew should care a little more, considering that fact that he was supposedly her friend. 

          "Why should I be?"  Matthew asked, looking back at him in disbelief, "She's a strong girl, Darin.  I'm sure she knows what she's doing.  Besides, she'll be fine.  There's no one out that would hurt her." 

          "It's near ten at night and you just want to let her run off?  You think there aren't any sickos out there right now?"  Darin asked, pissed off now that Matthew acted as if he cared before doing just what everyone else did.  He didn't care about her; that was even more obvious now than at any given moment.  He just wanted her attention.  He was probably looking to have sex with her and then dump her off like he did to every other female he came into contact with.