~Chapter 3: Hubert! ~
Jude’s POV
“Are we there yet?”
“No,”
“Are we there yet?”
“No,”
“Are we there yet?”
“No,”
“Are we-?”
“Does it look like we’re fucking there yet?!” Kale finally explodes after a few minutes of our back-and-forth banter. I’m surprised he made it that long actually. He can’t blame me for being a pest though seeing as he stole me away from school and forced me on this boring ass ride. I’m studying him and after completely blowing up he’s back to emotionless in three seconds flat. I’m coming to understand that these are his only two emotions; ether spitting mad or dull as a rock. I on the other hand, like most humans, have a range of emotions, including, for example, boredom.
It’s not like I can entertain myself in many ways. The scenery has been nonstop pine trees for a long time now, so looking out the window is sort of a letdown. Kale refuses to let me turn on the radio; he says he needs quiet to think and concentrate. Psh ya right, he just likes to be a mean-y. And every time I try to start up a conversation it dies on Kales end. Obviously he’s not much of a talker. That just leaves me with bugging the crap out of Kale, witch, I’m not gonna lie, is pretty entertaining.
“So Kale, why did you help me?” I ask witch feels like the billionth time I’ve brought up the question.
“It wasn’t really about you.” Kale mumbles and I cock an eyebrow silently asking for more details. He gives an exasperated sigh like talking to me is just the toughest thing in the world to do. I feel your pain man, I feel your pain.
“I mean,” He starts “It had nothing to do with you specifically. I just don’t like it when heartless pricks pick on people because their gay.” This catches me off guard, not only because what he says is really kind of sweet, but because I had no idea he knew I was gay.
“How’d you know I’m gay?” I ask and Kale snorts.
“Besides the fact that your voice sounds like Crona from Soul Eater? I don’t know I got good gay-dar I guess.” He says and the fact that he just made fun of my voice doesn’t even register because he just made a Soul Eater reference.
“You watch anime?” I state in complete aw and surprise, my mouth and eyes wide. Kale is the last person on earth I would have pegged as an anime nerd. Kale frowns deeply and furrows his eyebrows, his eyes narrowing. Everything about his body language seems to shift into an ‘I’ll cut a bitch’ mode and I instantly regret bringing it up.
“So?” He bites out and I just shrug.
“It’s just I thought me and Macy we’re the only ones at our school who watched anime, and I definitely wouldn’t have expected you to watch it.” I explain and to my relief Kales features smooth out some.
“Ya well, I have a little sister that’s crazy about that shit.” He mutters but I’m not buying it, not that I’ll tell him that. I just nod and go back to playing with the string off my hoodie.
“We’re here,” He announces after a moment of silence and I spring from my seat, squishing my face to the window to try to find out where we were.
“Where is here?” I ask my eyes scanning the building. The grounds are large, maybe the same size of my school, and the building looks to be two stories high. The brick is gray and old looking, like its ready to crumble and collapse. Above the double glass doors a sign with ocean blue swirly letters spells out the words ‘Shady Maples’. I raise my eyebrow at the sign and turn to ask Kale where we are when I notice he’s already making his way to the building. Huffing I scramble to get out of the car and make it to his side.
“What is this place? Shady Maples?” I call out to him and run up next to Kale. His steps do not falter and he sticks his hands into his pockets.
“Retirement home.” He mumbles and I stop in my tracks.
“You stole me from class to take me to an old folk’s home? May I ask why?” Seriously, I am beyond lost right now. Did he normally just spend his time with random old people? Not that there’s anything wrong with old people. It’s just I cannot for the life of me picture Kale hanging out with a group of elderly unless it was some weird kind of torcher being inflicted on him. But I mean, I couldn’t piture him watching anime either so I guess I’ve learned not to judge a sexy antisocial by their cover.
“Why do you ask so many damned questions?” He grumbles and the sliding glass doors open on their own accord. When I step inside I’m overwhelmed by that awful hospital smell. Kale seems unaffected though and I can’t help but wondering if that’s because he’s here so often. I assume he has to sign up or something but he totally bypassed the information desk heading for a hall way to our left. The young lady at the desk nods and Kale and smiles, like they know each other, like their friends. Kale though, Mr. allusive as ever just keeps walking, like she’s not even there. God he’s rude.
Huffing, I blow my white blond curls from my forehead and fallow behind him. I don’t even know why I have to be here. It’s not like he’s given me an order yet, well other than to come with him, but other than that, nothing. Still, I fallow.
The hall is long and dotted with doors, but apparently none of them are the one we’re looking for. This place is a maze.
Finally Kale comes to a screeching halt in front of a door with the label ‘Carson’. He swings the door open and steps inside, beckoning me to do the same. Tentatively I walk into the room and the door clicks closed behind me. There, propped up in a bed, is a withered and old woman. Stringy gray hair cropped short frames her face, her skin ashen and creased with wrinkles. She’s small, from what I can tell, and weak looking. The only part of her that pulses with life is her eyes, which are the same dark color as Kale’s, the only difference between the two is that hers seem to speak her age with wisdom and experience.
“Grandma,” Kale says his voice strangely sweet. The woman’s eyes snap to the two of us and a wide smile stretches across her thin lips. He pushes me forward and I stumble, righting myself in front of her.
“Grandma, this is Jude, he’ll be staying with you for a while. Jude this is my grandmother Lily.” He explains and I wave and smile weakly. She seems not to hear him but keeps smiling at me, her eyes shining.
“Hubert!” She exclaims and I blanch.
“What?” I ask dumb founded. Did she just call me Hubert? Kale chuckles and leans over whispering into my ear.
“She thinks you’re her late husband Hubert. Actually, she thinks that whoever she sees is Hubert, male or female. You stay here and amuse her a while. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
It takes me a moment to proses what his words, but when I do I pale and my mouth flops open like a fish.
“You can’t leave me here to tend to your delusional Grandmother!” I hiss back, quiet enough so only he can hear. I don’t want to offend her, even if she is delusional. Kale just smirks and waltzes to the door, resting his hand on the nob.
“Remember the deal.” He says and I deflate like a balloon. Kale steps out of the room and closes the door behind him before I can protest, leaving me with the old woman.
“Hubert, darling, come over here!” She chirps her voice raspy. My shoulders slump. Damn you Kale, damn you straight to hell, I think darkly.
YOU ARE READING
Six Of One, Half A Dozen Of Another (BoyxBoy)
Storie d'amore>> Being an adorable little gay boy is Jude's thing. Being aloof and dangerous is Kale's thing. What if by strange circumstances Jude has to become Kale's "Bitch" in exchange for protection? Will Jude take Kale up on his offer or will he continue to...
