Skurdulka's House (a LGBTQ chosen-family thriller)

Part 10: The Letter

The days and nights had never passed so easily. Unfortunately, they also passed so quickly.

In the morning, Storm heard voices in the hallway, doors opening and closing, old wood boards groaning under slippered feet. Heather was always first in the bathroom, Chris not far behind her. Lee was last, usually groggily heading into the bathroom after Storm, and didn't seem to care all the hot water was always gone. Ari somehow always seemed to get up before everyone, even though Storm never heard them. 

He laid awake some mornings, feeling the sun on his chest, listening to the breeze through the trees, the cicadas hissing, the chorus of birds. For the first time since he was little, he didn't worry. No one was going to yell at him to get his lazy ass out of bed, and what the hell was the mess in the hall? and Jesus Christ what was he wearing?

The mornings were peaceful.

In the afternoons, he drifted between the house's residents; gardening with Ari in the backyard, watching makeup tutorials with Heather, playing Borderlands or Final Fantasy with Lee, visiting the Axis Center with Chris. Sometimes they all pitched in to help Ari paint the back of the house, a project that looked like it had been in progress for some time, with no hard deadline set. Ari didn't seem to care much for deadlines or schedules. They'd pass the entire day reading a book and fall asleep in the sun, or spend hours sitting on the roof at night, chatting. They seemed like they had a hundred years for everything.

There was no waiting for an explosion. No wondering what stupid thing he was going to say or do that was going to set someone off. No wondering what a look was about, or what a silence meant, or when he was going to get cornered into another fight and have to yell and shove and scream his way out.

Maybe, Chris reasoned, it was different for everyone at Ari's house because they didn't have anywhere else to go. They had to make it work. But it was more than that. Everyone wanted to be with Ari. It was hard not to. It was hard to resist someone who always seemed to have a hundred years to listen to you.

And maybe it wasn't just that, either. Heather, Chris, Lee—they wanted to be around each other too. It wasn't a contest, it wasn't a mind-game, it wasn't quid pro quo—they liked each other. Storm started to wonder—tried not to hope—that maybe they all liked him too.

The summer came to an end far too soon.

"Guess what came in the mail this morning." Ari propped their long legs on an empty chair at the kitchen table, one hand on the Bob Ross mug resting on their chest, the other studying an unfolded sheet of paper through their heart-shaped sunglasses.

"You're eligible to refinance your haunted house mortgage?" Chris offered.

"Nooo." Ari kept reading. "Guess again."

"The Coven of Cryptids has rescinded your membership?" Lee added.

"Psh. I'm their most valuable member. But they might be the only people still communicating via snail mail. Besides, of course," they turned the letter to face the rest of the table. Storm leaned in, seeing a familiar blue bird logo. "Official notices from your high school."

Everyone groaned. Except Storm. He looked into his cereal bowl, watching everyone with stolen glances.

"Ari, don't go there, c'mon." Chris laid their head wearily in their hand. "We've still got another week left."

"Seriously," Lee muttered.

Ari looked back at the letter, frowning. "I think they want to know which of you little truants is actually attending this year."

Heather looked up sharply. "Do you think they sent letter to all our parents?"

"I wouldn't worry about it." Taking a breath, Ari sat straighter, slinging one leg over the arm of the chair. "Your parents are in a different district. Most schools don't have the staff to keep track of everybody. Besides, that's not their job. The only reason Chris got one is because of their credits." Raising their eyebrows, they passed a pointed look to Chris. "Which are now in order. Right?"

"Yup." Chris didn't look up.

"Mmhmm." Ari looked back, after a moment. Storm got the feeling they weren't convinced. "But..." Ari studied the letter once more before folding it on the table. Their green-etched brown eyes drifted over the group. "That might mean a..." Ari searched for the right word "performance will be required again."

Lee stopped, mid-bite, her dripping spoonful of bran hovering over her bowl. "You think they'll want you to come in?"

Ari ran their tongue over their lip piercing, thinking. "It might be a good idea. Schools tend to get a little suspicious if parents never show up."

"Wait. What?" Storm's look ricocheted between each of them. "You all ran away from home, right? You're telling me you still go to school?"

Ari raised an eyebrow. "This isn't Oliver Twist. Of course everyone goes to school."

Storm leaned back. "How is that possible? What the hell would you tell them?" He looked at Ari. "You don't look anything like any of us, you'd never pass for a parent. The people who run the school are stupid, but they're not that stupid. They'd probably think you kidnapped us or something."

Ari tilted their head, still pensively tonguing their lip ring.

"No offense, but you don't exactly look like the 'responsible guardian' type," Storm went on. "And then all anyone would have to do is check school records and send us back the fuck home. And fuck that." His voice was sharper than he meant it. He realized his pulse was hammering too.

Somehow, Ari smiled. They glanced at Heather. "I drab up pretty good, don't you think?"

She smiled too. "Better than my mom ever did."

Storm looked between them. It had to be the hundredth time he'd seen one of those cryptic looks. They knew something he didn't. At first, he'd wanted to know. Then, he decided he didn't. Now, in the bottom of his stomach—more of a feeling than a thought—he felt himself close to something big. Part of him had to know. Part of him dreaded it. 

He swallowed. "What is it? What's going on?"

Ari took a breath. "Breakfast adjourned. Reconvene at six for pad thai and spring rolls." As the rest of the group rose with their bowls, Storm opened his mouth to protest. Then, Ari trained a look on him. "You and I should talk."  

... 

Author's Note 

What great timing--school's just ending :/ Oooh welll. If you need to fake a parent or guardian's signature to get enrolled in school without attracting attention though, it sure helps to have a cryptid on your side :) 

Pop in next Monday for new Skurdulka's House and this Wedneday for new Suber! 

Happy Eggy Day all! :D