The Curious, The Truth, & The Dead

3

I walked into what seemed like a castle. Calling it a mansion was an understatement. I must have looked shell shocked because Mike and Noah looked embarrassed after seeing my expression. They were probably just now realizing how much of class difference there was between us.

I tried my best to cover it up but I was still shocked. The place was big, grand, it screamed high society, something I definitely was not. The ceilings were high with chandeliers cascading beautifully down from the top. The stairs were so elegant leading up to an even more grand second floor. The whole house reminded me of something you would see on a television show. There was no way they lived here.

Noah gestured toward the kitchen. "Hungry? I can have Mike's mom make you something."

Oh great, now I had to meet the woman my dad married after abandoning me and my mom? This would be awkward. I nodded though because I was really hungry and followed them into the kitchen. I sat on one barstool and Mike sat on the other one. Noah went off to another room probably to get Mike's mom. To my right was the most ostentatious dining room I had ever seen. There was a long table with a fancy set up of dinner plates and glasses.

"We don't normally eat there," Mike said catching my gaze. "It's for special occasions, typically we eat here." He gestured to the barstools we were sitting on.

I nodded, once again not knowing what to even say. It was quiet for a while. I took a quick glance over at Mike. He didn't seem too mean or anything, honestly, he probably felt just as awkward as I did. I sighed I didn't want to look like a mean bitch to someone who had nothing to do with how my life turned out. No, I was saving that exclusively for Noah.

"I'm Alexis Smith," I said finally. He turned and looked over at me. Probably shocked I was even speaking to him. "I go by Alex though. I don't know how much you really know about me, but just for starters I could tell you some stuff about me if you want."

He smiled. "Yeah, sure."

"What do you want to know?" I asked.

"How old are you?" he asked immediately.

"I'm seventeen," I responded. What about you?" I asked looking up at him cautiously.

"Sixteen."

He looked relieved to hear that I was older. Maybe he thought Noah had cheated on his mom if I had been younger than him. I, however, was a little disappointed that there wasn't a bigger age difference between us. Had it only taken less than a year for my dad to move on?

"Are you in your junior or senior year?" he asked taking me away from my thoughts.

"Junior, you?" I asked.

"Sophomore," he smiled. "We will probably go to the same school."

I nodded. I could tell he wanted to ask me more questions but he didn't know what to ask. I mean I think we both knew a homeless kid was not up to date on the most recent television show or sports.

Eventually, he came up with something. "Who were those guys you got arrested with?"

"Two were my best friends, one was the guy who was throwing the party I was at, and the last one was," I paused what was my relation with Jax? Calling him a stranger was an understatement but a friend? We were nothing more than two street rats looking out for the other. Did that make us friends too? "He's just a guy I know, l finally decided.

I trusted Jax as much as I trusted Mike at this point. Still, I barely knew either of them yet I felt safe in their presence.

Thankfully, Noah came back saving me from having to explain my relationship with those boys any further. Unfortunately, he came back down with Mike's mom. She seemed like a kind person though. She had a short hair cut and her eyes look tired yet kind. Almost as if life had thrown too much at her but she was still strong. I could already tell it was wrong to hate her.