Kid in a Locker (REWRITING)

8. In The Dark

"You still haven't found that boy yet?" I walk into the house at nearly one a.m., dog tired and yearning for my bed. I glare daggers at my oldest brother as he sits on the counter in the kitchen, eating grapes like it was a normal thing to do this late at night.

"No." I say, throwing my bag down on the ground.

It still baffled me how one minute Troy could be at a location, and then the next nothing. I had thought that maybe he had lied, but there was proof at the rollerskating rink that there had been people there, just that they left in a hurry.

"Maybe he's running from something." He supplies.

I feel my anger bubble over as I march up to him, starting to hit him with a fist. "De ce trebuie să te aștepți mereu la ce este mai rău la oameni?" I shout. It was true. Even I was guilty of doing it sometimes, but at least I tried to be better. I try to look for the good in people and not see all the gloom and doom my brother saw.

"Ow, that hurts." He swats my arm away, covering his arm gently with a hand.

I suddenly feel horrible about hitting his other bruises. "I am so sorry, Romul."

He winces. "I think I deserved that one."

He hops off of the counter and turns to me, enveloping me in a hug. I swat at his arms, gently this time, trying to let him let go of me. He gets the message and steps back, ruffling my hair.

"What was that for?"

"Nick texted me, told me what happened. I am sorry about your friend." He says. The statement wasn't as weird as it should have been. Nick and Romul were both juniors and no doubt shared a class. My brother most likely abused the other boy until he handed over his number.

"He's not really my friend. I think I save him more than I talk to him." I think back to the locker, and then to the parking lot, and then to this. It did seem like all I was doing was saving him from potential disasters. I shake my head. "What about you? You got anyone you're hanging out with yet?"

"Yeah, actually. Shannon."

"Shannon?" I laugh. "Why can't you boys think with something else besides your downstairs brain?"

"I'm not! We're just talking!" He says. I give him a look. "And sharing food in class."

"Oh, well in that case." I hold my hands up and spin around into the doorway of my bedroom, laughing the whole time.

He rolls his eyes at me and continues down the short hall, creeping into his and Peter's room. I hear the bed squeak for a minute before he settles down to sleep. I follow his lead and jump down onto my bed, not even bothering to change out of my jeans.

As soon as my eyes close they are opened again by the drilling sound of my alarm clock. A groan escapes from my lips as I pick myself up slowly from my still made bed.

I shuffle across the hall into the bathroom to start my day. Peter is already in there, hogging all the hot water. I bang on the door. "Peter! You know I need to take a shower!"

"Hurt yourself protecting your sister and then we'll talk!" He shouts back at me, his voice muffled by the water running.

A let my fist hit the wooden door one more time before I back away, frustration bubbling in my chest. I slam my door a little too hard, letting him know that he has indeed aggravated me. The front door shakes with the force and I know he got the memo.

I pull on a sweatshirt and a pair of skinny jeans, my limbs moving angrily as I dress. In no time I have my hair is two Dutch braids and I'm pulling on my lettermen, ready to leave. As I pass through the kitchen Romul gives me a coffee cup. I nod in appreciation and go to the car, anxious to get to school.