8 "Friends"

"Hey. How'd you sleep?" I opened my eyes, sitting up and trying to be able to see who it was. It was Hayes. He was standing by the doorframe, leaning. He gave me a little smile.

"I slept.. Fine." I muttered, looking at him. The things between the two of us were quite awkward.

He looked different than 6 years ago. He aged. He grew up even more. His face looked more mature, more older.

"I'm glad to hear that." He walked towards my bed, with his arms crossed.

"?"

He leaned in, his hand leaning by my bed.

"Wake up." He whispered.

"WAKE UP!" She splashed water onto my face, I gasped for air, the water was cold, and sudden.

"Stop with that shit." The guy said. He stared at me, and I realized I fell asleep on the chair, that they held me captive at.

"Tsk. This pathetic brat will be the death of US, HAYES." She was clearly angry. I felt quite uncomfortable. Like I was intruding their little couple fight.

"I SAID, SHUT. UP." He stood up, and she glared at him, clearing her throat.

"..You will understand your mistake. You'll see it, one way or another." She glared at me, before she stormed out of the room, her shoes loudly clanging against the floor as she left.

He threw a towel at me.

"Wipe the water off your face." He said, and I picked it up. The towel was quite clean, compared to the room itself.

"..Thanks." I muttered, wiping the water off my face. To be honest the water felt more pleasant than this shit that he gave me to wipe it off with.

The towel stung after rubbing your hands, or face it in, it was clearly washed that many times that it was stinging the skin itself.

But you can't use the same dirty towel all over again. And you can't just find a new one either.

It isn't like you can go and buy a new one from a shop or something.

"So, your name's Alexander, right?" He leaned back to the back of the chair, his arms were crossed. The bandana around his mouth, and nose, just barely reaching up to his eyes was dusty. He adjusted it, it seemed to move from time to time when he was talking.

"Yeah. And you're.. Hayes?..-" I said. I glanced at him for a split second but looked away after a little bit. I didn't like holding eye contact with people. It was quite embarrassing for me.

He nodded.

"It's more like a nickname. Not my real name. My real one is Felix." He un-crossed his legs. I looked up at him.

"You can just call me Alec. Everyone back at the cl- A lot of people call me that instead of my name." I stopped myself from saying everything about the clan. I couldn't trust them. I could only just be grateful that they let me live.

"Well." He stood up. He dusted off his clothes, walking to the table that wasn't as far away from the chair I was sitting on.

"We searched your car. You for sure stacked up for shit." He glanced at me, and I chuckled, nervously. He was giving me the creeps.

"Haha.. The life out here is tough. Gotta.. Prepare for it, right?" I gave a small, nervous smile.

God, can he stop looking my way. Doesn't he understand his presence is uncomfortable?

"I see." He yawned. He approached me from behind, and pushed the chair along with me.

I held onto the chair, for my own dear life. Shit, this dude is scary. Really scary.

"I need the chair, dip shit." He frowned, and I quickly jumped up, embarrassed. I thought he was just going to push me out of the way, but turns out not.

I stared at the ground, a few studs away from him. He looked at me, scoffing after a few seconds and picked up the chair.

He carried it to a different room, I heard the noise of his shoes tapping at the ground slowly fading away, which meant he was getting more and more further from the room.

Shit. They both left. I could just take my chance of fleeing, but where would I go.

It's best if I just stay. Wouldn't be so bad, knowing now that they might keep me around. I mean, I'm good at a few things.

I could make use for them.

..Or not.

He came back. He leaned by the table. I was standing across the room, keeping my distance. The only thing I wouldn't for sure do is get close to any of people here. They can't be trusted.

"So. What school did you attend?" He asked, and I raised my eyebrow.

"Uh.. Standford High." I cleared my throat and he chuckled.

"Same. I was in class 11B." He yawned.

"I was in 10A." I looked at him.

He sat with his arms crossed. His left arm had a bandage wrapped around the wrist and up, black lines visible under it. He had a tattoo under the bandage.

"Do you have a tattoo?" I glanced up at him again, shifting my gaze from his arm, and onto his face.

Or his eyes, because he covered the rest of his face completely.

"Mhm." He rolled up his sleeve, a part of the tattoo was visible.

"Oh- I guess it's quite weird for me to ask of such things." I chuckled, awkwardly.

"I don't find it weird. I find it interesting of how bold you are of asking me anything at this point." He sat, his arms still crossed, his hair falling in front of his eyes, making it quite hard for him to see at parts.

"Haha.-" I cleared my throat, it was kind of true.

I was scanning the room with my eyes, looking at the cealing and around the rusted, dusty and quite dirty walls.

There were a few holes in the cealing, but patched up with what seemed planks, nailed to the sides of the hole.

Water dripped down from it, and one little drop hit my nose.

I wiped it off, my fingers were dirty, it felt like cleaning your face, only just to smear something dirty all over it again.

I yawned. Even after a possibly, long nap I took, I still felt so exhausted. My body, from head to toe, felt exhausted.

My head was still heavy, my eyes felt heavy too.

The heavy feeling made me want to slump down onto the ground, and just rest. But I couldn't. I had to fight the exhaustion, along with fighting them. I had to stay, and look strong.

Or I'd lose to whatever fight I'm fighting, with myself, and I'd lose my protection.

I'd be useless to them, if I just showed how weak I am.

"Hey. You hungry?" He sat with his legs crossed, looking at me.

"A little."

I was starving.

"Oh. Can I call you AJ instead? Since your name is Alexander, and last name is James. AJ. Does that sound good to you?" He stood up, brushing off the dust off his clothes. He tightened the knots of his mask.

"I'd prefer rather.. Alec, but sure that too." I never was called AJ. I guess I never thought of it as a possible nickname.

"Well, AJ, I'll get back to you with some food. And then I'll show you around a bit. Hope you don't fuck all our trust up." He gave me a small, threatening chuckle.

Shit, this dude is scary.

He walked out of the room.

Okay, so his name is Hayes, or his nickname is. Felix is his name.

What is that psycho girl's name again?

The door opened again.

He was carrying a tray with a wooden spoon in his hand.

"Oh- Thanks." I looked down at the tray. He put it down onto the table, and pushed down the chair towards the table.

"Eat up, AJ." He backed away, leaning against the wall, rolling up his sleeve, adjusting his bandage.

I sat down.

Oh my god the food looked so good.

I dug in, immediately.

"Hungry just a little bit, eh?" He chuckled.

I didn't respond, just ate up the food. Fuck, are they chefs or something? This shit tastes amazing. Or I'm just too hungry to care.

"Shit, this is good. Did you make this?" I looked up, as all he did was have his palm over his mouth.

"Daniele made it." He let out a yawn, he had his mask off. He still covered his face with his palm.

"Why are you hiding your face?" I asked. Then I stopped, realizing the fuck I just blurted out.

"Because the other half is not a pretty sight to see." He said, and I nodded, a little spooked by what he could do because I asked him that.

He chuckled.

"Do you think I'm going to kill you or shit for asking a simple question? I'm not crazy enough to do so."

"Oh- Eh- Sorry, still." I shrugged.

He glanced at me.

"Do you really want to see? It's not pleasant." He looked at me, and I just gave a simple nod.

He sighed. He took away his palm, revealing his mouth.