CrOsSrOaDs by Naomi m pseudonymous (macos ebook reader TXT) 📖

spite of my ability.
The door stood ajar and i could hear dad , in the next room , speaking hurriedly into the phone.
"he WHAT?!"
dad paused abruptly
"i still dont understand.." his voice seemed to get louder with his agitation
"ok ok angus, yes i`ll be there"
pause.
"i cant leave Alice here..."
"ok, ok"
i squeezed my eyes shut as dad eased himself into the room.
"Alice?"
"Dad, Im not a baby,you trust me right?"
"yes why?"
"why do you think i cant stay by myself- with Riley?"
"youre inj-"
i interrupted him
"so?" i lay me hand on the table at the same time " i have a mini fridge here, i have a tv , a toilet, cant i stay by myself?"
"yes- i guess so"
i closed my eyes again, pretending to sleep. i could feel dad`s eyes burning into me until the noise of his exit filled my ears.i opened my eyes slowly and watched the clock again in awe. after a couple off minutes, Riley entered slowly and sat on the bed nearly on my feet
"Where were you?" i said abruptly
"Just out with friends..." she replied
"friends"
"adele, coco..."
"i dont believe you"
"so?"
"you shoulld care what i think"
"youre unbelievably selfish you know that?!" my sister shouted at me
"Get out then if you dont like it!"
" i will!"she stopped and looked me in the eyes and i looked away. everything and everyone seemed to be sent to the back of my mind. i hated being me. why couldnt i just be a normal kid? like p.j striking out with girls and wearing beanies.corretion: exactly like p.j.
I peered around the room, helpless to myself.
i needed to get out, out of this stuffy room; i wouldnt even go far.
my power surged inside my body as i lifted myself out of the bed and out of the room.


After nearly an hour (as i recalled it) to get to the lounge. Riley was sprawled over the couch watching a rerun of south park
"Hey" i sank into the couch
"hey"
"sorry about earlier... i guess i was just... angry with myself
" it's ok Alice, really"
"so what you watching?" i ask even though i've seen it about a million times
"The stick of truth"
"cool"
Then, the smell eases its way into my nose
"yuck riley! whats your perfume?"
"err nothing... why?"
"nothing, theres just this really disgusting smell; cant you smell it?
"no... whats going on alice?"
i pause and then decide to leave it
" maybe its just me"
A pause
"im glad youre back alice, we've all really missed you"
" Thanks riley"
My sister reaches up to hug me and then stands up
"i better get to bed"
i nod and put my legs up. this was the family i missed. the family i needed

i struggled, my head pressed against rileys bedroom door
"i cant always stay with you here riley," a mysterious husky voice murmured
"please?, just this once?" riley answered, her voice muffled
there is a pause and then;
"ok"the husky voice is clearer now. so is the scent.
vampire.
i back away silently , my eyes locked on the door... im ready to attack, to rip this guys head off
"We have to be quiet Denver"
"well yeah , i figured, i was just gonna play the guitar for you... dont worry"
my heart slowed down as he said the last part. dont worry; it was if he was saying it personally to me. there is a silence and then he starts playing; a soft but startling melody. after a while i could hear nothing but silence and rileys soft snores. i decide to play it safe and walk away, down the hall into the comfort of my own room.
Marcel

"Beer?" mick asks
"No thanks" i answer, my eyes locked on the tv
"what lecture have you got today scott?" i ask without moving my eyes off the tv
" umm i think with dr bryans , philosophy," he takes a big slurp of his beer and then peers at me
"you alright though? you look a bit peaky by all means"
"Nah caught the flu from my brother" i answer quickly
"yeah?"
i nod and flick my hair settling deeper into the chair. i was still a bit caught off gaurd since my... encounter the other day.Not that i was surprised though.
mick suddenly gives out a peal of laughter
"ha ha too funny!"
thats when i cant take it anymore. i grab my jacket and bag and walk out the door.soon enough im aware of something behind me. scott. i roll my eyes and turn around.
"what?" i ask , a little too rudely
" i mean it , you really do look ill," he stuffs his hands in his pockets
"i guess i am worried about you bro" he says sincerely
"really, im fine scott you dont need to worry"
"yeah?" he is inquisitive again
" yeah." i turn away from him,walking across the campus.

my lecture seems to go one for ever and when i leave, i am gasping for air.
your'e ok , just another 5 hours
i lie to myself. i go through the rest of the day fake smiling and laughing; writing hurriedly in class and picking myself up between each lesson with a cup of coffee that i have managed to salvage at lunch.
later on though, scott and mick catch me up at our small surburban condo.mick is playing his guitar wildly and scott is bobbing his head up and down
"hey dude!, come... join the peace resistance!"
its obvious that hes taken too much beer.
"c'mon dont embarrass yourself like this mick, you know that your better than this"
" oui oui les parisian! me amos... mick!" he slurrs his words
soon enough, i have him fast asleep on the sofa bed and me and scott are hurredly finishing our essays that are due tommorrow . the phone suddenly rings.
"i got this" i murmur
i pick up the phone carefully and press the cold reciever against my ear.
"Marcel?"
"yes?"
"its me, your dad" he says sharply
"oh hey-"
" i need your help- quick- and i mean right now"
"what is it?"
"its harley"
then, i slam the reciever down and i grab my jacket, car keys and my wallet.
"where you going?" scott asks
"family trouble- if any body asks-... please?" i plead
scott nods and looks over his shoulder to mick
"i'll tell him"


"dad?"
"marcel..." he jerks his head in the direction of harley
i peer at my brothers red eyes and walk towards him
"harley?"
his hands were bound together with rope tightly
"harley?!"
"no use marcel, he wont listen, hes destroyed"
dads eyes were red too-red from crying.
i try a different approach
HARLEY...
i whimper in my mind. Harley suddenly jerks his head up towards me
MARCEL?
i nod silently
HELP! HELP!
on the outside he cried silently
i could feel the rage inside of him, the red haze. it hurt. hurt too much
"he needs to be sent away" dad says
NO...
harley whines
"why?" i snap
"he needs help marcel, just for 6 months. the wolf doctor suggested a center for boys like him... to help him socialize- i know its complete rubbish but..."
"yeah dad i understand"
"ok"
"listen, im gonna come back home, just for a week and then im gonna go- i feel ill"
"...ok son"
i sigh and walk out the room. i collide into something hard and muscly. i look up into Alice's eyes
" Heyyy!, marcel right? glad you came home- hey you know what? you missed a lot while you where gone" alice pats my shoulder
"fill me in" i grunt

Riley

Denvers hand brushed mine as we walked down the street towards school.
"walking with you makes it worth the while"i say as we pass mcfowlers bakery. the delicious smell wafts into my nose
"are you sure?" he stops, swinging my arms and then pulls them closer and puckers his lips. i reach up on tiptoes and kiss him
"im not really sure NOW" i laugh and pull him towards the school gates.
"i knew you would say that" he murmurs and follows me reluctantly into school.
SQUEAL!

oh damn it!
"lets leave" i whisper to Denver.
He laughs his eyes shining
"Hey!... coco!" he waves as coco clatters forwards
"oh hi denver such a surprise to see you!" she isnt really concentrating and her eyes are locked on mine
"Riley- we need to talk"she says patronisingly
"ok...?"
Coco pulls me by my arm behind a bike shed and plays with her hair
"whats the deal coco?"
coco takes a big breath and then talks really fast
"ok ok slow down" i say
"ok... well yesterday i was at home- listening to a paramore cd as usual- and then the doorbell rings... its both of your brothers-marcel and alice," she gulps and then continues "They found out about you and Denver, they wanted to know if me or pj knew anything about it- of course i said no but-pj owned up" Coco finishes and then looks me in the eye.
"i think Alice came in today"she adds
Marcel? i wasnt even aware that he was back...Alice? he was ill up until last night when...
i hang on to the pole in front of me so that i dont faint and look behind me at Denver who is busy chatting to one of his friends.
Then in the corner i see Alice, pj , brady , ruben and kristopher.alice is staring at Denver with a frown on his face. The bell rings and Denver walks over to me
"want me to get your bag, walk you to class?" he asks gently
"no" i say coldly and shrug him off.
im walking to class when kristopher and pj walk up to me
" hey cus" kristopher says gruffly
"hey" i say
"you busy today?" pj cuts in
"no" i answer
"good" kristopher walks away with a wicked grin on his face


At lunch time, im crowded by alice and his friends who talk about basketball and this season. i know they're trying to seperate me and denver but i dont really care as