13: Old Friends
There was a loud knock at the door.
"Coming!" May-Li called, but the knocking continued, getting louder and louder. May-Li huffed in frustration.
"Patient, aren't you?" She muttered sarcastically. She opened the door. A tall, skinny boy was shoved inside and he fell against the wall. The people who shoved him turned and walked off without a word. May-Li's mouth fell open as she turned to look at the boy against the wall. He looked a bit battered and bruised, tired and there was an undeniable guilt and sadness in his eyes. She knew even before she saw him; it was Johnny.
The loud knocking had drawn attention and a lot of the kids had turned up to have a look. They stared at Johnny, knowing who he was, but not. Something about him was different.
"Johnny?" Tee whispered. He looked up from the floor and gave a smile that didn't even come close to reaching his eyes.
"I can't stay long," was all he said. Not 'I missed you' or 'are you ok' Tee felt anger boil inside her.
"What! What do you mean, 'you can't stay long'?!" Tee said loudly, almost angrily. Johnny just opened his mouth and closed it again.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, almost inaudible. He sounded like he was about to cry. Tee's voice softened.
"How long?" He shrugged.
"Hours, days, I don't know, they didn't say, but not long." Tee was confused at this. Who was 'they'?
"Why can't you stay?" She said, ignoring the questions racing round her brain.
"I killed him, Tee. Use your brain." The words came out harsh. They stung. She looked to his eyes for comfort, hoping they would apologise, they were cold. Two thoughts came to mind at his words. Either he couldn't stay because he had to face some punishment or... he was going to punish himself. The others seemed to be thinking along the same lines. He looked to the floor again and when he looked back up the stony coldness was gone from his eyes. It was like he was split into two different people. He was stuck, trapped in his guilt and he didn't know who to be.
"Be you, Johnny, be you." Tee whispered under her breath. No one heard.
For the remainder of the day, Johnny was quiet and sullen. He didn't smile at all. Tee felt herself getting inexplicably frustrated. Her frustration soon turned to annoyance and bubbled into anger.
"What's wrong with you?!"
Johnny looked a bit taken a back but gave a small empty laugh. Tee glared daggers at him.
"Everything," he replied and he looked almost as angry at Tee. Tee sighed, this wasn't worth an argument with her brother. She felt her anger ebb away. Tee was almost disgusted with her brother. He was giving up too easily. He was just letting the guilt eat him up.
"Why aren't you fighting? Why have you given up?" She asked, all anger gone from her voice. Johnny sighed.
"What's the point, Tee? So much bad stuff has happened, stuff that will never go away and will never stop haunting me. What's the point in fighting if the world is just gonna keep throwing bad stuff right back at you?" He glared at her and left the room. Awkward silence. Tee sat down heavily on the sofa and buried her head in her hands. She needed to take a step back and be away from it all. To forget about everything that had happened just for five minutes. Easier said than done.
The next day, there was another set of rapid loud knocking on the door. Tee got there in time to open it. She froze and stared at the man in front of her. Her mouth opened slightly. She knew this guy, but she didn't. He looked familiar but she couldn't think why. She was so busy trying to work it out, that she forgot he was there.
"Well, are you going to let me in then?" He said, rather rudely. Wordlessly, Tee took a few steps back and let him enter. Mike walked over just then.
"Excuse me, who are you?" He asked, polite and confused. He saw Tee's face and became even more puzzled. Carmen walked down the stairs and stared. Soon a small crowd had gathered.
"Look at that, I've got an audience." The man stated to no one in particular. He chuckled, but there was no amusement in his voice. Johnny was last to arrive.
"Wha-" he stopped and froze. What he did next just confirmed Tee's suspicion. He gave the man a long stare and tilted his head from side to side, with a look of puzzlement in his eyes. He recognised this man. His mouth fell open and he gave a small sigh of disbelief.
"Dad?"
A/N:
Sorry it's short guys, I didn't really know what to write. Hope you like it. I'll have the next chapter up ASAP.
Please review
:-)