Sillver Medal and Nixy Angel's
On the Outside Looking In
Chapter VII
A/N: Hey, it's Sillver. This is an important chapter, so no skimming allowed! Haha, but seriously, next chapter's a biggie so don't miss out! Enjoy…
The house was one like I'd never seen before. A glorious red-wood foyer opened to a twisting marble staircase that sailed above spotless white carpet, dark maroon walls, and a gently turning hallway that I could not see the end of.
Instead of simply dropping their backpacks wherever, they walked over to a white cabinet and hung them neatly inside. I was awestruck and tried to close my gaping mouth as they led me up the stairs casually, as though living in such a mansion was no big deal. The outside of the building had made it look tiny, small, as though it were just another suburban home. I said as much and Griffin laughed.
"Yeah," he said, still chuckling. "Dad did that. It's an illusion; something about drawing your eyes elsewhere, or something. I dunno. It works, though, apparently,"
Carly rolled her eyes and walked over to the first door we came to after finishing the long steps of the staircase. "I'll be in my room," she stated clearly, flashing Griffin a look I didn't read. She disappeared inside and I was polite enough not to look inside, though my curiosity burned.
"Whatever," Griffin said, sticking out his tongue at the closed door. With a happy sort of bounce he turned in a different direction and led me down a different hallway. Portraits, paintings, and old photographs lined the walls and I tried to look at them all as we passed. Most were of two little kids, a boy and a girl, who smiled widely back at the camera. All were in a dramatic black and white and contrasted perfectly with the intense art placed around it.
They were incredible, those paintings.
"Come on," said Griffin when I'd slowed down to look closely at a sketch of someone's braided hair. His tone was impatient, it was eager. Very refreshing.
"Did you draw all these?" I asked him as we walked down the long hallway.
He shrugged. "Most of them," he said as though it were no big deal. "My dad paints, too, so some of this is his work."
"Wow," I said softly. He laughed a little as though my amazement was comic, and came to an abrupt stop outside a door. Assuming this was his room, I straightened up and obediently followed him inside.
His room was jaw-dropping.
It was not just the sheer size that left me speechless, it was the murals spanning from wall to wall. Bright colors faded into darker, melodramatic tones and the more I studied it the more I understood what it was. It was a panoramic painting of a crowd of people. Men carrying briefcases, women with small children, elderly grandparents with canes and knitted shawls, teenagers on skateboards, babies in their mothers' arms…All painted life-size and so incredibly life-like, too.
"Whoa…" I murmured as I turned my neck around to look at everything. As I studied it closer I saw that some of the mural was yet unfinished and then a case of paintbrushes and a glass of muddy water near the bay window answered my unasked question. Finished or not, it was still mastery at work.
Griffin was watching my reaction. "I started it three years ago," he said simply. "I've been working on it ever since."
"It's…incredible, man," I said and thought that I must have sounded rather pathetic as I blushed slightly.
"Thanks," he said, smiling.
My eyes fell on a little canvas in the corner of the room by the big window. A sheet was thrown over it delicately, hiding it completely from view. I didn't dare walk over; such an action would be rude and childish. Griffin, again, seemed to read my mind and he shrugged apologetically.
"It's not done yet," he said, tossing me a bag of chips. "I don't want to show it to anyone until it is, you know? Kind of a Picasso-sort of thing, I guess."
I masked my disappointed and popped a Dorito in my mouth. He grabbed a DVD from a rack near his computer and popped it in. Grabbing the black couch and moving it in front of the monitor we munched on chips, sipped on pop, and watched the movie as it played before our eyes.
ONE WEEK LATER
It was lunch time again and I couldn't find Griffin anywhere. Ben, however, was sitting alone at a rare table, listening to an iPod. When he saw me he yanked out the earphones and raised a brow at my organic lunch. I made no comment.
"Where's Griffin?" I asked him when I'd sat down. Ben popped an M&M into his mouth and swallowed it with a chug of Gatorade.
"Retaking a science test," he said gruffly. "Or smoking. One of the two."
We laughed at the joke (being friends and all) to hide our slight unease towards Griffin's unfortunate habit.
"How long's he been smoking?" I asked Ben boldly. With people who I could hang out with, it was easier being myself. I'd gained confidence in this past week that I'd never had before.
Ben shrugged. "Few years. Eighth grade, maybe. Says it's an artist thing."
I nodded slowly. We both worried about Griffin from time to time. He was shy and a pleaser, which, aside from being refreshing and kind, often led to trouble with bullies. To escape these problems he turned to alcohol or, without a choice these days, to cigarettes. He'd never done drugs, Ben said, and never would. He wasn't stupid. He was easily manipulated, which often drove Carly nuts.
"I tried to get him to stop, like," Ben flexed his fingers and thought for a moment. "Halfway through freshman year. Didn't work, obviously."
"Yeah? That sucks," I said, taking a bite out of my apple and chewing it over. "He's gonna get emphysema by the time he's twenty, at this rate." It was a joke, but neither of us laughed. Zack was the funny twin, okay?
We finished our lunches, walked out of the cafeteria together, and went our separate ways to our next classes. Such was the way of high school.
FIVE WEEKS LATER
"Cody! Wait up!"
I stopped outside the school, turning to find Carly hurrying towards me. It was a Thursday and the last class of the day had ended ten minutes ago. I slowed down until she reached me and she flashed a smile as she came up beside me.
"Hey," I said. "What's up?"
Carly scowled and tossed back her long, black hair (which she had braided today). "My car's at the dealership," she said, rolling her eyes. "Something's wrong with the engine."
Something occurred to me that moment and I couldn't help but ask. "Hey-why is it that you have a car and Griffin doesn't?"
She laughed somewhat musically and we walked through the crowded parking lot. Cars sped by on the road and Boston loomed up before us like arrows to an uncharted sun. "Because he doesn't drive," she said, teasing in her voice. "He refused to take part two of driver's training. He's a big baby," she laughed and I chimed in.
We continued walking around the parking lot (continually stopped by wild cars and students), talking about school and people and this and that, until a burst of shouting and laughter came from behind us. I turned sharply and saw a group of people huddled in a circle around at least three figures, one of which was pressed up against a wall. A sinking feeling in my stomach, I followed Carly over in a sprint.
Three of the biggest, meanest, stupidest guys in the grade (football uniforms worn proudly) were tossing around a much smaller, thinner, more vulnerable kid mercilessly. My heart sped up when I saw who it was.
Griffin.
Carly was shouting just as loud as everyone else, trying desperately to claw her way to the front of the circle. I tried to follow, but I wasn't strong enough to break through. Tossed out again from the crowd I looked around in confusion and panic, and my eyes found a familiar face.
There was my brother, laughing along with the rest of the crowd. Laughing and pointing and smirking and cheering. Anger sprung up inside me and I was about to make a lunge for him when a hand fell upon my shoulder. Spinning around I noticed Ben, his eyes dark and narrowed.
"W-," I started to say, but all at once he was past me, pushing everyone aside until he reached the center of the mob. Grabbing one of the bullies by the neck he shoved him up against the wall even as Griffin was punched again and sent down to his knees. The other two leapt at Ben, but he held his own skillfully and was able to avoid being murdered until several teachers ran outside and broke everyone apart.
When the crowd had dissipated, the bullies sent to the principal's office, and Ben let off the hook with a strict warning, I ran over to where he and Carly crouched next to Griffin who squatted against the wall.
His nose was bleeding and there was a decent size cut on his upper left cheek. A bruise was slowly forming over his right eye and he held his arms over his ribcage protectively. He was breathing heavily and closed his eyes as he fought to catch his breath. Carly reached out to touch him and as she did so he drew away.
"Hey, man, come on," Ben said quietly, reaching out a hand. Griffin looked up, eyes glittering. For a moment I thought he would refuse, but that was his way as he allowed Ben to pull him to his feet. One of the remaining teachers stopped to ask if he was going to be okay.
"I think so," I said, taking the initiative. She wandered back into the building. Carly was looking at her foster-brother with a mixture of sympathy and disappointment and as the three of us slowed to match his pace she sighed lowly.
"You didn't even try to defend yourself," she said as we finally made it past the parking lot. Ben and I looked up to frown at her, but Griffin said nothing. "I know it was three on one, but you still could've-,"
"-Carly," said Ben loudly. His voice was firm and authoritive. "Shut up."
She turned a little pink and Ben suddenly rounded on Griffin, forcing him to make eye contact. I watched it all silently, forever an onlooker. "Listen to me, Griffin." When Griffin continued to stare at the ground he grew more persistent. "Griffin." He looked up. "It's not your fault, okay? The fight was unfair. You-,"
"-Just drop it, okay?" Griffin's voice was small and quiet and I felt a surge of pity for him.
"Those guys are jerks," I threw in passionately, voice laden with emotion.
"Forget it, man," Griffin said, attempting a small smile and failing miserably. Carly hugged him quickly and he hugged her back, albeit slightly. She turned to Ben and nodded slightly, sighing.
"Thanks," she said. "That was really cool back there."
He shrugged. "Friends help friends," he stated matter-of-factly. And as Griffin and I watched them awkwardly shuffle their feet we weren't at all surprised when they, too, finally pulled into an embrace. It last longer than Carly's last hug, and this one was filled with the chemistry Romeo and Juliet had encompassed.
Despite what had happened back the school, Griffin and I both turned to each other and grinned.
It was about time!
After Carly and Griffin had turned down their street and Ben down his I began thinking of what the hell I was going to say to my brother. Again, my insides squirmed in anger and I balled my fists as I reached the hotel.
Maybe I should take up Karate.
SIX WEEKS LATER
The rain fell in buckets down on us as Carly, Griffin, and I hurried into Sully's. Ben's band was performing in a matter of minutes and we were looking forward to hearing their new songs.
We got our usual table near the stage, and ordered our usual drinks. Carly grabbed an aisle seat and when Ben looked up to say hello to us from his perch onstage he gave a special smile to Carly. She was blushing slightly when she turned back to look at us.
"Aww…" Griffin teased her, and I laughed. "How sweet, Carly."
She huffed but said nothing more.
Smirking, I took a bite out of the cookie I'd ordered and broke off a piece for Griffin at his request. "Did you quit smoking yet?" I asked him, dangling the dessert just out of his reach and keeping my voice mockingly stern.
"Nah, man, it's my New Year's resolution," he declared proudly. Griffin never lied, so I believed him and handed him the piece of the cookie.
Carly handed me something from her backpack and upon turning it over I saw that it was a novel. "The Invisible Man?" I asked her, reading the title. She nodded.
"I just finished it," she said. "It was amazing."
I shot her a grin. "Thanks," I said genuinely, setting the novel aside to read when I got home. She nodded and sipped at her cappuccino.
The band began to play and I cheered as loudly and as passionately as the rest of them.
When Griffin and Carly dropped me off later I bid them goodbye and goodnight, and smirked back at Griffin as reminded me of an inside joke we both shared. Closing the old car's door firmly behind me, I waltzed confidently and proudly up the steps and into the lobby of the hotel.
Outside the rain continued to fall.
Hello, this is Nixy Angel. Just a quick note...reviews are really really really appreciated. Last chapter's review rack was really sad. Please send reviews and tell Sillver what a great job she did on the chapter. It was awesome was it not? And be sure you read this, its important leading up to the next chapter, which is really really important, as she said in the beginning. Thanks to the few of you who DID review...it was really really appreciated!
Nixy Angel