Chapter 2 - Four Years Later
The child named Matt sat up in bed. He looked over to the clock it was barely 6am. He ran a hand through his messy, shoulder length red hair and sighed. He was no longer a child. His 13th birthday was in a few days, he was turning into a young man.
It had been four years since Matt had been Mail. It had been four years since he had all but witnessed his father beat his older brother to death. It had been four years since he left the misery that was supposed to be his refuge. It had been almost four years since he was rescued by an man that was barely a legal adult, yet when he was stopped and asked why he was on the streets, on his own, so late at night in such a bad neighbourhood, the strange boy had simply said, "you would come to that conclusion, wouldn't you, officer?"
The strange boy had brought him to a large house. "This is where I live," he had informed Matt. "This is where you can live from now on, assuming you past several entry exams, of course." As the boy guided Matt through the large doors into the house, an elderly man greeted them.
"Watari," the strange boy said, Matt guessed the old man's name was Watari. "Please show this young man here to a room and have the cook make him something to eat. In the morning he shall be sitting the entrance exams."
"Yes, Ryuzaki," the old man named Watari answered before leading Matt away, out of the entrance hall and up a long, winding staircase.
"What is your name?" The old man named Watari asked.
Matt looked up at the old man, his face was lined, and his eyes were a watery grey.
"Matt," he said to the old man.
The old man smiled. "There's something interesting about you," he said. "Something special. I am Watari. Please follow me."
The old man, Watari, led Matt up a flight of stairs and into a room on the other end of the hall.
"This is where you will sleep tonight. The cook will bring you something to eat and in the morning, you will sit preliminary examinations to decide if you can stay here at Wammy's house," the old man said.
Matt nodded. He understood exactly what the old man was saying. What he didn't understand, however, was why the old man and the strange boy wanted him here.
Matt was glad for the warmth, the shelter and the food, yet confusion still floated in and out of his thoughts.
As the child named Matt lay his head on the pillow and closed his eyes, short flashes of memories that seemed too distant shot through his mind. Memories that he knew were all too real and had happened not too long ago.
He saw the happy family that the outside world saw when they saw Jenna and Kayren Jeevas and their three children; Kai, the oldest son, the protector of his younger siblings, Mail, the young, cheeky redhead who was always stuck in a game, and baby Nyssa, a baby girl who was always smiling and laughing.
He saw what went on behind closed doors, the things that the outside world wouldn't dare dream were happening. He experienced the punches in the arm that he learned was so the bruises could be covered. He saw the scattering of rolled paper lying on the coffee table in the sitting room with a fine dusting of white powder, barely visible.
He saw the look in his mother's eyes each night as she rocked a screaming Nyssa back to sleep. He saw the tears, the pain, the anguish, the need to escape, yet knew nothing different.
He saw his older brother's body lying battered and broken on his bedroom floor, his chest raising and falling shakily before another kick or punch would come down and connect with a rib or his face.
Matt shut his eyes. He could feel the tears and swore not to think of it. And he didn't for another four years.
Matt ran his hand through his reddish-brown hair that had slightly dulled over the years. He picked his yellow tinted goggles up from the table next to his bed and placed them over his head, covering his eyes. He opened the drawer next to his bed and pulled out a red and black striped top. Slipping it over his head, he sighed. He had been living at Wammy's for four years now. He had made his way from dead last in the ratings to third. He had showed everybody that he was the best in his field, computer technology and he had tried so very hard to put his past behind him.
He had succeeded in avoiding having to share a room with anyone so far, mostly because he would complain very loudly to Wammy or Roger that other people in his room would distract him from homework. This time however, he knew there was no getting out of it.
He had been called to Roger's office before breakfast that morning. He knew he wasn't in trouble because he hadn't done anything out of the ordinary, let alone illegal (which was usually the only reason Matt ever got into trouble.) As he stood outside the large oak door that led inside the office, he racked his brains for an idea of what was happening.
"Come in," Roger called from inside.
Matt entered the room quietly. Roger's office always seemed like a slightly foreboding place. The only window in the room faced west, away from the rising sun, so natural light rarely got into the room before noon. The dark wood shelves and furniture also darkened the room considerably. Glancing around, Matt saw a boy who looked to be around his age sat on the sofa in the corner of the room. His legs were spread bout waist length apart and his elbows rested on his knees. In his hands, he held a rosary.
"You wanted to talk to me?" Matt asked, eyeing the strange blonde boy suspiciously.
"Yes," Roger said. "Matt, this is Mello. He will be your new room mate."
Matt looked incredulously between the blonde, Mello and Roger.
"Impossible. I don't share my room."
"You do now. I would like you to take Mello to the breakfast room and then show him to his classes. By the end of the school day, your bedroom will be set up for the both of you."
"What about my computers? Where am I going to put them? And what if I need to take the tower of one of my desktops apart? Where am I going to put it all if there's another bed and desk in the room, I've barely got enough room as it is!"
"Matt, there is no room for compromise in this matter. L has specifically requested that you share a room with Mello. Now, breakfast."
Matt stared at Roger for a few seconds before turning to Mello and saying, "Well, are you gonna sit there forever or do you want to eat?"
[[A/N Due to personal circumstances, I don't know when I'll be able to update. I'll try and update as regularly as possible though. Thanks to everyone who's been reading my fics and thanks to everyone who's subscribed to me as an author.]]