You Can Never Know With The Good Ones

  “Why do you care?” I ask suddenly and all is quiet.

He stands there in front of me quiet. I bite my lip as I push myself off the soggy floor. My body aches from the fight but I’m used to the pain. I steady myself and take my hand off the wall. For a terrible second I think I am going to fall. I blink as my dizzy spell ends, I exhale.

“Why wouldn’t I?” he asks and I look at him.

I thought he had left a while ago, why is he still here?

“Just because we’ve never been buddies, doesn’t mean I don’t care,”

I snort and he frowns.

“You don’t have to pretend,” I say, my hand raking through my hair,“I’d rather know you hate me than have you pretend to care,”

“Can’t I be both sincere and care?” he asks taking a step forward with a playful smile on his face.

I look at him. He doesn’t look like he is lying but then again, the good ones never do... After a second, I shrug.

“Maybe,” I say.

His smile grows and it’s kind of nice.

“I’ll guess we’ll have to figure it out,” he chuckles,“My house is close if you want to clean up before you go home. I’m not sure you want to get back bloody and bruised,”

I nod, my foster mother would freak.

“I guess I could clean off the blood,” I say,“But there is nothing I can do for the bruises,”

He nods.

“Lead the way, my knight in shining armor,”

He smiles and we start walking.

After a few minutes, I can see a nice house.

“Won’t your parents be surprised if a bloody teen shows up at half past 6?” I ask with a joking tone.

He laughs.

“No,” he says unlocking the door,“They’ll be fine,”

I fake a gasp.

“So I’m not the only bloody teen you’ve brought home at half past 6?” I fake a horrified face,”Young man,”

He laughs again.

“You should show more emotion at school,” he says and I shrug,“People will feel less threatened by you,”

I look at him as he puts his keys back in his pocket.

“People feel threatened by me?” I ask curiously and he looks at me.

He nods.

“Some people think that you think you’re better than us,” he explains,“Others think you are a loner or a freak and a few people think you are part of a notorious gang,”

I snort.

“Don’t tell anyone,” I say and he rolls his eyes.

“Come on,” he says opening the door and walking in.

I walk in after a second and he closes the door. If he is a liar, he is a pretty good one.