"Do you remember when we would throw rolls of tissue at Miss Jefferson? Good old times, right?" Kevin nudged Andrew's arm as If in confirmation, what greeted him was silence. The two had been walking around the block for a while,Kevin forced to carry the entire conversation while Andrew tagged along, yet to contribute a single word.
"How about we go to to the park, I know you might be against it but trust me that-" Andrew cut him off, not rudely just plainly. "When wil you stop smoking?" His question making Kevin pause. A wry smile latched onto Kevin's lips as he gave a dry awkward chuckle. "I've been trying to quit for some time now. Just don't tell my mom about it okay, I'll never hear the end of it."
Andrew walked towards the park, Kevin followed as if curious as to what he would do. The two sat at a bench, the old play ground that enriched Kevin's child hood was no longer in use, the swing set had fallen, the see saw coated with rust akin to a new paint and the slide had holes all over. Andrew didn't say a word and Kevin was too afraid of ruining the moment.
Kevin recalled the last time he was with Andrew, the golden rays back then and now. He wanted to spark a conversation however seemed lost on where to begin. As more time passed on, the back ground noise grew louder and louder. Be it people on their evening jogs, chatting or just enjoying the scenery.
"So…I was wondering, do you happen to know about Trevor as a ghost or was that just me." Andrew remained leaned onto the bench, his hair lightly swaying with the breeze. The more Kevin looked at him, the less of Andrew he saw in him. The silence that lingered around him was mind numbing and his eyes dead pan barely closed which sent shivers down his spine.
Andrew rose to his feet without a word and began his trek back to the house, Kevin perplexed what was going through Andrew's mind as they arrived at the house. 'Seriously, what did he go through for him to be this fucked up! And here I thought that I was going through it.' A flicker of recognition flashed on his face as Andrew made his way to the family dining table and sat.
He didn't move, barely blinked and his breathing was barely noticeable. "Ugh, I get that he's gone through it but he's giving creepy vibes." Kevin's whisper something that failed at what it was meant to achieve. "Can you be a bit more considerate, how could you say that?! Besides you don't know what he's gone through."
Lara however didn't seem mindful of her words as she casually waved her hand off to Kevin before making her way to her room. "Don't start with your lectures of being considerate Kevin when you left him back then." Kevin's lips parted however no words left his lips, it was akin to a wound was opened up. "...In my defense I didn't leave him, I tried to protect him." Kevin's words hoarse as he struggled to articulate to the now uncaring Lara.
"Just make sure to tell him before I do." Lara's words barely catching Kevin's ear as she disappeared into her room. "How am I supposed to tell him?!" Kevin muttered to himself as he forced himself to take a seat on the dining table opposite of Andrew. "Andrew…I have something to tell you."
The latter seemed indifferent to Kevin's words, as if regardless of what was, he would never leave his state. "How do I put this lightly…it's about your mother." Kevin had expected Andrew to swarm him with questions about Lucy and yet what he was met with was his usual silence. "She's…she's dead Andrew."
Kevin had expected something out of Andrew, something resembling worry or concern. Shock or intrigue or at the very least a contortion of discomfort on Andrew's face but what he was met with was Andrew's neutral line and his lifeless eyes. "Oh. Thank you for telling me." Kevin's eyes narrowed with suspicion. 'What kind of person reacts to the death of their mother with an oh? Seriously there has to be something wrong with him.'
"I thought you would be more affected by this but I guess I was worrying for no reason. She took her own life after the search team failed to find you after three weeks. It was silent, we couldn't stop her Andrew."
Andrew went on with his expression, the silence on him heavy to crush Kevin to death. 'Andrew, I know that you would have been grieved by this. It's only a matter of time before you heal.' Kevin cleared his throat, somehow he seemed more troubled than Andrew. "Look Andrew, if you need someone to open up to we're here if you need us. You can stay here for as long as you'd like."
*Creak*
The front door opened and Clara made her way to the kitchen, still Andrew hadn't bothered with a response. "Kevin, could you give me a hand here." Reluctant, Kevin rose to his feet as he took a long look at Andrew before leaving his presence. Andrew's eyes trailed Kevin before going back to his fingers which remained presented on the table, unmoving as if he was waiting for something to happen.
. . .
"It could be shock." Clara concluded as she took a bite of her food, still bothered with Andrew's reaction so far. "After all he's been through so much so it would be best to give him space and time." Andrew was missing from the table, already in the kitchen washing his dishes. Once he was done, he made his way to Kevin's room where he had been told he would be sleeping at.
Kevin walking into his room was met with Andrew seated at the edge of the bed, his obsidian eyes unflinching in the darkness. "Okay, that's creepy as hell. I didn't know that you took up acting, though it could use some work." His joke amusing only himself. "Nothing, okay." He reached into his closet and presented a sleeping bag. "I'll be taking this for the night, you can have the bed if you want."
Andrew watched Kevin lay down the bag, his eyes locked onto his movements before he spoke. "That won't be necessary, I don't plan on sleeping." Kevin gave an uncomfortable chuckle. "As much as I understand that things may be too much for you, it would do you good if you catch some shut eye." Andrew however remained with his lips pursed as he got off the bed and sat on the floor and leaned on the side. "I guess I won't be able to convince you, since you want to be so stubborn, the mat is right there and if it's not comfy just tell me, we can trade."
With you distant Andrew has been, Kevin found it best to give him some space. 'I'm sure he'll come around eventually.' He mused to himself as he prepared himself to sleep. 'Besides it's not like he can actually stay the entire night awake. He'll get sleepy eventually.'
*A Few Days Later*
"What do you mean he hasn't slept in five days?!" Lara asked as she shot Andrew a look of suspicion. "I thought that it would be a one time thing and as he spent more time here he would be at ease and sleep but no, he hasn't slept once ever since coming back." Kevin sighed as he prepared his breakfast similar to Lara.
"Hello darlings, I've got a lot of work so I might is late tonight." Clara gave her two children pecks before giving Andrew attention. "Andrew, tomorrow we have to go to the precinct so Kevin make sure he's ready." Kevin gave a half-hearted hum in agreement as he munched on his breakfast. And with that Clara took her leave.
*Roar*
The sound of an engine reverberated through everyone's ears followed with a notification message on Lara's phone who instantly perked up at a glance of her screen."Looks like Jasper's here." Quickly wrapping up her meal, Lara shot up from her seat and made her way to the front door, switching to her out door shoes. "You're still dating that trash? I mean sure your tastes aren't good but isn't this a new low from you sis?"
Lara clicked her tongue as she tried to adjust her short black hair kept in a low pony tail. "The moment you get a girlfriend is when I might start to consider getting any form of advice from you about my love life. But I doubt anyone would be willing to date someone still living with their parents."
Kevin couldn't shoot back as Lara had already taken her leave. "Fucking bitch…" Kevin sneered as he finished with his meal, Andrew seated at the dining table motionlessly serving as a prop rather than a human. "Okay I have to go to work so you'll have to take care of the house. I take it you can do that."
Andrew's lack of response was Kevin's response as he too made his way out the door. As for Andrew, after Kevin left, he looked around with no interest, as if what presented to him was nothing more than an afterthought.
. . .
"Nice to see that you're all cleared up kid. And here I thought that I would have to fire you. Hahahaha!" Reece said with a smile on his face as he counted the money in his hand, money from the day's harvest. "Here kid, don't blow it all in one place or buy any junk." A small band of money was carelessly thrown on Kevin's side. "Of course and thank you Reece ." Kevin's words masking the rage and insults he was was brewing inside.
Reece realizing Kevin had no intention of leaving, he raised a brow. "What is it that you want? Don't tell me that you want a raise kid." Satisfied with the tally, Reece placed the money to the side. 'As much as I want to say yes, unfortunately this time no you pig!.' Shaking his head, Reece was at a loss with what Kevin wanted.
"I was wondering whether you had room for one more person to be working here." His words met with a laugh that made Kevin tighten his jaw. "That's a good one kid however I can't afford another person working here. Besides the store isn't that busy for two people to be working on the register. Unless you want me to half your pay then no." With a sigh of resignation, Kevin flashed a knowing smile. "I understand Mr Reece, I was just wondering is all."
Reece gave a final look at Kevin before rising to his feet. "Good, then feel free to leave because I'm about to close shop." The walk back home was pretty uneventful for Kevin, however he was inwardly pleased as he wasn't tormented with Trevor's phantom ever since the return of Andrew.
'I wonder how he's doing. I doubt that he would be overwhelmed by some dishes.' Before Kevin could go on with his thoughts, a person stopped him dead in his tracks, behind him a group of three people all hooded up. "Kevin, I was wondering when we would run into you." The man who stopped Kevin flashed a smile Kevin wished to never see again.
"What is it that you want this time Ace?" Ace, a person who would supply Kevin among other people with all kinds of contraband. Kevin recalled the first time he met Ace, a day he was roped in after completing a shift with Trevor pestering him. However with the presence of Andrew, he found it hard for him to sink back into the habits of his old self.
He wasn't sure why but it felt as if any of his actions would be revealed to Andrew and his beady eyes. "What? Can't I talk with a good friend or what does it take these days? Anyway here's your drop." Kevin didn't reach for Ace's hand. "Well it would seem that you forgot that you owe us money from the last two drops. So you better cough up the money or a broken arm will be the least of your worries." Running in this situation was pointless, they knew where he lived but the idea of handing his pay was a thought too bitter for Kevin.