Misha sat on the doorstep, lazily propping his chin on his hand, his elbow resting on his knee. With a dour expression on his face, he intently stared at the empty driveway, his gaze locked on a small poodle of murky water.
Time ticked by, and the sun soon rose to its zenith, yet Misha still didn't move an inch and simply stared ahead under the blazing sun. Hadn't it been for him blinking once in a while, people on the street would have mistaken him for a life-sized doll. Some passersby were staring at him longer than others, too, but Misha didn't pay them any heed. Or, it'd be more accurate to say that he didn't notice them, his mind lost elsewhere.
Over the past few weeks, days went by slowly, and snow had started to melt. Spring was just around the corner, some weeds already perking up. And yet, Misha still hadn't had the opportunity to meet with Gabriel. Since the last time they saw each other at the restaurant, it was almost radio silence on his part. Even the phone calls had become overly scarce.
"Will Gaby really come today…?" Misha muttered to himself, his lips stretching into a taut. "I'm kinda doubting it."
Though they hadn't seen each other for several weeks in a row, Gabriel was supposed to come over many times. But he always had to cancel last minute for whatever dumb reason his stepmother gave him, and Misha dreaded that today would be the same.
"Should I just ask Stephan for Gabriel's address?" Misha narrowed his eyes, thinking about what to do. "I've always been the kind to pop up without prior warning, so why the hell can't I do just that?"
He bit his finger lightly and pondered over the question but eventually concluded that it probably wasn't a good idea. He feared all hell would break loose if he were to come face to face with Angela after ringing the doorbell. He just knew he would do something rash, like trying to strangle her or break her legs. Or maybe something even worse.
…At any rate, it wouldn't end well, so Misha decisively discarded the idea. He should think of something else instead. It wasn't like he had anything else to do right now except think, anyway.
Not being able to meet Gabriel was frustrating to death, making Misha a lot more irritable than he usually was. His patience had long run out, and as of late, the number of kids he fought with at school went through the roof. Whoever picked on him or his friends or even innocent bystanders was bound to regret it; one wrong word and… hehe.
Because Dereck was on the chubby side, Vanessa had hearing problems, and Misha was as cute as a doll, there were always some idiots who would run their mouths off, pointing out how different they were from other children. It was always the same thing, the imbeciles mocking them for reasons Misha couldn't comprehend. It was almost comic, considering how unoriginal their taunts all were.
Though Misha knew brats were brats and he shouldn't let the anger get the better of him, it still felt good to beat up some cocky bastards and watch them cry for forgiveness.
Sighing, Misha lowered his eyes, staring at his hands. His knuckles weren't that smooth and white anymore, covered in scratches and cuts. Maybe he fought a bit too much lately. One little saving grace was that the bullies were put back in their places, though it also meant his mother was often called over to the director's office.
A pang of guilt stabbed his chest when Misha thought of this. Whenever his mother was called, she always rushed over, worried sick that maybe her baby boy was hurt. She couldn't care less about the other children, even vehemently defending her boy with the mindset that if he beat them up, the others must have started it first.
And once at home, she wouldn't scold him, only ask what had happened and tell him to be careful. She was proud that her boy defended his friends, but she didn't want him to get hurt. If things were going south, he had to fetch a teacher immediately.
As for his father, he would nod at him or give him a thumb up when his mother wasn't looking. It made Misha feel a little conflicted deep down, and he could only smile stiffly, unable to respond with words. He was trying hard to open up to Alexey just as his other self had asked; however, it was easier said than done, and he knew he would need time before interacting with his father came naturally to him.
Rubbing the back of his neck, Misha couldn't help but smile faintly, mumbling to himself, "Maybe I should try to fight a little less. Let's not worry mom too much—"
The sound of a car engine interrupted his monologue, and Misha snapped out of his thoughts, finally noticing the familiar car that had made its way into the driveway.
At first, Misha froze, his brain unable to process the new information. But once he realized that Gabriel had indeed arrived and wasn't about to cancel at the last minute, he leaped to his feet at lightning speed and rushed toward the car, a smile blooming on his face.
But his happiness was short-lived; the young man that got out of the driver seat was someone he hadn't expected to see. Heck, if possible, he'd rather never have to see him again.
Ugh. Why couldn't Gabriel come alone? Though Misha knew it wouldn't happen, he couldn't help but wonder. There was no way Angela would allow Gabriel to drive a car, having told him that he didn't own a driver license. Moreover, she apparently didn't like the idea of him riding the bus alone, afraid he wouldn't be able to find the way home because of his amnesia. She conveniently forgot that Gabriel had only lost his memory and hadn't become a brainless fool.
All that to say that Gabriel needed someone to drive him wherever he wanted to go, and today's driver was someone Misha wanted to throw over a bridge.
Misha slowed his pace, and his gaze darkened, loathing soon filling his eyes. If Jake was here and Tristan was nowhere in sight, it meant that today's chaperone was Jake, and it also meant that he would have to put up with that jerk for the rest of the day.
He felt his blood boil at the thought. Jake's annoying smirk was enough to make him want to punch him in the face and kick him in the guts. Not losing his temper for the next few hours was going to be hard, if not outright impossible.
"I'm sorry we're late. We had to stop somewhere first," Gabriel said in an apologetic tone, snapping Misha out of his daze. "But I bought you some cake, so I hope you'll forgive us."
"…Yeah, I'll forgive you," Misha answered stiffly with a smile that wasn't quite a smile. Scurrying over to Gabriel, he then added in a mischievous tone, "Though the cake better tastes good!"
As the words left his mouth, Misha proceeded to lash himself to Gabriel's thigh without an ounce of shame, holding it tight. And with his face pressed against the man's leg, Misha glared at Jake, who did the same in response.
"How about getting inside?" Gabriel suggested in a gentle voice, pretending he hadn't noticed the sparks crackling between the two. "It's still a little chilly outside."
"Yeah, sure. My sister is waiting for you inside, anyway," Misha shrugged, letting go of Gabriel's thigh to grab his wrist and drag him inside. He barely gave him enough time to pick up his things from the car.
As Misha brought Gabriel to the front door, he didn't so much as glance at Jake, only snorting when they passed by him. He shouldn't waste too much energy on that dumbass, or he feared he would grow bald.
That guy had better shut his mouth and follow without making a fuss. If he didn't, it'd be his pleasure to lock him outside, even if that was sure to anger Jake. But well, if that unwanted guest was unhappy, he was more than welcome to turn around and return home. No one would hold him back.
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Chapter revised on 2022-06-05
Edited by Clozed! ♥
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