"For fuck's sake! Turn off the music!!" I whisper yelled beneath the duvet, then sat up and groaned. How's it that he came with an MP3 player? I mean I need this sleep desperately. It's seven-thirty and way too early to get out of bed.
The wimp within my closet chuckled then turned on the volume even more. It's a miracle Dad hasn't come up here yet. I curse as I made my way across the floor - yanked the armoire door open. My unwanted visitor stood now in front of me in a ridiculous posture - a yellow tight-fitting shirt that I'd sworn never to put on draped his upper body - gray slacks hugged his legs.
He looked stunning. Wait.. what?
I shook my head vigorously then grimaced. "What are you doing? I told you NOT to touch my STUFFS! And what's up with the loud music anyway?? You're not in your home but in my closet, you thief."
"Come on dude, live a little." he looked me over then slipped the shirt over his head, exposing his pale skin - collarbones and ribcage jutted out sharply with deep red marks on both sides of his. My gaze dropped as I pointed at it. "Where did you get those?"
"Fights," he shrugged like it was nothing then dug out my much cherished blue chambray. I stepped forward to take it from him while taking a closer look at his scars. "They look fresh. Like it was yesterday."
"It's nothing. Quit nagging already, it's turning me on really," he says then winked in naught.
I dramatically cringed then bit my bottom lip - unconvinced. He reverted his gaze and plopped down on the floor, then drew his knees up to his chest, wrapping both frail arms around it - humming softly. There was something he wasn't telling me but I decided not to push it. Why should I care anyway? I needed him out of here at the very least.
"I'm still having doubts about letting you lodge here," I said truthfully, wondering if I wasn't selfish.
"If you're trying to go back on your word - "
"I'm not," I cut him off pretty nicely. "And could you please turn that damn thing off, it's driving me nuts." he drew the cylindrical music player closer then pressed the tune off button.
"How do you have these?" I let my eyes stray farther between the racks of clothes and then I spotted a small black bag behind him on which he rested his back on, instead of the wall. He smirked, his tender facial features hollow. "Now you see I wasn't joking when I said I'd stay here for as long as I want. I've always had these with me." he cuddled his belongings tightly then looks up at me remorsefully. "Sorry if I'm an inconvenience. It's just that Dolly Grand the aged grocery storekeeper found it modern to house cats in her closet along with the store supplies. For days I had to bother about getting spat at by my closet roommates who though cute had a beady stare that could cut through ice. Brr, I hated feline sleuths so we all didn't get along well and I had to move. Can you believe I ate cat food for two solid weeks?" He chuckled at the last part.
I wanted to say something flip like 'sounds like something you normally do' but quickly deduced something. "You've been to Dolly Grand?" I cuss in disbelief. "How long have you been doing this??"
He grinned - his smile laced with gloom and sadness. I felt bad. Maybe I'd judged him a bit too quickly but he's supposed to have a home. Not pickcloseting and lodging secretly at all closets in town.
"A couple of months," his sad smile doesn't waver as he picked up my white stuffed teddy puppy - tossing it back and forth. With his small frame, you'd easily think he was twelve. "I've been to twelve different households in town, twelve different families, and none of the closets they had really caught my fancy as yours. I mean look around us," he gestured about. "You've got it all. Your closet is bigger than my room by a triple," he jiggled the rack then kicked the hamper. "You've got the latest wears, chucks. Fancy chambray shirts, sloppy jeans, and tux, ties...but most of all you've got a family by your side who'd support you despite knowing who you are. I would gladly trade my life for yours, Carlie, not all of us have it rosy. My family threw me out the moment they confirmed that I was gay."
I sucked in a short breath of air - a reminder of my current predicament. "T-they threw you out because of that??" I stuttered, swallowing phlegm.
"What do you think? That if they hadn't I'd still scale the town, stowing away at people's wardrobes, do I look like I love camphor? There's a lot you don't really know about people. We can only hope it gets better."
I turned my face the other way to hide my teardrops, Dorian's familiar low key knock startling us both as she announced that breakfast was ready downstairs. Her footsteps fade just as Carter exclaimed, exasperated. "No breakfast in bed? What a bummer! I thought you had it all done for you. Totally uncool."
I suppressed an eye roll. "Whatever. Just don't wreck anything while I'm gone, and try to keep your ruckus down." I took one last look at him before slipping into my yellow rubber ducky slippers. "I'll be back soon. Should I bring you a treat or food?" Now that I thought of it, he looked malnourished. Like his bones would give up on him someday.
He fixed me an unimpressed look. "You feel pity don't you?" I shifted my attention from one rubber ducky to another. "I don't want that. You think I've been through a lot."
"I'm only being humane!" I bristled. "You're doomed if you mistake my sympathy for pity. Forget I asked," I waved it off then turned towards the door.
He called out solemnly. "I could make do with some hot dogs. I've never really tried them but I heard they're swell. You could get them for me, I mean it's not like I'm asking you to."
I hated how easily that made me smile.