Tristan took his hands without saying a word.
"I will take that as a yes", James said smiling.
Five days passed, the two boys became closer than they was in the past. Tristan was also excited to have someone to talk to about games and Soccer, and fortunately, James was a big fan of Soccer and video games.
Tristan was arranging his washed clothes in his closet when James entered.
The young man knows he used to warn him to knock before entering but these days, their bond was beyond that.
"I am in here", Tristan said and heard his footstep approaching.
"I dropped Isabella at her best friend's house, she was really excited to step out of the car. Sometimes I feel she loves that house more than ours" James said, folding his arms.
Tristan looked at him and shook his head, "are you jealous?" he asked, folding his singlet.
"No..." James bluffed out, "at all..." he said and looked at his clothes, "where do you get your clothes... It is so nice, nice fabric" he said touching one of his shirt.
Tristan was done in the closet, he walked out and replied, "I get some from Resorts world and order some from Great Western Arcade" he replied.
James followed him out and sit on his table, "let me know when next you want to get clothes, so I can get myself some too" he said and looked outside the window, "oh right... I want to trim the flowers in the garden... Wanna join me?" he asked as he got up and walked to the door.
Tristan hesitated, James has always been around him for the past five days now and he wanted his space and privacy, he looked up at him and saw his expression. The young man sighed and followed James out.
Mr. Charlie was at the house bar when he saw the boys followed each other out, he tiptoed and sneak peeped at them through the window, "are they going to fight? Why are they following each other?" he asked himself and saw them carrying the Pruning shears, "are they going to use that on each other?" he whispered and to his great surprise they weren't going to fight.
The man saw James smiling and having a conversation with Tristan as they trim the flowers.
"Oh my God, oh my God," he said excitedly and watched them.
"What are you doing honey?"
Mr. Charlie got startled, he turned around and saw his wife staring at him, "who are you peeping at?" she asked.
The man smiled widely, "Our prayers are working", he said and pulled his wife closer, "look" he added, pointing at the boys through the window.
The woman gasped, "what is going on" she thought and stared at the boys.
James saw them and let out a sigh, "the parent is peeping..."
"Huh?" Tristan looked around.
"Your 4:00 clock, at the window", James whispered.
Tristan saw them and looked away, he shook his head as he continue trimming the flower, "that is so childish, why are they watching us" he said.
"They are excited I guess", James replied and immediately saw Lily from afar, getting in her car. He looked down sadly and kept trimming the flowers.
Tristan saw him and looked away.
The boys finished the trimming and went back to the room to finish the video games they were playing earlier.
"Ready to get your ass whooped this time?" James threatened, he knows Tristan is better in playing games, but still said that to encourage himself.
Tristan smiled and started the game, after a while of winning, he decided to advise James. "Why don't you tell her how you feel?"
James looked at him, "who?" he asked, acting dumb.
"Lily, why don't you talk to her and tell her how you feel instead of admiring her from afar" Tristan added.
He fiddled with the gamepad, "I don't know. I think she likes you. What chance do I have?" James replied.
Tristan paused the game and turned to him, "And I don't like her... I am not the relationship type, go talk to her and tell her how you feel. Don't let her guess" he advised and continue the game.
James groaned as Tristan killed his character in the game, "come on!!!!!" he said.
Mr. Lim opened the door and walked in, which caught the boy's attention. They turned back and saw the man.
"I am sorry to bother you two, I just wanted to check up on you... You know, to see if you are good" the man said.
James and Tristan sighed and continue their game.
"We are fine dad, don't worry and stop watching us, we are not kids", James said.
Tristan nodded, "he is right... We are not kids" he added.
"Oh no you didn't kill me again!!!!" James yelled out frustrated.
Mr. Charlie smiled excitedly as he watched the boys, he walked out of the room and closed the door gently.
(6:00 pm)
Tristan entered his closet and changed his clothes, he brushed his hair and walked out of his room.
He looked at James' room and tiptoed down the stairs, he knows James would follow if he saw him. Quietly he got down the stairs and looked back, Tristan jumped up, startled. "Oh my God.." he said.
James walked towards him, "I saw you walking down the stairs, are you going somewhere?" he asked.
Tristan sighed, he knows James wouldn't listen if he asked not to follow him and he never wanted anyone in his family to know his friends, but for some reason he decided to trust James.
"Okay, promise me you will not tell anyone", Tristan said.
James looked at him, "are we going to rob a house?" he asked.
Tristan scoffed, "hell no, what are you talking about," he said and laughed softly, "just promise me"
James raised his hand and swore.
They both walked out of the house and took Tristan's car. After a while they got to a Cottage, he stopped the car and stepped out with James.
He looked around confused, "where are we?" he whispered to Tristan.
"You will see", he answered as they both got in.
Nate saw Tristan coming in, he guffawed excitedly, "my man is back..." he said and saw the strange boy beside him, "and who are you?" he asked.
James stood by the door, looking around. The whole house smelled of weed and pie, he wasn't comfortable going in, he saw the Italy man coming towards him, "Come in we won't bite".
Tristan sit and grabbed the alcohol on the table, "they are nice people here... Come on in" he assured his brother.
The man he was looking at doesn't look like one, he has cigarettes in his mouth and got a big scar on his face, "he definitely looked like he could snap my neck at once" James thought.
He gulped and walked in slowly.
"Who is this?"
James heard another voice behind him, he flinched on seeing Nick, a tall huge man carrying an axe with him.
"Oh my God..." he said and ran towards Tristan, "who are these people? Let us leave, I am too scared" he whispered.
"He looked scared, you scared of this axe?" Nick asked, he smiled and shut the door, "maybe I want to use it on you", he said and walked towards him.
Tristan and Nate laughed out as James ran towards the back door.
"I am kidding man, I went to cut some woods", Nick said and walked to the refrigerator "who is the young man Tristan?" he asked and brought out a cold beer, he opened it and gulped half of it.
James looked around and walked back to Tristan, he felt his legs shaking.
"This is James", Tristan said and looked at the men, "he is my brother".
Nate looked up sharply, Nick put down his beer. They know the only brother Tristan have is his step brother and they always know him as a toxic one.
"Do you mean your step brother? Why is he here?" Nate asked looking confused.
Tristan smiled and looked at them, "we are cool now", he said.
Nick pulled him up and walked to a room, he shut the door and turned to Tristan, "are you sure this isn't a plan or something? Remember how you said he threatened to take everything from you? Do you trust him?" Nick asked.
Tristan could smell Nick's body sweat, he ignored it and nodded, "we are really cool now, no one can fool me easily" he assured and hit Nick's arms slightly, "and go shower, you stink" he added and walked out.
(midnight)
Tristan and James knew they passed their curfew, they stepped out of the car and looked around as they tiptoed inside, careful not to wake their parent.
James was the last to enter, he closed the door gently and turned to Tristan, "I am sure they are sleeping by now" he whispered smiling.
Suddenly the light turned on, the boys got startled and turned around quickly, they saw their parents standing few feet from them.
"Where have you two been? Do you know what time it is right now? What is the time with you?" Mrs. Charlie asked, almost pissed off.
"We... We..." James stuttered.
Tristan knows he would be in big trouble if they find out he has been hanging out with Nate and Nick, "what if dad does some searching and found out they came out of prison a few years back", his heart raced as he looked down.
"I don't want lies, where have you two been?" Mr. Charlie said, folding his arms.
"Okay fine I will tell you the truth", James said.
Tristan looked at him, "what is he doing?" he thought as his heart raced.