Instead of shaking his hand, I pointed towards the seat in front of me with my tired eyes. I really don't want to talk to anyone right now, especially one of the twins. Twins are like, psychically connected, I speak to him about something the other is sure to know about it too. I slouch against my seat and wait for him to speak. I look around to make no one else I know is going to randomly appear.
"I ran into Leo as he walked out. He didn't look okay." Damien said.
"What?" I didn't hear him at first, but it finally processed, "Oh...yeah. Something stupid that's all."
Damien looks down at the table and smiles a bit. A shit eating grin. "Dylan told me about what happened Saturday, Henry."
UUgggggghhh. I slam my head on the table once more. "Don't say another word. Leo already talked to me about it and he was my ride home. So, that went fucking...well."
"Hey man, You have to remember that Dylan was the one...who..you know? Gosh this is weird to talk about. He's more embarrassed and weirded out than you should be."
I pick my head back up and stare at him for a bit. I look out the window.
"I'm just looking out for my younger brother. Alright? Don't go...hurting him or something. He...Dylan means well."
I still don't say anything and I'm sure Damien is getting annoyed by it. He gets up to leave, but I tell him something before he could. "Can I come over to your house Damien?"
He's surprised from what I asked. Even I don't know why I asked him that. I look down at my shoes as everyone around us is either eating or waiting for their food. Damien grabs my backpack from the floor and hands it to me.
"Get up. Let's get going. Don't want to make Candice keep waiting for me. Girl sure is impatient." He waltzed his way out of the restaurant as I keep up with him. I don't question who this 'Candice' is. Once we get out, I follow him to his car and there's a girl in the drivers seat. So, not his car, I assume. She's putting on lipstick in the mirror. When she notices me, there's a glare in her eyes. She didn't seem happy. Damien gets into seat next to her and when I open the back car door, why did I think he wasn't going to be there? Dylan was sitting in the backseat. He waved as I awkwardly got in.
As we drove to their house, the car ride was real quiet. Candice was driving and Damien was staring out the window with his hand outside as well. Loud pop music was playing and I know for sure Damien didn't like it. Every time he turned it down. Candice would just turn it up even louder than before. Damien on my right was writing stuff down in a journal, I think. I didn't want to stare or ask. Out of this whole year we've been friends. I've never once visited the twin's home. Damien never hung out with us and Dylan was always at my house.
I wanted to break the ice between all of us, so I asked who Candice was. She didn't say anything, but just looked at Damien. I waited for an answer as I both looked at the two of them. "It's just that. I never seen her before at our school." I shouldn't be so nosy about the two.
"Candice, here. Is my brother's girlfriend. She goes to Wellhood High. Other side of town." Dylan answered. Damien adjusted his seat back that it basically crushed Dylan. "Watch it, asshole." Dylan kicked the seat.
"Both of you, stop it. It's weird enough seeing the two of you together. Also, I'd be going to GearWood if it weren't for my family. Damien and I met at a party for my cousin. Parents know my parents and the rest is history." Candice explained.
"Sooo, what's it like dating a twin?" I had to ask. Damien and Dylan both look at me. Their glares feel like I'm getting shot at.
"I don't get confused between the two, if that's what you mean. One's gay the other one isn't. So I don't worry about Dylan pretending to be Damien,so that he can hit on me or something."
Dylan kicked Damien's seat again. Candice proceeded to threaten Dylan to walk home, but it wouldn't have mattered anyways. Right after she said that, we pulled up into their driveway. Dylan got out and walked to the house. As I was getting out, I took a good look at the place. It was really nice. Two stories, a nice 'flowery' front yard. I hoped they had a pool in their backyard. Candice had to go home, so Damien kissed her goodbye and she was off. I stood there, not knowing what to do. Dylan was already inside and I didn't want to walk in all by myself. Damien turned around after Candice drove off and told me to follow him.
I was really nervous to go inside. I didn't want to meet their dad with everything Dylan has told me. He didn't seem like a nice guy. I walked into the house and it looked amazing as it did outside. It's not that I expected to their house to be shit, but whoever was in charge of decorating the house was an expert. There was an older woman cleaning the living room. Their mother I expected. Once she saw me she was filled with joy to see me.
"Ooooh. You must be Henry!" She hugged me very tightly and gave me a wet kiss on the cheek. So gross! "My son is always talking about you."
"Has...he?" I awkwardly smiled. As she's hugging me I look up to see Dylan near the staircase railing. He was really red and ran up the stairs. Damien didn't seem comfortable either as he mouthed "I'm so sorry." He ended up leaving into the kitchen. Purposely leaving me with their mother. She sat me down on the couch as she went to glass of water. There was loud yelling in the kitchen. I'm sure she was yelling at Damien for it, but I couldn't understand since she was yelling in Spanish.
She came back into the living room, smiling like nothing happened. She handed me a glass of lemonade. "You know, Dylan hasn't brought a friend over in ages. I'm glad he has friends though." She acknowledged.
"Oh, actually Damien let me come over. Neither of the twins asked me. I asked them."
"Well at least you're here. I'm sure...you know about Dylan." She paused, but then continued. "He told me of that night when school started. He's very grateful to have you. I am also. My mijo needed a friend. You were there for him." I actually enjoyed hearing her tell me that.
"Mrs. Roth..." Before I could say anything she cut me off.
"Please, Henry. Call me Francine."
"Well...Francine. It's nice to know that Dylan thinks of me that way." I glanced down at my water. Does Dylan really talk about me when he's at home?
"I know that Dylan enjoys having you around." Francine stared at the stairs. At first I didn't know why, but I realized that she was "looking" at Dylan as he was probably in his room. "His room is the second door to the left upstairs. If you need anything, just ask. You're family to us, Henry."
"Uh...thank you so much. It was nice meeting you." I grabbed my stuff and headed up stairs. Francine went back into the kitchen to finish cooking something. Whatever it was. It smelt very delicious. I know that she told me it was the second room, but I just had to count to make sure. Didn't want to walk into the wrong room. Once I got to Dylan's room, his door was decorated with superheros. And the number 10. Dylan didn't play any sports? Or was this his age they moved in?
As soon as I was about to open the door, Dylan opened it. It caught him off guard as I think I scared him. "Uh..feel free to wander my room. I have to use the bathroom."
I nod my head and entered the room as he left. He closed the door behind me. His room is filled with hung up posters and pictures. Near his window is a desk with a laptop, books, and a stereo for music. His room was kind of a mess, but I shouldn't say anything. My room isn't the tidiest either. I throw my backpack onto a bean bag as I throw myself on his bed. I get a text from my mother asking where I'm at. I quickly explain and she doesn't respond back. She's probably at the diner.
I stare in front of his television that sits across from his bed. I stare at myself in the reflection of the screen. In the corner of my eye, Dylan returns from his adventure in the bathroom.
"I am so sorry about my mother, she did the same when Damien brought Candice here." He apologized.
"It's totally fine. Your mother is nice. Where's your dad?"
"He's at work. It's a good thing he's not here awhile you're here. He'll start questioning you about everything."
"Oh..."
"So...uhm...why are you here by the way?" Dylan asked.
"Damien wanted to talk about me about...last Saturday. Why did you tell him?"
"I don't know Henry. He's my brother. He's there for me."
I ignore what he says. I get up and walk around the room once more. He doesn't question me as I do. I take a seat on his desk chair and keep spinning in it. For a solid ten minutes, there's no talking. I got so bored, I was about to head back down stairs. I think I preferred talking to his mother. When he's around me all I can think about is what happened Saturday. How he made my stomach twist. I had to ask about it. We needed to talk about it. At least, I think we do.
"Dylan, can I ask you a personal question?"
"Sure?"
"Why? Why do you like me?"
"You're just something else. We are friends right? You don't think of me differently right?"
"No...no I don't think so." But I do think of him differently. I just don't know if it's good or bad or both. I get up from the chair and move back to the bed. I take a seat next to him. He's fiddling with his fingers. Trying the hardest not to look at me.
"Good? Good. I told you Henry. You were a friend that was there for me. I just hate that I do like you... a lot."
"Well, I'm flattered." I laughed as I nudged him with my shoulder. Then from downstairs, you could hear the door slam. A man's voice could be heard. Dylan's father could be heard.
"I thought your dad was at work?" I ask.
"I thought so too." Dylan replied.
Francine called for Dylan to come down. We both head down to see Dylan's father setting down his things on the living room couch. That's when his dad sees me.
"Quien es este, Francine?"
"Este es Henry, es amigo de Dylan. Va a cenar con nosotros esta noche. ¿está bien?"
I'm glad that I've taken spanish for the past two years or I would't have been able to understood any of that. She asked him if I could stay for dinner. He looks at me for a second then nods his head. Francine looks at me and points with her eyes. She wants me to introduce myself. I walk forward and hold you my hand, "He...hello sir, it's nice me...meeting you." I stuttered awkwardly. The man shakes my hand and gives a look towards Dylan. His dad seems okay so far.
"Hello Henry. So you're my son's friend. Been awhile since he's had any friends over."
"Yeah, his mother said the exact same thing." I laughed, but Dylan steps on my foot. I wince in pain, but keep calm.
"Well it's a good thing you came for dinner. Francine makes the best food in the family. By the way Henry. Names Roberto." He says as he puts his hand on my shoulder. I stand there frozen as I nervously smile. Francine and him go into the kitchen as Damien follows them behind. Dylan pushes me from behind to get me to move to the kitchen, but all I want to do is run out the front door.
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