The Switch {EarthMix}

25.

***

"Phi !"

Mix' lips formed a happy smile while approaching the other and right when he had stopped next to him, an arm got placed around his shoulder.

" Did you grew more handsome in the past hours? What did you do? Secretly taking some beauty essence?" The other joked, smiling back at him while the two walked away from the school building, their classes having ended for the day.

" Someone gave me his lunch again... hm who could that be?"

The younger raised an eyebrow in question, looking over his brother's face and stopping at his eyes... avoiding eye contact. Of course, he knew even without asking, that there was only one person that could have done it but seeing the other play along and getting all guilty... surely was one of his favourite things to do. Beside just spending time together of course.

" Oh... I almost forgot about it... " The older suddenly stopped, his face forming an apologising smile while he put the palms of his hands together... " Can you go home alone first? One of our teachers wanted me to do something and... let's just meet at Vee's place okay?"

Mix mustered the other, this time seeing that it was not just played guilt... but that he was really lying. But instead of bringing it up or saying anything he just nodded, waving the older goodbye for now while heading to the exit of the schoolground.

It had been like this for the past three weeks, since the second day that he started going to high school... Almost every day after school, something would suddenly come up that Mix had to leave alone at first, either that or Vee would already be waiting for them. But instead of all three heading to one of their places together... one was always missing and would join one or two hours late. Not that it was a problem in general for Mix to leave alone, sometimes he was even enjoying the moments of tranquillity before his waterfall of a brother would come back and joke around... the problem was more in him coming home alone and in his brother keeping something from him. Vee seemed to know more about the whole situation too... but that one time he had tried to find out a bit more... no answers. Just that he should not worry about it and everything was alright...

But wasn't that something people always said when there was hell breaking loose? Like when that character in a movie tried to keep quiet about the apocalypse, not wanting to worry their child... or something like that. It was foolish, because the truth would eventually surface and, from Mix' point of view, would only cause more harm if it had been hidden for so long. But even though he thought this way, he did not want to press his brother about it. There had to be a good reason for him to be quiet about it, when they normally could talk about everything.

He let out a soft sigh, trying to direct his thoughts back so he could pay attention to where he was walking... a car accident or something was the last thing he needed. Mix was already nervous about going home alone... no, more precisely about standing in front of them alone without Dew being able to divert their attention from him. Without him though...

Cold sweat ran down his neck, the boy gulping and rubbing his pals nervously when finally arriving at his destination. It almost felt as if his heart were about to jump out... especially after seeing that their car was parked, and both of their parents would most likely be at home. Just meeting his mother was one thing, even if she was... not much of an affectionate person towards him, it was still endurable. But their father on the other hand...

Mix gulped again, slowly approaching the front door and opening it as silent as possible, slipping in and carefully getting out of his shoes. If he was just silent enough...

"Where is Dew?"

he almost dropped his back out of shock, suddenly hearing his mother's voice right behind him and after turning around... seeing her displeased face. Maybe he should have just went over to Vee's place directly... borrowing some clothes to sleep in was not the biggest issue, but wearing someone else's school uniform could in fact get him in trouble... but would it have been so much worse than coming home?