The Rent Boy (EDITING)

Chapter Twenty-Six: The Other Two-

  The flat was completely silent. When I'd stormed out, after my exchange of words with Alex, I'd left it about and hour or so before returning. But when I came back, the only person in the flat was Mitch, who was now sitting directly opposite me from my place on the sofa, leaning against the wall where his sleeping bag was. 

    The silence wasn't leaving me with an itch that could only be scratched by starting up a conversation, but it wasn't exactly leaving me feeling very comfortable either. Maybe it was just because me and Mitch, well, we've never been entirely close. We've never really had the chance to, out of the three or so years that we've known each other. 

    When I first came here, when Kyle first found me, I was with Tyler. Me and Tyler had met on the first day that I ended up having to sleep on the streets. We shared an alley and helped each other out...became pretty good friends. But as soon as Kyle introduced us to this kind of work and Tyler started doing weed and god knows what else, he changed. He became distant, and before we both knew it, it was like we'd never been friends at all.

    Mitch and Tony were already living in the flat when me and Tyler arrived. Tyler instantly became friends with the both of them, while I was left to sort of just be. They never really payed much attention to me. So I spent all of my time working, hence how I became Kyle's 'best boy'. 

    I heard Mitch shuffle about on his sleeping bag, clearing his throat. I took a moment to just look at him, at how completely different we were. We couldn't be more opposite. Where I probably looked angry and stressed, uptight and tense; Mitch looked somewhat bored. Like he was just chilling in the flat as though nothing could go wrong, as though nothing had gone wrong.

    But I guess that was just Mitch. It wasn't often you saw him panicking and stressing, angry or frustrated. He always came across as quite relaxed. Shy, really, in a way. There'd always been a likeable energy about him though, no matter how much of a sheep he could be, following Tyler and his douchebag attitude. I still couldn't find it in me to dislike him.

    Our eyes met just as I looked up. I would have looked away, but I sensed Mitch's words before he'd probably even thought them up. 

    "I heard you and the kid fighting," he said, almost like a statement. "I didn't know he did drugs." His tone seemed to lighten up with a hint of humour as he spoke, sounding slightly amused at the information. "But it sucks about Tyler. Man, poor lad." Mitch pulled his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them. 

    I didn't entertain his conversation starter, not really finding myself in the mood to talk. So I just let Mitch continue voicing his thoughts out loud. 

    "I don't think he'll be coming back tonight." 

    He sounded sad, but his words made me scoff and I found myself muttering, "I wouldn't." 

    "Why's that?" I let my eyes drift away from his, falling back into the sofa a bit more. 

    "Cause I hate this place. I hate it. I want to get out, leave all this shit behind." I glanced around the room, with a look of distaste snaking into my features.

    "You mean leave us behind," his head lolled forward with a sigh. I don't think he intended me to hear his remark, since his voice was so quiet. Like he didn't want to say the words but he couldn't hold them back. 

    "Mitch," I rolled my eyes. "You know that's not what I meant."

    "I don't blame you," his head snapped up then, eyes catching mine instantly. "We're not exactly star-quality people."

    "Yeah, well, neither am I. But it's got nothing to do with you guys. I just want out. I wanna get my own place, earn money that I actually get to keep." Just the thought depressed me, because I knew that I'd never get to have that kind of life.