Slow and Speedy Win the Fight

54. Limbo

Sheldon

Why wouldn't anyone take a damn sixteen-year-old? I got the money, weren't people greedy? Why were they suddenly law-abiding citizens?

My hands gripped my hair as I sat on the curb, ready to yank it all out and scream to the sky. If there was anyone responsible for my fate, I curse them to walk in the dead of winter with three feet of unshoveled snow. See how they would like suffering for once.

It was already dark and even if most of the snow on the ground had disappeared, my skin was being bitten by the cold sharp wind.

I looked down at my watch and groaned. I really should be at home but I couldn't help but feel the need to stay out.

I only had a week left. A week to find a new home. If only I could—

I shut my eyes and let out a shaky sigh. This wasn't the time to daydream.

"Sheldon?"

The squeal of tires driving away was what caught my attention but I didn't want to acknowledge the voice it belonged to. Still, I couldn't stop my eyes from meeting Haresa's briefly but I looked away as soon as I could.

"What the fuck do you want, hare?"

They pointed to the limo that drove away. "I was dropped off home."

"Isn't that nice?" My voice dripped in jealousy but I couldn't hold myself back.

It seemed like they were in that limo ride for hours ever since they left school.

"Do you um..."

I looked up at them and confusion flooded my brain as they struggled with their wording. What were they going to ask?

"Actually, it would be better if we did this in private." They looked around the area, worry and suspicion written all over their face. Their fist tightened around the crumpled sheet of paper that I just started to notice. "Do you want to come into my home to talk? It's... sort of important."

A humourless laugh escaped my throat.

"Come into your home?" I echoed.

"Yes," they said. "You don't have to if you don't want. I figured since we were both here anyways and my dad should have food prepared..."

My stomach growled. "Okay. But I'm only coming for the food."

They bobbed their head in acknowledgment and I hauled myself off the sidewalk and dusted off my jeans. They began to walk towards their home and pulled out keys from their bag.

"You really think it's a good idea to invite a villain into your home?" I asked skeptically.

"We go to the same school, you know. There's a school registry if you actually used your brain." They scrunched up their nose "Not like anything in my life is private anymore."

The comment made me stop in my tracks but they continued to open the door and march in. I watched them and they paused.

"Take your shoes off by the door, please. Not sure if you do that at your own home."

"I'm getting too used to it, to say the least." Especially since I was visiting Rudra's house so often now.

They closed the door behind and I put my shoes on a wooden shoe rack placed next to the door's entrance.

I had vague memories of coming into their home but I didn't have much time to really take in the surroundings back then. Their home was painted in a light blue with mismatching furniture that stood in the middle of it. A cabinet with intricate designs of flames and flowers painted in gold studded in plastic gems sat in a corner and there was a big television that sat in front of a set of fuzzy beige couches. There was even a statue of the Buddha on a very high shelf of the room to the point that the head of the statue nearly touched the ceiling.

"Do you still got a lab to experiment on kidnapped children downstairs?" I remarked dryly.

"Hey, it was my dad's lab." They gave me a wary side-eye. "I was just borrowing it that day."

"At least I figured out I was mildly allergic to blueberries."

"Wait, you have allergies?" They asked and I froze. "And you let me just give you a grilled cheese without question?"

"It was an off day. I don't expect you to put blueberries in a sandwich anyways," I said stiffly. "But... you don't remember?"

"No," They shook their head. "I don't."

"Haresa? Did you get home?" Another voice echoed from the hallway.

I peered over Haresa's shoulder and a man stood in the hallway. He wore a white tank top and cargo shorts and had a towel slung over his shoulder. His hands were full with a laundry basket in his hands and I felt myself tense up.

"Pa, this is Sheldon." Haresa waved their hand awkwardly towards me. "You might remember them from that kid I used to fight after school?"

He set down the laundry basket next to one of the couches and gave me a once-over. I suddenly started to feel very self-conscious and crossed my arms.

"You got hair cut since then. You, ah." He put the heel of his hand to his head in thought. "Taow... Turtle. The turtle."

It was more than a haircut. "Tortoise, but yeah."

Haresa cleared their throat. "He's going to eat with us."

"Ah, okay. Is Goose coming too?" He looked to Haresa and they began to wave their hands wildly.

"No, no." They shook their head. "Just him today."

"Okay, okay. Pad pak is on the stove and rice—" His phone began to ring and he pulled it out. He looked up to Haresa and they gave a permissive wave.

"It's okay, Pa. Sheldon and I kind of have to speak alone too."

Their dad nodded his head and he began to walk back into the hallway. He was loud and I felt like I should've understood what he was saying but it was all gibberish to me. Some words felt familiar but most of it was lost on me.

"Your dad doesn't speak Vietnamese, does he?" I asked them.

"No, we're Thai," they said. There was a bark of laughter. "I can hear him talking about me."

"What's he saying?"

"Still in school studying." They went into the kitchen and took the pot off the stove. "I hope he doesn't bring up my dating life again."

They placed the pot onto a thick pad that sat on the table and opened the rice cooker that sat on the table. Their kitchen looked well used and messy, nothing I would expect from the home of a hero. Even the pot holding the food looked like it has been used beyond belief.

"Are you going to stand there or are you going to eat?" They retrieved blue and white ceramic bowls from the cupboard.

I shuffled towards the table and took a seat at their table.

"So," I crossed my arms and leaned back into the chair. "What did you want?"