Escape

Dinner?

"Wait, really?!" I say excitedly. Jason laughs and places a hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah kid. Think of it as a trial session." My smile deflates at that. So I can be kicked out.

"Hey, it's better than nothing at all right." Cade says reassuringly. It amazes me how easily her smile fits on her face. And yet it looks like it's been a while since she has smiled.

"The thing is. Seth, you could be..." Scout starts

"Dangerous." I finish coldly. Jason smiles as if he doesn't notice.

"Exactly, and we can't risk living with someone who's dangerous."

"Practice what you preach Jason." Ryker mumbles dejectedly, underlying information in the phrase. Jason's eyes grow dark with anger.

"As I was saying. We can make an exception as we have in the past. Also. Hey, Ryker, can I talk with you in my room for a second. In private." He says irritably, gritting his teeth. The girls look terrified as if Jason's going to murder Ryker. But Ryker just nods and heads towards Jason's room. After the door slams I can hear Cade take a deep breath.

"Jason usually cooks dinner before he goes to work for the night. I guess since he's... occupied, I'm just gonna get started." She stands up and walks to the kitchen. Leaving me and that creepy Scout character alone. The room is filled with immediate silence. I watch as the girls unforgiving eyes stare me down reminding me of the guard. I shake the thought out of my head, and attempted to start a conversation.

"So... Do you have a job?" I ask slowly. She growls and begins to walk away. I stand up and grab her around the arm. "Wait!"

"Let. Go. Of. Me." She spits. And I mean I can literally see spit flying from her in all directions. I don't let go, in fact I tighten my grip a little more.

"Listen, I don't get your problem, but if you think I trust you guys anymore than you trust me. You're wrong. For all I know, you could be part of the Imperium." She stops at this and turns to look me straight in the eye.

"No way in hell would I ever be part of Imperium." Her stormy eyes begin to look almost black. The same eyes of the guard, that sees nothing but lethal danger. They're unforgiving, cold and calculating.

"Well how should I know. You certainly act like it. With the whole, superiority act you have going on." I say cooly. But inside, my head is screaming. Seth! Shut UP! You fucking IDIOT! She begins to walk forward forcing me to almost trip as I walk backwards. "I--I didn't..." Her hand bunches into my collar.

"You better not have freaking meant it you pathetic little twerp." She hisses with more venom than a pit viper. She shoves me onto the couch, whirls around and storms out of the room. I sigh and fall into the couch. First five minutes of being here and I've already made one enemy. Though, she was being a total jerk. At least that Cade girl seems to like me. And I guess, Jason and Ryker are okay with having me around. So what If some chick who thinks she's all that tries to put me down. I still have them. Though, I was being kind off a dick. I sit on the couch in silence, waiting for dinner to be ready.

If I'm gonna wait around, might as well do something. If I'm gonna be living here for the time being. I might as well get to know the place. I stand up and walk around the place. after the living room is the kitchen. And between the two is a long hallway with two doors on each side and one at the end.

I stumble down the hallway and pass one of the rooms. I hear whispering and I lean my head against the door.

"I care because it affects people I love..."

"Yeah them, maybe even Seth eventually."

"Have you ever thought that I also care about you Jason..."

Silence.

I hear footsteps head towards the door and I start to panic. What If they catch me eavesdropping? Shoot! As the door begins to open I dash into the kitchen where Cade looks up. "Wow, you must have a sixth sense of food. Dinner's ready. Scout! Jason! Ryker!" She shouts. The first person that stalks in is Scout. Her eyes flash to me, fire in them. She sits down to the right of the head chair. That's probably where Jason sits. Ryker pads in, a look on his face I can't describe. He sits down next to the pit viper. How can he without being bitten? Cade puts dinner on the table and sits across from the girl with the lead eyes, and the only spot for me is next to Cade.

I cautiously ease myself down. Somehow, I manage to catch Scout talking to Ryker. Their heads are together in deep conversation. What could they be talking about? And how is he not dead yet? Her eyes dart over to me once or twice and she goes back to whispering. As Ryker whispers something back, she stiffens. "Ryker. What the hell is wrong?" She asks, just loud enough for us to hear.

"Nothing. I don't want to talk about it." He mutters back, and begins to fiddle with his dog tag. Then Jason walks in, and the conversation between the two is snuffed.

"Nice job Cade." He remarks. "At least you're being nice and welcome, and helpful." He raises his voice and points his gaze to the girl with steam practically coming from her ears.

"Jason. Don't take this out on me. It's not my fault I'm taking precaution." Her voice is just slightly softer than when talking to me. He grabs a plate and some food. "We'll discuss this later." Is all he says. She rolls her eyes again, and her jaw moves ever so slightly. Ryker rubs his arms slightly before going back to his dogtag.

"So what were you guys talking about?" Cade asks slowly as if trying not to provoke the two boys. Jason glares at Ryker and keeps eating.

"Nothing important." Ryker responds. As if. From what heard it was pretty damn well important.

"So, what do you guys all do, to pay for the apartment and, stuff...?" I inquire. Cade smiles.

"Well I go around town and sing as much a possible. Getting money and all that good stuff. Jason over here is a bartender, he makes the most out of all of us. Ryker is a mechanic for an auto repair shop. He hates it."

"I don't hate it, I just don't like it." Ryker speaks stubbornly. Cade rolls her eyes and continues to talk.

"And Scout is a janitor at the local mall." At this I make somewhat of a dying animal noise in an attempt not to laugh. She glares daggers at me and I straighten up.

"Uh, I feel so out of place, I wish I could contribute." Jason smiles eating what is left on his plate.

"Lucky for you kid, I don't work during the day. I can help you find a job." I smile at the warmth brought from him. It seems like he really cares. Which is really comforting. At least for me anyway. The night goes on and I begin to slightly warm up to these people. I make a joke that almost everyone laughs at. Ryker, Cade, and Jason talk about things going on. And I try to ignore the constant rain of death glares coming from Scout.

"I gotta go. I'll see you guys later." Jason says. Scout stands up suddenly, and her hair falls into her eyes that's escaped her braid. "I'm sorry." She says, and her eyes are cast down. His hand rests on her shoulder, and then his arm wraps around her shoulder in a hug. What? How? How can anyone get so close to her? She doesn't stiffen, but she doesn't hug back.

"I'll see you later." He says, and climbs out the window. She sits back down, and finishes eating without another word, not even to Ryker, and then she rushes away, closing the door almost silently.

"Ok then." I say, trying to ease the silence. Cade looks at me and gives a reassuring look.

"It's fine. Scout's always like this. She's had a tough life. All of us had, she's just more closed about it than others. Dunno why. Maybe Ryker knows." She says, her eyebrows going up.

"Maybe I do. Maybe I don't. Even if I did, I'm not going to tell you guys because Scout wouldn't want me to." Then he gets up and heads to the living room, and Cade goes into the same room Scout did. And now I'm here. The oddball. The new boy. Oh god. I'm so screwed here.