turning him good

23: fun talk

                   

"I can't believe you got the bus here," I sniggered as I drove Levi back to his house,

"well, some of us can't afford to put fuel in their bikes," he muttered as he pouted like a child,

"you can afford it though, you just forget," I state,

"yeah... well! Ugh, never mind," he said giving up fighting me,

"see., I'm right," I said annoying him,

"whatever," he said and gazed out of the window.

Fun talk.

"sorry," he muttered,

"what? Why are you apologizing?" I asked confused,

"I thought you were... never mind," he said and turned back to look out if the window,

"okay," I say and return my attention to the road. I probably should have never left the road.

"ah, crap," Levi said as he ducked down in his seat trying to hide himself,

"what... what is it?" I asked as I looked at my surrounding as I pulled up to his road.

"my aunt and uncle are here," he said as he pulled up the hood of his jumper so it was covering his eyes,

"that is bad because..." I said unsure of everything,

"they are the most judgmental people on earth. One year when they came down, I had a friend round and they said to his face that they hated him for wearing a plaid flannel. How rude is that?" he asked rhetorically.

"I'm sure it will be fine... will it be better if I come in with you?" I said with a laugh,

"yeah! That's a great idea!" he said happily and once I stopped the car he hopped out and came over to open the door for me.

"just go with it," he whispered before holding his hand out for me to take and follow him inside.

I took his hand and he pulled me inside. my eyes scanned the new car that was in their drive way. The car was a classic car because the leather seats were slightly torn and it was extremely small, almost too small to look functional.

Levi unlocked the door and let me go in first to see a few people gathered in the living room and Levi's mum wandering through to the kitchen past the grand staircase.

"hello dear," she said to me before smiling at Levi.

"Scar, isn't it?" he asked me as he handed Levi a plate to carry through to the kitchen with her,

"it's Scarlett," I said with a polite smile,

"oh yes! Sorry Scarlett," she said repaying the smile,

"who are you talking to Katie?" a bellowing female voice said,

"Levi and his friend Scarlett," Katie (Levi's mum) replied with,

"Levi has a friend?" she asked sarcastically,

"yes Harriet," he said, "you scared the other one off... remember?" he said rudely,

"oh yes... that boy... Craig I think," she said recalling his name,

as soon as she said this, I choked a little bit,

"yes... Craig," Levi said looking at me funny,

I nodded to him and then followed him into the kitchen.

"do you two know the time by the way... shouldn't you be getting home?" his annoying aunt asked me,

"it's not really that late... my mum knows I'm here," I lied to her because she had no idea where I had gone to.

Just on cue, my phone rang lighting up Jason's name, "excuse me one moment," I said politely as I left the room,

"yes?" I said to Jason,

"where the hell are you?!" he shouted through the phone,

"at Levi's..." I said matter-o-factly.

"oh... okay," and then he hung up which was really random because i was expecting a fight about the time and everything like that.

I walked back into the kitchen where Levi and his aunt were glaring at each other with Levi towering over her frail body that looked really out of proportion to her head, which was massive.

"what's going on?" I asked Levi's mother whispering,

"she mentioned something about someone... Levi is now staring at her," she replied with as if it was always happening,

"oh," I said back.

"I thought he would've asked to stay at your house as soon as he saw their car," she said as he she colletcted up more plates and put them in the dishwasher.

"really?" I asked confused,

"oh yes... he hates her," she said making sure her sister heard,

the two of them looked quite similar but Levi's mother looked healthier and more alive than her sister. Her sister was clearly older as her skin was greying and drooping a lot. She had a curly mop on her head whereas Katie's hair was long and flowing behind her back in soft curls that made her look a lot younger than I'd imagine she was.

Levi stopped glaring at his aunt and came to stand next to me,

"hey... um, can I stay at yours tonight?" he asked with puppy eyes,

I looked over at his mum who was nodding sincerely at me with her structured face. Now I know where Levi gets his amazing jaw line from.

"sure," I replied looking up at his face and he was smiling like a child,

"great, let me go and get some things," he said and then disappeared upstairs as quick as lightening.

His mum looked over at me and smiled before coming close, "you know, Levi has changed since he moved here. He's become more, more... behaved and polite. You and your brother have a good influence on him," she said and smiled one last time before adding, "I think we both know who adds the most influence,"

I looked back at her before turning my attention to the teenager who stood in the doorway and called my name, "you ready to go?" he asked before nodding his head in the direction of the door.

I nodded back and looked over at his mum before smiling again and following Levi to the front door.

"thanks for today." He muttered before getting into the passenger seat,
"it's the least I could do for a friend," I stated and looked at his sincere face,

"friends," he repeated looking mixed emotional.

"you okay?" I asked looking at him,

"yeah... why wouldn't I be," he asked more as a statement,

"what did your aunt say to you?" I asked as I leaned to him more,

"she um. She said that I'm never going to find someone and that my dance career is a joke," he said with a sad smile,

"Levi... don't listen to her," I said as I put my hand on his shoulder,

"she's right though... I'm never going to find someone," he said and then turned away.

"you will Levi, you will," I said turning back and starting the engine and driving off.

You definitely will.