Boots & Slippers

Chapter seven

Pic of Markus and Enzo.

Markus POV

"Answer the question Bruin. What did you do to him" I demand of my best friend. I feel unusual anger rising in me toward Bru. We never fight but this is about Enzo. Sweet little Enzo. I take a good look at him and it's only then that I see how terrible he looks, his hair is disheveled and unwashed. He is after loosing so much weight that he looks sick and then to top it off he's been crying.

"Do you want to tell him or will I?" Bru ignores me and directs the question at Enzo, who in turn whimpers and hangs his head in shame. This is not good. "One of you tell me now" I growl and that gets a reaction from Bru. He looks at me through squinted eyes and I internally panic. Shit. He knows my secret now. We know each other well enough to be able to tell if somethings going on. My bestie knows that I am the most laid back person most of the time. The only sure way to get my hackles rising is to hurt or threaten the few people I care about. And I certainly care about that sweet boy that is hiding behind my friend.

Bru shoots me the 'we will discuss this later' look to which I nod. I know he will have plenty of questions for me. I feel guilty, he's been sleeping with Enzo on and off for the past year. Thing is, I started chatting to the boy whenever he was around. The more I saw him, the harder I fell. It was like a landslide that I couldn't avoid. He doesn't know and I don't think he sees me that way but I know and it kills me. Bru hasn't had him over in the last two months and it's obvious that bad stuff has happened in his life since we saw him last. I intend to get to the bottom of it and I plan to catch a hold of the beautiful twenty year old and never let go.

"Tell him" Bru says but Enzo shakes his head no. "Fine! I found our young friend here on hookers street, standing at the car of a john. I believe that if I didn't turn up he would've gotten into that car and a shit ton of trouble. I brought him back here but he got upset and then fell asleep. We just ate because he's as skinny as a rake and I was just about to get some answers when you and, for some unknown reason Rubin Chance, walked in". Did I just hear what I thought I did.

"You were what!" I all but scream. I instantly regret it because he bolts out the door. I don't waste a second as I take off after him. He makes for the front door but I haul him into my arms before he can leave. "Don't, let me go. I'm disgusting. I know you all hate me now. Just let go" he tries to free himself from my embrace but I'm much bigger and stronger than him. I take him back into the living room and plop him on the couch.

"Em, bighead I'll just leave thanks for everything" Rubin says I point at him then the chair. "Sit button, you both have explaining to do and where the fuck do you think your going to go anyway" I turn to Bru and tell him "this one" as I point at Rubin "was running from some mad woman and as I stopped at a red light he hopped on my bike. I get that you seem to know him but I haven't a clue who he is. We will get your answers in a minute but for now I need to hear your story Enzo."

I look at his cute, tear stained, face and my heart breaks for him "we do not think you are disgusting but we do need to know what's going on. We can help, I, can help. You know we've gotten close and I need to confess that I want more than just friendship from you but that's something we will discuss later. But for now can you please stop thinking we will judge you and talk" I say as gently as I can.

He takes a deep breath and everyone in the room can feel his reluctance to speak. I notice Rubin take his hand and a moment of jealousy flares up within me but I won't let it fester. I know he is just supporting him, he'd better be just supporting him. 'Oh shut up you jealous freak' I reprimand myself. Enzo looks at Rubin who nods signalling him to tell us. He finally wipes away the stray tears and takes a deep breath again.

"I was kicked out of my foster home. Their son.." he stops and hangs his head in shame yet again. "He stole money from his parents. Lots of money, ten thousand to be exact. When they realised the money was gone they were furious to say the least. He'd spent five thousand on drugs before they'd realised it had been taken. They are bank haters so they kept the money in a safe in the house. I don't know how he managed to crack into it but he did. Once they knew it was gone he panicked. He confessed what he'd done to me while he was high and I tried to convince him to come clean.".

"Rather than do that he hid the remaining money and a bag of white powder that I assume was drugs among my things. He then alerted his parents that it was I who stole the money. They went berserk, my foster father punched me in the face whilst his wife was on the phone to the police. I gathered every bit of courage I could and jumped out the open window. That was a month and a half ago and I've been living on the street since. Today I was so hungry from not eating in three days I decided ... well you saw what I decided to do. It was the first time I promise. Bru I swear to you I'm clean, I would never do that to you." Bru must've had a conversation about this with him earlier.

"Why didn't you come to me. I would have helped" Bru asks and I nod because I know he would have and so would I. "How could I. You are a very private person, rightfully so. I signed the non disclosure agreement and that included the clause that you come to me never the other way round. I had to respect that and along with that, why would I drag anyone else into my shit problems. That is not fair" he makes a good point even if I wish it wasn't so.

"Well your here now and for the time being your staying put ok. Now you Mr Rubin Chance, ballet prodigy extraordinaire why are you in our home?" Bru questions the boy and I'm shocked at his announcement. If this guy is so great, why is he here indeed.