When Delinquent Meets Delinquent ✓

WDMD [7]

"Good bye!" I waved at my siblings and mum as they drove down the tarred road. I held my blanket closer to myself and stood out alone in the cold night.

I sighed and turned back and saw Levi already outside, staring at me. I walked to where he was and bumped shoulders with him before getting into the warm house.

The door closed behind me and Levi wrapped an arm around my waist.

"What's wrong?" he asked, concern in his voice.

"What do you mean?" I asked, surprised by his question.

"You seemed a little off after your talk with your mother. Is everything okay?" he said, this time, turning me around so I could face him. His green eyes held a lot of concern and I looked away, scared that those eyes would look at me accusingly and I would have to give in.

He jutted my chin up so I could look at him. "Tell me... QT?"

Ah, not the nickname. QT pronounced 'cutie' is actually from my middle name 'Qatar'. He started calling me that when I had lost my first pup I had ever gotten from him. He said I looked cute when I cried and started calling me that ever since.

"Fine," I sighed, giving in and plopping on the sofa. He sat beside me and took my hands in his.

"My mum's dying," I said. His eyes shot open. "How?" he asked slowly, and then I started pouring out everything she told me.

And at the end, I finally broke down after bottling everything inside of me.  I cried because I lost my father, because I was part of the cause of her current condition, because I had no time for my siblings and because I would soon not only lose a father, but also a cherished and loving mother.

After all that, Levi bought ice-cream for us both and we had a horror movie marathon till early in the morning at two when I fell asleep beside him on the floor of the living room.

• • •

Gabe and Armani stared back at my mother, Levi and I, clearly not remorseful. Honestly, I felt bad for my mother. She had to go all through a lot of stress to get here and the least they could do was just to apologise.

The cop unlocked the door and they both stepped out, Armani smirking at me as he passed.

Levi had received a call from my mother to meet her at the Police Station. Levi told me and I insisted on coming along when he had refused to let me. As a result of my mum driving, we had to trek down to the station. Not that I was complaining.

Outside the Police Station, I stood with Gabe and Armani, clearly angry at them.

"Cut me some slack here okay? How many times do you have to end up here? What were you guys thinking? Setting an aboandoned building on fire and expecting not to be caught by the police? What if it affected the people living around there? Who are you? Superman?" I yelled at them.

"What's got your panties in a twist?" Armani asked gruffly, as he ran a hand through his blond hair. I walked up to him, my head reaching his nose and I looked up, clearly ignoring our height difference.

"Look here Armani. My mum has a lot of things on her plate here and it's not everytime you guys get into jail that she'd be there to bail your sorry asses out. It's not always she's going to be here," I said, almost breaking down at just the thought of my mum leaving.

Gabe only looked between us, silent. He knew I was about to break down and he knew my words held a deeper meaning to that.