Walking Shadow

Chapter 5 Scarlett

At home, mom wasn't there. She left me a note on the breakfast bar stating that she was out with her new boyfriend and that my grandma was out with my great grandma so I simply went upstairs, did homework and watched YouTube. I waited for the latch on the door to go so I could say goodnight before I went to sleep but it never did. I woke up to my mom planting a kiss on my forehead, then quickly departing the room. I sat up and looked at my phone, debating whether to text him or not.
Me: My thoughts are stars I can't fathom into constellations.
I felt the vibration of the notification ripple through my sheets and through my body.
Taylor: Ah, John green? You like the fault in our stars?
Me: I was expecting you to be asleep.
Me: But, yeah I do. A lot. It's one of my favourite books.
He had read the text but was not responding. I assumed he got bored so I rolled over and clasped my eye lids close together, In a vain attempt at sleep.

Taylor: I can't sleep.
Me: Me either.
Me: Question, did you look up the quote?
Taylor: Maybe
Taylor: But I assume you did too
Me: Haha you got me
Taylor: Meet me?
Me: Its midnight Taylor
Taylor: just do it, come on.
Me: I can't just leave, my mom will be worried
Taylor: It is so hard to leave—until you leave. And then it is the easiest goddamned thing in the world.
Me: stop with the John Green! He's my weak spot.
Taylor: is that a yes?
Me: fine.
Me: Meet me at my house in ten minutes.
Taylor didn't reply.
I got up, got dressed into some camouflage green shorts and an Einstein tee shirt that I tied to make it look a little more fashionable than before with a checked shirt over the top and then wrote a note Incase mom checked on me. It read "I can't sleep so I've gone for a walk. Don't worry. I have my phone. Love scar".
I stood on the top of my drive waiting to hear the pitter patter of his converse.
I looked down at my cracked phone screen, 00:23. The bright white numbers glowed through the smudges, although they looked dimmed.

First I heard the wheels -that badly needed to be oiled- screech to a halt, then I heard his voice. Husky and croakier than normal, more than likely due to the time of night.
"You look nice." He said, blatantly lying, as he lifted one leg at a time over the black leather seat of the purple and green bike. His hair was messier than usual, swept effortlessly across his face as if he'd just been caught in a tornado. He was wearing navy blue shorts fashioned with a grey long sleeved, tee shirt which said "Final Fantasy X" In large, bold letters and underneath was a picture of an oddly shaped symbol. Without communication we started to venture into the dark. Gravel crunched beneath the tires of his bike.
"I wasn't expecting you to come if I'm honest." He broke the silence.
"I wasn't expecting you to reply, especially to a John green quote." He giggled and gave me a heartfelt but lopsided smile, just how I liked them. Taylor had a Handsome face, defined cheek bones, a small button nose and thin but pursed lips. His only imperfection was a small scar from his temple to slightly above his ear. Other than that, he was perfect. He looked like a ken doll but more rugged. The shadows danced across his face, making his hazel eyes glisten even more than before.
"I want to show you something" he said as he kicked a stone, making it hit against a fence of a near by house.
"What is it?" I already knew he wouldn't answer the question when I said it, I was curious to see if he could surprise me more than he already had.
"I assume you already gathered that it's a surprise but I can tell you one thing, you are all the colours in one at full brightness." He grinned a devilish grin and ran. Startled, I ran after him. "You can't just say a quote from my favourite book and run off!" I yelled as my legs sped up, no where near his pace though.
"I can! Also, I wasn't expecting you to know what it meant" he slowed down, letting me catch up to him. I put my hand on his broad shoulder as I caught my breath I said, "So you like all the bright places too?" My hand slid away from his shoulder and onto my knees, then they returned to my hips as I rose and conducted myself.
"Like it? I love it. It's just amazing, I can't describe how much I love this book. It's like the perfect mix of tragedy and love and sadness." We continued to walk until we reached a small house that looked abandoned. The windows were no longer there, tattered curtains hung alone with a melancholy glance. Graffiti consumed the door like a blanket smothering what was left of the damp wood. There was no security except a small steel gate that looked like it could collapse any minute.
"What is this? Taylor, this looks like it's going to kill us. What are you up to?" He replied with a laugh and smiled as if to let me know that I can trust him. He leaped over the gate and started walking across the front garden towards the entrance.
"For Christ's Sake" I muttered under my breath as I continued to jump over the gate, not as smoothly as Taylor managed to do it. My leg got caught in one of the curves, I let out a small squeal much to his amusement.
"Are you going to help me or what?" I laughed. He laughed. Then he grabbed my hands as I wriggled my leg out. I smiled at him as his eyes lit up, maybe it was the stars dance reflecting into them or the moonlight spiralling around the sky...or maybe it was me. He pulled my arm as we ran into the collapsing building. Once I had entered I could not help but notice the piles and piles of rubble and old materials that we once used for the furniture. Without warning, he started tottering up some tediously ancient stairs. "Taylor... that's not going to hold your weight never mind mine!" He giggled, then said "come on! It's fine!" He hit my arm playfully, "Scar, loosen up" he giggled and winked at me, reassuring me he was joking.
Upstairs was bare and bitterly cold. Large beams decorated the ceiling. There were only two rooms, one looked like an old bathroom and the other a bedroom. None had any furniture except an unusable sink. The room he led me into had a crimson red rug, tattered at the edges, laid out as if we were going to have a picnic. He sat there legs crossed so I did the same.
"Welcome to my home." He signalled with his arms to around the room.
"You live here?! How?" I was shocked but didn't want to be disrespectful.
"Well, I don't actually live here I just call it home. My homes never been my home." His words hit home hard. Like they had just punched my in the face and knocked me out. I understood every thing without him having to explain.