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Percy Flynn

The day was really not going right.

I regarded the guy in front of me with squinted eyes as the rain poured down on us. He had a thin white shirt on that was already soaked and transparent, then black jeans wet through and through. A converse and that was it, so simple. Usually he's not simple. Spencer Caldwell was the type of guy that'd wear a button down collared shirt when going to pluck grapes, when going to the park and even when jogging.

I always used to make fun of him and his formal dress code and finally when we were no longer speaking, he listened. I didn't even know he owned a plain shirt. Downside of this though — if he escaped this experience without a cold, he was freaking lucky. My eyes saw his matted down dark curls and flushed white face, and then I turned to leave.

"Percy, wait."

I stopped – wrong decision, I should've walked away – and turned back to him, my face set in a hard frown. "What?"

He looked down at his converse, the back at me. I couldn't help but think he reminded me of a lost homeless puppy. "Please, I don't know how to work a car."

"Neither do I," I relayed back, keeping my voice as monotone as possible.

He looked at me in disbelief, no doubt wondering why I came out of my car then. I was really wondering the same thing too. I guess it was the natural helping instinct that drew me out here. Even though in this case, I was useless. I was expecting a pretty girl though, not Spencer.

"Really? You sure there's not–"

I cut him off. "Just call a tow trunk, Spencer."

He reached into the hood, picking his phone off the car's battery or engine. "No cell reception."

"Then call your father."

"N-no reception," He repeated and I almost blushed.

"Oh," I looked around me, searching my mind for a solution. I came up with none, "Hard luck then."

I walked back to my car and he didn't say any other thing. The moment I was seated and about to drive off, I couldn't. That was the thing about homeless puppies, they make you question yourself and feel for them. I couldn't leave Spencer out there in the rain. What if someone came and kidnapped him? What if the rain washed him away? What if he got pneumonia? What ifs.

I shouldn't care; Spencer Caldwell and I weren't friends anymore. The bond we once shared was severed when he tried to kill my brother's best friend, Ryder Tracey, his step sister and one of the most amazing girls I knew. He was a lunatic, a psycho that needed help. The guilt that I had for introducing him into my brother's life remained ever present and sometimes I couldn't even get myself to look at him.

Just go Percy, he isn't worth it and he deserves pneumonia. I urged myself as I drove forward but —

"Yo, Caldwell," I shouted out, opening up the passenger seat. "Are you coming in or what?"

Even with the darkness and rain, I could see his eyes widen then the small smile as he closed the hood, locked his car and ran into mine, shutting the door after him. "Thank you... and sorry about your seats."

"Don't talk to me," I spat as I drove off.

Two minutes later and I was gritting my teeth. I told him not to talk to me and I had no idea where he lived. I kept glancing back at him and my driving speed significantly reduced as I racked my brain for a way to ask him for it without looking anymore stupid. I was anything but stupid. If Spencer noticed, he didn't do a single thing and my eyes may be deceiving me but I thought he was enjoying this.

"Where the fuck do you live?" I finally asked, craving in and my eyes heating up as I forced myself to look straight ahead. Spencer looked at me, then looked away and read his address off.

After that, the ride became silent, the only sound was that of the blaring radio and the rain. To say that the ride was uncomfortable was an understatement but at least I didn't think about Janis and her betrayal anymore. By the time I packed in front of the house, I stopped to look at it. It was a small building that looked like it had seen better days. The should be picket fence was just a few sticks stuck to the ground, the lawn was overdue and with this rain I was sure it was going higher. The paint was peeling off everywhere making the house look... ugly. It was just a storey with no stairs.

"This is your house?" I asked tearing my eyes away from the dying building.

"Yea," Spencer replied rubbing his hands over himself, no doubt trying to warm up. He's mouth was a bit purple and he was a step away from shivering. I found myself thinking – if I had a jacket with me, I'd --- Nope, never.

"You don't live with your family anymore?" I asked tearing my eyes off his purple lips. It was kind of fun to see.

Spencer shook his head. "No. It's just me now."

Without my knowledge, my heart clenched. But I bristled up immediately, he doesn't deserve pity or whatever that was. "What, did they finally chase you?"

"No. I left on my own terms," He said, then looked away as a small sneezed left him.

I looked back at the house. "And you live alone?" He nodded. "Isn't this area like, dangerous?"

Spencer tucked his tongue into his cheek, looking around. "Kind of but there is nothing I can do."

"How about, don't live alone?" I asked.

He smiled. "I don't have anyone Percy. Who I'm I supposed to live with?"

Okay... First off, ouch. Second, it's none of my business.

"Cool." I replied and we sat in silence looking at each other.

"Um... I'm going to go now." He mumbled and I gave no reply, I just watched him leave sneezing a few times before he made it into his house. I knew he would come down with a cold.

Before leaving, I thought about how it was too bad Spencer's a bad guy that I was not supposed to hang out with. Before he went all psycho, showing his true colors, I thought of him as one of the coolest guys I knew. I valued his friendship and he was the only one I felt I could ever learn something from. He looked reserved but could be very open and free. He was really intelligent and could speak four different languages. He's traveled to more countries than I can count on one hand and if he put in his best, he could actually compete against me for most good looking guy.

I had bonded with him over the internet and when he arrived town, I was the one to show him around. I took him to all my favorite spots, driving up and down. He was a junior then (now a senior) but you'd hardly know that because he even sat with my friends and I during lunch. I trusted him and made the mistake of setting him up with my brother, Paxton.

Spencer went ahead and fell in love with him, the wrong obsessive kind. Now he was off limits and I'd be a fool to form any kind of alliance with him again. One strike and you're out. Just like with Janis.

As I drove out of the neighborhood, I thought to myself; trust was like an egg, once broken it can never be gotten back. At least with me.

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