Balance of the Skies (bxb)

CHAPTER 39

Koray's thoughts were in turmoil, raging through his head even louder than the howling wind and rumbling thunder. His eyes were ablaze with electricity even stronger than the snakes of lightning breaking across the grey skies. He had no idea where Rylan was, yet something told him to go to the pub where they usually hung out. On his way, he switched his phone off and put it back in his pocket. As he approached the corner, he saw Rylan standing there, eyes glazed, staring into nothing, his luggage next to him. He was puffing on a cigarette, seemingly oblivious to the rain pelting down on his head.

"We need to talk," Koray said, voice deep and coarse. The freckled boy simply nodded and started walking. It was then that Koray realised that he was moving towards his car. He unlocked the door for Koray and walked to his side.

Once they were inside, Koray expected Rylan to start driving, however, the boy simply looked out of the window, still puffing on his cigarette.

"Care to explain about this?" Koray threw the pendant in Rylan's lap.

"I saw it, I liked it so I took it," Rylan shrugged.

"Rylan, what's going on?" Koray took the pendant back, caressing its surface and somehow feeling himself grow calm.

"So now you want to know what's going on, huh?" Rylan turned to him and Koray was shocked to notice his blood shot eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"Where were you when I needed a friend, Koray? Where? You've been so wrapped up in all your things that you never noticed others around you."

"What are you talking about? We were always there for each other, you, me and Ty -"

"Really? Haven't you ever wondered how come I never asked you or Ty to come to my house? How you never met my family?" Koray fell silent when he realised that he knew nothing about his friend.

His mind went back to the first time he saw the boy. His father had called him into his study when he was seven or eight and there were two boys sitting quietly. His father had simply said that he had some meetings with the boys' fathers and Koray had to 'entertain' them. They had spent the whole afternoon playing video games and watching animated Disney movies, and they had instantly clicked. Koray had been delighted to find them both in his class when school started and they had been together ever since.

"I don't have a family, Koray. I was brought up in a foster home with eight other kids. So when your dad came to the house and chose me, I was elated."

"Chose you?"

"The family was having trouble financially so your dad offered to pay for my schooling, my clothes, everything. I only had to do one thing in return."

"Which was?"

"Keep an eye on you and report everything back to him."

"I don't believe this," Koray pulled at his hair with one hand, while clutching the pendant with the other.

"Everything went well for the first years. I mean, we were just children, so I would simply tell him if you skipped a class, the grades you got, you know, simple stuff. The trouble started when I was thirteen. The night before my birthday, I had a weird dream but thought nothing of it, until I had it again a year later and every year after that.

"Okay, what was the dream about?"

"You're not finding this weird?"

"It is weird Rylan, but with all the things happening lately, I can take weird. And I made a mistake once by not giving someone the chance to explain, so I'm not making the same mistake again."