Chapter 3 - Chapter Three

After what seemed hours later, Jaxon pulled into a gas station. The gas tank was almost empty, and they probably still had a long way to go. He reached for his wallet, then realised he had left it at home. Or what was left of his home, anyway.

Jaxon scowled at his carelessness and looked at Arianne from the rear view mirror, his face softening immediately. She was so beautiful, like a sleeping angel. He didn’t know whether he could bear for her to be heartbroken when she knew the real truth of what they were. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kieran’s wallet sticking out from his jeans pocket. He glanced at Kieran, who he saw was still asleep.

At least someone had the common sense to bring a wallet, Jaxon thought. Sorry Kieran, but it’s for Arianne. Surely he wouldn’t mind? Jaxon reached for Kieran’s wallet, but found Kieran’s hand suddenly grabbing his.

“Just what the hell do you think you’re doing?” Kieran asked.

Jaxon smiled sheepishly and looked at Kieran, who raised an eyebrow, expecting an answer.

“I forgot to bring my wallet.”

“You could have asked me first.”

“Well, you were asleep…and I didn’t want to wake you.”

“Do you know what I thought when I saw you reaching for my jeans? You scared the hell out of me for a moment.”

Jaxon snorted. “As if. And no, I don’t want to know what you were thinking in that twisted mind of yours. Now give me the wallet. I need to pay for the gas.”

Kieran rolled his eyes and tossed Jaxon his wallet, which he caught in one hand.

Jaxon raised his eyebrows. “This is one heavy wallet. Haven’t you heard of a bank?”

Kieran smirked. “There’s not enough space in the bank.”

Jaxon rolled his eyes while Luca, still looking out the window, bit back a smile.

“I need to stretch my legs,” he said, stretching out his arms and stepping out of the car.

“Me too. Should I wake then? I don’t want them to be in the car all alone.” “Sure. Why not, they’ve been asleep for quite a while now.”
“Hey kiddo, time to wake up.” Kieran said, gently shaking Luca’s shoulder.

Luca stretched and yawned while Kieran woke Ari.
“Huh. Mmm. Five more minutes…” she mumbled.
“Come on, you’ve been sleeping for hours now. You wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight. Besides, Luca needs to get up and stretch his legs.”
Ari jerked awake at the sound of Luca’s name, and looked at her feet, still propped on his lap. She withdrew them quickly, casting him a disgusted look before practically hurtling herself out the car.

Kieran shrugged at Luca and rolled his eyes. “Girls.”

Luca bit back a smile before walking over with him to join Jaxon and Arianne.

“Ki?” Ari asked, her eyes narrowing with suspicion as soon he got close.
“Hmm?”

“Why isn’t your throat bruised anymore?”

Both Kieran and Jaxon froze.

“Em, well, Ari, I actually have to tell you something.” Kieran said, ignoring Jaxon’s frantic headshaking. “You see, Ari, I—”

“Kieran uses make up,” Jaxon cut in.

Kieran shot him a look that said “what the hell?” while Luca snorted.

“Yeah. Kieran uses make up, and he covered the bruise up with….” Jaxon trailed off, trying to think of a kind of product, but could only come up with eye shadow. “…Kieran, what is it that you use?”

Now it was Kieran’s turn to panic. “Erm, I…” he stuttered, trying to think of something other than lipstick.

“Foundation?” Luca offered, grinning.

“Yeah, that.”

Ari and Jaxon spluttered in laughter.

“You use make up!” howled Ari, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Kieran shot Jaxon a murderous look. “You are so not getting away with this one,” he muttered with a voice so low only Jaxon could hear.

“We should go now; the gas tank’s filled up.” Jaxon said after successfully containing his laughter and his relief from having to tell Ari the truth.

“Yes, lets.” Kieran said quickly, eager to change the topic. “Come on guys. Time to go.”

“Where are we going?” Ari asked, slipping one hand into Kieran’s and the other into Jaxon’s.

“I still don’t know,” admitted Jaxon.

“I have an apartment not far from here; we could stay there for a while.” suggested Kieran.

“Why didn’t you say so before?” Jaxon demanded.

“I just remembered.” Kieran said, defending himself.

Jaxon rolled his eyes and lead the way to the car, with the others following behind him. “Do you want to drive, Kieran? I don’t know the way.”

Kieran was just about to accept the offer when Arianne broke in.
“He can’t do that, silly. He broke his arm, remember?”

“Yes, Jaxon, how could you possibly forget something so important?” Kieran mocked him as they got into the car.

Jaxon pursed his lips, started up the engine, pulled out of the gas station and headed for Kieran’s apartment.

“Make a right here,” Kieran said. “Another right. Go straight. Another right. Make a left. In there.”

“Okay, and then?” asked Jaxon, eager to get out of this part of town. The alleyways were dark, the walls scattered with graffiti, and people gathered around in groups to smoke all sorts of drugs.

“We’re here.” Kieran said.

“Are you serious?” asked an incredulous Jaxon.

“So it’s not a flashy apartment. Come on.” Kieran said impatiently, yanking the car door open.

“You have got to be shootting me.” Luca and Jaxon said at the same time, refusing to move.

“Hey, I said I had an apartment, I didn’t say I had an apartment that cost me more than my savings.” snapped Kieran.

“If this is the kind of apartment you would buy, I doubt that you have any kind of savings at all.” Jaxon shot back.

Kieran gritted his teeth, carried Ari’s luggage with his “good” arm, hauled them up the stairs and tossed Luca the keys. Luca slotted the keys inside, and turned the handle. He pushed the door open, only to find that it had jammed. He grimaced and kicked the door open. Plumes of dust burst out of the apartment, causing them to choke and cough.

Ari peered inside, horrified. “You expect me to live here?”

Jaxon had the exact same expression on his face, and he asked the same question, but emphasised on another word. “You expect me to live here?”

Luca just looked at the flat in horror.

“It is a little dusty,” admitted Kieran.

“Understatement of the century!” cried Arianne.

“We’ll tidy it right up in no time.” said Kieran brightly.

“I don’t think so, Ki. This place is pretty screwed up,” Ari piped.

“Language!” He admonished her before going into the apartment.

“Okay. Ari and I’ll go to the supermarket—that is, if there is one—and buy a mop, a broom—” started Jaxon.

“And a gallon of detergent?” suggested Arianne.

Jaxon chuckled. “Maybe two.”

“Okay, okay. Enough with the jokes. So you two go to the supermarket. And what will we do?”

“Erm, look for light switches, check if there’s electricity, open the windows and all that other stuff?” suggested Jaxon.

“There better be hot water for my shower,” Arianne said, raising her eyebrows.

“Enough of the cheek, girl. Go on then, we’ll just so sort ourselves through this…stuff.” Kieran said, mentally replacing the word “stuff” with “pile of shoot”.

Luca raised an eyebrow. “We?” He asked. “I don’t think so, buddy. You’re alone on this one.”

Kieran shot him a look before going into the so called living room and as he stepped onto the mangy carpet a plume of dust swirled up around him. He sneezed three times. He tripped over a piece of floorboard that stuck up from the floor and landed on the floor. He felt something scuttle up from his leg, his back, his neck, and finally drop on to the floor. He turned his head around and saw it was a cockroach. He yelped and rubbed his neck, screwing his face up in disgust.

Luca looked into the living room, and made a face. “I hate cockroaches,” he said before turning away. “You okay?”

“Never been better.”

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