章 24: Pieces of Mystery (3)
Oxy just got home, feeling tired after Selena brought her to some boutique to look at some dresses. Then she frowned when she found that there were many pairs of shoes on the shoe rack. There might be guests in this house. She walked until she found the messy living room.
There were lots of food wrappers on the table, on the sofa, and on the floor too. Not to mention the dirty chip crumbs everywhere. The TV was also still on even though no people were watching it here.
"Oh, shit..." Oxy hissed looking at the mess in the room. Grace would be mad to see this.
"Darren!" Called Oxy. She threw her backpack on the floor and entered the living room. "Darren! You screwed up! Your mother will be home soon, you know!"
Oxy didn't want to help Darren, but this mess would be got to her too.
"Hey, Darren!" Oxy shouted again. But all the calls were in vain, the annoying boy didn't answer at all.
Oxy with annoyance immediately turn off the tv, then she collected the food wrappers on the table.
Then she heard footsteps.
"Darren, you...!" Oxy immediately turned around. She was about to snap. But her voice was muffled when she realized that wasn't Darren.
Argen looked at her with clear blue eyes from, standing in the doorway. His blonde curly hair seemed to glow in the light.
"Oh, sorry," said Argen. "We just played here."
Oxy was at a loss for words in her throat. Was that boy Argen? Or was she just dreaming about him again?
Argen stepped forward, then joined to collect the food wrappers on the table. While Oxy was still standing half-dead confused, it was very strange to see Argen in her house. He didn't expect Darren and Argen to be that close even though they were in the same basketball club at school.
Argen suddenly took the food wrapper from Oxy's grip, maybe because Oxy was still frozen like an idiot.
"Duh, sorry..." Oxy's turned to apologize.
Argen had collected all the food wrappers into the trash box. He had also found the vacuum cleaner before Oxy even told him.
"I saw it there," Argen immediately explained without Oxy asking.
"Darren... where is he?" asked Oxy awkwardly, feeling bad about letting Argen use the vacuum cleaner to clean the carpet.
"On the way up. We put the music too loud, that's why we didn't hear you," replied Argen, shrugging his shoulders in a light motion.
Oxy wondered why Argen wanted to be called 'We', even though Darren usually played loud music for himself.
Darren's room had been fitted with silencers, but the loud music still could be heard.
Oxy didn't know what to do because, in the end, Argen cleaned the room by himself.
"S-sorry," Oxy said again. "You were a guest, but you helped me clean the room instead."
Argen just smiled. "Don't keep apologizing. Besides, the room was a mess because of us. So we have a responsibility to clean it up."
Oxy could only be amazed by Argen's kindness. This boy didn't fit in with Darren's group at all. Oxy could faintly inhale the smell of the cigarette that was often used by Darren on Argen. But Oxy hoped Argen didn't smoke.
Oxy had a perfect image of Argen. Argen was an idol and the best boy in the world. Of course, she imagined all these things only from a distance. she had a crazy crush on him.
"I just realized we never stopped by Darren's house," said Argen. "Maybe that's why I barely know you."
Oxy hoped her ears didn't turn red. She just shrugged, not knowing what to say.
"You're friends with the new kid, aren't you?" asked Argen.
Oxy blinked at Argen's new topic. "Se-Selena?"
"Yes," Argen nodded.
Oxy thought Argen was curious about Selena, just like Darren and the other boys, of course, they were curious about Selena. Selena was a very attractive girl.
Oxy waited for Argen to ask anything about Selena, but Argen just watched her silently.
"Which orphanage are you from?" Argen's question was surprising. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. I was just curious because I'm an adopted child too."
"O-oh yeah?" Oxy blinked, disbelieving Argen's confession.
"Yeah, so I know what it's like to be different in a foster family." Argen chuckled. "My adoptive father and mother had a son, he was younger than me. He never liked me."
It was really strange to hear the story of Argen who was an adopted child. Oxy had heard that Argen's father worked in the government. But she had never heard if Argen was an adopted child. And how could Argen's adoptive brother not like the kindness of Argen?
"I'm from the Northern Skeleta orphanage." finally Oxy answered.
Argen was silent for a moment. The expression on his face was hard to read, but he immediately smiled, making his handsome face confuse Oxys more.
"I just thought maybe we were from the same orphanage," said Argen.
Surprisingly Oxy was pleased to know they both had something in common. Adopted children do not make Argen's perfection fade in Oxy's eyes. She wondered if Argen had told this to Darren and the others.
"The room is finally clean," Oxy said awkwardly. "Thank you. Our mother doesn't like it when the house is messy. Especially when she comes home from work."
"Any mother wouldn't be happy if her house was a mess," Argen smiled again.
Oxy smiled awkwardly back, then nodded. "You can rejoin Darren and the others up there."
Oxy didn't mean to drive him away, but she was worried that she had hindered Argen. She quickly picked up the bag that was lying on the floor.
"By the way, I will also go upstairs," for some reason Oxy was embarrassed, she didn't know what else to say to not feel awkward.
Argen also followed her. The stairs were enough for the two of them to walk side by side. Oxy was getting nervous because Argen was walking next to him.
"This is my room," Oxy immediately approached the door to her room which was right in front of Darren's door.
"Oh my gosh," said Argen. "You must be feeling noisy."
"It's okay," Oxy shrugged, throwing an irritated look at Darren's door. The sound of rock music thumping faintly came from there. "They must be smoking, right?"
"Oh," Argen realized. "Yeah," for some reason Argen's face looked guilty. "Jacob's influence is too bad. I've had it too, but I quit."
"Why?" asked Oxy. For some reason, she was curious about Argen's answer.
Argen shrugged. "Not my tea, maybe."
"Grace wouldn't like it if she found out Darren smoked."
"Looks like we were in the wrong house," said Argen. "No wonder Darren didn't want us here."
"Yes, our mother was a very strict person," Oxy said.
"Sorry for being such a bad influence on your brother."
Even Oxy was flabbergasted. Why did Argen apologize to her? She just realized that Argen was a popular boy and that meant he had through many things, such as smoking and dating popular girls.
Did she think Argen was an angel or what?
Oxy just shrugged, not knowing what to say.
"You don't need to apologize. Besides, without your gang, Darren was already a mess." Oxy decided the most polite words she could give to Argen.
"Yeah, we're all screwed," said Argen, and Oxy wanted to oppose it.
You're not screwed, Argen. In my fantasy, you are the perfect boy.
Instantly Oxy felt her face heat up. She started to think silly even when she was in front of Argen.
"See you later," said Oxy, then opened her room.
"Hey," said Argen, stopping Oxy. Oxy turned back to Argen.
"Sorry, but are you busy?"
Oxy frowned.
"I was a bit dizzy. So I came out of Darren's room. I wanted to grab a drink before seeing you downstairs. So..."
Oxy was flustered when Darren suddenly held himself against the wall.
"Sorry, I'm just not feeling well."
Oxy was really stupid not to notice Argen's face.
"Come in," Oxy was forced to lead Argen into her room. This was not a good idea. But she couldn't let Argen slump down the hall. She felt awkward holding Argen's arm, bringing him to sit on the edge of the bed.
"Sorry, my room is a mess..." Oxy's face was red from embarrassment. She immediately cleaned up a bit of her messy stuff even though Grace had cleaned up the traces she had left when Selena stayed at home.
Argen just smiled weakly. His face was really pale. Oxy didn't know if she notice it earlier.
"Sit here. I'll get you a drink," Oxy immediately turned and then left the room.
Oxy rushed down the stairs. She did not expect to let Argen into her room. She wished Argen to ignore how boring and gloomy her room was. She immediately returned with a drink and medicine that she could find.
"I didn't know what medicine, so I brought you some febrifuge." Oxy handed Argen a glass and medicine.
Argen accepted it. "Oxy..." he said. "I have my own medicine in my backpack."
"Oh yeah?"
Argen smiled with his pale lips. He drank first. "Thanks," he said after.
Oxy watched Argen with a look of admiration mixed with worry. Amazed by Argen being this close to her, and worried to know Argen had a certain disease. She thought Argen was a very healthy young man because he was a basketball captain.
"Are you coming to the Star Night party?" suddenly Argen asked.
Oxy's face turned red again when she realized the lump of invitation poster that Selena had torn off was on her desk.
"It's ..."
"Good, see you there," said Argen immediately.
Oxy twirled her fingers. "I'm not sure I can come."
"Why?"
Oxy didn't know how to explain why. Isn't it obvious? She was a strange kid who would appear stupid when she was there.
"Just come, I'll be waiting for you."
Oxy widened her eyes at Argen. What did Argen just say? Waiting for her?
Oxy suddenly stood up. She wasn't used to this.
"I-I'll call Darren!" She immediately ran away from her room. Then banged on Darren's door.
Darren appeared in the doorway looking irritated and reeking of cigarette smoke. A deafening sound of music came out of his room as the door opened. Oxy also saw Eddie and two other seniors, they were all smoking.
"What the hell, stupid?" Darren asked irritated.
"Quickly take Argen home!" Oxy exclaimed, trying to keep up with the loud music.
"What is wrong with him?"
"He's sick, take him home!"
"Hey, it's okay, Oxy." Argen was suddenly standing behind Oxy, which made Oxy surprised.
"Are you sick?" Darren asked Argen.
"Yeah, looks like I have to go home," replied Argen, then went into Darren's room to get his backpack.
"Want me to drop you off, bro?" one of the seniors reprimanded Argen.
"No, I can go home alone." rejected Argen. "Well, see you later."
"Well, if you say so. Don't let us hear you pass out on the street." they all laughed including Darren.
Only Oxy pouted because it seemed like they were friends with Argen just for taking advantage of Argen's popularity.
"See you later, Oxy." Argen did not forget to say goodbye to Oxy. And his face was no longer pale. So strange.
"Well, get lost, stupid." expelled Darren who immediately slammed the door shut.[]
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