HARLOW

Ever since Everett drug me back inside from the garden, he's kept me in his room and refused to let me leave. He said something about only letting me leave when he's satisfied and I'm not quite sure what he means by that. Either way, I've just been sitting here working on my studies while he watches me. As of recently though, I'm pretty sure he fell asleep. There's honestly nothing stopping me from getting up and leaving while he's sleeping, but I'm kind of too intrigued by him to leave.

My eyes flicker over to his figure, him lying on his back on the tan carpet with his one arm draped across his chest and the other lying by his side as he sleeps. Everett's room isn't quite what I imagined it would be, but at the same time, it's everything I thought it would be. While the rest of the bedrooms have wooden floors, Everett's has carpet and his walls are painted tan. He has a black bed with black pillows and he has a stereo, a dart board, a bookshelf stacked full of books and scrolls, a black bean bag chair, a closet similar to mine, and a bathroom similar to mine. He also has a window by his bed and and some posters hung around his room of different games and shows, as well as a silver laptop resting by his bean bag chair.

I finish up my homework for today and tomorrow and raise a brow when Everett wakes up, sitting up suddenly and sighing before he walks over to his bookshelf and grabs a sketch book that's sitting on top of it, a pen clipped in the rings. He opens the sketchbook and begins to work on a drawing and I let him work in silence. He purses his lips as he thinks and a few minutes later he goes over to the stereo and turns on alternative rock music. I smile at the familiar sound and close up my books, setting them off to the side. Just then, rapid knocking appears at the door and both Everett and I look at the door, which almost seems to shake upon the desperate knocking.

"Harlow!" Oz nearly cries my name out as he bangs on the door. "Please, help me!"

Everett sighs and stands up, going over to open the door and Oz nearly falls in the room. Oz pouts and his eyes are all watery, making me frown.

"Oz, what's wrong?" I ask as Oz walks further in and Everett shuts the door.

"I'm so stupid," Oz sighs and I get the feeling it has something to do with Azusa. "Earlier, Azusa drank from me before he started acting weird and then ran off. When he came back, I went to check on him, but I think I made it worse. Now he'll probably just act even more weird around me..."

Oz flops down on the floor and his ears droop as he begins to cry and Everett simply ignores him, going back to drawing as I attempt to comfort Oz.

"It'll be okay," I assure Oz. "Azusa really cares about you. Whatever's going on, I know he won't shut you out over it."

Oz simply nods and Everett grunts in agreement as he continues his drawing, his eyes briefly flickering up from the page to Oz.

"Oz, what about Ryker?" I ask and Oz frowns. "Do you think you still have a future with him?"

"I...don't know," Oz admits in a sigh and buries his face in his hands. "I don't want my feelings for Azusa to change how I feel about Ryker, but I know that my worries and doubts about Ryker aren't because of my feelings for Azusa. My doubts are because of Ryker himself."

"Leave Ryker," Everett hums with disinterest as he continues working on his sketch, swooping elegant lines all over the page.

"What?" Oz peeks through his fingers and glances over at Everett, both of our eyebrows raising in surprise at him speaking.

"Leave Ryker," Everett repeats, "simple as that."

"But—" Oz starts, only to be silenced by Everett glancing up at him, his expression entirely neutral.

"I've seen what corrupted love does. Love is not meant to be so twisted. If you know what's best for you, you'll leave Ryker," Everett says.

Oz seems to quiet at that and I glance between the two, wondering what Everett's talking about.

"You too, huh?" Oz asks quietly and Everett simply nods as he goes back to sketching.

"Oz, Ryker isn't good for you," I attempt to assure him and he sighs.

"That's what everyone seems to be telling me," Oz says, his eyes downcast.

"Oi!" Azusa shouts and bangs on the door, startling both me and Oz. "Everett! Get your ass out here!"

"Bite me," Everett snorts and continues sketching.

"Everett," Azusa snaps, "someone's at the front door. It's for you."

Everett's eyes widen slightly and his pencil slows to a halt before he stands up, placing his things aside, and makes his way over to his door. He opens it to reveal Azusa standing there mildly annoyed and he brushes passed him without another word, heading downstairs. Azusa's eyes flicker between me and Oz and he blushes lightly at seeing Oz, turning his gaze away as he stuffs his hands in his pockets. I quickly gather my books and decide to follow after Everett, cradling my books in my arms as I brush passed Azusa. Once I'm halfway down the stairs, I pause when I hear Everett talking to someone and my breath hitches.

"What the hell do you want?" Everett snaps, his arms crossed.

"Is that really any way to treat me?" Another male voice muses out and Everett clenches his jaw. "In any case, I think you know why I'm here."

"Not to check up on me, I'm sure," Everett replies. "I hope you know there's no way you're getting what you want."

"Everett, I always get what I want. You should know that well enough," the other male sighs.

"Not everything," Everett says sweetly, voice dripping with malice as he slams the door shut in the stranger's face.

Everett turns and I'm able to see him glancing at me over my shoulder, which makes me quickly retreat back upstairs in fear of getting in trouble with him. I rush into my room and shut the door behind me with a sigh, wondering just what's going on and if any of the others know. I place my books down on my bed and sort through them, making sure I didn't accidentally leave any in Everett's room. I frown as I find a dark brown leather journal with red decals that spiral all over it, which certainly isn't mine. Out of curiosity, knowing I might possibly be prying, I decide to open the journal to the first page to find out what it is.

JULY 5, 2012

I turned thirteen today and, unsurprisingly, I was ignored all day as usual. I guess that comes with the family obligations, right? I never understood why they think the way they do. Then again, another thing I never understood was why does Mother beat Father and why does Father retaliate by drowning his sorrows in alcohol and taking his anger out on me while Jaeger watches silently? My present was this simple journal given to me by my mother, so I suppose I'll make use of it.

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

Our family dog died today. He was the only companion I had in this hell and now I'm not sure what I'll do. Maybe I'll try to draw my pain away. Jaeger doesn't seem to be too upset. I suppose they'll think they raised him well and I'm the broken one.

"Is this...Everett's journal?" I breathe out, feeling my throat constrict as my eyes flicker across the pages.

"Harlow?" I jolt from my reading position and quickly slam the book shut to see Karmine standing at my doorway, smiling sheepishly. "Sorry to interrupt your studies. I wanted to tell you that dinner is ready."

"Right," I clear my throat and smile, "I'll be down shortly. Thank you, Karmine."

Karmine nods with a smile and closes the door. I breathe out a sigh of relief and wonder if I should return the journal to Everett or if I should take the opportunity to learn more about the closed off boy. I know it would be wrong to invade his privacy, but I can't help but feel as if maybe he needs someone to give him a little push. He seems so lonely, even though he won't admit it. Still, it would be wrong to read his private journal. I think I'll just return it to him and be honest. While I do want to get to know Everett and while I do think he needs someone to break down his walls, I want him to choose to let me in.