Thread: Deceptive Guise (Ookami & Sumi)

Relieved that Chloe had finally gotten the hint, Trent simply stood still, stepping aside and turning his head away when Chloe brushed past him. Trent obviously couldnt see her face, but he could sense that hed torn her heart apart. Even after hed heard the door to Chloes bedroom closing Trent had made no move to leave. His eyes closed and giving nothing away, his cheeks tense, and lips locked into an ugly frown. His head was throbbing like that one time hed drunk himself into a hangover, though this time he hadnt drunk a single drop, nor did he intend to drink ever again after his first and final experience with the mind-numbing booze. Though something to numb his mind would have been very welcome at the moment. Standing in the same spot for nearly an hour after Chloe had left, he kept repeating to himself the same thoughts, gradually convincing himself to ignore Chloes feelings and how his priority was to keep her out of his life. By the time he finally managed to move towards his room he couldnt think of anything other than getting some desperately needed sleep. His body screaming at him to rest, and his mind threatening to black out at any moment. Hed intended to go straight to his room and throw himself on the bed But his feet had other plans, and directed him to Chloes room, his rebellious legs coming to a halt just outside her door. Trent didnt even know what he was doing anymore, but apparently his body did. An aching arm reaching up and touching the wooden doorframe carefully. His hand lifted at the same height Chloes face would be. Sorry for being the worst brother ever he whispered to the door, his voice so hushed and quiet that not even Chloe would be able to hear unless she was pressed up against the door waiting for him to speak. There were a hundred different thoughts running through his head, some being deemed inappropriate while others were rejected due to their nature. One of the few things he was actually able to say aloud had been his apology. His entire being accepting the fact that he was acting cruelly towards his sister. No matter what his intentions were, his words had been too harsh, but from Trents perspective, it was better to be safe than sorry. Vision blurring his legs slowly gave out beneath him, his vision completely abandoning him and leaving him sightless as he leaned against Chloes door. He didnt have the energy nor the willpower to bother getting up now that he was on the floor, his body using the last little bit of strength it had to flip him around so that his back was pressed against her door. That. Should do it was the last thing he muttered before giving in to the darkness. ------------- When Chloe awoke and left a several hours later, there wasnt any sign of Trent anywhere. Though that wasnt that surprising after last night, and the fact that Chloe had left the house pretty late. Trent wasnt even in the house at the time, but Chloe had no way of knowing that seeing as she was just as unkeen on seeing him as Trent was of dealing with her first thing in the morning. When she did finally manage to leave the apartment though, she completely missed the tall figure standing a few feet behind the door. Dull empty eyes staring at Chloe as she hurried down the hallway. The figure didnt move, nor call out to her, instead standing there silently and watching her as she disappeared from his line of sight. ------------- Could I borrow Chloe for a few minutes please Mr Johnson? a familiar voice called just as about the class was about to end. Standing in the doorway was a figure Chloe knew all too well, a childhood friend of sorts who was only second to Trent in the number of hours Chloe had spent with other people. Upon turning her head Chloe would notice the familiar piercing green eyes staring straight at her, the brunette patiently waiting for Chloe to make her way over to him. Chloe didnt really have much of a choice but to comply with Jareds request seeing as how he was one of the teachers that taught at her school. Secondly though she probably didnt want to stick around in class anyway, the majority of the students glancing curiously at her, wondering why shed be getting called out of class, the fact shed arrived late wasnt helping her image much either. Stepping to the side as Chloe followed him out the door, Jared closed the door behind her quietly, looking up and down the corridor before suddenly grabbing ahold of Chloes hand. Placing a single finger on Chloes lips to keep her quiet. This way he whispered, tugging lightly on her hand as he led her down the hallway and into an empty classroom. The stern expression hed worn earlier when calling to her had completely disappeared now, replaced by the kind caring smile Chloe would have grown used to over the years. Jared was supposedly one of Trents close friends. Supposedly because after the incident four years ago, Chloe had no idea what happened between the two. Trent had completely vanished from her life, whereas Jared had made his way into her life, filling a good portion of the roles Trent used to fill. The second the door closed behind Chloe though, her hand would be released, only to suddenly feel the same hand wrapped around her shoulder and pulling her closer to Jared. There was an awkwardness to the hug, the sudden action a completely unexpected one. Jared had always been there for her after Trent had left, forfeiting an invitation to work at a prestigious national highschool in favor of attending the same school as Chloe, albeit as a teacher. But not once had he been this direct with her. Always there to listen and offer helpful advice, hed held her hand on a few rare occasions, but this was the first time hed actually held her against his chest. In fact the last person to hold her like this was none other than Trent himself four years ago, a few days before he disappeared. Gently touching her head, and running soothingly gentle fingers through her long dark hair, this too was something Trent had done for her often in the past. His hold on her wasnt that strong and Chloe would easily be able to break his hold on her and push him away, though his actions caused an emotional wave of nostalgia to suddenly spring up in the room as Jared silently continued to stroke his hand over her head, mimicking the 'old' Trent's actions nearly perfectly. His hand moved slowly and steadily, and although Jared himself showed no signs of explaining himself or questioning Chloe, it was clear from the way he was acting that he knew something.