“Kell, the name is Kell.” When her eyebrows shot upapprehensively, he had to smile, realizing that he’d gotten used topronouncing his name to sound more Kill, ever since he wentGoth.
Usually, he gota kick out of people’s reaction to it. With her, though, he feltthe overwhelming need to reassure her. “It’s short for Kelley,” hesaid in a hushed voice spoken for her ears only.
“Kelley…” she said with a shy smile.
“Well, see you around, Becky,” he said with a slight bow beforetaking his place behind his easel.
***
“Kell? What are you doing?”
“Taking her inside. What does it look like I’m doing?” he said,carefully picking her up. The girl weighed next to nothing. How shemanaged to come all this way, dragging her oversized suitcase, hecouldn’t begin to imagine. “Grab her things, would you?”
“Inside?” Crispin repeated, aghast. “Whatever for?”
“I think I know what this is about,” Kell said with a heavysigh.
“You know her then?” Dorian asked, picking up the cumbersomesuitcase, ignoring Crispin’s incredulous look.
“I’m afraid so,” Kell said, taking her directly upstairs to thespare bedroom.
“Now hold on a minute,” Crispin said, dragging a hand throughhis black wavy hair. “Where are you taking her? Wouldn’t the livingroom be more appropriate?”
IgnoringCrispin’s question, Kell carried the unconscious girl all the wayupstairs and placed her gently on the mattress. “She’s tired,obviously. She should sleep. We’ll talk in the morning,” he said,backing out of the room, closing the door as soon as Dorian placedher suitcase down.
“I don’t understand,” Crispin said with a frown. “Who is she?Why is she here?”
“Yeah, what he said,” Dorian echoed, looking quiteconfused.
Kell shook hishead and furrowed his brow. “Look, there’s obviously been amisunderstanding. My fault I guess.”
“Yes?” Crispin insisted.
“It’s nothing that can’t be remedied in themorning.”
“Out with it, Kell,” Dorian said.
“It’s about the room for rent,” he said quickly, but not soquickly as not to draw gasps of disbelief from hishousemates.
“What? No way, Kell, she’s a girl!”
“And she’s not even Goth!”
“Besides, I thought we had agreed that we were to take a voteon who we would rent to next.”
“Calm down… you’ll wake her,” Kell said with a hushed voice.“Like I said, there’s been a misunderstanding. When I received hertext, obviously I didn’t realize who she was at the time. I simply textedback that yes theroom was still available.”
“That’s it? So, why was she out on the porch, with hersuitcase?” Crispin asked incredulously.
“I don’t know! I have no idea,” Kell spat, losing hispatience.
“But you do know her?” Dorian asked.
“Yes… well, only slightly. She’s in my life drawing class. Iliterally ran into her the other week for the first time,” Kellexplained.
“You mean, she’s the girl from the diner the other day? The onewho took off when we caught her gawking at us?” Crispin scoffedindignantly.
Kell nodded in response. Why she’d taken off like a shot, hedidn’t quite understand. He would have happily invited her to jointhem at their table. In fact, he had noticed she did that alot, run off whenhe’d catch her looking his way.
“Mmm hmm… turned on the old charm again, I see,” Dorian saidwith a smirk.
“Oh, get off it. As if a girl like this would be into a freaklike me,” Kelley said with a shake of his head.
“Wouldn’t be the first time,” Dorian piped in. “You know how itis. Nice mundane girls can’t help but wonder sometimes about guyslike us. You know what I mean, us bad Gothboys.”
“Right,” Kell scoffed sarcastically. “In your dreams,perhaps.”
“Anyway, she can’t stay!” Crispin snapped, indignantly tossinghis long dark tresses over his shoulder. “First thing in themorning, she’s out.”
Both Dorian andKell shot him a curious look. “What’s with you, man? She’s just onesmall girl.”
“That alone is reason enough!” spat the irate Goth beforedisappearing into his room.
“Good grief, he can be such an ass,” Kell said, staring afterhim.
“That may be the case, but he does have a point,” Dorian saidwith a sigh. “We did agree that we would have an equal say on thematter of who moves in.”
“I know that,” Kell said, tossing his head back in despair. “Inthe morning, I’ll talk to her. For now, I think we should all justget some sleep.”
Chapter 2
No way, not possible! Crispin tossedhis jacket off onto the floor in a huff. There was no way that girlwas staying here. How dare she assume such a thing? This was theHouse of Goths. No mundanes allowed!
He had finallyfound a place where he could be himself. There was no way he wouldgive that up. What had she been thinking, coming all this way inthe dark, dragging that huge suitcase, falling asleep on a strangeporch?
Was she not thesame girl from the diner the other day? The one who’d shot offafter one look in his direction, as if he were the devilhimself?
What did sheknow anyway? Crispin studied his gaunt reflection in the mirror. Hetossed his long sable black hair back, squared his shoulders andpuffed out his chest. So what if he wasn’t what society deemed anattractive man. Plenty of girls found him pleasing to the eye. Gothgirls anyway.
***
Well, thiscould be interesting, living with a girl in our midst. Doriansmiled, taking off his shirt and posing in front of his mirror inthe privacy of his room. He gave his floppy mohawk a shake, winkingat his reflection. One thing for sure, it would mean no morerunning around in his underwear. Although if she wanted to runaround in her underwear, well…
***
Kell had just drifted off to sleep when a scream tore throughthe house. What
