Glitch Story Part 3

Dinnnng!
The bell on the door of the restaurant rang out, and naturally all of the customers looked.
When most people looked, they saw a small colorful asian with a tall, edgy friend. When Mo,Taye, Angel and Aubrey looked they saw Glitch and Kerith. Two complete opposites- here. Together.

Glitch walked in before the taller blonde, who had an anxious expression on his face. Glitch quickly spotted the other crews and waved at Mo. Mo's eyebrows drew together as he slowly raised his hand and waved. Glitch swallowed hard. Would Mo be mad at him for bringing Kerith here? He looked back at Kerith. His blue eyes had their usual layer of ice back on them. Glitch shot a comforting smile up at him and continued walking. Kerith took note and raised the corners of his mouth upright. There were no available seats at the table, so Glitch and Kerith stood at the head of the table, closest to Mo.

"Hey man.." Glitch's voice wavered in uncertainty. If this made Mo angry at him, he didn't know what he would do.

Mo surprised him.
"Hey young'un! You came!" Mo shot his warm smile at the two of them. Glitch began to question why he doubted Mo's friendliness...it never failed.
Mo stood up. He extended his hand to Kerith.

"Nice to see you here, that was a great battle tonight. I'm Mo. I see you've met Glitch." Mo nodded towards Glitch as Kerith took his hand and shook it firmly.

"I have." Kerith smiled back. "I'm Kerith, and that was a great battle. You guys definitely deserved to win."

Mo laughed. "Thanks dude! But man, you guys were fly!" Mo looked around the restaurant. When he brought his attention back to the group, he looked confused. "Where's your partner ?"

Kerith hesitated- "She uh, had other plans tonight.. she prefers to be alone most of the time, sisters y'know?" Kerith half smiled and slightly shrugged.

Mo nodded. "Bros are so much better!" He placed a hand on Glitch's shoulder and grinned.

"Well K, welcome to the Dance Central inner circle!"Mo moved his hand from Glitch to Kerith and patted his back.
The three took their seats and Glitch eagerly pointed each person out, explained who they were and what crew they belonged in to Kerith.
By the time the group's two large pizzas arrived at their joined tables ,Kerith was beaming and right at home. As Mo grabbed himself a slice of the steamy pizza he cracked a joke and everyone broke out laughing, including Kerith. Each crew member carried on normally and Kerith was participating in the conversations nodding,smiling when someone made a funny comment, and even making comments of his own.

"Alright, Hold up!" Mo tapped the side of his glass with his unused fork. "Here's a toast y'all! For Hi Def's Victory and for a new friend!" The table resounded applause and laughter. Mo sat back down and extended his closed fist to Kerith, as he normally did to Glitch.
Kerith looked at his fist with a mixture of confusion and fright. He even flinched a little.
"Are you- are you gunna hit me?"
Kerith swallowed hard and half closed his brilliantly blue eyes while leaning back.
Mo and Glitch glanced at each other and broke out in loud laughter.
"No man! You close your fist and hit it off his!" Glitch demonstrated with Mo's already prepared fist. "It's a bro thing, like a symbol of friendship!"
Kerith nodded, thoughtfully closed his fist and followed Glitch's example.
"Friends?" He openly asked the table.
Glitch took a look around at everyone's reactions-no one opposed.
"Friends." Glitch smiled. He loved making new friends- it was usually Mo making friends in the blink of an eye. It felt good to bring a complete outsider in and have him immediately bond with everyone.
Glitch's positive thoughts came to a screeching hault when he saw Kerith's partner-well, sister burst through the doors of the tiny eatery. She looked so much like Kerith; tall and lean, angular short light blonde hair, fiercely blue eyes and a very similar clothing style...the only difference between the two was their current expressions- Kerith's pale pink lips parted in a genuine smile, eyes open wide and eyebrows slightly raised in ease. His sister's face told another story. Her blood red lips were parted with her top lip raising in a disgusted scowl, her eyes frozen over with anger and perfectly groomed eyebrows pulled together in disdain. Anxiety shot through Glitch like a toxin. He knew whatever happened next wasn't going to be good.

"Kerith!" Her voice was sadistic and had a sharp twist of anger to it. She quickened her walk and came over to the table. She didn't even address the table, she only spoke down to Kerith.
"Excuse me, traitor? We're leaving."
She roughly grabbed the back of his collar and thrust him out of his seat, sending his chair crashing backwards. Glitch's brain raced.'W-what do I do?! She's gunna hurt him!'
This is where Mo came in; and thank goodness he did.
"Whoa lady chill! Step off!" Mo grabbed Kerith's arm and tried pulling him back. He looked into the face of the aggressor. "You again? Look, I don't know what your problem is but you need t-"
She pulled Kerith back and cut Mo off. "What's my problem?" She hissed back. "My problem is that my brother is hanging out with group of lowlife scums like yourself!"
At this, Angel lost it. None of them were lowlife scums, especially not the Lu$h Crew.
"Now look here you freaky bit-" Lil T' grabbed Angel's arm and held him back from whacking Kerith's sister straight in the mouth.
Mo turned around and faced the table.
"Everyone leave! I'll deal with this!" Mo pointed to the door and immediately his friends shuffled out. Even the cooks and the cashier headed to the back. Glitch began walking but then stood a moment and looked up at Mo. He looked hurt and worried. Mo put a hand on his shoulder. "Go home bro. I'll catch up."
Glitch nodded and slowly walked out the door, looking back at Mo and Kerith with fear in his heart.

It had been hours, It was now 2 a.m.
Glitch was sitting with his arms wrapped around his knees on the couch. He had been sitting like this ever since he got home about 3 hours ago. His body told him to go to sleep, but his mind wouldn't shut off.
'Where's Mo?' it asked. 'What happened to Kerith? Did his sister hurt him? What If they're both hurt?'
Glitch couldn't believe Kerith's sister. What caused her to be so violent? Was she always in this mood?
All Glitch wanted to do was make friends. Just as he thought he brought a new one to the group, this happens.
'What if this is all my fault...?' Glitch's heart sank to the floor.

Cliiickkkkkkk

Glitch quickly turned around. That was the lock to the door opening. That meant Mo.
His tall dark figure was barely visible in the little lighting that was on, but Glitch could make him out just enough to give him a hug. Mo jumped.
"G! I couldn't even seeyah!" he returned the hug. They both let go at the same time and Mo held out his closed fist. Glitch pounded his to it.

"You alright bro? Is Kerith alright?"

Mo found the light and turned it on. He could visibly see the bluish purple circles under Glitch's eyes. He never got any sleep when he was stressed. Mo chose his next words carefully.
"I'm fine.. We talked for awhile, we didn't get anywhere though- she left angrier than she came. Kerith went with her; I don't think he has a choice.." Mo stared down at his magenta sneakers, waiting for Glitch's worry-some reply.
When he heard nothing, he looked back up at Glitch.
His turquoise eyes were concentrated on the flyer Mo had sub-consciously put on the counter.
"What's this?" He picked it up and scanned it."Dr.Tan's Dance Studio? Why'd you grab this?"
He looked up to Mo for an answer.
"Because I followed them, and that's where they went." He pointed his large finger to the skyscraper on the flyer. "We need to check it out, bro. I'm scared for Kerith." Mo's usually smiling mouth was a harsh, straight line. He never got like this unless something was really rattling him.
"I am too.." Glitch examined the skyscraper. It was mirrored metal with at least 100 floors and a platform two floors from the top with two G's, one flipped to the left and one normal. G..Of course... The Glitterati.
"We'll go tomorrow." Mo took off his orange hoodie, threw it on the couch and laid down on it.
"You mean today?" Glitch motioned to the clock. 3:05 a.m.
"Uh, yeah. We leave at 9. Get some sleep young'un. Don't worry, alright?"  Mo turned to Glitch.
"Alright.. Night Mo." Glitch slowly shut off the light and started off to his bed.
"Night Lil' man."

It took him hours to fall asleep, but he finally did. Glitch didn't dream that night- his brain had been active enough that day...er,night. He was just in a peaceful un-conscious state. Until he felt something pushing at his arm. He opened his eyes enough to make out a tall figure.
"Wake up G, ya got 5 minutes!"
Mo threw a clean pair of Glitch's jeans to him and left the room.
The minute Glitch fully opened his eyes, all his worries were back. He was so scared of going to the studio- this was something Mo would do, not him.
He quickly slipped on his jeans and walked out to the island and leaned on it across from Mo, who was drawing on a map of the city on the island counter.
"Yo, check it- this is the route we'll take. No one will ever see us comin!" Mo traced the red sharpie line with his finger. "We'll take the back streets on-"

Tap...tap...tap

Three weak knocks rang out on their door.
"Who else did you invite?" Glitch swallowed hard.
"No one..." Mo shot Glitch a confused look and walked over to the door.
Glitch slowly followed him, suddenly feeling panicked.
'What if it's her?'
Mo opened the door and gasped. Glitch hurried to his side.
There, beaten and bruised stood Kerith.
It looked like several people had taken turns punching him and kicking him. His cheeks were swollen, eyes purple and blood hung from the corner of his lips. His neck look like it had been electrically burned. His once sparkling outfit was soaked in water and caked with mud.
He extended his almost closed fist to Mo. His knuckles were bruised- he fought back.
"I, I could use a friend right now," a tear fell from one of his faded blue eyes and with that, he collapsed to the ground.