[We Are Legion]

Masking the Sorrows

My parents were called when I got locked up, I can't blame them, they were just doing their job. It was kinda hard to find an excuse good enough to calm my parents down after seeing their only kid in the holding cell,
"You sure it was just a misunderstanding Joey?", My dad asked.
He always wanted to make sure everything was alright, that type of guy I guess,
"Yeah, yeah, you know how it is", he nodded understandably.
The night used to scare me, something about how dark it was, how the stars looked like creeping eyes watching my every move. But now I can see the outline of everything and it looks like a cartoon Susie would've drawn for my birthday.
BZZT BZZT
My phone vibrated, Julie's immaculate face appearing on the screen,
"You called mademoiselle?",
"Joey, I need to be serious right now, are you OK to talk right now?",
Her tone scared me, it felt like she was confessing for a murder,
"Well, is it anything I can talk about in front of my parents?",
"Definitely not", Julie whispered solemnly, "Call me back when you have the time",
The call dropped out, Julie hung up, damn it.
Frank did something bad, I'm the only one who can keep him in check aren't I?
My driveway flickered to life from the cars' old headlights, my lungs breathing in and out slowly.
How am I going to deal with this?

"Come on Julie pick up", our water tank had turned for the worst so I had to help my dad fix it, she probably expected a call earlier than almost midnight,
"Joey? God how late is it?",
"I woke you up didn't I, I just wanted to listen to what you had to say now that I'm alone",
The other end of the phone was silent for what felt like years, every second dragging me down,
"You already know most of what happened, most of what he did", I didn't know how to respond,
"It hurts to think I trusted him, hurts to think I let him even get that close to me. I thought. I thought I loved him, more than those idiot jocks at school",
She wasn't wrong, shortly after we drifted apart she was bombarded by all your typical football jacket wearing guys, I never stopped to think if she actually liked that or not.
"I don't know what to do anymore, that feeling of finding the right one and actually making it work, I'm not sure if I can live knowing that I chose wrong",
An urge grew inside to say something, to end her sadness, make her smile again.
"Julie", I started, "I want to tell you my true feelings",
My true feelings...
"Julie, knowing you for all these years, it's been a charm and I've loved every second of it. Loved every second with you, you're so much more than you think you are. Ever since people went after you solely for your looks alone I've felt distant, like I'm not good enough, when you talked to me in the bus all those weeks ago I felt like it was false hope. I wasn't ready to be thrown away again. But the time we've spent together recently reminded me what I was thinking before we went our separate ways", I took a deep breath, I'm doing it. Fuck it all, I'm doing it!
"Julie. I like you. A lot, more than, friends", I trailed off, shit, she's going to think I'm such a loser. Not being able to piece together a simple sentence. She was silent too, the air going tense between us,
"Joey, I, oh god", I could hear the hesitation in Julie's voice, "Can I think it over? Please.",
"Yeah, of course", I replied,
We said our goodbyes before I hung up, conflicted over punching my wall or getting my hopes up, the shadow at my door scaring me out of my skin.

"Son, you there",
"Yeah dad, I wouldn't be anywhere else",
"I, um, heard some of the conversation. It was really moving",
Crap, I couldn't think of anything more embarrassing than your dad watching you pour your heart out,
"I just want you to know I hope it goes well, I hope she's the one, I hope you get a life that's infinitely better than what we could ever provide for you",
I didn't know he felt that way.
"Dad", I looked at him, a warm smile over my face, "I appreciate you and mom, you give me everything I could ever need, a home and an opportunity",
He smiled, wrapping me in a warm hug before leaving my room and closing the door.
His input helped me decide, my hopes reached for the stars.

The next day was normal, I ate toast and strawberries, I worked on my garden, things I would normally do in the winter holiday I never expected to see her,
"Joey!", Julie exclaimed, out of breath.
"I've been ignoring you for so long and I'm so stupid for it, because you've been right there every step of the way. Helping me through childhood when my parents weren't home. Studying for tests and how to take care of myself, I never wanted to drift away and I'll never do it again", she looked up at me still panting but with a blushed smile.
"I, like you to Joey", those words. I've wanted to hear them all my life.
I guess she really had just been masking the sorrows, this is the Julie I knew.