Barcode Boy

After Hours VII: Friends (2)

That night I heard everything—the random times my uncle got up throughout the night, the ice machine rumbling every now and then, even the wind outside. It felt like my senses were on overdrive.

Roger got up so many times that I didn't realize when he got up for real, despite the sun illuminating the room. I planned to act asleep but at this point that was a no-go. I turned around to see him digging through the fridge in some beat-up Futurama pajamas pants.

"Jean, can you at least sleep in your room if you stay the night?" He mumbled, face still in the appliance. "After that week of finding you in miscellaneous places, I'm a bit worn out."

Roger looked up as he placed something on the counter. It was only some glass container, but the clink seemed to echo throughout my entire head.

"Earth to Asher."

"Okay," I mumbled, trying not to flinch as he opened it and got more things out of the cabinets. He kept looking back at me, but I never met his gaze.

"Hey, are you good?"

I gulped and forced myself off the couch, trying to play off my sleep deprivation, but walking felt weird. I nodded in response, although Roger ran over to catch me before I fell.

"Are you hungover?" He asked, sounding a bit annoyed.

I shook my head. Honestly, I wasn't even that tired. It's more that my brain was too exhausted to tell my body how to act right.

"Well, I'm just gonna stand here and hold you until you tell me what's going on." He sighed, "And also because I don't want you to fall."

I stared at the lines on his undershirt. When I stared for too long, they got wavy.

"Jean." Roger said sternly.

"My dad sent me a hundred grand," I mumbled.

"Ezekiel did what?!"

All I did was point at the letter that was still on the couch. Roger ran over and skimmed it, quickly seeing the check at the bottom. He was as stunned as I was.

"I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what to feel either—I couldn't fall asleep."

My uncle stared at the paper, speechless, rereading it like I did countless times already.

"I-I feel like I should give it to my mom. She's the one who needs it."

Roger looked up. "What?! Okay, I get how your dad's neglected everyone, but your money need is time-sensitive! What did I tell you about trying to pour from an empty glass? And after previous events, knowing your mom, she'll probably get pissed off and not even use it! She's in a mood and won't even take money from her side of the family so why would she take money from her ex-husband?" He added in.

"But now I have money I can give away!" I exclaimed anxiously.

"Jean Asher don't make me smack you. Be fuckin' greedy for once. You can pay your family back once you make the most of that cash and get back on your feet." He commanded. "Once you use that check for books and room and board and food plans, you're not gonna have much leftover. This'll just make the next two semesters less stressful and give you a chance to save some more money."

He handed me the note. "That money has your name on it. Ignore the fact that it's from an insane old man who fucked up your life. Just take it and run with it."

"Should I tell my mom?"

"...No." He said softly. "She'll only get mad and try and take it from you like she's trying to do with the money everyone else has offered to send you."