Next To Nothing

Jackson Daley

At first glance she looked like the same old Catalina Phillips he'd grown to stay away from, but standing here, watching her take another hit of his very last joint, he noticed little things about her appearance today that weren't usually there. Her long brown hair wasn't as neat as usual, with the front parts straggling all over her face, she wore mismatched socks and her mascara from the day before looked smudged under her eyes. She looked tired.
"Dabbling in the drug business are we?" He asked, hoping the joking tone he took would lighten the mood. She didn't answer, instead drawing another long hit of the rolled paper in her hand. 

"Chill with that Phillips, it's my last one" he said as he grabbed it out of her mouth. He expected a snarky comment, but all she did was blow out the puff of smoke she had kept in and look at her hands.
"Im gonna head. Thanks for the joint"
She wouldn't even look at him.
"Alright then princess! Go back to that pretty little two story house of yours and pray to god that mommy and daddy don't find out about your new drug problem." He didn't know why he felt the need to be so blunt, but something about her made his mind burn.

"Fuck you Jackson." She muttered without a single backward glance. He finished off the joint hoping the 'quality product' he'd payed for would soon start to work.

***

Jackson spent the rest of his day thinking about his interaction with Catalina. When he walked down the muddied streets, when he ran into the nearest convenience store due to the downpour of rain and even hours later when he was sat watching the television with his father. He'd wondered where she had gone when she left, and what was she even doing there in the first place. In all the time he'd known Catalina, she'd never allowed a single hair out of place and now here she was. At first he couldn't find the words to describe how it made him feel to see her that way. He eventually settled with 'undone'. 

"Your teacher contacted me again today Jackson." His fathers raspy voice cleared his head of all thoughts Catalina. 

"I'm starting to think she likes you dad." He gave his dad a small smirk to distract from the incoming conversation. One he's had many times since his mother died.

"Don't joke with me son. I've tried to get you back on track but it was never me you listened to. Only your mother had that power. She just knew what to say." His father grew quiet. 

Jackson couldn't help but notice that sad smile that had formed on his fathers face. He was instantly made to feel bad. He could acknowledge that his father was trying, but Jackson just couldn't do the same. It felt horrible to even think but he had always known his mother loved him more that his father ever did, and in turn he had favoured his mother.

"I just can't stand it" His father mumbled to himself as he stood and walked off into his bedroom. 

Jackson felt ashamed. He couldn't stand to be in this house anymore. So without word, he picked up his keys off the coffee table and stalked his way out of the house.

                                                                                          ***

It was freezing outside and of course he'd forgotten a jacket. Jackson hadn't had a destination in mind, he just wanted to walk, maybe clear his mind. He didn't know how much time had passed or how long he'd been walking. All he knew was that he was outside her house, staring at her bedroom window. She was sitting on the window nook, knees to her chest and reading a book. Her long brown hair was down. He'd never seen her with her hair down before. The soft light of the moon shining on her face made her looked sculpted. She was beautiful. He'd realised she always had been in his mind. But they couldn't stand each other. He had to remember that. 

He decided to keep on walking further down her street. He reached for his pocket only to remember once again that Catalina and him had shared his last joint. He usually had rule not to double book himself in one day but he was stressed and needed to take the edge off. He pulled out his phone and had his dealers number up in a matter of seconds. Soul didn't seem like too bad of a guy but he still managed to scare the shit out of Jackson whenever they met up. He seen Soul pull a knife on this guy once for not coming through with his money so maybe that was what scared him most. But Jackson hadn't missed a payment. Not yet anyway. 

He pressed on Souls contact and the line had barely run before he answered.

"What do you want Daley?" He sounded high off his mind.

"The usual, uh tonight if possible" He took caution whenever he spoke to Soul, he tried hard not to piss him off. 

"I ain't leaving to go meet you nowhere playboy." Of course not.

"I'll come to you, just give me your address" He didn't really care how far he'd have to go as long as he got what he wanted. 

"43 Mass Ave, don't take your time" Soul had hung before Jackson had the chance to answer. 

It was about a forty minute walk to Souls place from where he was, and it was already pitch black out. He thought about, looked back towards the direction of Catalinas house and decided to set off to Souls place. He'd be fine, he always was.

Authors Notes:

Hiya.

I'm releasing this chapter early because I'm just that excited! 

Chapter three will come soon, but for now enjoy.

:)

(Word count - 973)