call it what you want

Chapter 38

Jackson

It's Friday night after practice, and I get a call from one of my sisters.

"Lizzie? What's up?" I say into the phone and we chat for a few minutes.

She called me to tell me more about some shit going on with our parent's divorce and how I probably should head home for this weekend since we have Monday off.
I haven't been back home since the start of the semester, right after we found out.

I think about everything on the walk back to my apartment and when I finally get to my room, I flop down on the bed and sigh.
I know that I should want to go back because I haven't seen my family in months, but it's all so exhausting. And then I feel guilty for feeling that way because my sisters are being forced to deal with it.

I don't realize that I fall asleep for a little until I hear my phone ringing, waking me up.

It was just a spam call, so I don't answer it, but I scroll over to my text messages and text Ameeriah to see what she's doing.

Ameeriah At a fair
Ameeriah Got a duck

She sends me a picture of a stuffed animal.

Me Who won it for you
Me I'll kill them

Ameeriah Adare did u dork

Me Come over

Ameeriah aye aye captain

Within twenty minutes, I hear her at the door. She fumbles with the bags in her hand to sit down on my bed.
"Look at this shirt I got at the mall," she says with a smile as she uncovers a cream colored crocheted tank with strawberries on it.

All I can think about is having to go back home tomorrow.
"Meeriah," I say quietly.

Her eyes get a little wide and she lets out a tiny gasp. "Oh my gosh you hate it," she says as she puts the shirt down.
"Ameeriah," I laugh. "No I'm trying to talk to you."

"But you like the shirt?"
"I love the shirt," I laugh a little before sitting back on my bed and she moves to sit down beside me.

"I think I need to go home this weekend," I mumble out.
"To see your parents?"
"Yeah," I say quietly.

The second I even think about my entire situation back home, I wanna scream.

"Can you come with me?" I ask.
She doesn't respond before I continue on. "And you can say no, like it's fine, it's definitely gonna be a shitshow with my dad but like it'd make me feel better if you were there but again like you really don't have—"

"Of course I'll go."
"Really?" I turn my head to look at her and she laughs a little.
"Jackson, yeah dude."

My eyes move over her face, and before I even think about what I'm saying, words spill out. "I lo..—" I clear my throat. "I love that you're gonna come with me, that'll be good," I mumble quickly to try and cover up what the fuck almost spilled out of my mouth.

She smiles a a soft smile. We end up on our sides and talking for like two hours. It's well past midnight and she's got her arm propped up and I've got my hand in hers, fumbling with her hand.

"Did you see the new movie Jennifer Lawrence is gonna be in?" I ask.
"Oh my gosh dude yes! No Hard Feelings looks so good I wanna go—" but she stops talking when she hears some mumbling and someone tugging at the door knob.

"Who's that?" Ameeriah whispers and I shrug.
Wes and Adare went back to their hometown this weekend, so I don't have a fucking clue who that is.

We climb out of bed, and when we walk over to door, I look through the peephole and sigh as I reach to unlock the door when I see that it's Max.