The Religious & The Damaged (UNDER EDITING)

5

Elias

  I walk into Nick's bedroom after he and Kelsey go in first, then Joey and Spencer follow. I sit on the beanbag, and Nick sits next to Spencer on his bed and Kelsey and Joey share the spot on the floor at the end of the bed. Nick makes a joint.

  "So, Lias." Joey starts, and I look over. "Heard you got into quite the mess with Joseph today." She says, a grin tugs at her lips as she speaks.

  I look to Kelsey, then Nick. But they're both too engrossed to notice Joey's remark. I look at Joey. "Yeah, I guess."

  "What exactly happened between you two?"

  "Nothing, I.." I look down and shrug. "I just wanted to be his friend." My voice, diffident.

  Joey snorts out a laugh and looks up at Nick. "You didn't tell him?" She asks.

  "Oh I told him." Nick replies.

  And Joey looks back at me. "And what? That.. intrigued you?"

  She shakes her head as she speaks, seemingly not understanding my knowledge because what Nick said about Joseph was supposed to scare me off, but it didn't.

  I shrug again. "Hm." She only responds with.

  I look back down, instinctively tugging at my sleeves to make sure my bandages are concealed.

  I find myself wondering how Joseph is doing right now. My mind won't let me forget that sad look on his face whenever he thought no one was watching him; he didn't think anyone cared to notice. I noticed, obviously. I don't want to give up. I won't give up, but I have to be careful with how I approach him and with my choice of words. I learned that today.

  He seems more damaged than I thought—I noticed that as well today. It won't be so easy to get him to open up or even be the slightest bit comfortable with me, which makes sense because he doesn't have any friends.

  I look up when Joey taps my foot with hers, and she leans forward with a joint. I lean over and take it and lean back against the beanbag. I take a drag and give it back. I cough lightly and Nick speaks.

  "You guys want to play some video games?" He asks, reaching out towards his tv on the side of his bed and it flickers on. Multiple voices speak at once, including mine—all say yes and sure.

  Nick hands out controllers and Super Smash Bros blares within the room, the joint carelessly hanging from his mouth as he tampers with the rules, and Joey holds the other between her fingers as she holds the controller and she watches the screen intently, occasionally complaining of the rules Nick puts on. I look away and stand just barely to move the beanbag closer to the others, so I can see the screen properly. I sit back down.

  "You okay?"

  I look to my left and meet eyes with Kelsey, who has somehow moved next to me without me noticing. Her brows are furrowed with worry.

  "Uhm.. yeah?" I reply.

  "Are you sure?" She asks. "Joey can be a bit intrusive sometimes."

  I shrug and look at the tv screen. "No, I mean, I've dealt with worse intrusive situations, and that was nothing compared to what I'm used to."