The Religious & The Damaged

13

Elias

  I sat in Nick's room, playing video games with him. I laugh as he dies.

  "And that's win number 12 for me." I taunt.

  "You're such a cheater." He says, his eyes meeting mine.

  I laugh. "Or maybe you just suck."

  He scoffs and snatches the controller out of my hand, and I pretend to be offended. "Alright, smart ass." He says. "You're cut off."

  I grin and look over as Nick's bedroom door opens, and Kelsey walks in. "Hey, guys." She greets us.

  "Hey."

  "Hey, Kels."

  She steps over my things and plops down on the bed, and she's laid out behind us.

  "Where've you been?" I ask, and I hear Gravity Falls playing in the background as I stare at her.

  "I was with a friend." She replies.

  "But we're your only friends." Nick says, and I look over at him as he stares at Kelsey, and he continues to roll a joint.

  Kelsey huffs out a laugh. "That's not true. I have Spencer and Joey." She attempts to defend herself, and my gaze shifts between the two as they continue to bicker.

  "Okay, obviously. But they're both home sick."

  "Maybe I was nursing them back to health."

  "Unless you weren't." Kelsey scoffs. "What? You got a new person in your life that you don't want us to know about? A new boyfriend or something?" Nick asks, and she seems to pause at that, and Nick seems to notice because he says, "Holy shit. Is it?"

  "No." She answers quickly. "But it is a friend that is a boy."

  "Well, who is it?" Nick asks.

  "I don't have to explain myself to you."

  Nick scoffs and turns away. "Whatever, weirdo."

  He lights the joint and takes a drag—his attention seemingly focused entirely on the screen. I look back at Kelsey and she's watching the show as well, but I catch her attention as I keep staring at her. I tense, but she just smiles.

  "You're curious, aren't you?"

  How can I not be? I'm naturally curious, but let's be honest—I'm just fucking nosy.

  "A little, yeah." I answer honestly, and her smile grows softer.

  "I can't tell you either." She speaks softly, perfectly matching her demeanor.

  I nod. "Okay." I comply.

  I revert my gaze back to the tv and Nick hands off the joint to me and I take it.

  I'm still hella curious, but I'm not pushy. I can respect boundaries, but, hell, I really want to know.

  Hours later, it's around 3am. Kelsey has went home, and Nick is asleep.

  I toss and turn. I check my phone and my screen brightens, displaying my dad's name at the top. My heart drops and I sit up.

  My finger hovers over the accept button, but I'm unable to move it any further, and shaky breaths slip from me, making me feel all the more scared and anxious—maybe, a little angry too.

  He hasn't called or texted all this time, so why now?

  But I answer anyway because of the simple fact that he's still my dad.