The Religious & The Damaged

32

Joseph

I walk downstairs, and to my surprise, my father isn't in the kitchen like he is every morning.

I look around briefly before noticing a paper on the kitchen table. I walk over and pick it up.

It reads: Out on a business trip. Be back tomorrow night. Don't get any ideas.

I place the paper back down on the table as the immediate thought crosses my mind: Elias can stay over.

And I leave to school, and after going to my locker, I walk out to the courtyard where I know Elias is with his friends.

He notices me immediately and waves me over. I walk over and sit next to him, and he smiles at me.

"Hi." He greets me, his voice; gentle.

I smile back. "Hi."

His gaze flickers up at my hair, and he says, "Your hair looks a lot better."

He reaches out and runs a hand through it, and my heart skips a beat as heat rises to my cheeks—he really has this effect over me I'll never truly understand; it's overwhelming.

"Yeah..." I reply, and I gulp.

His eyes meet mine, and he smiles, seemingly noticing my reaction.

I clear my throat and look away. "Anyway, uhm.. my father will be gone tonight, so you could stay over," I look at him, and a spark of excitement flickers in his eyes. I continue. "If you still wanted to."

"Yeah, definitely." He answers almost instantaneously.

I can't help but let the smile tug at my lips as a sense of relief washes over me because he still wants to.

I nod lightly. "Okay."

His smile grows, and he turns away and leans back against my arm, joining the conversation between his friends as I just observe.

I look over at Kelsey, who seems to be having a lighthearted conversation with Joey, but I don't know, Kelsey looks sort of sad.

She looked sad yesterday too—curiosity creeps into my heart as I worry that she might not come to me about what's bothering her like I originally thought.

She would've told me by now, but instead she seems to be pretending nothings wrong.

It seriously worries me, but I don't bring attention to it, at least not in front of everyone.

After school, I leave the building and I see Kelsey by the school gate. I walk over, and she looks at me and I take her arm into my hand.

"Hey, you okay?" I ask.

She noticeably tenses, and she breaks eye contact. "That's sudden." She redirects.

"But are you?" She looks at me, her gaze; fragile. "Seriously."

She reverts her gaze and says, "I just have a lot on my mind."

I examine her face from where I am, and she seems to be telling the truth, but not the whole truth.

Nonetheless, I don't push it.

"Okay, but you know you can talk to me, right? If something's bugging you." She nods wordlessly. I nod. "Okay."

A car horn sounds, and we seemingly look over in sync. I look down at her as she tugs from my touch and steps back.

She says, "I'll see you tomorrow."