It started that summer

Bad Habits

The afternoon sun dipped low as I pulled into the parking lot of the therapy building, a surprisingly upbeat feeling bubbling inside me for a weekday. Kori had been nothing short of incredible lately. Her love and support helped me navigate the aftermath of everything with Tarantula. With her, I felt grounded, like I could finally breathe again. Every moment spent together reminded me just how much I love her. I often found myself lost in thoughts about her, the way her laughter could light up even the darkest days, the kindness in her eyes that made everything feel right. She was the most beautiful girl in the galaxy, and I felt lucky just to be in her orbit.

She's my little starshine.

Just before picking up Damian, I'd been at the mall with my sisters, searching for the perfect ring. It felt like the right time to take that next step, to show Kori just how much she meant to me. I couldn't wait to share my excitement with Jason, I knew he'd have plenty to say about it. I wanted his take on my plans. I could feel the thrill of anticipation coursing through me. That ring I saw was it, my chance to build a future with Kori, to take that leap into forever. I'll go back this week and buy it! 

I turned to Dami, "How was your day?"

His expression brightened at the question. "We received a class pet! Mrs. Hall brought us a hamster named Peanut. I'm going to take care of him with Jon."

"A hamster huh," I asked, "Just remember you can't keep him forever." I smiled.

"I suppose. . . perhaps Mrs. Hall will change her mind when she sees how well we take care of him. We have a project coming up, I can show you how we're setting up Peanut's cage!" he said, excitement bubbling in his voice.

"Sounds awesome. When do you need to meet with him?" I asked, curious.

"Tomorrow after school. Can you take me? I must make sure everything is perfect for Peanut."

"Of course little bro, I'll take you, and I can even help with the setup. Can't wait to see this little guy," It felt good to see him adjusting, even if he still had his moments. It's been two weeks since Dami went back to school, he was getting back into the swing of things. He hasn't been having nightmares much either. I hope today was a good one for Jason too. But I couldn't shake the tension I felt. "Alrighty, let's head inside,"

As we approached the doors, I noticed a figure standing at the far end of the building. My heart sank. Jason looked far too casual, wearing a worn t-shirt and jeans with one arm in a cast. My gaze sharpened as I caught sight of a cigarette dangling from his fingers. "I know that's not what I think it is!" I gritted.

"Is that...?" Damian trailed off. 

I stormed over. There were two guys at Jason's feet who were beat up and dazed, clutching their sides. "What the heck is going on?" I yelled.

Jason smirked at me. "Oh, these losers? Just some low-level goons trying to rob me. They thought they'd pick on someone easily, but they had no idea what they were getting into."

"You're not supposed to be out here!" I exclaimed, my voice rising with frustration. "You're not supposed to be smoking, you're not supposed to be doing any of this! What are those two doing on the ground?" I continued, my eyes narrowing as I took in the scene. "You can't just take matters into your own hands like this! You're supposed to be focusing on your recovery!" I stepped closer, the weight of my worry crashing over me like a tidal wave. "You can't keep putting yourself in danger, Jason! Do you even realize how reckless this is? I thought we were past this!" I felt my heart race as I tried to comprehend what he was doing out here. The cigarette, the bruised thugs—none of it made sense. All I wanted was for him to take care of himself, to give himself the chance to heal. I took a breath and rubbed my temple. "Jason–"