The Religious & The Damaged

55

Elias

  I stand next to Joseph as he and Bethany fall into a tight embrace, and when they pull away, she takes his face into her hands—her brows furrowed upward, showcasing her concern as she asks, "Are you okay?"

  Joseph nods. "I'm fine." A sudden smile of amusement spreads across his face. "Did you get out what you wanted?"

  Bethany huffs out a laugh as she shoves her hands into her pockets. "Oh yeah. That and more." She replies, and I laugh lightly.

  She smiles to the both of us before settling back on Joseph. "Tomorrow. 10am."

  He nods. "Okay."

  Her gaze meets mine again and she holds out her arms. "C'mere."

  I smile as I wrap my arms around her, and her grasp is tight around me—it's nice.

  She pulls away with a heavy sigh.

  "Too bad I missed saying bye to Kelsey." She says.

  "I didn't want her around this neighborhood." He says. "You'll see her tomorrow."

  She nods. "Kay. Well, I love you and get plenty of rest."

  "Love you too."

  She smiles at the both of us before turning and walking to her car, parked behind Joseph's, and I get into his car.

  I look down and tug my phone out of my front pant pocket when I feel it buzz against my leg.

  It's a text from Nick.

  Party @ Spence's. 8. Coming? 1:17pm.

  I look over at Joseph as he starts the car, and I say, "Spencer is having a party. Wanna go?"

  "Yeah, definitely could use it after-"

  His gaze meets mine briefly; my gaze confused.

  "Yeah." He says instead.

  I don't ask why he suddenly chose to not say what he wanted to say because I don't want to pressure him and I know what he's talking about anyway.

  His dad.

  And it makes me wonder if a party would be such a good idea after all, but he wants to go and so do I.

  I want to believe he'll be okay, so I simply believe that and text Nick back.

  sounds good :). 1:19pm.

~•~

  I'm sitting on a couch with people I don't know, and my gaze is directed in the kitchen next to me—Joseph is wasted, and I can't be around him when he's drunk because I hate it, ever since I was old enough to understand my dad's alcoholism, I hated being around it.

  I should've known Joseph would be drinking, but he kept saying that he'd be okay when we left his dad's house; I wanted to believe him, but as I sit here now and watch as he fills his cup for the 13th time, I realize that I was stupid to believe that.