The Religious & The Damaged (UNDER EDITING)

53.2

Joseph

I sit across Jillian, and she looks up at me. I smile wordlessly, and I make sure it's gentle and reassuring. She returns it, but it's more fragile than anything else.
We begin eating. It's silent for a while, and it's not until lunch is over that she speaks.
She says, "Kelsey talked to me."
I stop as I stand, and my gaze reverts to her. Her fragile gaze tells me that it didn't go well, so I sit back down.
"She doesn't like me."
I furrow my brows. "Why do you say that? Is that what she told you?"
She exhales shakily, and it's clear she's on the verge of tears as she breaks eye contact and shakes her head. "But you should've seen her face." She looks up. "She hates me."
I smile and slide my hand across the table to take hers in an attempt to reassure her, but just in case that's not enough, I say, "She doesn't hate you. She could never hate you." A flicker of hope flashes in her eyes. "You should've seen her face when she talked about you to me. She likes you a lot."
A slight smile tugs at her lips. "You really think so?"
I nod. "She's just as hurt as you, and I think it's important that you two go through this because if you rush into something when you're not sure of your feelings, both of you will get hurt."
She huffs out a light laugh. "Are you speaking from experience?" She asks.
My expression softens as I nod again, glancing over at Elias as he talks to Nick. Then, I look back at Jillian.
"You two will be okay." I reassure her.
"Can I have a hug?"
I nod and stand. She stands and walks around the table to me, and I hold my arms out. She falls into my chest. I hold her tight, and my eyes follow Kelsey as she leaves the cafeteria. I rub Jillian's back as I pull away, and I look at her for reassurance that she's okay. She seems to understand the look I give her, and she nods. I smile at her one more time before I step back and follow after Kelsey.
"Kel." I call out, and she stops and turns at the end of the hallway. I walk over. "Are you-"
She shakes her head; worry spreads across my face. "I hate this." She says.
I nod and pull her into a hug, and her hands grasp tightly onto my sweater. "I know. It's okay." I speak softly. Her grasp tightens.

I climb out of my car and stare at the diner, anxiety running through me, leaving my hands clammy and my gaze unfocused. Elias steps next to me—my only indication being that he takes my hand, and it breaks me from the trance I find myself in. I look at him.
"Whenever you're ready." He says, his voice gentle and calming.
I inhale sharply and look back at the diner.
This is good. I've been telling people all day that they'll be okay; that everything will be okay. I think it's time I tell myself that.
I walk forward, and Elias follows—his hand still in mine. We walk into the diner, the bell above the door sounds, and I see a black head of hair turn, then I see her face.
She looks just like my mom. It makes me want to cry.
I force my feet forward, my heart pounding so hard against my chest that it hurts.
She stands from the booth she sits at and turns towards us. She smiles and her brows furrow upward, her expression heavy with astonishment.
"Look at you." Her voice is gentle and so is her touch as she takes my face. "You look just like your mom." She claims, and unlike Andrew, her expression isn't heavy with disgust at the thought of mom or at the fact that I look so much like her; it's of pure love.
She hums and puts her hands on her hips, then her gaze shifts to Elias. "Who's this?" She asks, her gaze returning to me.
I clear my throat, my gaze shifting briefly between the two. Elias smiles at me, letting me introduce him like I wanted.
"Elias. He's my boyfriend." I say.
Her eyes widen, but it's a short reaction—and she grins widely at the both of us. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Bethany." She greets him.
They shake hands. "It's nice to meet you." He replies.
She hums, her gaze directed down. "You have nice taste in nail polish, Elias." She teases, and she holds her hand up to show her painted black nails, which are the same color as Elias' and I forget he painted mine—it's not the same color, but I still keep my hands tucked in my pant pockets.
Elias laughs, and she does too.
I only see the tattoos that surround her arm as she holds her arm up, then it falls.
"Let's sit." She sits, and we follow. "Order whatever you want. The fries are really good here." She says as she shoves fries into her mouth.
I hear Elias laugh softly, but a single question overwhelms my mind. "Where do you live?" I blurt out, and she looks at me.
I feel Elias' eyes on me too, but I just stare at her. Her smile fades and her expression softens.
"Gale Port." She answers, flatly.
"That's far." Elias comments, and she nods as her gaze falls—a sort of dejected look appearing on her face.
"7 hour drive." She says, then her gaze finds mine. "I don't want to take you away from your friends and the life you built here."
I gulp hard and tilt my head briefly as I say, "Pretty shitty life."
She shakes her head. "I'd never let anyone grow up like that."
I furrow my brows. "You wouldn't?"
"No." She pauses, and her gaze falls. "I should've fought harder to keep my sister away from your dad."
"It's nobody's fault, but his." I say, and I'm kinda surprised that I admitted it.
She smiles up at me and nods. "Yeah, it is."
I look at Elias. He smiles at me, but I see the pain in his eyes as he speaks.
He says, "You should go." I stare at him, my gaze gentle and fragile. "There's nothing left here for you in this town."
"You're here."
He takes my hand. "We'll be okay." I smile. "After all we've been through this year, a little distance won't break us."
I laugh at that, and it's a lighthearted laugh.
I believe that we'll be okay. He's right; we're stronger than some distance. I need to get out of this town, it's the gateway to my healing.
I revert my gaze back over to Bethany—the gentle smile returning to both of our faces.
"Well?"
I nod. "I'd like it a lot to move in with you."
Her smile grows into a grin. "Alright. You're stuck with me now." She points a finger at me. "No take backs." I huff out a breath of amusement, and after a long moment of peaceful, comfortable silence, her gaze falls to the menu. "I want a fucking milkshake." She says, and she looks up. "You guys want one?"
Elias nods. "Strawberry, please."
She looks at me.
"Vanilla." I say.
She groans. "Basic." She teases before turning her gaze to wave over a server.
I look at Elias, and he looks at me. He nods to tell me that it'll be okay, and I smile to tell him that I know.