Fracted (Book #2)

Chapter 23: New-Old, Old-New

I rarely think of my family members who have abandoned me. But now, all the thoughts seemed to have no limit.
What are dad and my brother currently doing right now? What was the reason why he abandoned us? How...is he? Was he a bad person? A merciful man? Or just a stupid recluse?
All seems to be hurting my head. I wish I wasn't unconscious so that I wouldn't have to think that much about myself. If only I could rewire things in my brain like a robot. But I am not a robot. Sadly, I am a person. A maimed person.

My skin grew goosebumps after having smooth contact on something cold and frigid. I eventually awaken, seeing Eiffel poking my nose with her index finger. "Wake up, evening hawk, you need to eat," she said with a smile.
My face felt like I had an allergic reaction. Beaten. But I'm not allergic to anything, so I'm still free to eat anything--that's a good sign that I wouldn't be entirely miserable.
"What do you got? I'm craving cheeseburger and something else greasier."
"Woah. Psychic and a Passer." she dropped a paper bag of next to my bed. She plopped down next to me.
I pulled out a half-eaten cheeseburger and small fries.
"Sorry, I got hungry."
"S'alright. At least I got somethin' to eat." I chomped on the cold burger and ate the whole batch of fries. No talking.
"Jackson's really mad at you." Eiffel said.
"Well, it's been two days since he was still okay with me. So what's his problem?"
"I'm a Zip--it's 'Zip' right? Yeah well, I think he's more mad at you than he is at me."
"Why's that?"
"You said to me that he can control people's thoughts right?--I think that's how I'm with you right now, he somehow "pushed" the lady into letting me inside the plane. He might kind of be okay with me 'cause of the plane thing, but he's not okay with you."
"What do you want me to do?" I ask.
"I don't know. He seems like one of the most important people in your life--it's your choice." She held my hand as she said those words to me.
"You're right...but I'm so freakin' tired of everything!" I swallowed before I started shouting. "I thought if you pursue things that make you happy, you'd actually be happy. But guess what? I feel like the grenade's pin is about to be pulled any second! I am exhausted with my life. It's all just a pattern; First, I'm able to be happy for only a second, then I get mad at everything, and afterwards, I get depressed and start over again. Life never gave me lemons, that's a fact right there."
"What do you really want?" she asked patiently.
"I want something...new."
"Like, new-old or old-new?"
That question seemed to have tangled my brain into a dozen knots.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Do you want someone to come back to you, or do you want something that someone else wants?"
"I guess I want someone to come back."
"Your dad seems to have abandoned you."
"That's not true!" I yelled at her, pulling away from her grip. "He never wanted to leave us. Especially me."
"Have any evidence?"
My thoughts seem to crumble, and I answer, "No, but--"
"Look for something else, Jess. Anything. Everything."
""Everything" is full of hate right now. Especially towards me."
"Aren't I a part of your everything? Come on, Jess, please say I am. That's all I ask of you."
"You are part of it."
Her smile glistened and held her hand again passionately.
"Like a puzzle?"
"Like a puzzle," I said.
So he was mad at me, I thought. Of course he'd be mad. But I won't let these stupid rules get in the way of our friendship. I am not afraid to step out of that door and barge into his room--but I don't know where it's at. So maybe it is a bad time to confront him. So stupid, I said to myself. I'm just being ridiculous.
"Hey, Jess." Jason greeted, spreading green smoke on the floor.
"Thanks for saving us earlier." I said.
"It was nothing. I was just gonna give you back your wallet you dropped on the bridge."
"Oh, thanks though."
"You might want to check your face out--it's like a bloated, burnt marshmallow."
"Nice to see you too." I mockingly raised an eyebrow.
"I brought you guys some food if you guys wanna."
"No thanks, we just ate--but while you're still here, I wanna ask a few questions..."
"Sure, buddy. Anything."
"Where did you teleport us to when you saved us?"
"Right across the hall where Zach snd and Alice are supposed to be staying, but Jackson ended up staying there because of your guys' fight. Then the others try to talk him out of the problem--but that's where the wounds start to get infected when he saw the news about the "crime" at Walmart."
So Jackson's first thought consisted how I'm the suspect of all this... unbelievable.
"We shouldn't have gotten out." I said, full of regret.
"And the best part was when we flashed in the room--then boom! a punch in the face."
I didn't care how descriptive he was about the reenactment, I ruined it. At the last second.
"So where are the others?" Eiffel asked.
"Ace, Robert, Sarra, Alice, and Zach are all at Jackson's room," he tells me, "and your mom is in her own room, which was supposed to be the all-girls room in the first place."
"W-w-wait, how do you know all this stuff? You've only been here for a day."
"Well you wanted answers, right?"
"He has a good point." Eiffel said.
"And actually, it's been one and a half day--it's three in the morning."
"And you guys are still up?" I looked at Eiffel's dark spots under her eyes.
"It's okay, Jess, I stayed up for you."
"What else happened when I was out?" I asked.
"We got scolded on by Jackson," Jason said. "I got slapped."
"What about you Eiffel?"
She pulled the hem of her shirt down, revealing bright red marks of abnormally large fingers right across her right collarbone.
"That monster," I mumbled. "I just can't believe he'd hit you, Eiffel."
"I probably deserved it. I mean, I am the reason why we went out right? Because of my needs?"
"No, Eiffel--and I can't believe I'm saying this, but no. I will not confront Jackson, he might as well just live without me...just to make it easier to survive."
As I let go of those words, I felt a hint of relief inside.