we're all dolls here

Ch. 9

"foster parents?" my words disappeared in my throat then came back spuratically," b-but you said you lived in the house on the corner, with your mom and dad. actual mom and dad."

jamisons eyes dropped further as the foster parents took in my stiffened features they rose from the tan cushioned chairs and came closer. jenn was the first to speak, "you're names autumn right?" i nodded, unable to make a coherent sentence. she smiled, "that's a very pretty name." i smiled, sneaking a short glance at jamison before his foster father stepped in front holding out his hand.

"nice to meet you autumn, im damon." i took his hand that turned out to be very light. "nice to meet you as well." damon moved slowly back to his seat as i let my questioning eyes re-position themselves on jamisons face. he stood, head still down, "am i allowed to talk to autumn alone?" our principal hesitantly nodded his head, jamison immediately turning in my direction, "lets go."

as soon as we were out of everyone's sight he turned his steadily paced steps into a solid sprint. i picked up my own pace as he disappeared around the corner. i felt beads of sweat clinging to my forehead as i rounded the corner only to find him sitting, arms wrapped around tightly around his legs , head hanging in the middle. his back rising at certain intervals, followed immediately by labored breaths.

i approached him slowly and sat myself on the floor beside him. i let my eyes focus on the wall in front of me, a vague attempt to stifle his lobbed breaths.

i wanted to comfort him.
i wanted to intertwine my hand in his.
i wanted to run my fingers through his hair that was now hanging over his eyes.
even lightly brush my fingertips under his eyes to prevent any more tears from falling.
but i wasn't going to, i couldn't. so instead we sat there, me staring at a musty, pale colored wall, and him with his head between his knees and lobbed breathing.

which one would break first? the thought ran through my brain just as jamisons head rose, letting his arms fall down to his thighs, resting against the cold floor.

"im sorry id didnt tell you. shit there's so many things i haven't told you that you need to know." my eyes were still trained on the wall as i spoke, i couldn't bring myself to look at him, "you're fine, everything's fine." i hesitated, "we barely even know each other. i don't expect you to tell me everything."

"we need to go back to your house." he stood and extended his arm toward me, "now."

this time i looked at him, i could see the trails his tears had followed to make their way down his face just moments before. his eyes were brighter than usual, his pupils were so dilated that it looked like they were going to disappear into the enticing blue crystals that surrounded them.

we walked hand in hand out of the school and started on the lengthy journey back to my house .

"you really think that the firs time we met was in the abandoned school?"

i racked through all the memories we had together, the earliest was me looking around the corner in the and seeing a pale boy running the opposite way. "that was the first time." jamison looked genuinely disappointed.

" i cant' wait until we get to your house." he shook my hand making me smile, "you're finally going to get some answers that you deserve more than anything."

my thoughts tripped over one another as they tried to solve the mystery that jamison had become. as we reached the hallway mark that was represented by a huge willow tree that must've been at least one hundred years old, jamisons hand tugged me in the direction if it, " i have to do something."as we reached the tree his eyes locked on mine.

i had noticed lately that when he looked at me now id dint feel insecure, i felt empowered.

"so why did you dodge me the first time?" his hands were both now intertwined through mine, his eyes traveled up and down my whole body sending a line of shivers shooting down my spine.