Weightless [Jack Barakat]

Chapter Twelve

Eleanor's POV

I closed my eyes as the door shut behind me, and just leaned against the wall for a moment.

"He seems nice."

My eyes shot open and I jumped slightly. "Jeez, Bill!"

He chuckled. "Sorry for scaring you. But he does seem like a nice kid. What's his name?"

"Jack Barakat."

"Is he...just a friend?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, Bill. How many times must we discuss this? I don't plan on bringing home a boyfriend. Not for a long, long time."

I began to wonder if he was watching that whole time.

Ususally, kids were convinced that their step parents were horrible monsters, that their goal was to come into their homes and ruin their lives. I was convinced that my stepfather was a tad bit insane, and was sometimes a fourteen-year-old girl.

In a non creepy way, of course...

Thankfully, he dropped the subject of Jack Barakat. "So is Juliet a code word or something?"

I shook my head. "Nope. She's a friend of mine. I got a call from her right before Jack came over, and she's coming to visit. Her dad got a job a few years ago and they had to move to New York, but now they might be coming back to Baltimore."

"Ooh, that sounds like fun! Are they staying here?"

"Juliet is, but her dad is staying with an old friend. Two weeks, then they find out if he got the job or not."

I was really excited to see Juliet. When my Dad left, she was the only friend that I managed to keep around. She was also the only one who was able to cheer me up, and she understood firsthand. Her mom ran out on them when she was a baby. She was still bitter about it, but couldn't really hold a grudge because she never got to know her mom.

"Well that will be nice for you guys. I'm going out for a bit with some guys fo work, will you be fine? Why am I even asking, of course you will."

He got his coat then left. Sometimes I wondered how Bill didn't make his first marriage work, or why he never had kids of his own. He was such a nice guy, and as good of a father I could ask for.

I went back up to my room, going over what Juliet had told me.

They were coming down in two days, and I guess her dad had already gotten in touch with my Mom to make the arrangements.

I was beyond excited. Maybe high school would have been a little different for me if she hadn't moved. Maybe I wouldn't be so angry still at my Dad for leaving.

Deciding that I wouldn't think about that anymore, I grabbed the Nirvana CD from Jack and started playing it on full volume. I fell back onto my bed and closed my eyes, letting the familiar music engulf me, bringing me away from reality for a while.

Once again, I felt some weight lift off my chest.