Half-Hearted

Chapter 3: An Attempt To Escape

"Young lady, you do NOT speak to your mother that way! Who was that? That person who 'drove you home'? ANSWER ME!"

"Mom, calm down! It was just a friend."

"Just a friend? JUST A FRIEND!?"

"Teresa, did you not see them in the car? I did, and I want to tell you that our little Jacqueline here has a boyfriend. WHEN DID YOU GET A BOYFRIEND?"

Jacqueline wanted to cry, but she held back the tears.

"OH, WHAT? YOU GONNA CRY NOW?!"

Whenever she got home from something, anything, her parents were drunk. Even if she got back from school, they were drunk. She didn't know what to do, so she ran out the front door and over to Thomas' house. She knocked on his front door with tears streaming down her face.

"Hello Jacqueline. What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Mrs. O'Brien. I'm fine. Can I come in to see Tommy please?"

"Of course, my dear. He's up in his room watching a movie."

"Thank you."

Jacqueline climbed up the beige-coloured carpeted stairs and knocked on Thomas' door.

"It's open."

"Hey, Tommy."

"Hey J. Oh, no. What's wrong? Is it your parents again?"

"Yeah, they found out that I have a boyfriend."

"Really? A boyfriend, huh? What's his name?", he said as he handed her a box of tissues.

"His name is Adam. He was the guy who looked at me when we were at the food court yesterday. He thought that you were my boyfriend. We stayed late at school together. He had finished his football, soccer, and basketball practices, and I was needing a male model for my art project. He had come helped me, and after 3 hours, I was finished the art piece. Then he kissed me. I kissed him back, and when I did, he slipped his arm around my waist, and it was so romantic in the art room. Especially cause I needed a topless male model." She giggled.

Thomas chuckled. "Back to your parents now. Were they drunk again?"

"They always are. They just started yelling at me because I got home around 12:50. But they don't care about me. Sorry. I know you don't want this to trouble you again."

"They do care about you. And Dylan. Deep, deep, down. And what do you mean 'trouble me'? When have you ever?"

"That's true. Would you mind if I stay the night with you? I just can't go back home. Not now, at least."

"Of course. You are always welcome to stay here if you need to." Jacqueline curled up next to Thomas on his bed, with her head against his chest and they watched a movie together. Jacqueline had fallen asleep halfway through, so Thomas pulled her closer and hugged her so she wouldn't get cold.