Daddy Dearest

Chapter 10: Blasted Past pt 1

Well hello there Ghoulies. 
I've heard y'all been breaking hearts and faces out there!

Lovely. 

Onee-chan's really troubled by this chapter here. 

Enjoy this little concoction I've been brewing.
Onee-chan

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Jaden's POV

"Dude, don't you think you're taking this too far?" Neil asked over the phone. Honestly, I know I'm taking it hard but I'm trying my best to cover how bad it was from my best friend. I've never had to hid things from him, but he knew how depressed I was, I'm he wouldn't leave my side. "I'll be real with you Jay, you're worrying me. Where are you? I'll come get you...no questions asked." 

"I'm doing fine Neil, you don't have to call to check up on me," I told him, as I distractedly pulled at the grass I was sitting on. "Blake called you huh?"

"Yes, he did and quiet frankly, I don't blame him. You're acting strange. All this distance you're putting between everyone right now is creepy," he replied. 

"Which everyone? This is just between Blake and I. The Queen could be calling and I'd ignore her call to answer yours," I smiled to myself as I heard him 'hmph' over the phone. "If I don't answer, then you should be worried."

"Fine, but at least tell me where you are. That way I can at least know where to find your body if you go missing or something."

Neil was real worry-wart. It's comical to think that I had realized it then. "I'm chilling out by Signal Hill," I explained.

"You can't be kidding me! Do you even know what kind of people go up to Signal Hill?! Strange people, that's who! Mostly men and cheap dollar whores shagging in beat-up old trucks and pubescent teenagers in Daddy's new Honda looking to score," he ranted on the next line. 

I could only imagine the expression he wearing right then.

Of course, he would be opposed to me being up here but Neil still swallowed the fact that I wanted to be alone. Truth is, I don't want to be alone. Is it to be alone or do I just wanna get some attention from Blake? Is this me trying to get his attention once again? The way I was feeling was so confusing and I didn't know how to get rid of it. I didn't even know what my purpose was now that I was on the hill. Signal Hill was a shady place all on it's own, not that I've been here before. I've only heard of its rumours. 

Either way, it was better than being home. Being near Blake was starting to get unbearable. It's even more hurtful to know that he knows how I feel, but he chooses to toss my feelings aside, as if they don't matter. He's been treating me like some dumb kid, and maybe Blake's hoping that if  he ignores the confession, it'll just go away. It could be that he thinks that I'll perhaps quietly get over it. 

That thought alone made me so angry. 

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There was some shuffling coming from the pathway entrance, and I turned to see who it was. Looking at the guy, his clear complexion was overcast by the shadow of the Welcome sign above him.  

The first thing I notice was his eyes. His eyes were either green or blue. They stared right through me for a minute and he didn't even move. It was as if he'd seen a ghost. He had a huge built along with broad shoulders and biceps like guns. He squinted at me some more and begun approaching me in a slow manner. I sensed trouble thoughts whirling around his head like bees.

"Uh... can I help you?" I asked suddenly being on guard.

He was so tall though, what the heck? Why couldn't I be given just a little more muscle or height like that? I mean, this guy was chiseled yo, like a statue.The material of his business suit crinkled a little as he took a seat on a nearby bench but it shaped him out handsomely. I almost drooled a bit. His face was turned towards the setting horizon and then, moved to look at me again. "Sorry about earlier. You... you really look like someone that I used to know. It gave me a mini-shock."

He didn't necessarily look like he was from around here or did he seem like the kind of guy that would roam these type of areas, but before I thought ran through my mind, it ran through my mouth"Are you trying to pick me up Mister?"

A deep chuckled came from him. His features flashed a killer and cheeky smile at me, his lighting up mysteriously. "Oh I've been busted huh? You look way much younger than I usually go for, but if you're out here alone, I assume you're also looking for company." he ask narrowing his eyes as he shoved his hands into his pockets. Sending him a scowl, he held up his hands saying, "you're 18, right?" 

"Uuhhh..." Maybe I should've just accepted Neil's offer to come pick me up. 

Suddenly, he laughed again while trying to stifle his laugh with his hand and failing miserably at it. "You should see your face," was he mocking me or something? "Oh c'mon, don't pout. I'm just trying to scare ya. What are you...like 16? It's not good for a cutie like yourself to be out in strange places like these. You'd be devoured."

"Yeah well... I'm 17 for your information," I answered in a huff. Do I really look like a kid of 16. Heck, in just a couple months I'll be an legal adult of 18 years. "... whatever is fine anyway;  anything sounds better than going home right now."

"Is that so?" he hummed softly. "Welp, how about some food kid?" He then asked suddenly jumping up with a burst of energy.

Staring at him dubiously, I stated, "I'm good. Nothing good happens when you follow strangers somewhere. How do I know you're not looking to devour me too?"

The expression on his face looked as if he was highly amused by my responses. "Unlike the jokers around here, I'm actually descent; the literal definition of a marshmallow. It's the people like you, who look like they can't kill a fly, that are chopping people's head off. Plus, it may not look like it, but I went to Greenly High School back in the day," he stated coming nearer to me. 

Greenly High School was the only private school we had in the area. It's widely known that only rich kids get to enter. As you would have it, Blake had gone there too.

It was sorta strange, but I felt zero cause of alarm as he smiled down at me; and that's saying something coming from me. He seemed rather genuine, and my gut instinct was usually right. Well, maybe it's been a little off  when it came to matters with Blake but I didn't feel as if was standing on death's doorstep. 

The guy was still chatting happily away like one of those happy-go-lucky types. "My sister is suppose to meet up with me in a little but I'm a bit famished and eating alone makes the food taste bad. I'll buy you food in return for your youthful company," he proposed.

Finally convinced, I got up wordlessly and turned to him saying, "I'm choosing to go with you not because of the food-but good try, I gotta give you that. Here's this, in exchange for my company, just listen to my simple teenage troubles. That's all."

"You've got a deal!" He answered, sending me a half smile. "By the way, the name's Jerome Baxter but Bax is good." 

"Jaden," I revealed back to him.

 The name sounded familiar but I just couldn't put a finger on it. I've never known a Jerome before. It's probably important too because I never remember names, I'm more a face-recognition type of guy. The thought got push to the back of my mind for storage, knowing that I'd probably remember it when I'm not thinking about it.