trio of trouble! • jesus foster [discont.]

T H I R T E E N

Evangeline

"Hey. You awake?" I heard Jesus whisper as I stared up at the ceiling. I was stressed, because it'd be my third birthday in a row without any 'happy birthday' tomorrow.

"Yeah. Can't sleep. You?" I asked Jesus, whispering.

"I haven't slept since the crash." He sighed, quietly. "Something about bad dreams."

"You know where Callie is?" I asked him, seeing that Callie wasn't in her bed.

"Brandon's room." He explained. "Wanna hang in my room?"

"Isn't Jude in there?" I sat up, giving him more room to sit, that he did.

"He sleeps like Mariana." He smiled. "Like the dead."

"Well. Wanna go hand in your room?" I asked.

"Let's go!" He whispered excitedly.

~/~

"Oh my god!" I laughed at Jesus' funny skateboarding fail story. "How did you manage to get out of that unharmed? Especially at nine years old!"

"It's not that funny!" He fake pouted. "Thanks for your simpethy."

My laughs died down and the room became silent.

"You would've liked Emma." He broke the silence.

"Jesus..." I stopped him. "You don't have-"

He cut me off. "No. I want you to know. She would want her memory to live on. She told me- she told me she didn't want me to forget about her and with you, I don't see how. I'm not sad about it. I'm so happy you're here."

"Thank you, Jesus. I'm so happy I'm here too!" I smiled and wrapped my arms around his torso and put my head on his shoulder. "Tell me more about her." I stayed in the same position.

"Well... She loved sports. Wrestling was kinda her thing."

"Like me and lacrosse." I said.

"Yup. The only girl on the wrestling team, in fact. I quit the team after. Super smart and artistic. She was reasonable and kind. And don't get me started on her beauty."

"Can I see a picture?" I looked up at him, still slightly keeping my head on his shoulder. I knew he probably wouldn't have a picture, but I really wanted to see her, even if I couldn't meet her.

"Sure." He pulled his phone off the charger and turned the brightness down a little because it was pitch black in his room. Plus, he didn't wanna wake up Jude.

He pulled up a picture of her and showed me.