She Coyote

29. It's getting colder, but somehow you keep me warm

COYOTE
The weeks flew by without a trace. Suddenly we were halfway through November, the snow packed onto the sidewalks like new sheets on a bed. My apartment was warmed up by a shitty heating system that pained me to pay for. If it was up to me, I would just let myself freeze. But, I wanted to keep Jude as comfortable as possible.

He had stayed on my couch during the nights, and entertained me during the rare moments I was free from my jobs. I wondered where he went when I left, I didn't want to imagine. He really didn't have any friends to confide in. I hated to admit it, but for the time being I was all he really had. Besides his mother and siblings, but he hadn't seen them since we shared dinner together.

It was nearly 8PM; I had just arrived home from the book store. I promised I would be back at four, but they kept requesting my assistance so I took a spontaneous double shift. Jude was waiting for me, his feet kicked up onto my coffee table, his hands holding a mug with steam wafting up from it like dancing spirits. He glanced at me with his intense transparent eyes, his lips tugging upwards. "I was starting to think you were just gonna stay there the whole night."

I tossed my bag onto the floor and slumped down onto the couch beside him, groaning. "They have pull out beds upstairs, so it's not completely out of the question." I responded. He passed me over the coffee and I grasped it eagerly. The heat seeped through my cold skin excitedly, the slight burning sensation not despised, but welcomed. I sipped it cautiously, the stench of cigarettes hanging in the air. The smell comforted me unlike it used to.

"Do you work tomorrow?" Jude questioned as I tenderly guided the scalding liquid into my mouth.

I swallowed and sighed. "Just the morning. I get back at noon."

"Did you have time to finish your school work?" He was starting to sound like a parent.

"Yes, dad." I didn't even attempt to conceal the minuscule amount of annoyance in my tone. My educational situation was unusual. I was mailed assignments that I was to accomplish and return to sender from a homeschool program that was cheap and effective. I was able to attain the text books through my job at the bookstore for a discounted price.

He chuckled and rolled his eyes. "It's just that you work so hard that you probably forget shit. I know I would."

I shrugged, taking another drink of the coffee. "I'm thinking of just dropping out of high school. It's not like I'll use my education for anything useful."

"Hey, man, do whatever you want. I dropped out when I was your age, so I'm not even gonna try and convince you to do otherwise."

"Ew, don't say that."

"What?"

"When I was your age...it's not like you're seventy. It makes you sound like an old man." I scrunched my nose and passed him back the drink.

He laughed and shook his hair with his hand. "I'll be an old man in less than a week."

"We should celebrate your birthday tonight." I declared, jumping up to my feet.

"I usually celebrate with hard drugs and hookers, so."

"No and no. How about music?" I suggested. "I know this place that usually has some pretty dope musicians every night. We could check it out, see who's playing?"

"Any drugs?"

"A few drugs." I assured.

"Deal!" He exclaimed with his thumb shot high up into the air and a dorky grin on his lips. It was hard to believe this twelve year old was actually gonna be twenty-two. I laughed at him and swatted his feet off the table on the floor.