Run

Part One | 4

Chapter 4

"My first friend in Middleborough was Jorden. Wow... It's been so long since I've thought about him. He... That kid tried with me, he really did. I appreciated his efforts, but I was such an asshole back then. I guess I am still, but he deserved more from me. No matter how much I thought I didn't, I really liked his company. He was a good guy.

I wonder how his life's turned out. I wish I had told him any form of goodbye. I wasn't all that good of a friend to him. Oh my god, it feels good to think about him. It's been so long."

...

I sat in the first pew of Gale's church, The Church of St. Augustine. It was small and crowded with creaky wooden pews and old glass windows, but the atmosphere was bright and overwhelmingly friendly. The elderly pastor spoke loudly with firm pride. As he preached, he would push his bifocals up his nose whenever he referenced a passage in the Bible, speaking louder than before. His eyes met mine a few times, almost as if he was speaking directly to me. It was always me who looked away first, my arms crossed and my ears shut.

And afterwards, Gale spoke with at least seven groups of families while I stood a couple feet behind her. She introduced me to each of them, smiling as if she was happy I was living with her, as if this all had been planned and not completely improvised.

"Why the sudden move in?" one family would ask.

Gale would grin proudly. "He's never lived here before and we thought it'd be good for him."

I wasn't sure who she meant by "we." Surely, she didn't mean my dad because they haven't spoken in years, and she sure as hell didn't mean me because I didn't want to be here in the first place.

At the seventh family, I was on the brink of my patience.

"I didn't know you had a son, Gale," a thin, brunette woman smiled.

Gale placed her hand on my left arm, gently pulling my forward. "He's my stepson."

I rolled my eyes. Because God forbid people think I'm her flesh and blood.

"Oh, is he? Is he going to Middleborough High?"

"He will be, yes," Gale nodded.

"Hear that, Jorden?" The woman nudged a boy who I assumed was her son, though the two looked nothing alike.

He was scrawny with dirty blond hair. He was a few inches smaller than me, his blue eyes having to peer up to meet mine. He was also biting his nails, clearly not engaged in the conversation.

"Hm?"

"This boy..." the woman trailed off, awkwardly pointing at me.

"Bryson," Gale finished.

"Bryson will be attending your school. What will he be?" she asked Gale. I guess I wasn't able to answer questions about myself.

"Senior," Gale replied.

"Oh. Jorden's a junior, but I'm sure he can still show Bryson around." She nudged the boy again. "Yeah?"

Jorden dropped his hand. "Oh, yeah." He looked me in the eye once more. "Hey, man."

I nodded towards him before giving Gale a pointed look. She pursed her lips and sighed.

"Well I'll be seeing you guys next Sunday."

"Take care, Gale. It's nice to meet you, Bryson," the woman waved, though I didn't recall ever talking to her in the conversation.

On the drive back to Gale's house, it was quiet, but the commute was short. Thankfully.