no savior.

no words

KJ's POV

I leave work with a sense of hopelessness. What else don't I know about the kids I serve? Should I take a more serious approach to their sessions? Am I too unstructured? Am I even helping any of them?

Right as I get to my bike, I get a text.

So you thought you could come back into town and not say anything?

I reply immediately, confused. Who is this?

My phone rings and I see its the same ID the text came from. "Who is this?"

"Is that anyway to address your son?" his voice has changed, it's dropped, but is still recognizable.

"Beck Blume?My Beck Blume?"

"You fucking right," he laughs, "Where are you? I demand your presence."

"I'm just leaving work," I tell him, "You?"

"Omg me too! Here meet me here," he rambles off an address to me that I manage to take down.

I meet Beck that evening at a gay bar downtown. Even though he's grown since high school, he still stands out, his hair bleached white except a streak of lime down the middle of his up-do.

He's tall physique as slimmed, his body seemingly toned from working out. His style seems to have hit a puberty of his own, the bright colors of old replaced by new  more sophisticated ones. Our eyes meet and he immediately rushes me, engulfing me in a hug, and swinging me around, "Mooooom!"

"Okay! Okay! I missed you, too. Damn! Put me down!" 

He does and I take him in once more, "Damn. Is that a beard I see?"

"I'm a grown man," he laughs, "And oh my God, your hair!" He reaches out to touch it, "It's so shooooorrrtt."

"Had to make some changes," I shrug. We head inside, the bar, a neon sign indicating the name of the bar is LOVELY'S. Upon entrance, loud music blares as teens and young people alike dance with each other, everyone comfortable with each other. Beck leads be to a stair case, which takes us to the upstairs part, which is serves liquor and food and is strictly 21 and up. We end up grabbing a seat at a booth in the back, where Beck orders appetizers and drinks for both of us.

"This place is pretty neat," I comment. He nods, "I started coming here after you and Nat left for college. It's a good place for teens to be themselves, no pressure."

"God it's been way too long," he sighs, "How have you been?"

Well... My mind runs over my life the last five years. Where even do I begin?

"I've been exactly how you expect me to have been," I reply instead.

He chuckles, "Exactly the same yet totally different."

Our server comes back with our drinks and I take a sip of the fruity goodness, most of the alcohol seemingly hidden by it's sweetness.

We talk about any and everything over drinks. Even though it's been years since we've seen each other, it feels like it's been only days.

"Hey, what ever happened to Layne?" He asks suddenly, "You've talked about everything but her."

"Funny you mention it..." my voice trails off just as I catch a glimpse of a girl with hair stopping below her ass, a Latina woman at her side.

"Speak of the devil..." Beck turns his head to see what's caught my attention, "I'll be damned. She got prettier."

"Ssh," I hush him.