Strangely Comforting (boyxboy)

Chapter 13

The three of us went our separate ways with me going back to my dorm and the other two going back to their cars. I breathed out, my breath visible in the cold air, and looked up at the sky. I felt my phone buzzing in my jacket pocket and slowly removed it, dreading the call I knew I was bound to get sooner or later.

"Dad," I said when I answered the call.

"Son," he replied, his voice deep and raspy. "You haven't been home in a while."

"Well do you blame me?" I said, refraining from yelling at the man.

"I know it's been hard for you since-"

"No shit, Dad! No shit it's been so fucking hard!" I yelled this time, fighting back tears as I looked back up at the sky. "And to top it off-"

"I'm trying, Jasper," my dad said. "Just come home."

"How many times are you going to try? I'm sick of it, Dad. I can't take living with you," I replied, biting my lip as my eyes watered.

"Believe me, Jasper. I'm going to change. Come home," he said.

"No," I replied. "It's too suffocating, Dad. Haven't you wondered why I chose to live in a dorm when we live so damn close to the campus?"

My dad remained silent for a few seconds.

"Your mother would be happy-"

"Don't bring her into this," I said harshly. "This is about you and your addictions, Dad. Mom has nothing to do with it. You know I'd be home everyday if Mom was there. But she's not. And she never will be."

This time the tears that threatened to flow poured down my face as I turned to walk back to my dorm.

"I'm sorry, Jasper. I miss your mother very much, too. But I also miss my son. I just want you to know that you can come home whenever you want and I'll be here," my dad said.

I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand before replying. I didn't like fighting with my dad because he was the only family I had left. I decided that I wouldn't keep blaming him today and replied, "Okay."

"I'll talk to you later, Jasper," my dad told me.

"Okay," I said. And with that, the line went dead.

"Shit," I breathed and wiped my face again. I couldn't stand going home to face my father who turned to alcohol as his source of relief ever since my mother passed away three years ago. I didn't like to see him in that condition. And that's why I spent as much time as I could away from that house.

I slowly walked back to my room, sniffling as I opened the door. Drey was at his desk, completing his homework. He turned around as I walked in and dropped my bag on the floor before I collapsed in my bed.

"Jasp, you okay?" Drey asked, peering at me from behind his glasses.

"My dad called again," I told him, looking up at the ceiling. "The same old weekly call."

"Oh," Drey replied. "I take it it didn't go so well."

"When does it ever?" I asked.

"That's right," he said. "He asked you to come home again?"

"Mhm," I said. "It's the same thing over and over. 'Come home Jasper. I miss you. I'm changing.' Like come on. I won't go back there."

"I understand where you're coming from, Jasp. But nothing is going to change if you don't see your father. Maybe he really is trying to change," Drey told me. "You just don't know because you haven't seen him since the start of the semester."

"That old man couldn't change being an alcoholic if we wanted to. Every time he thinks about my mom, he turns to alcohol," I said. "He'll never change."

"I'm not trying to force you to do anything you don't want to do, but I really think you should give him a visit. He's your father, Jasp. Of course he would do anything to have you back, even if it meant giving up alcohol," Drey explained.

I sighed and stretched my arms above my head. "I don't know," I said. "I just really don't know."

"You don't have to if you're uncomfortable," Drey said. "Just think about it. Nothing will hurt you from just thinking about it."

"I guess," I said and sighed again. "Thanks Drey."

"Hey, I've got you Jasp," Drey said and smiled. I offered a smile back and pulled out my phone, letting him return to his homework. Messages lined up on my screen, and I swiped to open them. The first few caused my eyes to widen.

They were from "Rude Bastard".

Rude Bastard: Jasper.

I kept reading.

Rude Bastard: Call me.

I scrolled down.

Rude Bastard: When you get the chance.

I was shocked that Xander was texting me out of nowhere. But I was even more surprised that he wanted me to call him. What did he even have to say to me?

"Why would a good-for-nothing loser want to call me?" I asked out loud, holding my phone above my face, staring at the messages.

Drey spun around again, positioning his glasses on the edge of his nose. "A good-for-nothing loser? Do you perhaps mean to say Xander Peyton?"

"So you agree he's a good-for-nothing loser? I didn't even say his name," I said smirking at Drey.

"Whatever," Drey muttered. "Though I am curious as to why he wants to call you."

I laughed. "Probably wants to make fun of me for earlier."

"Earlier?" Drey asked. "What happened?"

I groaned thinking about the uncomfortable situation. "I slipped up and now Hayden knows I'm interested in someone. But I wouldn't tell him who."

"Jeeez, Jasp. How'd you do that?" he asked. "Wait. That might actually be a good thing. Now you can tell Hayden your feelings."

"No way," I dismissed his suggestion.

"But why would Xander make fun of that? Does he know you like Hayden?" he asked.

"Yes," I mumbled.

"What!" Drey yelled. "You told Xander?"

"No," I replied. "He saw me hold hands with Hayden in the library."

"Pff," Drey laughed. "You held hands in the library? Even I'm not that cheesy."

I whipped my pillow at him again, as I always did when he annoyed me. This time, he was ready for it and whipped it back at me.

"Saw it coming," Drey said, grinning.

"Shut your mouth next time," I said, leaning back in my bed.

"So are you going to call him? Xander, I mean," Drey asked me.

"I guess," I replied. "He better have something good to say."

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