The Nameless Boy

29: Science Project

Life was going good. Too good. The kind of too good that makes you afraid for when the amount of good days has been to many, and you have a feeling the universe might throw you a curve ball.

     Darren living under the same roof as me went smoother than I expected, and he often spends time at his cabin so we don't get too sick of each other, and he still has his privacy. My parents completed the paper work (surprise- dad wasn't thrilled) and they were now his legal guardians. They didn't act like parents towards him though; he is 17 after all. It would be strange for them to suddenly be authoritative and demanding. Plus, he was so polite, he never gave them a reason to scold him. The summer had been lovely, and I spent lots of time with Avery, Kade, and Daniela. Darren was still a bit nervous to hang out with them with me.

     As I said, things were just going too well.

     I was reading Perks Of Being a Wallflower on my bed while Darren was lying on the floor with my laptop watching some history documentary for school; that was one thing my parents asked of him. They didn't want to deal with the school if he began failing a class or skipping. Darren's super intelligent, so I knew that wouldn't be an issue. I was caught up in my book when I hear Darren say, "What is this?"

     "Hm?" I say not looking away from my book.

     "Arabella, what the hell is this." He said firmly.

     I looked up to find him flipping through the old book I had kept notes in; the journal Avery and I had written to figure out Darren's life. My heart started beating out of my chest.

     "Babe, let me expl-"

     "You've been keeping tabs on me?"

     "Please!"

     "Like I'm some kind of f*cking science project? Is that what I am to you?"

     "Darren please, you know that's not true," I yelled.

     "Oh look at this. 'He says he's apart of a secret mission. Delusional? Is he telling the truth? FBI?'"

     "Darren, that was so long ago, I-"

     "I don't want to hear it! I'm a joke to you!"

     "No! I love you!"

     "Sure."

     "Darren please." I cried. "Just sit down, let's talk about this, just hear me out."

     "No, I'm out of here."

     And just like that, he was gone.

     I cried for what seemed like hours but it had only been thirty minutes.

     "Dani?" I sniffed.

     "Hey, girl! Are you okay? It sounds like you're crying." She answered through the phone.

     "Darren found the journal. The journal where I kept notes on him. He's furious and just left. I don't know what to do."

     "Oh, Arabella...yikes. Hmm, I would give him some space. He's hurt. Just wait for him to come back."

     "What if he doesn't?"

     "He will. He loves you, girl! Doesn't he have a short temper?"

     "Kind of, I've given him a lot to be mad about though."

     "And it always gets fixed, right?"

     "Right." I felt my tears slowly going away as Daniela reminded me of this.

     "You'll be fine. You know he has a lot going on inside his head- literally."