Losing Light

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Who are you going to get arrowheads from?" I ask once we get to my cell. Gareth slumps on my bed, and twiddles his thumbs. "I don't think your family will give you arrowheads."

"Yeah, you're probably right." He mutters and slumps even more, his hair flopping in front of his face.

"So who?" I pester.

He sighs and brushes his hair away from his face. "There might be this one fellow I could talk to, but I would feel bad if I did."

"Why?"

"Well, dear Violet, he had a major crush on me for years and would go out of his way to do things for me. We sort of ended our friendship on a bad note once I felt it had gone too far. I guess he might still be able to do this for me. He's kind like that." Gareth bites his lip. "I'll have to give him a call."

"Oh." I say. It's all I can say, really.

"He has like this infinite amount of arrowheads he inherited from his grandfather, who was one of those Indian-wannabes. He doesn't like then much. If I remember correctly, they probably are still collecting dust in his attic. Hated any sort of weapons, really. Never wrestled with the boys because he didn't want to get hurt or inflict pain on their pretty faces."

"When are you going to call him?"

"I'll call him tomorrow. Yeah. Probably."

"What's his name?"

"Burton. Burton Levi Hayes. He preferred going by Levi, but he always let me call him Burton."

"What's he like?"

"He's one of those tall, really skinny shy types. He likes to play video games but hates playing the horror kinds on his own. He wears John Lennon-type glasses and wears his hair like Gerard Way. He always wears jeans, short-cut socks, tennis shoes, and graphic shirts. He's kind, like I said, and always did some sort of community service. People picked on him sometimes because he was gay, but the people who liked him made sure he got minimal taunts and bruises. I'd go over to his house when he did get beaten, and I would always comfort him. Every single time."

"Did he ever tell you he liked you?"

"Once." He admits. "It was probably the best way he could've done it, but it still ended badly."

"How'd he do it?"

"Gave me a comic book that I really wanted and told me I was the most important person in his life. He had this lovey-dovey sort of look. That's when I knew, right before he told me he was into me."

"What'd you do?"

"I told him I was only interested in being his friend, and yelled at him for ruining it. I was a bit miffed at him. I liked being there for him, and now I couldn't. And no one else could either."

"Oh." Again, there was nothing I could say in response.

"Yeah. Well, don't worry about it. I'll get the arrowheads and you can win back your girl when you get out." He tells me with a smile.

"I'm not worrying about that, y-"

"Speaking of which," Gareth interrupts. He obviously doesn't want to talk about his crusher Burton Levi Hayes. "I do believe you owe me an explanation of what happened that day."

I sigh, and reluctantly recount that day to him. I remember it like it happened minutes ago, and retell the story in the same way.