Dude, I love you

Chapter Ten

Jack Johnson’s POV

Jack didn’t come to school today. Lucky for him now he gets a longer weekend, even if he’s doing it just to avoid me. I stayed home yesterday thinking it was going to be fun but I ended up getting bored pretty quickly. I woke up and ate something then spent a few hours playing online. That got boring so I started watching TV then that got boring too. Eventually I started reading a book which I didn’t put down until Jack texted me later in the evening.

I didn’t answer him right away I spent a long time trying to figure out what to say. I was conflicted between saying yes and forgiving him and saying no and just making it easier for him to move on in life without me. It seems like that’s what he wants to do though he doesn’t say it. I couldn’t bring myself to say either yes or no and I ended up just saying ‘idk’ and that I couldn’t talk at the moment. He probably stayed home because it would be too awkward between us, avoiding each other and stuff. 

Rochelle had hanged out with me during lunch, probably out of guilt, and we talked. She has quite the personality and is pretty funny to be around. She introduced me to some of her friends and they were pretty welcoming and friendly, unlike Justin and his crew. Rochelle told me that Justin has been giving her the stink eye ever since her team whooped their ass in the soccer game on Wednesday.

After school Rochelle asked me to walk with her and her friend Daniel to the bus stop, which was in the same direction I was headed. She noticed I would sometimes walk that way when I took the sidewalks to avoid walking home with Jack.  Daniel was really friendly just like Rochelle. Daniel had moved to Omaha from Korea with his parents when he was five and Rochelle was born in the US but her parents came overseas before that. I waited with them until they got on the bus then made my own way home.

When I got home my parents were both home. They both got off work early for some reason which was nice since it was the beginning of the weekend. I started on my homework that I missed on Thursday. After I got bored of doing it I played online until my parents called me down for supper.

“Jack your plate is on the counter over there.” My dad says putting Jeff’s plate in the microwave.

“Thanks dad.” I say taking in the teriyaki chicken with my eyes before grabbing it to sit down.

The three of us sat at the dining table and ate, if Jeff was here it would have been complete since Stanley had nudged over his bowl of food to join us. Today has been really good, I think. Day one of a possible Jack-less future and it was moderately okay.

And with that thought the pang of depression had hit me like a brick. I was just beginning to see the sunlight in a cloudy future and then it was gone. I sat and ate in silence. My parents didn’t notice.

Afterwards I decided to escape into another world and started reading that book again. It was about a girl who took her sister’s place in some deadly competition. She vowed to come back to her family back home, her sister and her yet to be love interest. She’s strong and independent and has to think quick on her feet to survive. The world is against her and she’s willing to challenge it, to defy it. There’s this guy that loves her and she’s quite indifferent to him but needs to rely on him to come out alive. I wanted to root for this guy because he was willing to sacrifice everything so she would make it home again to see her family. I felt like there were parallels between me and her which made it even harder to put the book down.

When I finished the book Jeff had come home. I asked my mom if she could drive me to the book store before it closed so I could buy the second book but she said it was getting late and she was tired. She suggested I walk with Jeff to pick it up tomorrow. He agreed to come with me but I felt the ‘need’ to have this book right away. I knew I wasn’t going to win with my mom so gave up trying and just had to be as patient as I could be.

I kept myself busy playing online and with my phone and then with my homework until I got tired and fell asleep.

* * *

I woke up pretty early, too early in fact. Everyone else was still asleep. I had a dream about Justin talking rudely to me while Jack just stood by and watched, doing nothing and then went to stand on his side. It made me feel mad and I had to wash my face and have a snack before I came back to try and sleep again.

I smelled bacon before I even woke up. I got up quickly to go eat. Jeff had the same idea since he was already watching TV in the living eating a bacon and egg sandwich.

My mom told me that Jack’s parents were coming over after lunch time. I asked if Jack and his sisters were coming too, but she didn’t think to ask them. I didn’t want to face Jack just yet. He probably wouldn’t come anyways, seeing as he didn’t come to school the entire day yesterday or text me for that matter.

I asked my mom if I could borrow forty dollars, twenty for the book and another twenty for a movie, knowing Jeff wanted to see the new action thriller that came out the other day. He was all for it when I asked if he wanted to drive to the movies for an early show time.  If Jack did come over with his parents I wouldn’t be here.

I wore cargo shorts to the movie so I could sneak a chocolate bar in. Jeff got ready pretty quickly to catch the next possible show time. We would drive by the book store later to pick up my book. I don’t mind because my desire to avoid Jack is greater than my need to start reading the second installment.

* * *

I’m in my room reading the second book, hoping for insight on how I should handle my situation with Jack but I really shouldn’t compare fictional lives and universes to my real one.  

I was right earlier, Jack didn’t come with his parents but Molly and Laura did. He didn’t text me all day either. I’m glad and disappointed at the same time. It hurts to admit it but I guess it’s over.

I should really get some sleep soon but I can’t put this book down.