Tic Toc

Chapter Twelve

Many days had gone by before Zeke had spoken to me again which also meant that many days had gone by where Zeke faced terrible things at home and had no one to talk to about them and the bullying was just as bad. But in those many days Zeke must have discovered something because he had begun to trust me with more things. I had found out that his father was an alcoholic (which I already knew), that he had lost his mother at a young age to a tragic accident that occurred shortly after his father had found out she had cheated on him (also I knew), and I had learned more about who Zeke was as a person; I learned that he liked to stay up late listening to his favorite music and writing songs that he felt touched on the emotions that others do not, that he liked butter on spaghetti, and that he was the biggest Sonic the Hedgehog fan ever. And honestly, I didn't think he was a freak.. I actually kind of liked him..

We spent more and more time together going places and doing things but mostly.. we just talked. I liked it when he talked, mostly because it meant that I didn't have to. It seemed that Zeke was smiling more since we started hanging out but the visions of his death hadn't stopped yet, not that I knew if they ever would. The closer we grew together the more I realized.. I never wanted to say goodbye... I began to look forward to our talks everyday and how his smile always reached his eyes when he was with me and how his laugh made my heart smile.

"You know Lyndsey, things are different with you," he had told me one day that we had hung out.

"Why is that?" I asked.

"Because normally I have to put on a front and stay distant because I'm afraid that if people actually knew me or the things that went on in my head.. well that they wouldn't like me as much anymore. But with you.. I feel like I could tell you I was a mass murderer and you'd still be my friend." I laughed and he smiled, "No really you're like the best thing that's ever come out of the shit whole of a life I was given."

"Well it's true. You can tell me anything your heart desires."

"As if I ever had a heart to begin to desire." He chuckled, "Come on, I'll walk you home."

We reached my door a little while later and I realized that I wasn't ready to leave. I hated hanging out with him and not knowing if that was the last time I would see him. If I would have to soon say goodbye to my Zeke. If this was the last smile I got to see or the last laugh I got to hear escape his lips. If this was the last time his voice spoke my name or the last time he hugged me goodbye. And the truth was I didn't much like this feeling. But what I didn't know most of all was that that day was approaching quicker than I thought it was..