Fix You ~Completed~

Seventy-Three-Point-Five

~Eddie~

It will sound weird, but Gale had been scoping out the tiny blonde kid for a few weeks. We only spotted him during Karaoke Nights, which I found odd because it felt like it was impossible not to run into everyone at Sawyer. He never came into the café on any other day, never went to the coffee cart, and he couldn't have been majoring in any of the same stuff Gale and I were because we never had a class with him.

"He was crying last week," Gale said one Karaoke Night. I glanced over my shoulder and scanned the crowd. The comment had come out of nowhere but I knew who he was referring to. Sure enough, the little blonde guy was hunkered down by himself at a table near the back.

The stoner guy he usually came with wasn't there.

"Did you see him last week? When Jimmy and Alto were up there singing 'She Will Be Loved,' he started sniffling so I got him a tissue," Gale went on, tugging a bit on my hoodie sleeve. "Isn't he so small? How can he be in college? I could probably fit that little guy in my pocket!"

The week before, this guy I knew from one of my psych classes invited Gale and I to hang with him and his friends at Karaoke Night. We were sitting at the table next to the blonde kid, who'd come alone that week too. I saw Gale lean over and hand him the tissue when he started crying a little.

It bothered me to see him crying. There was just something so dainty about him. Seeing the boy with tears in his eyes reminded me of those paintings of crying angels. Everything was soft and trembling.

I looked back at my friend. "I'll get the drinks and stuff," I said, knowing right well what Gale wanted.

He buzzed off and got himself a seat at the boy's table. I watched while I was in line. Jimmy noticed I wasn't very focused and laughed at my fumbling with the word cinnamon. That was the first night I'd ever tried a cinnamon latte and I only did it because it was half-priced for whatever reason.

"What're you daydreaming about? Got a cute date this weekend, Eddie?" he teased, and I just waved him off. I just broke it off with my last girlfriend not that long ago. I wasn't sure when I'd want to try again with anyone. It just seemed like a lot more trouble than it was worth.

When I sat down with Gale and the blonde, I found out his name was Clem. Not Clementine or Clement... just Clem. He always hesitated before answering our questions and his hands kept fidgeting under the table. I could see now why Gale liked him so much.

Gale always went for these types. He'd find some sad looking kid and try to take them under his wing, build them up, then let them fly on their own. Usually, the kid wanted nothing to do with Gale, but Clem was different. He liked the constant attention and all the questions my friend was asking him.

It made me wonder if Clem got much of this. I wondered if anyone ever showed so much interest in him.

I was going in for pediatrics. It'd always been my career goal. Because of this, I'd taken so many psychology courses and I was taught the signs of a neglected child.

Clem fit so many of the bills with his sloppily trimmed hair, worn-out clothes, and his tooth-pick thin body. He was so pale and his hands kept shaking when he accepted the muffin we got him...

Gale and I went up onto the stage to perform for the night, and I caught Clem giggling at us the whole time. That was probably the best I'd ever felt while on stage. Something about seeing someone so fragile smile like that because of Gale and I made me feel as though I were actually doing something right.

"Do you wanna hang out again next Friday?" Gale didn't even hesitate to pop the question, his elbows resting on the table. I hadn't even sat back down yet and Gale was already plotting our next week.