Helping you •Janah•

•8•

Jack

The boy led me through the city streets with an air of confidence. I plodded along behind him, cold and confused. I'm helping you. That's what he had said. The same boy who took away the only source of food I had wanted to help me? Something didn't add up.

What if he's taking me to the police? Anxiety started coursing through me. I was going to get arrested for stealing. Shaking, I stopped walking. My feet wanted to run away but my body was stuck. 

The boy turned around, "Come on!" He waved me forward.

I shook my head, "W-where are y-you taking me?" 

The boy sighed, "I'm not trying to put you in jail." He walked over to me, "I'm taking you (haha) to my house." 

I looked into his eyes. It seemed like he was telling the truth. Hesitantly I began to follow him again. 

We walked in silence until we came to a small house not far from the city. The boy brought me inside. 

"Jonah?" A female voice called from other room.

The boy, Jonah, answered back, "Yep!" He took off his shoes at the front door.

I looked down at my mud covered sneakers. I hadn't taken them off in so long, I forgot what it felt like to not wear shoes. Slowly I slipped my feet out of them. Jonah began walking to another room and I followed. My feet felt too close to the ground. It was strange.

We ended up in a small kitchen. A man and a teenage girl were sitting at the table. They imminently shot glances at me. 

"Hey guys," Jonah acted as if it was totally normal to bring a stranger into their house, "Do we have any food?" 

The girl pointed to the fridge, "Look in there."

My stomach grumbled at the mention off food. I hadn't eaten since a granola bar yesterday afternoon. Jonah opened the fridge and pulled out a container. 

"Leftover mac and cheese ok?" He asked.

I gulped and nodded. Of course my first real meal in forever would be mac and cheese.

• • •

I tried not to gag as I put a bowl of steaming mac and cheese in front of Isla. She didn't seem to care that all we'd had for the last four days was microwaved  Kraft Easy Mac and cereal. In fact, to her, having mac and cheese for dinner every day was a treat.

As for me, I couldn't even look at the stuff without wanting to stick my fingers down my throat. It just reminded me that my father had left his children with no car, no money, and no food. 

I was doing my best to take care of my sisters, but we were running out of food. I hadn't eaten all day, focusing on giving all the food we did have left to the girls. 

Just as I was beginning to think I would have to reduce to stealing soon, the front door slammed. I didn't know whether to be happy or scared that my dad was home. 

I heard him stumbling down the hall. He was drunk. "Isla, sweetheart," She looked at me, confused, "Can you go upstairs for a minute?" Isla took one more bite of her dinner and raced upstairs.

My dad was swaying as he walked into the room. He staggered closer to me. My breath hitched in my throat.

"You little b****." He growled, "All I wanted was a little time away from you brats. But no, I get a call from your w**** of a sister telling me to COME HOME! Because you all are STARVING!" He brings his arm up and knocks the bowl of mac and cheese to the ground.

I watch helplessly as he makes his way over to me. I can't move, frozen in fear. He shoves me and I fall into the spilled mac and cheese. 

The smell overtakes me as my dad stalks out of the room. I lie on the ground and throw up violently. All that comes up is bile, due to my lack of food. I can hear the pounding feet of my sisters running into the room. I think they bring me to the couch, but I'm too out of it to care. 

• • •

Jonah

I begin heating up the mac and cheese. I can feel Zeb and Esther's eyes on me but I refuse to make eye contact. Instead I look over at Curly, who seems lost in thought. I study his face. His features are thin and sharp, probably from not eating, but he's still attractive. His curls fall in front of his eyes, which I notice are dark brown.

"So Jonah," Zebulon says, "Who's your friend?"

I am about to introduce him when I realize I don't know his name. I tap him on the shoulder and he jumps. Pure fear is in his eyes for a second before they return to normal. 

"Hey what's your name?" I ask.

"J-jack." He mumbles quietly. He seems almost unsure of the name, like no one's called him that for a long time.

"Well I'm Jonah," I point to my siblings, "And those are my siblings Zebulon and Esther. Svea is upstairs, asleep. You'll meet her in the morning."

"In the morning?" Esther questions, "Is he staying here?"

I nod. Curly, Jack I tell myself, gives me a small smile.

The microwave goes off and I take out the container. I set it in front of Jack. He sits down and slowly picks up a fork. 

The room is quiet as Jack takes his first bite. I watch as he swallows and eyes the container hungrily. Jack quickly takes more. I can tell he is still holding himself back from eating too fast. 

Still, it doesn't take long before Jack has finished the whole thing. I say goodnight to Zeb and Esther and we head upstairs to my room.

"You can sleep here tonight." I point to my bed.

"W-what about y-you?"

My stomach flutters. Even though he's the homeless one, Jack is making sure I'll have a place to sleep too. I've never met someone like him before.

"I'll take the couch." I gesture to the couch opposite my bed. I pulled it out of my parent's room after they left. Esther slept there for the first few nights after they were gone.

Jack nods and lays down in my bed. I sit on the couch and am about to start talking when I hear soft snores coming from him. I smile, "Good night Curly."

I lean back on the couch and close my eyes.

___________________________________

Who's ready for the 8 Letters music video????

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She is better and that's the tea

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Author for chapter @jackxrobertxavery