The First Punch [t.h.]

Chapter 10 - Hurricane

SJ's finger tapped across her phone screen with a gentle smile etched across her face. She's leaned against the old headboard, blankets covering the majority of her body and Matty's laptop playing Titanic. The most she's moved is to grab a bowl of cereal for breakfast, Matty's laptop, and use the bathroom. Other than that, she's been comfortable in the bed she calls hers half the week while texting Tom.

SJ had woken up to a text from Tom. It was a simple 'good morning' but it made her smile and her chest warm with happiness. Butterflies swarmed her stomach and while she wasn't one to immediately get on her phone the second she wakes up, she couldn't help herself but reply immediately. She feels like she's a kid again with her first crush, bubbly and happy. A pleasant reminder that even through dark times, there can be this peacefulness, happiness, innocence. It's refreshing, almost a little too refreshing.

While SJ and Tom texted away and SJ's cheeks ache from pure joy, there was this knot forming in her stomach. They aren't talking about anything important but she feels like she's really getting to know him. She can feel herself slipping and with every slip of her footing, the further she falls into a guilt-ridden swamp. It's sticky and enough to completely suck her under. It's like she's lying to him. Tom doesn't know why she went on a date with Harrison and why Harrison went out with her in the first place. He doesn't know anything about Arthur, the small bit she has been willing to tell Harrison, anyway. With Harrison knowing and Tom not, she feels like she's going behind his back and for no reason. At least before it was because it was easier, no harm, no foul but now they're texting for hours and they're friends. They had that night and he's in the forefront of her mind. Lying might be easy, the task, but the mental toll it can take can be hell and she's experiencing it.

A knock sounds on the door that's cracked open, Mikey pushing it open further. "Hey."

SJ nods at him, not really looking at him before her stare goes back to her phone. "Hey."

"Aren't you supposed to be at work?" Mikey asks, leaning against the wall.

"Diner was robbed." SJ rolls her eyes. "They only got what was in the register but they broke the front window so Sheryl called us all off saying the guy that owns it is getting people in to board up the window and he's ordering a replacement. So, here I am." SJ puts her phone down, about to ask why Mikey was home but when she looks up and really looks at his face, her question changes. "What the fuck happened to your face?"

Mikey chuckles, shrugging his shoulder and pushing off the wall. "Ran into a pole, Rocket. What else?" Sarcasm drips through his words as he walks over to her.

"Yeah? That pole have a few moving fists attached to it?" SJ pokes a still-forming bruise on Mikey's arm as he takes a seat on the bed.

"Perhaps." Mikey laughs, pulling his arm away. "Kicked Ian's ass."

SJ scoffs, shaking her head but there's almost a taunting smile across her lips. "Yeah, no shit."

"Why'd you ask then?" Mikey quips.