Too Much To Handle Alone

Two

"Courage Doesn't Mean You Don't Get Afraid. Courage Means You Don't Let Fear Stop You."
-Bethany Hamilton
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Jason's Pov
The bell for the end of fourth period rang. I stayed put in my spot in the back of the classroom for an extra moment or two and just watched her pack her things up.

She wants me to tutor her in chemistry. I'm not the tutoring type. I don't look nor act like the tutoring type. I have too much to deal with to be tutoring anyway.

I grabbed my minimal amount of things and walked out of the classroom and outside. Walking towards my car I hear people talking about me like they don't think I notice.

"What do you think he does after school?"

"I heard he's killed people."

"Apparently his brother went effing nuts."

They're just mindless consumers of the rumors that they've created. I don't have the time nor the energy to deal with their bullshit. I just mind my business and walk to my black Nissan Skyline GTR in the back of the parking lot.

"Jason!" Someone yelled from behind me. I kept walking.

"Hey. Jason." Kennedy said running up beside me. I glanced down at her, annoyed. She just doesn't give up does she?

"So I know you said you wouldn't tutor me in Chemistry but I really need your help. We sit next to each other so you can't escape me. Just ple-" I stopped walking and after a second she stopped too.

"If I say yes, will you stop bugging me?" I asked. She smiled and nodded. I sighed.

"Fine. Meet me here at nine." I said and started walking again. She started following me...again.

"Wha—Nine o'clock? At night?" She asked as I stopped at my car. I nodded.

"That's so late. And the school will be closed." She said.

"Tough luck. I won't wait for you." I said and got in the car. As I started the ignition she stepped out of the way. I heard her trying to say something so I turned the radio up to drown her out. She noticeably sighed then walked away. I chuckled to myself and drove out of the parking lot.

~~~

I got home and opened the door to go inside. I dropped my school shit at the door and put my leather jacket on the old recliner by the door.

"Danny! Bro, you home?" I called out.

"Bro! Dude! Jason! Dude come here!" I heard my older brother Danny yell from down the hall. I walked down and he's in his room sitting in his spinning computer chair in the middle of the room.

"Jason. Do you see that?" He asked pointing at the wall behind me. I turned around and there's nothing there.

"See what?" I asked exasperatedly because I already know what's going on.

"That...thing behind you. The thing. It's like a swirly spiral thing. Bro. You don't see it?" He asked. I shook my head and stepped closer only resulting in him beginning to laugh uncontrollably.

Danny isn't really okay. It's only him and I here. My older sister moved away five years ago to become some big shot lawyer. Danny didn't take it very well being it was just us three before. He always thought the middle child was the troubled child that needed his older sibling with him and since she's been gone he's been like whatever thing he sees on the wall. Spiraling. It's gotten worse over the years but I feel as though I've learned to handle it.