The Boy in the Jersey ✔️

26

Chapter 26

I barely drag myself out of bed Sunday morning. Logan and dad were at the school practicing and catching up on everything Logan missed, and mom went to meet lunch with a few of her friends.

I text Thalia and asked her to stop by the house early so I had a reason to get up. My whole body ached and my eyes burned. I've been crying myself to sleep every night since we visited grandma in the hospital last week.

I knew I needed to prepare myself but I couldn't do it. I could never mentally prepare myself for someone close to me leaving.

I throw on a spaghetti strap tank top and a pair of Logan's sweatpants before throwing my hair up in a messy unbrushed bun and heading downstairs.

Thalia would be here in fifteen minutes. Just enough time for me to grab myself a cup of coffee.

I trudge in to the kitchen and grab my favorite pug mug before pouring the coffee then heading into the living room. Mrs. Fuzzbucket was laying on the couch and her tail starting wagging when she saw me.

I plop down next to her and she lays her head on my lap. I place my mug on the coffee table and start stroking her head, when my phone goes off.

Thalia: Hey, I'm running a few minutes late. Taryn and Thomas are fighting over the bathroom. I'll be over as soon as I shower!

I put my phone down and rest my head against the back of the couch before closing my eyes.

**

A knock sounding at the front door woke me up. I glance at my phone. An hour had passed since Thalia said she'd be by. I stand up and rub the sleep from my eyes as I made my way to the front door.

I swing open the door and do a double take when I see a very disheveled Josh standing before me. His eyes were red and his face was pale. His hair was ruffled and he didn't bother to match his clothes.

I glance at his arm which was wrapped up in a weird, complicated contraption.

"Cracked collarbone and dislocated shoulder" he tells me when he sees me staring.

His voice was weak and raspy. I look up from his arm and stare into his green emotionless, hollow  eyes.

"Um dad isn't here" I stumble out

"I'm not here for him. I'm here for you." He tells me with a crack in his voice.

"Well Logan will be back soon so I don't -"

"Kelly I need to talk to you. I don't care if Logan sees me here. There isn't anymore damage that can be done to me."

My heart sunk at his words. He was a broken shell of a boy and I felt like it was all my fault. I had ignored him for days, and then I stormed away from him when he tried to talk to me. But the other part of me blamed him. He knew how hard I found it to trust people and he still let me trust him. He let me believe him when he was feeding me all those lies.

I didn't want to have this conversation with him, but I knew that if I wanted to get my sanity back I needed to know the truth.

I open the door farther and he accepts the invitation and steps around me. I close the door behind him and make my way back in to the living room to grab my now cold coffee. He follows after me but doesn't say anything. He was afraid to, he was walking on eggshells around me.

Once I reach the kitchen I dump my coffee and lean against the counter, facing him. He sets down a small gift bag that he had been carrying around on the table and steps away from it.