You Don't Understand

Chapter 23

Time Reveals Truths:

On the following Friday, Jay and his friends made plans to go to the local park for a midnight stroll. The trees were shadows, forming childhood monsters that were under your bed. The sky was a dark blue, making it hard to see ahead of them. Still, they managed. Each had their own way if being seen by the others.

James' voice - loud and proud - allowed his general direction to be known. Dan's tall figure moved well between the trees, casting shadows that they only recognised as Dan. Jay's white and neon orange jumper could he seen from miles away, forget a few metres apart in the dark, and wherever Jay was, Thomas was just behind.

Giggles filled the spent air, occasional crickets singing and wind blowing, too.

'You're crazy, James,' Dan shook his head, laughing as he did so.

'How's your foot, that was a long fall,' Jay said.

'I'm surprised you didn't break your legs,' Dan chuckled.

'I'm fine! Only a few broken bones, call a taxi, will you?' James joked, earning laughter from the other 3.

'We'll leave you here, it will be quieter,' Jay stated.

'No, I'll scream, you'll hear my distant yelling.'

'Yeah, don't. I live close to here,' Dan said.

'Hitting two birds with one stone there, even better!' Jay smiled.

'Thanks, dear friend,' Dan rolled his eyes, 'aren't we meant to be on the same side here, Jay?

'Since when were we taking sides, Dan?' James asked.

'Scared because everyone would chose me?'

'No, because I wouldn't,' Thomas sassed.

'Oh! Yes, Thomas!' James slug an arm around his friend, 'see this? True friendship. Screw you both!'

The others laughed as he pointed and yelled, taking off his arm from Thomas.

'Can we sit for a bit? My legs actually do hurt,' James admitted, holding his knees a moment, 'you're laughing, I'm being serious.'

The other agreed to sit a moment. There options to sit were either an old bench that was filled with moss and threatened to collapse any moment. Or to sit on stone wall under a tree. No surprises, they chose the wall.

Sat on the wall, which they found to be cold, was calmer a sthey silenced to the crickets.

'It's eerily quiet,' Dan spoke.

'It was, you ruined it,' James hissed.

'Shut up!' Dan stated.

'Who's that? Coming up?' James asked, looking to their left.

The rest looked also, spotting 3 figures walk up the path, on the other side of the small pond in front of them.

'Is that who I think it is?' Dan squinted his eyes.

'Oh god,' Jay muttered, once he realised who the 3 were.

Mike, George, Sam. The three who walked up had already spotted the other four sitting on the wall, watching them. They knew who it was, who they all were.

There was silence in the air, save for the crickets.

George and Sam tooks seats, just opposite the others. Mike attempted to walk past, telling the others to follow. But they didn't.

Giving up, Mike glanced to the people opposite before sitting down on the stone wall.

'Why did they sit there? Of all places?' Jay whispered, mostly to himself but the other people heard.

'Let them, who cares?' James said.

'It's awkward,' Jay stated.

Jay couldn't stand it anymore, watching as Mike looked down the entire time.

'It's late, I'm heading off,' Jay stood up.

'We know that is not why you're going, Jay.' Dan looked to Jay.

Jay glanced to them all, 'oh well, see you later anyways.'

Jay turned on his heels and walked down the dark path and out the park.

The others watched their friend leave, as did the 3 sat opposite them. Mike finally looked up to watch Jay leave, being silenced by the thought that his blackmailer was watching him.

That minute in which Mike watched Jay leave and never look back, turned into a month. A month in which Mike avoided Jay and never talked to him. A month in which Jay had accepted Mike's decisions and ignored him back. The one time they had talked was during their biology assignment, where they read their own parts and nothing more.

No words, no looks, nothing. In biology they sat in silence and kept their focus on their paper of the teacher. Occasionally, Mike's eyes wandered to Jay's paper, watching him doodle in his own little world, but would find their way back to his own.

A month in which Jay had become happy with Shawn again. Trust had built once more and they were happy as a known couple.

A month in which Dan and George continued to skip their tutoring class and walked close to the bridge but never on it.

Jay and Thomas waited for each other, ready to take a small walk around the street. A sunny day resulted in their urge to be outside becoming stronger.

They walked, side by side, roaming the streets in a happy feeling with each other.

'Oh no,' Jay suddenly muttered halfway along the walk.

'What's wrong, Jay?' Thomas questioned.

Jay said nothing but stopped in his trail. Thomas stopped beside him and turned his head to where Jay was facing. In front of them was Mike, who froze up when he saw Jay.

Mike looked around, nervous, scared, before walking close to Jay and whispering to him,

'I don't want to ignore you, I just can't be seen talking to you.'

'Right, so that's why you're talking to me,' Jay almost rolled his eyes, 'you don't need an excuse to not talk to me, it's your choice.'

'It's not that, I would talk to you but if someone sees then something bad could happen,' Mike explained, but kept it vague best he could.

Jay's eyebrows furrowed, 'what?'

'I'm sorry, but I can't talk to you for maybe a long time.'

'Texting wouldn't be seen by anyone, yet you blocked my number.'

'Because it could be seen,' Mike said.

Jay stepped backwards a step, glanced to Thomas and spoke,
'I need to go home, see you another time.'

Jay walked off as Mike stood upright and watched him leave. Mike and Thomas were left together in an awkward atmosphere.

Mike turned backs round to see Thomas staring at him.

'I told you not to talk to Jay,' Thomas spoke, stern for him but overall softly and quiet.

Mike's eyes widened at his statement, 'what did you just say-?'

'You heard me, Verdez,' Thomas said, 'I will let it out if you don't leave my friend alone.'

'Why are you doing this?'

'Because I don't want you hurting my friend, destroying his life and then abandoning him like he was a toy to plat with,' Thomas explained, 'I ask one thing from you, just do that thing. If not, you know what will happen.'

Thomas' words struck Mike's mind, words sinking deep and engraving themselves, letter by letter. .like couldn't speak, instead gulped as he nodded. Thomas walked past him and followed the general direction of where Jay had gone, oblivious to his friend's power of Mike.