Promise from the heart

Chapter 21

When they'd picked up their things after school and gone outside, Charlie turned to Jordan. He knew he had to tell him about what he had seen, but he knew that conversation may be the last one they had. So he wanted to make the most of the day before that.

"My aunt is picking up my brothers today. Want to do... hang out?"

Jordan smiled. "Sure. What did you have in mind?"

Charlie thought for a second, but then his stomach growled. "Food?"

Jordan chuckled. "Food."

"Want to come to my place?" That didn't sound right...

"Weren't we getting food?"Jordan raised a brow.

Charlie smiled and shook his head. A walking stomach, just like him. "I have food at home."

"I can't cook." Jordan admitted, kicking some grovel on the ground.

Charlie patted his shoulder. "Wasn't asking you to."

Jordan's self-conscious expression was replaced with a sunshiny smile. "Alright then."

The two of them walked back to the house and as they did, Jordan asked Charlie question after question about him and his siblings. "Are all of you close?"

Charlie nodded. "Very. I didn't meet my aunt until a few years back though. But we're all very close."

Jordan stared at nothing in particular as his mind wandered.

"You okay?" Charlie laid his hand on his arm.

"Hmm?"

"Thought I lost you there." Charlie joked.

"I was just thinking, I guess." Jordan smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"About?"

Jordan was stopped walking and clenched and relaxed his jaw, his mind occupied. Charlie waited patiently for him to be ready to speak.

"It must be nice." he finally said.

"What?" Charlie looked up.

"Having people you can talk to, people you're close with." the young man's voice was so forlorn, Charlie couldn't help but rub his back a little. Trying to offer some form of comfort.

"It is," he agreed. "I haven't always had that, but I'm glad I do now."

Then Charlie remembered something. Wasn't Jordan close to his uncle anymore? "What about you?"

"Me?" Jordan laughed, trying to mask his discomfort.

"Yes, what's your family like?"

Jordan clenched his jaw and avoided his gaze.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." He added quickly.

"No, it's only fair. You shared, so I'll share.... My mum died when I was born."

"Mine too." Charlie told him. "Both actually, but that's a story for another day."

They smiled sadly at each other. They hadn't known each other long, but the broken in Jordan called out to the broken in Charlie. They were connected through their wounds.

"What about your dad?" Charlie asked, even though he could already imagine. It wasn't likely that a man like that would've had a change of heart over the years. If anything, he'd grow more cruel, like a rotting piece of fruit.

"My dad is... We're not close. He's not home much and when he is, I wish he wasn't."

"I'm sorry." More than you know.