When The Rain Stops (BXB)

Chapter 26

His house looks like it's been there for 100 years. Like it's one of the original homes in South Aberford. It's got the big porch and the front tower and if it wasn't painted blue and white, it could be a good haunted house.

I've never been to Ken's house before, either. We've just hung out in town during summers, but that's really it.

"Dad, I'm home," he calls.

His dad shows up in the doorway to what looks like the kitchen, wiping his hands with a dishrag. He literally shoves Ken out of the way to hug me. "Hello, Jackson! It's been too long!"

Ken turns red, embarrassed.

Meanwhile I'm giving him the middle finger because he deserves this.

"Dad, don't kill him," Ken says, pulling him off me.

Oh, good. I can breathe again.

He looks me over and asks, "How's that friend of yours? I remember last summer when he got to the hospital bruised all over his torso. Y'know, Ken's mom, I'll never forget this, but she described him as being in such a sour mood that she talked about it for three days after he showed up." Mr. Wragg turns and keeps wiping his hands with the dishrag. "How is he? What's his name again? You staying for dinner?"

I don't know what happened. "H-hi, Mr. Wragg."

"Mom workin' the night shift?"

Mr. Wragg shakes his head. "She's filling in for Mrs. Yohans at the clinic in Stafford. She'll be back late tonight."

"We're gonna be upstairs, okay?" Ken doesn't wait for an answer because he heads up. "Jackson needs to dry his clothes, too."

"You staying for dinner, Jack?"

I shake my head, shivering. "No, but thanks for offering."

Ken's dad smiles and goes back to the kitchen.

I follow Ken upstairs to his room, which is bare and stripped down to basically a guest room. There's some knickknacks here and there, but that's it. Books're stacked nicely over the desk, there's an old chair by the window. His bed's pushed into the corner. No one lives here anymore.

Ken awkwardly points to the bed. He's laid out some dry clothes for me to change into. "Some, uh...clothes." But then he grabs my shoulders and stutters, "Bruh, I am so sorry."

I step back and punch him. I was aiming for his arm, but I guess I just have poor aim (or I'm just into hitting jaws) right now because I sock him right in the jaw.

He stumbles back and looks at me.

I go to hit him again.

He catches my fist. "...Jackson?"

"You should've kept walking."

"I...I-I know. I'm sorry."

"You shouldn't 'f said anything."

Ken pushes my fist back towards me. "What do you want me to do? I can't change what I did."

I throw my fist down. "That's bullshit to me." And I push him. And again. And again, and again, and again, and then begin crying. I wipe my eyes but nothing seems to stop me from wanting to scream my head off. "Wh..." And my arms drop. I turn away. "...why'd you haveta do that."

Why's my head so jumbled?

Why'm I so...fucking sad, still?

Ken deflates and sits on the floor because there's no desk chair. And the bed's too far away for him. "Look, I dunno what beef you have with me, but, like...whaddya want me to do?"