The Tragedy of Daniel and Jake Chapter 4
Disclaimer: Okay look, I don't own anything copywrighted or trademarked, these characters and the plot, etc. are all my creation, in all honesty, I'm not sure I have the patience to write out a really long disclaimer like I've been doing. This is an AWESOME chapter, oh and people, quit harping me about how this doesn't sound like a 'Tragedy'!! It's really annoying. Did Romeo and Juliet seem all that tragic before their plan went wrong and they both wound up dead at the end?? No? I didn't think so. So shut up about it! Anyway, on to the story...
Danny's POV
I sat on my bed, watching the screen as my phone showed, "Message Sent". I laid back down on the bed, waiting for a reply when I heard shouting from downstairs. I couldn't tell what was going on, hell, I briefly wanted to just stay up here and let whatever it was fix itself, but it evidently didn't last long cuz I heard the door slam. Damn, I can't catch a break. I got up and slowly trudged down the steps. I found the music off and everyone swarming back and forth chattering quickly. A few people looked at me funny before they continued chattering. Most of them seemed to be grouped over in the corner. I walked over there, lightly moving people out of the way, what I saw when I got over there made my eyes widen in horror and my jaw drop. Eli had blood streaming down his face and he was on the ground.
"What the hell happened?" I pushed people away trying to give him some room.
"Mark came in and clocked him." Zack said.
"Not Mark. Surely not." Mark couldn't have done that.
"Yeah man, it's true, walked right over, screaming his head off about you and Eli and punched him." Me and Eli? Zack looked just as confused as I did.
"What do you mean me and Eli?"
"I don't know, he wasn't making much sense. Look man, Eli's hurt, but you're the mediator, Devin and his brother "escorted" Mark outside. You may want to get outside and keep him from getting the shit beat out of him." Dammit all to hell. Who am I supposed to help?!
"Look, y'all back the hell up, give him some room. Charlie get a rag from the kitchen, use it to soak up blood, don't touch his nose, Zack, take Charlie and drive them to the hospital."
"I can't man, I rode here with Jake and he stormed out."
"Damn! Where's mom?"
"She went to stop them!" He clearly thought I should do the same. I ran to the door, not even bothering to close it. Out in the yard Devin and his brother Isaac were beating up on some dark shape on the ground. Mark.
"Stop! Stop it God dammit! Stop!" I yelled at them. My voice was almost cracking from the stress. They both backed off, looking pissed to all hell.
"Did you hear the things this fucker said? If you did I don't think you'd be so fast to defend his sorry ass." Devin looked at me, his eyes were bloodshot so he'd obviously been crying, but they were filled with anger, no not anger. Hate.
"I don't care it ends now." My voice was shaky. "Back the hell up." I stomped over there, pushing Devin away from Mark's crumpled form.
"Look, I know you're sticking up for 'your' friend," he pointed to Mark. "but I'm sticking up for 'my' friend." He motioned to the house and pulled his leg back to kick him again. No!
"I said get off him!" I grabbed his shoulder and pulled him away from Mark. He grabbed my arm as he went back and pushed me onto the ground. They both went back to kicking Mark. "I said STOP!!" I ran up behind Devin and practically tackled him, sending him sprawling into Isaac "Look at yourselves for just a goddamn second!" There was mud on my shirt and my I'm pretty sure it was ruined, what with it being white. Devin just looked at me, confounded at how I just struck him. I never hit anyone, hell I'd never been in a fight."If either of y'all can drive then you'd be of better help to Eli by driving him to the hospital." Isaac stood up and went like he was going to hit me but Devin grabbed his arm and held him back. They both walked back inside. Then more people flooded into the yard. I saw lights come on in the neighbors houses. "Sorry, but party's over folks. People need to go to hospitals so that's it. We're done." Some people groaned but others just looked from Mark to me, and when Devin and Isaac came out holding up Eli they looked at them too. "I'll meet you guys at the hospital." I tried helping Mark to his feet. Between Zack and I we got him. My mom started up the car and we loaded him in the back. I stayed in the back while Zack hopped in the front.
I took off my mud stained shirt, leaving me in just my white undershirt and my mom started up the car. I saw Miranda and Tiffany, Angie, Charlie, Samantha, and my brother Tyler all hop into Angie's car. Alex got in with Devin and Isaac. Cody and his brother Cole along with Sean all hopped in with Alex's friend Haley. Riding down the road I couldn't help but think that we probably looked like a funeral procession, except of course, without the hurse. While we drove there, Mark occasionally moaned. He looked pretty badly beat up. Both his eyes were dark, his nose looked to be broken as well, there was a lot I couldn't tell just by looking, but I'd guess that he had a few broken ribs too. His shirt was stained with blood and dirt. My mom practically ran through several red lights and she kept her hazard lights on. On our way there we passed what looked like a car wreck on the way to the hospital, but it was too dark to see the cars. When we got to the hospital the nurses were in a bit of an uproar.
"One teenager comes in here half dead and now we've got two who look like they could have been mugged, plus another dozen in here waiting on them!" One of them yelled. It didn't take long before they got admitted and we were put in a waiting room. Alex wheeled off when he saw a doctor he knew.
"Dr. Morrison!" He yelled, rounding the corner, disappearing. I buried my face in my hands, wondering how on earth things could get worse. Then, in a perfect representation of a jinx, I saw Jake's mom and dad and his brother and sister. What are they doing here?
"Oh, thank God! Elizabeth," Jake's mom, Debra, addressed mine. "did you all get the call too?"
"What call?" It was me that asked.
"About Jake, you mean you didn't get it?" Oh no.
"What about Jake, what happened?"
"He was in a terrible crash, the doctors don't know whether or not he's going to make it! Oh Elizabeth!" She threw herself around my mom, sobbing. His dad was just standing there, looking horrorstruck, hands shaking.
"What room is he in?" I felt the fear and anguish color my voice while I held back tears.
"They won't let anyone in there." Debra cried uncontrollably. Then Mark's parents walked in.
"Where's Mark? Elizabeth, what happened?" Mark's dad turned on my mom.
"There was a fight." I said, answering for my mom. "Things just got out of control."
"Wait, what fight?" Debra tearfully, wondering if it had anything to do with Jake.
"Out of control? OUT OF CONTROL!!? My son's in the hospital, things had better not been UNDER CONTROL!! Who did this to him?" Mark's dad roared in my face.
"That'd be us sir." Devin stood up, pulling up Isaac too. He clearly didn't look too remorseful, and I could tell Mark's dad picked up on it.
"What the hell were you 'two' doing ganging up on my boy!?" He was right in their faces and he looked about ready to murder those two.
"We were defending our friend that Mark attacked."
"So you 'both' decided this did you?" He seemed haranged on the whole, 'two on one' thing.
"Yes sir, Mark broke Eli's nose." Isaac piped up.
"So you're friend gets away with a broken nose and my son looks like hell! I knew I shouldn't have let Mark go to your 'party'. You and your friends are nothing but a bunch of troublemakers!"
"Arthur!" Mark's mom yelled at her husband.
"It's true Lisa, they assaulted our son! I bet it was all of you, I've always told Mark not to trust you! You're a bad influence!" He was screaming at me. "You boys are going to be locked up! I'm an attorney, I'll have you all in Juvenile Detention for Assault!"
"There's no need to press charges Arthur." My mom tried reasoning with him.
"No need? NO NEED? You punks had better be lucky it's not football season or I'd have you all locked up!" He stormed off down the hall. My mom turned to Mark's mom.
"Lisa, why don't you sit down. I can get the kids something from the vending machine or something." My mom gave her seat to Marks mom.
"Arthur and Lisa Bailey?" The doctor called them.
"What's wrong? Mark's going to be okay right?" His mom sprang up like she'd sat on a tack and rushed the doctor.
"Yes, your son is pretty badly injured, but he's stable. We're ready to let family into the room." The doctor led her out of the room. Mark's dad probably caught up with them. Should I follow her? Another doctor, Dr. Morrison, judging by what Alex had said, came into the room.
"Is there a Mr. and Mrs. Darby here?" Noone seemed to be able to meet the doctor's eyes at the conspicuous absence of Eli's parents. Although I didn't know much about Eli's home life, I did know that his parents weren't all too thrilled about Eli being gay.
"There not here, but I'm as good as." My mom stood up, walking over to him. She motioned for the rest of us. Most of the room with the exception of Jake's parents stood up.
"I'm afraid I can't let you all come. We were just about to discharge him. His nose is patched up, we need his parents to fill out some paperwork."
"His parents aren't here, and I wouldn't bet there going to come either." My mom looked pissed at that. In all honesty that made me pissed too, it's a wonder Eli is as flamboyant as he is, having to deal with 'that'.
"Well then, do any of you know how the hospital can get a hold of his parents, we called earlier, but noones came."
"Look, I can guarantee you that noone's coming, you may as well just discharge him to me so I can get him home." My mom was clearly trying to get him to understand that he was wasting his breath, although I'd bet a thousand bucks he's not going home, not tonight at least. The doctor looked at Alex, who'd rolled up beside him and Alex nodded.
"Very well, if you'd follow me." He led her out of the room. A few minutes later she came back around the corner with Eli. He had a huge bandage across his nose and it looked pretty swollen.
"Guy's, be honest with me," Eli pointed at his face. "does this bandage make me look fat?" He smirked and everyone laughed a little.
"Always the joker Eli." My mom said. "Your parents aren't here."
"I didn't figure they would be, my car's at your house though, Ms. Eliza."
"Oh sweety don't worry about that, you're staying with us tonight, and I thought I told you to call me Elizabeth." Eli kind of looked at me warily, like that may upset me. I could see why he'd think that, I hadn't ever had a gay friend stay the night before, it promised to be awkward. "It wouldn't be responsible of me to just send you home in this state." That may have been what she said, but what she meant was, 'I don't trust your parents to not make everything worse on you.'
"Uh, okay." Eli smiled meekly. I didn't blame him for not wanting to go home, I wouldn't in his shoes. Just then a doctor came in. He looked like crap, there were bags under his eyes and he seemed really sad.
"Mr. and Mrs. Tappe?" He called, no sooner did he say those words than Jake's mom and dad rush across the room. His dad didn't seem able to speak, but his mom asked the question I wanted the answer to.
"Is Jake okay?" Tears were flooding her eyes.
"Yes and no, he's resting, and he's not in any immediate danger from the injuries. Right now, he's recovering."
"Thank God." Debra sobbed and buried her face in her husband John's shoulder. He just hugged her close and looked up at the doctor.
"How badly is he hurt?" His voice cracked with emotion. I'd never known him to be this emotional over anything. Hell, he wasn't this beat up when Debra had her miscarriage.
"He broke most of his ribs, his right arm is broken, as is his wrist and three fingers and his left femur was fractured. He's got a pretty severe concussion and may not remember anything recent. He was cut up pretty badly, and he'll be sore for a while. All in all, he was very lucky, given the circumstances. He's not concious, but you can enter his room if you like." He led them out to his room.
"Are you going to go with them?" Eli sat down beside me.
"Not yet. His parents deserve to see him first, besides, if he doesn't remember much," I choked up at the thought. "he probably doesn't remember us kissing." I felt a tear roll down my cheek.
"I don't know, I would think anyone would remember kissing 'you'." Eli smiled a little half-heartedly.
"Eli, your sweet." I said laughing. "But I think that may be pushing it."
"Oh, I don't think so. Especially for him. I imagine it must have been the first time he kissed a boy."
"So much memorable than kissing a girl right?" Eli smiled and nodded to himself.
"By far more memorable, there's so much more that goes into it."
"Really?" Despite the tears in my eyes, I found myself smiling.
"Yeah, I mean, you've got the nervousness. It's like with your first kiss, just much worse." Yeah, he's right there. "Then you've got the second guessing. You know, when, with you and Jake for example, you may not have known how he would react, then of course, there's boldness. You've got to be tons braver to kiss a guy than you do to kiss a girl."
"How so?" He'd actually peaked my interest with this. I wiped my eyes and looked at him.
"Well, with a girl, and modern society, it's expected. It's like, you're supposed to, at least, to people who don't know you're gay. So, with that you've lost the boldness, don't get me wrong you still need some to make that move, but even then the worst you could expect might be a slap in the face, with a guy you might get beat up, or jumped later for being gay. Then you've got the whole, 'forbidden fruit tastes the sweetest' thing. It's got a natural mystique and alluring appeal to it. Even when you know some guy may have kissed dozens of girls, it's much better thinking you may be the only guy." Again, right on the nose. "And of course, there's the feel." Eli coyly licked his lips, smiling devilishly. "Guys are so much more dominant, it's more primal, more demanding, and yet it almost always starts out shyly, tentatively." He's really good. He must be a whole lot more experienced in this area then I thought. I began looking at him oddly. "What?" He said, looking out of the corner of his eyes at me.
"Nothing I just, I can't help but be a little surprised at all this. I guess I always thought of you as some innocent little boy, but in all reality-"
"I'm not as innocent as I look, right?" He wagged his eyebrows at me. His lips pulled up in a smile, revealing his perfectly white teeth. How did I never notice his lips before? They're so... I don't even know how to describe it, but I found myself becoming more drawn in by him and, embarassingly enough, slightly turned on. I didn't even notice the bandage, or his nose, I just saw HIM, fun little Eli, whose not so innocent after all.
"Damn teenage hormones." I said jokingly, knowing he must be feeling the same thing. Eli busted out laughing, drawing the attention of several other people. I looked over and saw Charlie, Miranda, Angie, and Tiffany all over there giggling and pointing. "Oh hey, while I'm thinking about it, did you tell them about us flirting earlier?"
"Tell who about what? When did we flirt?" He was still coming off laughing at my hormone comment.
"You know earlier, the way you said hi, then I said it just as coyly back."
"Oh honey, if that's what you think is flirting, then we need to expound on your education." He just shook his head back and forth and looked at me like I was vastly mistaken, which, I guess I was.
"Fine then Mr. Love Guru, what's flirting?"
"Well, this would be flirting." He kind of looked through his eyelashes and smiled a little, and he lightly took my hand. "Then you just give a compliment like, "You look wonderful tonight."
"Please!" I grinned from ear to ear. "THAT is so not flirting, that's seducing someone. Flirting is subtle, it's all in the voice and body language. Flirting is done in school hallways and sporting events, what 'you' did was more appropriate to a candlelit dinner somewhere."
"Whatever works right? Besides, that wasn't so much for the sake of the example. That was more for those gossiping weirdos over there." He pointed to Miranda and all them, who were now caught between giggling wildly and staring. I couldn't help but smile, even with everything going on, I couldn't help but seize this one moment of levity. Sitting here with Eli, laughing over the finer points of flirting, it's just... Great. Dr. Morrison came back into the room.
"Daniel Hastings?" He called out nervously. I got up warily.
"Yeah?" What happened?
"Jake's awake." I felt myself jump for joy inside. "He wants to see you." Alex rolled around the doctor and motioned for me to follow him. Evidently he knew something I didn't. I got up and followed them down the long ass hallway. The entire interior was emmaculately white, and it was really cold. We got down to the ICU and as I walked past the rooms that were seperated by glass walls, my spirits did not improve. All around me there were people who were deadly sick or injured. Several looked dead, though they couldn't be, seeing as how the heart monitors still beeped. We got to one of the rooms and in the bed lay Jake. I almost threw up. His entire right arm was in a cast, as was his leg and he had a neck brace on. He had bandages across most of his visible body including one across his forehead.
"Danny?" He said, seemingly unable to tell if it was actually me.
"Yeah Jake?" I walked in the room, instantly feeling like a visitor, not welcome. That sickening hospital smell filled the room and I fought back the revulsion.
"What?" His voice was raspy, but loud and he tried leaning forward. The other doctor told him, none to loudly to lay back down.
"His hearing was damaged in the wreck. We'll be able to give him a permanent hearing aid eventually, but for now you may have to speak up."
"How ya feeling?" I walked up next to him and spoke up.
"Like hell." He laughed but it turned into a cough and he sounded like he was hacking up a lung. "A lot like you did earlier, just different." So he remembered that much. "Can y'all give us a moment, I've got to tell Danny something." His mom leaned forward in her seat.
"Are you sure?"
"Mom, I'm not about to die in the next 30 seconds. Just a few minutes okay?" She nodded and they all left the room, except for Alex.
"Aren't you going? Not that I'm trying to push you out, it's just that he sai-"
"Danny, relax. I know how you meant it." Alex put his hand up to stop me talking.
"Danny." I turned around and took a seat next to Jake's bed. He looked at me, his face was scrunched up a little, like he was thinking really hard about something. "I kissed you." It wasn't a question. I looked at Alex but he didn't say anything, matter of fact he didn't react at all.
"Yes." It was all I could manage. He's confused, and possibly angry, better not make it worse by opening my fat mouth.
"Alex already knows." How? I couldn't stop myself.
"How?" I almost yelled.
"It's not entirely his fault. He's been heavily medicated, I'm just happy he had the sense to tell me when they weren't here. I'm not sure how well that would have went down."
"Alex was in here earlier when I asked the doctor if I'd be paralyzed." He didn't say anything. He left it hanging... I felt my breath catch in my throat.
"Are you?"
"No, thank God. Alex is also here because he wants to know why I crashed. I'm not sure. I don't remember why. Matter of fact I don't remember a lot of things. The last memory I have is being at your house, and kissing you. I think I was sad at first, but I don't remember about what. Then we kissed and I was happy." He was happy? Not mad?
"Remember, he's still pretty heavily medicated. I'm sure he means everything he's saying, but I can bet he'd be saying it very differently and probably more shyly if he wasn't." Alex rolled over to the side of the bed by Jake and I. "Do you know why he crashed?" I thought for a second, but I think in my heart I already knew the answer. I felt the tears flowing without warning. I was sobbing with my face in my hands before I even really knew why. The knot in my stomach tightened and I felt an overwhelming wave of guilt wash over me.
"I- It's my fault." I didn't need to look up to see that they were looking at me. "I txted you, I tried to talk to you about what happened, but I guess- I guess when you read it, you must have gotten distracted." I tried to say something else. I tried saying how sorry I was but it all just got wrapped up in the sobs.
"Danny, Danny, calm down. No harm no foul." He tried smiling but the entire effect just made me feel more guilty and sick at my stomach.
"No harm no foul?" I wiped my face withe the hem of my shirt. "Look at you. If theres no harm and no foul, then apply the opposite to be true when there is harm and you may as well lock me up for the foul."
"You think too much." Jake tried shaking his head but he got stopped with the brace.
"So do you really not remember anything?" This time it was Alex that spoke.
"Like I said, I remember being sad, then kissing Danny and being happy, then I was driving, then I woke up here." He seemed like he was trying to concentrate really hard.
"What do you remember of before his party?"
"Uh," He closed his eyes for a second. "Oh frick!"
"What!?" Alex and I both shouted.
"We've got a History test coming up." I knew what he was talking about, it had already happened the friday before my birthday and he'd made an 'A' on it.
"Relax man, we already had the test." I almost laughed, but, since Mr. Wily had told us about the quiz on Wednesday, that meant he'd forgotten Thursday, Friday, and part of Today. Alex asked him if he remembered why he was sad. Jake said he didn't remember. "I do. You were sad because Racheal had dumped you today."
"Ah man, Racheal dumped you? Sorry man, that must suck." Alex apparently forgot about the whole, 'kissing thing'. Jake just looked confused.
"Who's Racheal?" He looked dumbfounded, Alex and I looked at eachother. This wasn't good.
"What do you remember from before the thing with the test?" He thought for a moment.
"It's all a blur. I remember places and images, but nothing distinct. The last clear memory I have is of..." He trailed off for a moment, then he looked at me. "You."
"Me?" I'm an idiot, he just said me.
"Yeah, I was hugging you. Because," He broke off and seemed to be getting frustrated. "Because you'd just said something. I don't think you were upset, but you were... unsure, like you thought I may hit you or something. And there were other people there." I remembered that now. Now that he said it like that anyway.
"The day I came out." I couldn't help but smiling a little. When I'd told him he just hugged me, trying to tell me he didn't care.
"And before that, I'm not sure. I-" The doctor came back in.
"I'm sorry boys but Jake needs to rest. You can come by tomorrow." He pushed us out the door.
"See you tomorrow Jake?" I called back to him, but he'd already passed out. We walked back to the waiting room, most other people were gone. I asked my mom where Mark is.
"Oh, he's asleep right now sweety, but his parents are in there anyway so I don't think it'd be for the best if you saw him just now."
"I want to see him."
"But honey, I know you do, but there's really no poi-"
"I don't care. I want to see him." I felt a hand on my shoulder.
"Danny," It was Eli. "I know you want to see him, but with everything going on, maybe you should wait till tomorrow. We can come by first thing in the morning." I looked over and saw him silently pleading with me. It wasn't that he was bitter about what happened with Mark, he was concerned about me being there with his father. I sighed.
"Fine, but 'first' thing in the morning." He smiled a little half-heartedly and we walked back out to the car in silence. -----------------------------------------------------------------------
Eli's POV
We drove back to Danny's house in relative silence. I was probably really doped up on tylenol, cuz my thinking was really fuzzy. I'm sure it being 2 in the morning didn't help either. When we got to his house I got out of the car and almost fell because my legs had fallen asleep. Whilst I sleepily trudged over to his front door I felt someone support me under my shoulders. It was Danny. He probably thought I'd pass out before I got to the door. In all honesty, I thought that a little too. He helped me up the stairs and sat me on his bed while he got a pillow out of their linen cupboard. He helped me stand up and he pulled his duvet off his bed and laid it out on the floor.
"I can't sleep on that. Those things are too expensive to just be thrown on the floor." Even in my sleep deprived mind I knew that.
"Well, my stepdad kept the air mattresses in the divorce, so it's either this or the floor. Besides, it's a cover. It's meant to be used."
"Okay." I laid down on the duvet and instantly felt myself slip into sleep. -----------------------------------------------------------------------
Daniel's POV
I turned around to give him the blanket I'd gotten from the closet, but he was already passed out on the floor. I smiled to myself and put the cover over him. I laid down on my bed and snuggled up under the covers, thinking how much less awkward the whole situation was than I'd thought it would be. Admittedly it's only because we're both going straight to be- Then I fell asleep. -----------------------------------------------------------------------
When I woke, I was initially confused. Why are my clothes on? That was the first question that came to mind, considering I almost always slept in my underwear. Then I noticed the duvet on the floor and I was wondering why it was on the floo- Oh, that's right! It all came back to me, though of course, now I was wondering where Eli got off to. Then I heard noises coming from downstairs. I stood up, rubbing the sleepers out of my eyes as I walked down the stairs. When I got down there I was greeted by an amazing smell. I followed my nose into the kitchen to see Eli making what looked like pancakes, eggs, bacon and sausage.
"Heyy Danny." He poured on more batter to the griddle causing a wonderful sizzling sound to go through the air. "I was up early and I decided to make breakfast. How do you like your eggs?"
"Oh scrambled with cheese, everyone knows that." My mom came in the dining room, answering Eli's question for me. Admittedly she was right, but still.
"Why are you making breakfast?" I was still not fully awake so this whole thing was a little odd. He started making my eggs and got the cheese out of the fridge.
"Don't talk him out of it Danny! It's awesome!" Tyler was sitting at the table having already gotten his food. He was digging in with a vigor and didn't seem to be on any kind of track to stopping. "I think he should stay again tonight so he can cook tomorrow too!" Tyler was beaming and mom just smiled and rolled her eyes, Eli, on the other hand, seemed a little out of it.
"Eli, somethings going to burn." I laughed a little as he snapped out of it and hurriedly flipped the pancakes over.
"Sorry." He got back to his cooking. I came up beside him.
"You okay?" He scooped the pancakes, eggs, sausage, and bacon on to my plate.
"Never better." He turned smiling, handing me the plate. I took it and walked over to the table. When I sat down and started eating, I was astounded. It 'was' good! Better than any restaurant.
"Eli sweety, are you not going to make something for yourself?" My mom had not ate anything, sticking with her coffee. I turned back to see Eli hovering with the skillet in midair, caught between putting it in the sink. His mouth was parted like he was going to say something, and he kept blinking and shaking his head, like he hadn't heard her right.
"Yeah-" He cleared his throat. "Yes of course." I thought I heard his throat catch. He got an egg and was about to crack it but he seemed frozen, so I walked over and asked him if anything was wrong. Then I saw he was crying. -----------------------------------------------------------------------
Eli's POV
When I woke up this morning I freaked out. I checked my phone and discovered it was 7:34. I dropped my head back to my pillow, stilling my breathing. For a moment I thought... but no. I'm at Danny's. Not there. Danny's. I got up, looking over and seeing Danny sleeping. His hair was in his face and he looked so peaceful. I went out to sweep the hair out of his face, but I caught myself. It's not your place, I thought. I sighed and walked downstairs. Evidently noone else is up. Usually John and Stacy would be just getting up, getting ready for church. I should have been up already. Usually I'd.. No, you're not there. Forget it.
They'll be mad. I wonder what they'll think, waking up with no coffee made and no breakfast on the way. I wonder if they'll even notice. Hell, what am I saying? Of course they'll notice. Shut up! You're not there.
As I studied the walls I couldn't help but notice all the pictures of Daniel and Tyler. Daniel and Tyler's school photos. All three, Danny, Tyler, and their mom, at the beach. Danny with his friends Mark and Miranda. Tyler at his Kindergarten graduation. All over the house there were pictures upon pictures of both of them. Daniel on his first hunting trip, Tyler on his. Both of them with their old dog making funny faces....
It's so strange, I thought. She's so proud of them. John and Stacy used to be like that. There used to be pictures above the mantle, in the hallway, in the living room. In big frames, small frames, fancy frames and basic frames. In black and white, sepia, and color. Digital, proffesional, of family vacations and for no reason at all. But not anymore. It was about in the sixth grade. They started disappearing. I had developed a bit of a high voice and they had both taken me to see a doctor. When he told them it was normal for a boy my age to have a high voice, they took me to the priest. He prayed over me and everything, put holy water on my forehead, drawing a cross. I came home and some of the pictures were missing. They were the ones of just me. Over the years more and more of them kept disappearing. One day they had came home looking nice in a suit and a dress. They said they had a new "Family Photo", but I wasn't in it. It was just them two. They were both smiling. The perfect couple... Just a couple. One day in the eighth grade I came out of my room with some skinny jeans and a bright yellow t-shirt on and went to the mall for Danny's birthday...
When I came back the rest were gone. They were replaced by pictures of those two and pictures of flowers and scenery. If someone just walked through the house, you mightn't have known that an eighth grader lived upstairs. My mom had came up stairs later, and said that, "John and I want breakfast in the morning. Eggs, pancakes, sausage and bacon. Get up early." Then she'd walked out. I've been making their breakfast ever since. I made their breakfasts, dinners and, during the summer, I'd make their lunches if either of them was home. I cooked and cleaned, washed the clothes, mowed the lawn, trimmed the hedges and watered the flowers. I dusted and vaccumed and made out all the grocery lists, when I could drive I did all the grocery shopping. One day while cleaning I found the pictures in a huge trashbag in the garage. I couldn't help but cry when I saw the broken frame, marring the picture of us all smiling at Disney World.
They gave me money every month. "Because even we know the price of help." My father had said the first time I asked him why. The whole process was formal, processed, proffesional... impersonal. It wasn't like they were shorting me. The money paid for my gas, my clothes, and any other immediately necessary personal expenses. I bought my own car, making sure I had enough so I wouldn't have to make a payment. Of course though, when I made their breakfasts, I had cereal. When I made their lunches, I had a PB&J. And when I made their dinners, I had soup, usually Campbells. People think I'm so skinny because I've got a high metabolism, which is technically true. Stacy had a high metabolism, which I guess I got from her. But it's also because I eat so little. That was the worst I thought. One day I'd came home and she had gotten some mild plastic surgery on her face. I overheard them talking about it later. "Not for wrinkles John. So I won't look like 'him'." "You don't look like 'that'." John had told her. When I came back from my thoughts I realized I was crying a little. I used the hem of my shirt to wipe my tears. There's no point in them I thought. It doesn't matter.
I turned around and, almost out of pure habit, I got out things for breakfast... -----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Eli sweety, are you not going to make something for yourself?" Mo- I mean, Danny's mom's voice rang out sweetly, snapping me out of years of habit from starting to wash dishes.
"Yeah-" My voice caught in my throat as I fought back tears. "Yes, of course." I put the skillet back down and grabbed an egg. I was about to crack it but I stopped. I was caught on a question... Do I even like eggs? It had somehow been years since I'd eaten an egg. I don't even remember what eggs taste like. I felt the tears start to flow, a few landed on the skillet and they sizzled into the air, small tendrils of steam rising from where they'd hit. I felt Danny touch my shoulder.
"Is something wrong?" I heard him breathe sharply for a second.
"Yeah.." I replied, my voice cracking. "I don't know if I would like any of this." The egg slipped through my fingers and it cracked a little and moved around on the skillet. The tears were flowing freely now, like waterfalls. Danny's mom had gotten up from her seat and Tyler had stopped eating.
"What do you mean sweety?" Danny's mom's voice was filled with concern. Concern. Something I hadn't heard from a parent in... I can't even remember. Smiling, which may have freaked her out a little, of course I was smiling cuz I was hysterical.
"I mean that noone's ever asked me if I wanted any before." And then they both got this horrorstruck look on their faces... -----------------------------------------------------------------------
W.O.W. Right???? I personally teared up pretty badly when I was writing this part. I know that this chapter has focused more on Eli than it did on Jake, but I'm not even close to through with this story peoples. This'll probably be a long going story, just a heads up, though, with college starting up, it'll be harder to write chapters. Anyway, this'd be a great chapter to review too. How did that whole home situation with Eli hit y'all? Unexpected? Really sad? It's what I was aiming for. Anyway, please with bunches and bunches review to johnmeyerz36@yahoo.com