Pretty Little Things

Chapter 20 - Jacob

I dipped my spoon in my mac and cheese as my dad buttoned up his black work shirt. He grabbed his gun from the counter and slid it into the holster on his hip before pulling his cap on his head, his eyes on me questioningly.

“You think I could stay home? I could clean up this shithole.” I was willing to say anything to get out of having to go to class, but we both knew I wouldn’t follow through.

“You have school today, Jake.”

“It’s one day, and it’s not like I’m going to miss anything. These fucking idiots know less than I do about history. It’s a fucking travesty is what it is. You should call our congressman, or at the very least write a strongly worded letter. Who’s that news anchor with the nice tits?” I ran my fingers through my chestnut hair in an attempt to tame it. I was overdue for a haircut, but I hadn’t had any complaints from the girls at school.

My dad sighed and shook his head. “If your mother was alive…”

“Forget it.” I cut him off as I pushed back my chair to stand. “I’ll go to school and become another mindless fucking drone.” I grabbed my bowl and tossed it into the sink, causing it to clatter loudly against the mountain of unwashed dishes, another sign of my mother’s absence. As I retreated back to the hallway, I heard the front door creak open and then close, and I knew I was finally alone.

My mother had died nearly a year ago, but I still didn’t believe she was really gone. Things between my father and me were strained at best. I used to look up to him, couldn’t wait to be him. Now I couldn’t wait to get away from him. He didn’t care like I did. My mother deserved better.

I pulled on my sneakers and glanced out the bedroom window. I stood frozen, lost in thought and still half-baked from my morning high as I watched the large yellow school bus pull up at the curb down the dirt road that led to our house. My gaze flicked to movement in the wheat field as the bus pulled off without me on it. I narrowed my eyes at what at first glance looked like an animal, and then I realized it was a person. I turned and hurried from the room and down the stairs, nearly falling a few steps from the bottom. The screen door slammed loudly behind me as I took off across the field toward Annie. Her long blond hair swirled around her as a breeze picked up.

“Hey,” I called out as I got closer. She was walking through the honey-colored wheat, and her face snapped up to meet my gaze, but she didn’t say anything. I slowed to a walk, eyeing her cautiously as I approached. She looked out of it like she was in some sort of drug-induced trance. “Annie?” I called again, and she stopped walking but didn’t turn to face me. Her hair looked unbrushed and wasn’t meticulously curled like it usually was. “What’s wrong?” I asked as I tucked her hair behind her ear to reveal dark circles under eyes that were hooded from exhaustion.

“It’s been a long week.”

“Yeah, I get that. You haven’t answered any of my calls. I came to your house, and your dad blew me off.”

“My brother left.”

“And that’s a bad thing?” I chuckled, but my smile fell when she glared at me. “Did something happen?”

She shook her head as she glanced out over the field and my phone vibrated and chirped in my pocket. I pulled it out and glanced at the screen, cringing when I saw Nat’s name. I shoved it back in my jeans quickly.

“Annie, some people at school have been talking. There’s a rumor.” I ran my hand through my hair, wishing I didn’t have to say the words out loud.

“What rumor?” Her eyes searched mine, and I felt like I was pouring salt in a wound.

“Some people are saying he…uh…he attacked you.” My phone chirped again, and I bit out a curse.

“What? That’s insane. He would never.”

“I just thought you should know.” I pulled her into my arms. I wanted to believe her, but her brother had never seemed right when it came to her.

“I’m glad you told me, but it’s just his ex-girlfriend. They broke up right before he took off,” she explained as we walked toward my house. I pulled out the bowl, and we each took a few hits before going inside to watch television and space out. My phone went off three more times before we settled in on the couch.

“Just answer the damn phone already,” Annie groaned as she relaxed back. I reluctantly pulled out my phone and opened the messages. Nat was wondering why I had skipped school. I replied to her quickly saying I didn’t feel well.

“Who’s that?” Annie asked, craning her neck to see the screen. I closed out of the message and shrugged my shoulders.

“Just a friend.” I relaxed next to her, my pulse racing from my high and I was growing paranoid.

“A friend?” She quirked an eyebrow and I could see her questioning gaze from my peripheral vision.

“Just this girl, Nat.” I rubbed my palms over my thighs and cleared my throat, hating how far away the kitchen was. My mouth was growing increasingly dry and it felt like I had swallowed a cotton ball. “She’s just a friend.”

“I’m just a friend,” she countered and I groaned as I tried to focus on the television.

“So why are you giving me the third degree over some messages?” I laughed nervously as she looked out at the screen.

“I’m not. I was just curious.” We fell silent and I hated myself for not finding her earlier in the week. Instead, I took it as a personal insult when she stopped coming around. Nat was there when she wasn’t.