If You Leave - Leonardo DiCaprio

0.7

After hanging out that one time at the apartment, I started hanging out with the guys all the time. Mostly we ran around wreaking havoc on the streets.

But I'd say the day Mickey had an idea was where everything went wrong. It wasn't that it was a bad idea, it was normal for a teenager. Mickey got everyone together to jump off the cliff into the Harlem River, kind of a tradition for manhattan boys.

We made the huge walk up and the boys began stripping. I sighed and took a seat. "You not jumping?" Mickey asked. I shook my head. "I'd rather not," I said. He shrugged his shoulders and replied with, "suit yourself."

He gathered all the boys' clothes and put them in a bag, which he threw into the river so there was no going back.

Mickey jumped first, then Pedro, and then it was Jim and Neutron. I sat there soaking up the sun but I couldn't help but hear Neutron talking to Jim.

"Okay, don't tell the guys but later I got a surprise for you." He smiled. "What do you mean?" Jim asked eagerly. "It's a surprise!" Neutron slapped Jim on the back. "You ready?" He asked. Jim nodded and they jumped.

I cocked my head and wondered just exactly what he meant. He didn't want the other guys to find out, and probably didn't think I'd care enough to listen. But for some reason, I had a bad feeling about it.

After the river, the boys dried off and we went home, but Neutron and Jim left together. I couldn't help but think about what they were up to every once in a while.

I laid in bed reading and waited to hear Jim ascend the ladder. But he never did. I was starting to worry. Okay, Kate, you aren't his wife, it's none of your business, he's fine. I bet he just slept at Neutron's house. I tried to convince myself anyway.

I woke up the next morning after hearing an awful sound from upstairs. First, it was gagging and heaving, then Jim and someone else yelling, that was probably his mom, and her crying. The door slammed and then there was silence.

I really hope Jim's okay. I went to my bathroom and got ready for work. I just put on some high waisted wrangler jeans, sneakers, and a nirvana concert shirt. I locked the door and walked to work, shaking every thought of Jim out of my head.

My day passed quickly, tending to my regular duties, hoping a little bit that Jim would come through the door and tell me all about Neutron's surprise. Jim told me everything else, I'm sure he'd tell me this.

But Jim never acted the same around his friends than he did in private. He was softer when it was just us. But around his friends, he treated me like just another one of the guys. Maybe it's a good thing? Maybe his friends would be jealous. Or maybe he's embarrassed to like me.

Five o'clock rolled around quickly and I passed off the keys to Ernie. He had a grape slushee this time.

I got into the apartment and stuck some mac and cheese in the microwave. That was when I heard the familiar thump of Jim climbing the ladder.

I waited and watched him pass by, stopping at the window to draw a smiley face in the fog.

Then I heard the thump of him falling through his bedroom window and then laying down.

What the hell is his deal?

It'd been a while since I'd hung out with Jim and the guys,  but I did get the occasional visit from Jim to chat at the window, and sometimes a quick loan so he could get snacks and stuff after school. I just got busy at work, been tired, and been trying to get more stuff for the apartment, so the visits never lasted long.