Flick

XI

"Heading to school?" He asked, not looking up.

I rolled my eyes and went to the fridge. Might as well grab a gatorade while I'm here. "Sure, let's go with that." I mumbled cracking open the sugary drink.

"Do you need a ride there? You won't make it in time if you walk." I

swear, if I rolled my eyes any harder, they'd fall right out if my head. "I'll get there fine. On my own." I looked at him quickly and saw an expression of confliction and tiredness. I had heard the TV on last night, after I was sure they all had gone to bed. I wouldn't be surprised if it was Emil. If I remember correctly, he didn't sleep much either. A genetic curse, I suppose. Insomnia is really killer some days.

"You sure? I'm more than happy to-"

"I said I'm fine." I said walking away from him before he could say anything else. I wasn't sure what his motive was, but I didn't need him to suck up to me. I needed him and all the rest of these pricks to go home and leave me be. I was halfway down the hall of our floor, when I felt a hand wrap around my arm.

"Felicity, wait, I need to talk to you quickly," Noel said, sounding out of breath. I rolled my eyes again but let him keep me in place for the moment. It couldn't hurt to hear what he had to say. Couldn't help either, but I'll let that go for now.

"What could you possibly want?" I said boredly. Anger was still simmering in me, but I was tired. So eternally tired.

"I just- I just wanted to explain where I've been for the last two years." He said, sounding a bit apprehensive. I crossed my arms over my chest and tapped my foot impatiently, waiting for him to go on. "Well, the truth is, I don't have a good excuse. I got busy with looking for a job and trying to make things work in San Diego, and I kept telling myself that I didn't have the time to come see you, and Mom I guess too, but really I could have found the time and I'm so sorry I didn't. I don't have any excuse that's good enough, but I do feel really, really awful if that's any consolation."

I bit my lip in contemplation looking deep into his eyes. I never believed the whole 'eyes are the windows of the soul' bullshit, but there was something to be said for what a person's eyes can tell you. And right now, Noel's eyes were telling me he really was sorry. But that didn't mean I would forgive him. "Noel, do you remember the conversation we had a few weeks after Wren left?" I asked, evening out my facial expression. He scrunched his eyebrows in confusion, and shook his head, making his brown curls fly all over the place. I hummed. "Yeah, well, I do. And in that conversation, you were telling me how angry you were that Wren just up and left without a single thought concerning the rest of us. Remember how upset you were? I was only eight at the time, and I was plenty mad too, but you went on and on that day about how much it sucked that Wren had left and all the rest of them had as well. You were mad Noel."

He looked down at me with wide eyes.

I shook my head, a soft sigh escaping my sarcastically stretched lips. "And so am I." I walked away from him without another word or another thought. A taste of his own medicine I suppose.

When I get to the park, Jackson is sitting on a bench, 2 McDonald's egg sandwiches and 2 packs of cigarettes in his lap. I don't say anything as I sit down. Jackson frowns at that and shoves a bite sandwich into his hinged mouth.

"Why so glum dude?" He asked, tilting his head like a curious little puppy. I sighed, taking the food from his hand rather than the one on his lap for convenience. He whines slightly-yet again, like a puppy-but doesn't fuss too much, instead unwrapping the extra one and taking another huge bite.

"Let's go to the boardwalk tonight. Amber'll probably take us to the one in Venice if we ask her." I say, ignoring his question. Jackson humms, studying me momentarily. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that he's not impressed with my quick subject change, but I couldn't quite bring myself to care. I'm sick of feelings for today, and for the rest of time. I hate feelings. I hate what I don't understand.

"You okay bud? Anything happen before you came here?" Sometimes he really acted like a big brother. Taking care of me, checking on me and all that sappy shit we tried to avoid in normal life. I can't wait to get back to normal life. For this hell to end, and my home to be mine again. It can't happen soon enough if you ask me.

"I'm fine, Jacks. Don't worry about me." I didn't need him to worry. I didn't need anyone to worry. I was just fine on my own.

"Oh, little girl, aren't you always fine?" He winces when my fists connects with his side, in retaliation of the stupid nickname.

"Well, aren't we feisty, miss Felicity?" He teases, successfully diminishing the seriousness that clung to the air around us.

"Oh shut up, you." I teased right back, knocking my shoulder into his. I grabbed the pack of cigarettes from him and pulled one out, taking the lighter I had stolen from the convenience store a few weeks ago, out of my pocket.

"The boardwalk sounds amazing, Flick. I'm glad you're okay." Jackson smiled at me, and I couldn't help but return it if only slightly.

"I'm always okay, my dear. When will you learn that?"

A/N-Okay, so this chapter was going to be longer, but it was getting too long and so I decided just to chop it into two chapters so sorry if you saw my instagram story and were expecting something longer. The next update shouldn't take super long, given it's already half way through, but knowing me, it always takes longer than I think it will lol. Thank you guys for 19k views on this story. I love and appreciate each and every one of you.