how to save a life

3: Joe's thick toddies highschool

The teacher got up and took Reki to the nurse's office, where he supposedly called his mom to pick him up and went home.

As Reki walked down the hallways he felt increasingly ill. He couldn't call his parents. He knew his mom wouldn't pick up, and then they would make him call his dad.

So instead he called Oka. He would rather face a hard conversation than his parents.

"Who is this-?" Oka answered the phone

"Hi Dad." Reki said awkwardly.

"Reki? What? What's going on? Why did you call me dad-"

"I'm not feeling well. Can you pick me up from school please."

"The shop is literally open right now and I'm the only one on staff, I can't just leave."

"I know you're busy at work. I'm sorry. I passed out and I just. I need to come home."

Oka could hear the longing in his voice, he could tell something was wrong. So he did it, he closed the shop and went to pick Reki up.

"Okay. I'm on my way. Hang in there kiddo."

"Thanks. See you soon." Reki hung up the school phone with a shaky hand.

His teacher patted his back and he flinched.

Reki sat down in a chair in the nurses office, still taking little sips of water.

Eventually Oka pulled up to the school and Reki climbed in his car. "Reki? What is going on?"

Reki nervously looked at his hands, fidgeting nervously.

"Are you okay?" Oka asked quietly. Reki shook his head, tears starting to stream down his face, "No. I'm not Oka I can't do this anymore."

Oka rubbed his back, "okay. It's okay not to be okay what is going on." Reki shook his head, "my parents are fighting so much and I can't sleep and I never want to go home. My mom barely ever makes dinner or even gets groceries and my sister's aren't getting enough to eat because I can't cook very well and I can't pay for a meal everyday. My dad- he's so mean. He's so mean Oka." Reki was sobbing.

"I want everything to go back to the way it was years ago. I wanna go home but home doesn't exist anymore."

Oka just nodded, "hey. We are gonna figure everything out okay? I just need you to answer my questions." Reki nodded in response.

"Do your parents hurt you? Is that why you have a black eye and a... A broken..? An injured nose. Is that why you are all beat up, all this can't be from skating." Oka asked.

Reki just nodded, "You can't tell anyone. I don't want my sister's to get separated from me if they take us away." Oka looked at him for a minute, "does he hurt your sisters too?"

Reki shook his head, "nah they all hide when mom and dad fight. I'm just stupid and he always notices my existence." He sounded frustrated as all hell. Oka could understand why he was feeling that way.

"Also it's just my dad. My mom doesn't hurt us." Reki added.

Oka nodded slowly, "okay.. Do you think they'll get a divorce anytime soon?" Reki shrugged, "I don't know. If they havnt gotten one yet will they ever?" He leaned back in his seat, "I hope so. My dad is actively cheating on my mom too. And she knows!! She deserves better. If I were her he would be out of all our lives by now." He hiccuped.

Oka nodded, "are you hungry?"

Reki shrugged, "I guess. I'm hungry but nothing sounds appetizing anymore. I don't eat that often." Oka looked at him seriously, "Reki when was the last time you had a real meal?"