Demonic

Chapter 35: 'Concentration'

I put my head down frustrated. The fact that I couldn't do this was pathetic. Everyone else could. Why couldn't I? Maybe I was just dropped on my head when I was a baby because my mom wanted to ditch me for a man whore. The thought didn't seem very unrealistic. I heard Jaxx getting out of his chair, and quickly sat up, jotting down doodles to look like I knew what I was doing. "Are you doing alright?" He asked. "Yeah." I said quickly. "Then why have you been working on the same math equation for the past 40 minutes?" It had been 40 minutes...? "I-It's for uhm...Concentration." I lied. "Concentration of trying not to 'annoy' me?" Jaxx challenged. I stared at the floor. "It bothers me more when you don't ask for help than when you do." He mentioned. "Sorry." I muttered. "You don't have to apologize Hayden. Just try to get help more often. Why wouldn't you?" I really didn't want to explain. "Go on. I won't be mad."

"I didn't want to bother you. You've already taken off 3 hours of school and lost 40 minutes of sleep because of me just today. I've already bothered you with all of my other problems-" I started. "It's not your problems that bother me Hayden. It's how you handle them. Not all of your problems are your fault but you act like they are and try to handle them yourself. Then you just end up bottling up your feelings and trying to appear tough to people and get yourself in danger." He explained. If I couldn't apologize I didn't know what to do or say. "If you're not going to let me help you, a therapist will." I nodded weakly.

Jaxx had me sit on the stool by the counter. I watched as he went through the mini safe on his dresser and got out a wad of cash that would be at least worth 5,000 dollars. Surprisingly He put it on the counter in front of me. "The next time you ask me for help, I'm going to give you 10,000 dollars." He bargained. "10,000?" I asked in surprise. "I know it's not that much. It's just some of my pocket money but I thought it could give you a reason to stop bottling up your feelings." Jaxx explained. "That's a lot..." I commented. "I guess it is for someone like you." He replied. "What's that supposed to mean?" I questioned. He looked up and down my outfit that was probably worth 50 dollars at most. "Nothing." He answered. "I might be some peasant in your dumb ass eyes but that doesn't mean I'm stupid." I said. "I never said you were poor." He responded. "You implied it." I countered. He paused. "What's your problem with me?" Jaxx asked. "You have a decent attitude towards me when you feel like it, you expect me to bow down to you on my knees just because I'm not as rich as you, and you breathe." I answered. "I'm immortal. I don't need to breathe." He argued. "And you don't need to have such an attitude and entitlement towards me." I acknowledged. "Touché." He replied.