Cruel & Blue (Eyeless Jack story)

Chapter 48

He sighed and placed his pencil down onto the table, then leaned back in his chair. He rubbed the back of his neck and had this look of defeat in his eyes. There's no way he can lie his way out of this. I've got him where I want. I'm not especially satisfied with the way I did it but I succeeded in what I wanted nonetheless.

Craig ran a hand through his black hair and said, "I suppose I should tell you what's wrong..."

"No duh," I remarked.

Craig folded his arms over his chest and took in a deep breath before saying, "I heard about this student named Aaron Witek who does a bunch of custom stuff for different kinds of things. Skateboards, shoes, backpacks, electronic devices. The works. For good prices. I decided to get in touch with him because I wanted him to make these really nice and special running shoes for Xavier."

The frown on my face lightened at the mention of Aaron, the red headed kid who I'd seen with Craig. That explains his part in this.

"Why?," I asked.

"Because," Craig started, "...Xavier has been doing really well in Chemistry and in his other classes, too. He's more confident about school work and he's less stressed. I thought I should get him a surprise gift for doing so well. So, Aaron and I made a deal that he'd make the shoes and I'd pay him with my own money and the money Xavier paid me."

"Okay, so why is Xavier mad?," I mentioned.

Craig scoffed and said, "He's a butt hurt dumbass...!"

A passing librarian shushed him and Craig apologized for his outburst.

Craig turned back to me and continued. "He thought I was hanging out with the wrong crowd. Aaron hangs out with Daniel sometimes but the guy admitted he doesn't really like that stupid Neanderthal. He only sticks around for the money the jock gives him for booze. Bastard pays a lot, surprisingly."

"And, since all of us don't really like him..."

"Xavier thought I was getting into some stuff," Craig practically read my mind. "He's such an idiot. Then, as if he didn't realize how much of a dick he was being--."

The librarian passed by and shushed him again.

"Sorry!" Craig hissed. He went on. "Xavier thought Aaron and I were...ya know.."

My eyes widened. "Oh."

"Yeah. Oh. Imagine the look on his face when I told him he was wrong. What you saw yesterday was him and I arguing about his assumption. I told him he was wrong. He told me I didn't have to be so secretive if that wasn't the case. I told him my shit was none of his business and the conversation spiraled out of control from there..."

"Why'd you curse him out and slap him?"

Craig sighed and scratched his face. "Because...," --he paused-- , "...he told me 'what if I cared about your business' and that...that pissed me off."

I furrowed my brow. "Why? That actually sounds nice."

"That's why I hated it," Craig huffed, looking as exasperated as he had during his and Xavier's argument yesterday. He placed a hand on his face a murmured, "For five years...five fuckin' years--!" He looked over his shoulder for the librarian but she didn't come by this time. "Five years," he continued, "I've wanted him to say those words. I've wanted him. You and Kayla always joked about it and that was fine because it sounded nice to me. So nice that it consumed me. It came to the point where I needed to stop because it would crush me in the end. 'Xavier would never like me back' I always thought. 'He's a guy, I'm a guy. It's never going to happen'. I tried to let go but I just couldn't. Until just a few weeks ago. Finally, I started to get over him. The thought of him talking to me and even looking at me didn't excite me anymore. I was free of my stupid crush! And, as soon as I'm free...he tells me that. He starts to care. You know how frustrating that is? How unfair?"