One Way Bridge

Chapter 23

The game was good, although our team lost. I stuck with Caitlyn and Charlotte. Justin spent most of the time talking to some guys in front of us and Ally, but he refused to leave my side. His thoughtfulness made me smile. This time, he let me drop him off in front of his house. He invited me inside to watch another movie, but I declined with a yawn and went to bed.

Unfortunately, I couldn't sleep. I tossed from side to side, tangling my sheets between my legs before I finally gave up with a sigh. I pulled out my phone and texted Justin. 'Does your offer for a movie still stand?'

It was only a minute later that I got a reply. 'Sure :) but we might have to do your house, my parents are fighting.'

I was typing a message back when I heard a small tapping at the door. I was a little frightened at first, but then I realized I was in Iowa, it's probably the safest place in the US. I pulled back the curtain to see a smiling Justin. I opened the door ready to tell him he should probably go back home, but he spoke first. "I brought gummy worms!"

I smiled and waved him in. "We have to be quiet," he threw the worms on my bed. "Grandma's asleep."

He sat at my desk chair and turned on the computer. This time, he didn't ask me which movie I wanted to watch, but selected one on his own. I sat on my trundle bed, kicking my feet up, as he adjusted the sound. Then, he lifted my feet so he could sit down, but when I tried to pull them back he rested them on his lap.

We sat like that watching the movie for about ten minutes. I was slightly uncomfortable, but I didn't want to make it worse by moving my feet. Instead, I asked him a very stupid question, "do your parents fight a lot?" Justin looked over at me and rested his right hand on my bare shins. I felt goose bumps on the back on my neck at his foreign touch.

"More now than they used to," he answered my question. He looked down and spoke again, this time in a whisper. "I'm afraid they're going to get a divorce. My dad is starting to work a lot more. He's turning into a workaholic."

"I know what that's like," I said more to myself than him.

"You do?" he looked up at me and I could see a few tears streaming down his face. Below the tear tracks his cheeks turned red with embarrassment, so he lowered his head again.

"Hey, Justin, don't cry." I hesitated before moving towards him and throwing an arm around him. I leaned my head on his while my hand rubbed his thigh. "Your parents aren't getting a divorce. Something else is happening. Maybe your dad got a pay cut and now has to work more to pay the bills and it's stressing out your mom?" I suggested the first thing that came to my mind.

"I know, it's stupid to worry about it but I just don't know what I'd do." He tried to keep his voice steady,

"It's not stupid. YOU'RE not stupid. Your family is important. They're your support system and it's perfectly okay to worry about that breaking." I sunk down lower on my knees to look at Justin. "If it does, I'll be here." I offered a smile.

"Yeah, you're right." He wiped away the tears and put an arm around me. "Thanks."

"No problem," I settled into his arm and leaned against him to watch the movie.

"Is your dad a workaholic?" The question caught me by surprise, although in hindsight, I should have seen it coming.

"No, my godfather is," I choked out hoping he wouldn't notice the difference in my voice.

            "You have a godfather?"

            "Yeah"

            "Is he in the mafia?"

            "You know what, that would explain why he only takes a few days off a year."

Justin laughed. "Well remind me to never get on your bad side."

"Okay."

I woke up to sun streaming through the gap in the curtains. I snuggled my face into my pillow more to avoid the brightness. Mmm, my pillow smells so good, I thought, but then my pillow moved. My eyes shot open.

            "Hey," Justin said when I looked up at him his arm around me loosened.

            "We must have fallen asleep during the movie," I said while sitting up.

            "Hey, I'm cold!" Justin grabbed my arm and pulled me back into his grasp.

            "Aren't you afraid your parents will wake to find you missing?" My voice was muffled by his shirt.

            "Nope!" he pulled me closer popping the 'p'. I rolled my eyes, but didn't argue any further.

An hour later I woke up to my phone buzzing on my desk. I turned to see if it was a text or a call when Justin's arm tightened around me. I spun around to see his eyes open. "Did I wake you? Sorry."

            "Don't be," he grinned at me and I couldn't help but smile back. The phone stopped buzzing, so it had to be a text. I got up and walked across the room to read it.

It was a girl from my old school. 'Hey guys, a sweatshirt was left behind at my house after the bonfire last night. If it's yours, tell me and I'll bring it to school on Monday.' It was obviously a group message, but how I got into the group, I don't know.

Suddenly, I missed the bonfires that she held after every football game. I missed my old school and my old friends. I hadn't spoken to them since the funeral. Why haven't they called me or at least texted me to see how I was doing? They could have at least asked me about my new school! I was growing more and more angry at my so called friends. I turned around, my phone still in my hand to see Justin still lying on my bed looking curiously at me.

            "I think you should leave," I said to him.

            "Is everything alright?" He sat up concerned. I nodded and looked at the ground a little ashamed of lying to one of the few friends I had. "Emma," I looked up at him as I felt tears roll down my face.

            "Just leave," I didn't let him finish his thought. I was having another break down and I had no idea how to explain it to him.

Author's note:

Ello!

Sorry about the little hiatus, it was a busy week with school and some other things. Anyways, this chapter was half written,  so I'm going to go ahead and write another chapter today.

Anyhoo, thanks for reading,

Devin4862

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