Fighting Thrasher Jones

{13} Let Me Down Slowly

Benji suddenly stood up, claiming, "I need to shower," and locked himself inside of the cramped bathroom, leaving me alone in deafening silence.

Benji was at the competition when Leo died? Why didn't he say anything before?

Without a doubt, there was something that Benji was hiding. He'd specifically instructed me not to ask Sabrina or Carlos about my brother, but I wasn't sure how much longer I could make it without doing so. I was going to find out the truth no matter how much it could potentially change my life.

Scouring the drawer that I'd seen Benji take the pad of paper and pen from, I noisily picked out the two items and wrote a note for him, explaining that I was going on a walk and would be back in about an hour. I taped it to the fridge, grabbed my thick winter jacket, and exited the apartment building.

The mighty wind was a giant slap in the face as the sun over the horizon began to set. Stunning hues of pink and purple mixed in the cloudless sky, momentarily making me forget about the stressful events of my life.

I took a deep breath, reveling in the coldness of the air as it seeped into my lungs. I felt refreshed and energized which spurned my legs to carry me far in a short amount of time. I'd been walking aimlessly, turning down random streets as I traversed the barren town.

"Drew!" A voice shouted, "Is that you?"

The cold air turned to ice in my veins as soon as I recognized the voice. I willed my legs forward to no avail. Instead, I glanced over my shoulder to find a pair of concerned, navy blue eyes focused directly on me.

"Jackson? W-What are you doing here?" I asked, darting my eyes around.

My boyfriend determinedly strode up to me, pausing once the tips of his sneakers touched mine. A plume of hot air rushed from between his parted lips as he raised his arms in an act of enveloping me in a hug.

I shied away from the gesture, saying, "I should go."

Jackson's hands dropped to his side as a look of hurt flashed across his handsome features. He buried his hands in the pocket of his sweatshirt, cursing under his breath.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to do that. I've missed you, Drew," he said in what appeared to be deep sorrow.

I couldn't comprehend the reason for Jackson's kindness and respect of personal space. It reminded me of how he'd been those first couple months we'd dated. He'd been my hero, but I was utterly terrified of him now.

"Liar," I snapped harshly, "Get away from me."

"Wait! Please listen to what I have to say," he begged, shivering in the constant breeze that tossed his dark hair in every direction.

"Jackson," I said, barreling forward before I lost the courage, "We're done, okay? I cannot go out with you anymore."

As if he'd been anticipating it, he nodded, admitting, "I kind of figured that out after you chose that insane ninja guy over me."

"Then what did you want to say?" I prompted, crossing my arms over my chest in an effort to come across as confident when I was feeling quite the opposite.

"My mother came back home to live with me. Her 'boyfriend'," he said, using his fingers to make air quotes, "wasn't who she thought he was so she decided to live with me again. She's changed, and I want to change, too."