Breaking The Mirror [Edited And Complete]

Not Long Enough

"Yes, sir," I bow my head in recognition.

I stuff his number in a small pocket in my backpack without a second thought.

-

Seaton's also been picking me up from school. Does this guy even have a job? I mean, really? I want to ask him, but well...I'm pretty sure you get it by now. As we pull up to the apartment complex a week later, I try once more to get him to come to his senses. He can't actually enjoy doing this, and he doesn't seem the type to do this for me 'just because', especially when he doesn't like me.

"Look, uh -sir, um...You don't have to -"

He holds up a hand to stop me. I cut my words short and I frown.

"But -"

"Shut up, kid," He snarls, "I'm doing this, because I feel like it, understand? No other reason. You'll do what I say because I tell you to, won't you?"

I nod slowly and he hits the steering wheel angrily, making it honk loudly. I flinch lightly as he glowers at me. His hair has grown a bit so it's hanging in front of his eyes which are flashing furiously at me.

"What the hell, kid?" He sneers, "I've seen a lot of shit in my life, but I haven't ever seen someone as goddamn compliant as you!"

"Sorry, sir."

"See what I mean?" He scowls, "For god's sake, I'm being a fucking ass to you, treating you like shit, and all you can say is 'yes, sir', 'no, sir', 'sorry, sir." Get mad! Get angry! Yell, scream, do something besides sit there and stare at me with that blank expression!"

I can't do anything. Mainly because I don't know what he wants me to do. Does he want me to yell? That doesn't seem plausible. Everyone likes polite people. People who call them 'sir' and 'ma'am' and do things they ask them to. I've always been good at doing what people want me to do, but how am I supposed to do that if I don't know what he wants?

Did I mention he's confusing?

"I... Yes, sir?" I say, but only because it's a default. I don't understand. If my brain was a machine, it'd be screaming 'error, error' over and over again. I just can't...

"Oh my -" he takes a deep breath and closes his eyes, "Get out."

I nod, "Yes, sir."

I get out of his truck and go up to the stairs on my crutches, thinking so deeply I nearly vault myself into a deep puddle. It rained the night before, but I didn't get to see it.

That sucks.

I love the rain.

-

Almost another entire week later, on a Wednesday, I go into Lakeside Bookstore and I'm surprised to find that Suki isn't there today. I jump over on my crutches and sit down next to Linda who looks up and smiles at me.

"Hey there, handsome, what's cookin'?" She asks in a fake accent that I can't seem place. Where is Suki anyway? Did she not want to see me? Not that I mind, of course. They don't have to hang out with me. I'm not an interesting person. It's completely cool... but where is she?

"Uh...Hi," I respond, putting my crutches to the side and grabbing one of the books from the pile she had, causing her to chuckle softly.

"Damn Jay, you really are something." I look up at her. The book I picked has an ugly cover anyway. I'm content to just listen to her talk. She seems to like to do that a lot, "You just refuse to talk without provocation, don't you? I know you want to know where Suki is."

I shrug.

"She worked overtime tonight," She sighs, shaking her blond head, "The only reason she works at Hooters is because her family hates that she's a lesbian and she's rebelling by doing everything they expect her to. It's completely stupid."