New story! :) My brain is just brimming with ideas. Hope you'll like this one. Vote, comment...I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Please note: This book contains diverse characters with different racial backgrounds and interracial relationships. If you are still stuck in the stone age, save yourself the 'torture' and just not read. No racial comments will be tolerated.
Dante
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Prologue
Expect the unexpected, prepare for the worst...I had heard it all. It was something my freshman geography teacher used to tell the class. Of course he was talking about an upcoming test. He said to study things you didn't expect him to ask because he could ask whatever he wanted. That was how life was, as I soon learned. Sometimes you had things under control and sometimes they just slipped into a never ending abyss.
Jackson "Jax" Wyatt, son of Mary-Ann and Robert Wyatt, British-American, 16 years old, star basketball player, dating one of the hottest guys at Lake Tonoue high school; I was the envy of many people in my town. Some said I had the brightest smile and the whitest teeth. Some said my light blue eyes looked like the pacific on a calm day. I had quite fair skin, which was also very sensitive. My lips were the palest shade of pink and my hair the darkest black. And some said I had a bit of "Britishness" in me, whatever that meant.
I bordered on androgyny, something I hadn't always liked. I grew up in a small village in Essex, northeast of London, England. It was a small-knit community, and well, androgyny was something foreign to them.
"How old is she?" some mother cooed, holding her little girl's hand firmly.
"He's 5," my mother said.
"She's a boy? Oh my, she...he looks like a girl."
Of course my parents were concerned. I went to numerous doctors, who said the same thing, "your boy is fine". I looked like a girl most of my childhood. I endured all sorts of bullying. It was during a stage where boys detested girls and vice versa. To be called a girl was the worst insult. I physically couldn't fit in with the girls or the boys. It wasn't until I turned 9 that I started looking more like a boy. That year my dad found a job in America and off to the States we went.
I'd heard a lot of stories about the USA, most of them bad. I came from a small closed-off village, being in the states was different. I expected to be ostracized, I got none of that. It was true that I was in the land of the opinionated, but for once in my life I felt like I belonged. It could be that I was getting older, developing a thicker skin and becoming comfortable with myself, but my surroundings helped immensely.
At 16 I looked more like a boy, but in certain poses I was mistaken for a girl. I embraced my androgyny. Instead of being a weakness it became a strength. Overall life was great. That was until that fateful day.
"Jackson, can you pick up your sister from school, please? I will be a little late," mom asked over the phone.
It was a little late in the afternoon. I had just gotten back from basketball practice. I had just literally walked into the house.
"How late?"
"Mmm," mom hummed. I could imagine her biting her lip on the other side. "Around 6... pass 6."
"I'll pick her up," I said.
"Great. 5 o'clock don't be late. I'll call in to let them know."
Mom hung up afterwards. I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge before hitting the shower. I usually took a quick shower at the school gym showers, which always left me not feeling clean. Being a gay androgynous guy in a room full of naked guys made me uneasy. It was awkward for everyone involved so I tried to always finish early. I was also a little bit body conscious. I was the epitome of tall, fair and skinny. I wasn't really tall, but my weight made me appear tall and of course my basketball uniform didn't help.
After showering, I didn't do much before it was time to pick up Sally. Sally was a 5 year old sweet child. She was 11 years younger than me but she could boss me around and I would obey. Hence she spent the entire trip from her school to our house in my arms.
Sally looked like me with blue eyes, but had light brown hair like mom. She and I were close. We played together and I let her play games on my phone. I wouldn't ordinarily give my phone to anyone, but Sally had this effect on me. I enjoyed being with my only sister and I loved most of our moments together. I loved her. She was too young to understand teenage things or play teenage games so it was as if I was living my childhood through her. I played all the games I never got to play.
We spent the evening playing various games. As time went on it began to get dark. Dad was away on business so I didn't expect him to be home that day. Mom was supposed to be, but she wasn't. I made snacks for Sally and I and we sat back to watch TV. The clock read 7:15 pm.
I wasn't anxious about mom coming back until I got a call.
"Meet me at the park," the person said as soon as I answered.
"Hi to you to Garrett", I said rolling my eyes.
Sally was a bubbly and lovely kid. She already understood what was going on between Garrett and I and so whenever I mentioned him, she sang a song.
"Jax and Garrett sitting on a tree, K..." she sang happily.
I stuck out my tongue at her.
"Jax," Garrett said impatiently.
"I can't babe. I'm babysitting Sally until mom gets back. Dad won't be home until tomorrow", I said.
"It's an emergency," he said. There was urgency in his voice.
An alarm immediately went off in my head. "What's wrong?" I asked.
"Please just come," he said. There was a hint of a plea in his words.
"Garr..." I said before realizing that he'd hung up after his words.
I looked at Sally. Garrett had sounded very serious. I had to make a decision. If something happened he needed me to be there for him.
I dialed a number I knew off by heart.
"Sorry honey, I'm kind of busy," mom said after the phone had rang for quite some time. She sounded like she was running a marathon.
"Are you still at work?" I asked.
"Yes," she said quickly. I thought I heard the sound of a groan from her side, a sound more manly before she said, "I'll make it up to you guys, I promise."
"Uh...okay," I said resignedly. It was not like I could make her magically appear. I could argue, but even if she decided to leave the moment I hung up, she'd still take quite some time getting to the house.
Immediately after I hung up I got a text. "I'm waiting for you if you are coming."
"Hey Sal, what do you say we go hang out with Garrett for a few minutes? I'll carry you all the way there" I asked. After Garrett's message I had decided to go to the park and take Sally with. We'd only stay for a few minutes, I reasoned.
Garrett was my boyfriend of a year and 3 months. He was according to me the hottest guy at our school. He was at that time in senior year and I was more than smitten. He was my first serious boyfriend and I was ecstatic about our relationship. I didn't just like how he looked; I cared about and loved him.
"Okay," Sally replied shrugging.
I got both of us sweaters and locked the doors. The walk to the park was short, but nevertheless I was tired when I got there. Sally was no lightweight.
It was dark outside with only a few stars adorning the sky. I lamented not having asked Garrett to come to the house since mom wasn't there. It would have been warmer and less riskier. If mom found out I left the house with Sally in the middle of the night, she was going to kill me.
I navigated my way through the park, knowing Garrett's favorite spot. I spotted him before he spotted me. He was sitting on one of the benches, looking down the phone on his lap.
"Hi," I said as I stood before him.
"Hey," he said looking up at me. He had dark brown eyes and dirty blond hair which he was covering with a hoodie. I wasn't exaggerating; he was handsome with his dark pink lips and small nose.
I was about to sitting down when he stood up.
"Can we like walk for a sec?" he said.
"Sure," I said.
We walked at a slow pace seemingly with no destination. There was silence between us. Sally was lying in my arms with her head on my shoulder. I suspected she was falling asleep. She seemed heavier. My arms were aching.
"So..." I broke the silence. "What happened?"
He sighed, stopping. "I wanted to talk to you about us."
"I'm glad us is an emergency..." I said grinning. "...but what about us?"
"I don't know how to say this," he said.
My grin immediately disappeared. "Say what?" I asked.
"Jax I love you, I do," he said.
I felt my muscles quiver. It was as if someone had stuck a syringe in them and was busy sucking out all the energy. My arms on Sally gave way slightly and that jolted her awake.
"Did...hi Garrett," she said sleepily.
"Hi Sal," he said.
"Garrett, what are you saying?" I asked desperately. I didn't want to hear it, but if I was to convince him otherwise, I had to.
He took a deep breath. "I'm leaving for college in a few months. I...I love you but I can't..."
"So you are b-reaki-ng up with me?" I said, my voice broken by tears that had yet to make their way onto my face.
"I can't do long distance relationship Jax," he said.
My arms couldn't hold onto Sally anymore. I put her gently on the ground, something she protested. I didn't listen. There was only one thing on my mind.
"It's only for a year. I'll get into the same college as you. I'll work hard. I'll be an A student," I said desperately.
He was crushing my world and he didn't seem to even be aware of it.
"Jax," he said.
"I know I suck at...some subjects, but I'll do great. I'll try Garrett," I said.
"I don't want you to try. I..."
"You just don't want to be with me," I finished for him.
"This isn't easy for me," he said firmly.
"It seems easy. You are the one breaking up with me," I said with my lips quivering.
"To save the both of us from misery!"
"You are saving yourself, I...my heart..." I said and the tears finally broke the surface and grazed my face.
"Jax I'm sorry," he pleaded.
I shook my head, trying not to cry. "What did I do wrong?" I asked desperately.
"Nothing! You did nothing wrong. I loved you. I still love you," he said.
I ashamedly and painstakingly went down on my knees before him. There was no rationality behind the move. All I could feel was pain and it had to stop. I didn't know I was yet to feel a greater pain.
"Jax no," he said shaking his head.
"Garrett, I..." I couldn't get the words out. I could feel a lump in my throat.
"Jax, stand up," he said and helped me stand up. "Don't degrade yourself like this," he said wiping my cheek.
"How am I supposed to see you every freaking day at school?! You can't keep saying you love me but yet you don't...you don't want...." I said. I couldn't finish the sentence. I could feel my phone vibrating in my jeans pocket. I had no doubt it was mom calling. I couldn't care about her at that moment.
"It's better for the both of us," he said quietly.
"So you think you are preventing bitter phone calls that will reign during the time you are away, marking the dissolution of our relationship? I prefer that to this! You clearly don't love me enough if you are going to let fear decide our future. It's not better for the both of us, it's better for you," I said.
I was alternating between pleading and being angry. It was hard being in that situation. I didn't know how to handle it. I couldn't walk away. I couldn't just let Garrett break up me. This was the first guy I had given my whole heart to. I wasn't ready to part ways. I obviously was not prepared for the worst. I wasn't prepared for the curve-ball that Garrett threw me. Neither was I prepared for his next words.
"We can still be friends. I genuinely like you. I...Jax, where's Sal?"
I blinked and looked down to where I had put Sal. My eyes darted around the area we were at when I couldn't see her.
"Jax," Garrett said. There was fear in his voice.
I looked around, walking a few meters around the park.
"Sally!" I shouted. "Where are you?"
"Sal!" Garrett shouted.
"She's probably found a spot to sleep. She was sleepy," I said quietly, a ploy to reassure myself. It didn't work. Fear was slowly creeping in my veins.
We searched the entire park. Sally was nowhere to be found. I found myself with tears all over my face again. Fear stagnated my blood. Every step I took was heavier than the last. Deep inside I just knew it, Sally was gone.
I stood in the middle of the park. I couldn't do anything. Fear paralyzed me. I couldn't think of anything other than the moment I'd put her on the ground. I had put her on the ground. I had brought her with me.
"Jax," Garrett said walking back to me after searching a part of the park.
The lump in my throat from earlier had returned. Only this time it was massive. I couldn't say anything. The tears hadn't stopped flowing.
Garrett hugged me. I didn't react. Nevertheless, he didn't let me go.
"911 what's your emergency?" I heard sound coming from his phone.
"Hi. Um...we need help. We were with this little girl and now she's missing," Garrett said quickly. I could tell he was trying not to panic, but his voice revealed that he too had come to realize what I had realized.
"Can you give me more information about your emergency?"
"Um...We are at this park. My...friend brought his little sister with. She's 5. Now we can't find her. She just vanished," he said. "Call your mom," he whispered to me.
I shook my head.
"Who am I speaking to?"
"Garrett"
"Garrett, I gather you are using a cell phone. I am going to need the address of the park and your cell phone number..."
I couldn't listen anymore. It brought the truth home even more. I got out of the hug and looked at my phone. There was a "1 missed call" banner splashed across the screen, with the word "mom" underneath.
I couldn't call her and tell her I had lost her only daughter. I just couldn't do it. Nothing would absolve me from my stupidity, not in her eyes and not in my eyes.
Nothing in my life had prepared me for everything else that followed. Oh how I wished I could erase the events of that night. They changed my life forever.