"Jaaaayyyydddeeeeeeeeeenn!!!!!!!!!!!!"
My eyes snap open and I'm no longer relaxing in the presence of a sleeping Seaton and a reading Mr. Spencer. I had only been relaxing, but now I'm wide-awake, and I bet you can guess who made the sound.
"Jayden, Jayden, Jayden!" Linda squeals, jumping up and down, and struggling against the arms wrapped around her. It is, thankfully, Corin holding her back so she doesn't jump me, or eat me or... something. Her scream woke up Seaton, and I'm sort of mad at her for it, but of course I don't let it show.
"Jesus Christ," Seaton snarls, "You'll wake up the people who just died!"
"Is that a bad thing?" Linda asks, shaking her head, then she twisted her head around to look at Corin, "You can let go now. I'm not going to jump on him when he's shot."
"Right," Corin says dubiously, but he lets her go anyway. "How long have you been awake, Jayden?"
"Um...." I really have no idea... but that's too many words. I think 'um' gets the same meaning across.
"Around four hours," Mr. Spencer answers for me. Linda and Suki gasp.
"You didn't call us!?" They shout simultaneously, and I winced. God their voices are so high-pitched and loud. Linda adds, "He –He was shot!"
As if that wasn't obvious.
"I'm aware of that," Mr. Spencer says calmly, "And please keep it down. That nurse is getting on my nerves..."
"Hm," Seaton agrees nodding, "Jayden went back to sleep not to long after."
"Humph," Linda crosses her arms, still unnerved. Corin shook his head, sighed and then looked at me.
"How are you feeling?" He asks me and I shrug uncomfortably. Gosh, I hate everyone worrying about me. Although it's been happening a lot lately, I'll never be used to the attention.
"Okay," I reply when the shrug doesn't satisfy him.
"I can't believe you've been here this long," Suki sighs, putting her hands on her hips and swinging her hair over her shoulder with a twist of he neck. "It's like, what, the sixteenth?"
"Seventeenth," Mr. Spencer corrects with a look at his watch.
I... no way... what? Seriously? It's the seventeenth of February? That... wow. Huh. I can't help but let my eyes widen a fraction and damn it Seaton caught it. Of course he did, the fucking ex-cop.
"What was that?" He demands, sitting up straight and leaning toward my bed, "What's so significant about today?"
"Nothing..." I tell him but he stands up and with me lying on the bed, he's so much taller then I am. The way he towers of me is intimidating.
"Brat," He growls, his voice softer and deeper, rumbling in the back of his throat. I flush and duck my head.
"Fine," I sigh, crossing my arms self-consciously and begging whatever entity in control of reactions to not let them go crazy over this, "It's... my birthday."
Seaton blinks slowly, staring at me, silent. Apparently he'd been expecting something more morbid and shocking, not something as normal as a birthday. I successfully avoid eyes contact, and a squeal cuts off anything the Master Hypnotist might have said.
"Oh my god!" Linda cries out jumping up happily, "Come on, we've all got to go get him presents! Me, Corin and Su will go first, M'kay?"
"No, don't –" I start, but it's no use. She's already out the door, dragging Corin and Suki by their hands. I look up at Seaton, pouting, "I blame you."
Seaton smirks slowly, "You're talking without provocation, brat. I think the morphine's getting to you."
-
After Linda, Suki, and Corin returned, Mr. Spencer left and I swear if he gets me a present too, I'll shoot myself... again. Okay, no I won't. That would just make me have to spend more time in the hospital. Seaton volunteered to go buy the cake and I just glared at the wall until I fell asleep.
Upon waking up, no one was in the room. That made me feel slightly lonely, and I chastised myself for becoming expectant. No, no, no. These people, they're... not permanent. They shouldn't be, anyway, and I can't assume they'll always be there or I'll get hurt. I sit up and rub my eyes. My shoulder twinges in pain, but I ignore it.
Oh right... my birthday. I really don't see what the huge deal is, for gods sake. I've never celebrated it before, never received a present for it before...well, unless you count Charlie's, but...well. His gift wasn't tangible, if you catch my drift.
The doctor comes back in, changes my bandages and then leaves. I hate hospitals so much. They're much too white.
"Hey, sweetie," The blonde nurse comes in with I guess is supposed to be dinner. For hospital food, it doesn't look bad. I'm not too hungry though. "How are you? Where'd all your loud friends go?"
"Dunno," I murmur, "Birthday."
"It's your birthday?" She asks giddily, "Oh, you should have told someone! We could bring you a cupcake -"
"No...." I shake my head, "I don't celebrate it."
"What do you mean, you're sixteen –or, seventeen now!" She giggled, "I'll go tell the kitchens –I'll get them to make something special!"
"Please, don't –"
And the one time I really want to say something, the person doesn't listen.
I sigh for about the millionth time let my head fall against the pillow. I lift my head back up and bang it into the pillow again, with a force that wasn't quite necessary. Gods! These people and their damn socializing! Why would I celebrate my birthday? I mean for god's sake. I mean, what's so special about seventeen? Eighteen you're an adult, sixteen is sweet (driving license) and 15 is for your permit. Seventeen is just.... blah.
The door opens again, and it's Seaton. I swear my heartbeat speeds up and I know, I can hear the damn beeping quicken along with it. Behind him Mr. Spencer is carrying things that look suspiciously like presents. If they're for me, I'll throttle something, I swear. Okay, you know that's not true but –gods, who else would they be for? I don't want presents! It's much to –to – normal for me.
Corin is carrying a kind of cake in a large pink box with the word Carvel on the side. Seaton's not carrying anything. I don't even bother sitting up. I'm not opening them.
"No," I say forcefully, not making eye contact.
"I'm guessing you've never had a birthday party before," Suki deduces, pulling out a bag of green mushy things... balloons. Goddamn.
"No," I confess evenly.
Seaton's eyes flash with anger, and his brow creases –yup, he's holding it in. I cross my arms and look away.
"You shouldn't have gotten me anything," I say softly, "It isn't important."
"Shut up and open your fucking gifts, brat," Seaton snarls, standing directly next to my bed, "Then you're going to eat the ice cream cake and have fun for once in your life, got it brat?"
"Don't talk to him like –" Mr. Spencer starts.
"Fine," I say, too tired and doped up on morphine to argue with Seaton. That takes too much nerve, and whatever little I had of that, the drugs took it away. Seaton smirks smugly at Mr. Spencer, who once again had been trumped by Seaton.
"Mine first!" Linda said happily, taking a large box from Mr. Spencer. It was heavy, if the face she made while heaving it onto the edge of the bed, just in front of my feet, "Then Suki, then Corin, then Mr. Spencer, then Seaton, okay?"
"Ah..." I just shrug. The box is wrapped in bright red wrapping paper, glittery as well, and it's about nine inches thick, two feet long and two feet high. "You open it."
"No way!" Linda shakes her head almost violently, "It's you first birthday party! You've never known how fun it is to rip off the wrapping paper and make a mess."
Suki's still blowing up balloons (there are already about five bouncing throughout the room) and I sit up and reach for the gift with a small exhale. It's not that heavy. I pull it onto my lap and tear my fingernails into the paper, ripping it away from the surface. I look at the picture on the front of the box, and then at Linda.
It's a television. A medium sized one, with a DVD and VHS player built in. It looks really nice. Too nice."I –"
"Seaton told us you're getting emancipated," Linda explains, "When you get an apartment, or a roommate and get your own room, you can have a TV in there! A nice one, not like the piece of crap in your old apartment."
"Bu –"
"Brat," Seaton snaps, and I purse my lips grudgingly. I'm returning it! I'm returning all of it to the stores they came from! "Lin, get rid of the receipt so he can't return it."
Oh, fuck you, I'm pretty sure I'm pouting again, yeah, I wish. Bad thoughts, Jayden, bad thoughts! Think of something else...Suki! Suki's next! Think about her!
"Here," Suki takes a much smaller box from the bag Mr. Spencer was holding and hands it to me. It's in the same, glittery red wrapping, however. It's pretty light. I open it, and inside is three books, and something that looks like a credit card.
The books all three of a Trilogy called Twilight and the credit card is not a credit card at all. It's one of those weird cards that you can only use at a certain store, and this one is Lakeside Bookstore. I blink, and look up as Suki. Damn it, why are they doing things like this for me?
"Sorry, but it's only for a hundred dollars," Suki smiles sheepishly, "I know you love to read supernatural stuff like that so –yeah. I thought you'd like it."
"I..." I nod, gulping. "But..."
Seaton gives me a warning look and I bite my lip and smile at Suki weakly, letting her know I like it. She beams back at me and hops lightly on her toes happily.
"Well, after that my gift seems so impersonal," Corin sniffs, crossing his arms and mock-glaring at Suki, "You out-gifted me!"
"Whose fault is that?" Suki laughs.
Corin just hands me an envelope and sys, "It's just money. Nothing big, and thoughtful like them. Gees, the show offs."
I rip open the envelope and count the money. My fingers go numb as I register the last bill in my mind. I just stare and then shake my head.
"No," I say.
"Brat," Seaton says in turn, and I shake my head once curtly.
"No."
"Jayden, please, I'm filthy rich," Corin defends himself, "That's like pocket change to me!"
"Two thousand dollars?"
"Yup," Corin tilts his head in appreciation, "I want you to have it. We'll go shopping, one gay boy to another –we'll get you some good clothes, maybe another bed for you to sleep in your knew home..."
Oh, wonderful. He had to say gay, didn't he? Mr. Spencer didn't know. Well, Seaton might have known, if he has the whole 'gaydar' thing (myth, in my opinion. I have no such thing) but then again, he might not have know for sure. But then again, Mr. Spencer knows about Charlie, so he might have jumped to the conclusion that I'm gay.
Still. Damn Corin. I thought he was more tactful than this...
"What, you didn't know?" Corin asks someone who's not me.
"I assumed," Mr. Spencer's voice says. I don't look at him. And I definitely don't look at Seaton.
"Oh, well, um –see, now you have to accept the money, Jay," Corin chuckles, "It's a payoff for me outing you."
He did it on purpose, the bastard.
Seaton snorted, "Please, it was somewhat obvious."
Obvious!? No I'm not!
"Was not," Mr. Spencer grumbles.
Thank you!
"That's because your straight, Spencer," I can practically hear Seaton rolling his dark eyes at the teacher. "Not to mention blind."
"You are so rude!" Mr. Spencer claims hotly. Seaton merely grunts.
"You're keeping the money," Seaton tells me and takes it from me and puts it on the table, next to the television box and books. "It'd be rude not to."
I feel like arguing, but I don't. I just sigh once again and look up the ceiling, thinking 'why me?' as Mr. Spencer hands me his present. It's in a small bag, so apparently he didn't like the red glittery paper. I take it from him and stare for a second before opening it and seeing it's... a cell phone. A dark green one, not freakishly expensive or flashy, but still nice and... well, a cell phone.
As I raise my eyes to look at Mr. Spencer, Seaton's eyes catch mine first, glaring at me, daring me to try to give it back. But damn it, it's all too much! It's too expensive, too –too good. Why in the hell are you all doing this to me? For me?
"Thank you," I say softly, giving up. It's no use, I suppose. Not anymore. They're determined to treat me like I'm... I don't know, special or something.
"No problem," Mr. Spencer smiles brightly, "And yes, it is a hint for you to keep in touch."
The corner of my mouth quirks slightly into a half smile.
"I guess it's my turn, brat," Seaton said, shoving his hands in his pockets and looking down at me. God, he's so fucking cool. And nice. And bossy! It's charming... why do I have to keep thinking about this!?
"Yes, Seaton," I agree nervously. Oh god, please, please don't be something expensive, or electronic or – or big. I don't want that from him. "But you don't –"
"Don't worry, brat, I didn't spend a thing," Seaton promises me and allow myself to raise an eyebrow skeptically, "Well, it's more than one thing, technically, and I can't exactly give it to you here. But part one is an offer, and I –"
The door opens slowly, and Seaton sighs harshly.
"Damn it, lady, I wasn't being loud this time!" Seaton snaps, "For god's sake, go back to the dying people and leave us the fuck alo –"
Seaton halts in mid-word at the sight of who's at the door. I look and see a tall man with dark brown hair, specked with gray and bluish green eyes. He looks in his late forties or so, frown lines on his forehead and a nose that's just a tiny bit too large for his face but –still, rather good looking for an old man. Maybe he's a doctor here?
"I thought that might be you, Seaton," the man says, and I look at Seaton. His eyes –they're so intense and cold. Well, technically they're usually quite cold but this man has transformed the dark orbs into something entirely different. They seem to freeze time it's with their fierce iciness, and for some reason the wound in my shoulder throbs. "Always that mouth of yours..."
"Aren't you the Sheriff?" Corin blinks, shaking his head, "You are, aren't you? I read about you in the paper last month..."
"I am," the man nods solemnly, looking at Seaton all the while, "Seaton, I would like to speak with you."
"No," Seaton hisses frigidly.
"Seaton, listen to me, you haven't spoken to me in months!" the Sheriff says passionately, stepping forward and closing the door behind him, "You just disappeared after Marie died –"
"Don't you dare say her name, you fucker!"
"Seaton, please, don't you think it's time for a reconcile? You've been avoiding me for so long."
"For good reason!" Seaton growls, "Now get out. I never want to see you again. I'm not talking about this with you, especially not here! If you haven't noticed, I'm busy."
"So I see," he replies, and looks at me, "You are the boy he testified for... hm. He must care about you quite a bit to give up his hiding spot."
I open my mouth, but no words come out. Luckily Seaton saves me from giving a response to the man.
"Shut up and get out!" Seaton all but roars.
"Now, now, Seaton," the man shakes his head and makes a 'tsk tsk' sound with his tongue and teeth. I've decided I hate him. I hope you burn in hell, because Seaton hates you, and you're being mean to Seaton. He must have a good reason for hating your condescending guts! "That's no way to speak to your father."
WHAT!? I swear my heart skips beat.
His father. The one he was running away from. The one I really know nothing about. I think about it, and I realize I know very little about Seaton. But his dad. No. He said father. And I know the difference. 'Dad' is warm, informal. 'Father' is cold and distant and impersonal. Corin, Suki and Linda all look uncomfortable, and Mr. Spencer just looks interested.
"Yeah, well, as far as I'm concerned you're just Eugene Black, my former boss, who coincidently has the same last name as I do," Seaton responds callously, "Not to mention a lying, heartless, son of a –"
"Please, Seaton, if not for me, think of Carley," Eugene Black states, and Seaton once again stops his words because of this man. At least I have a name to go with the bane of my existence. "She's here, you know. Just outside."
"You... bastard," Seaton snarls, and there's a lump in his throat, "You brought Carley here to, what,bribe me into talking to you?"
"Guys," I look at Corin, Suki, Linda and Mr. Spencer and then at the door. "Please, could you wait in... the waiting room?"
It's not long before they leave and the door shuts behind them. Seaton shoots an appreciative look towards me and then looks back at his... his father. It looks like his father/son relationship is only a little better than mine. Eugene smirks.
"You can only see her if you'll talk to me, man to man," Eugene negotiates, "Those are the terms."
"Fine," Seaton says much too quickly. My heart rate speeds up. Who's Carley? A girlfriend? No, Seaton's gay, but... still. Who?
"Good," Eugene nods and opens the door before calling out in a soft voice, "Carley, come here, honey, Seaton wants to see you..."
And in walks... a little girl. Perhaps six, or seven years old with dark, curly brown hair and bright, wide blue eyes. She's wearing a pink, frilly dress and Seaton looks at her in a way I've never seen him look at anyone before. A way I want him to look at me. He loves her.
"Carley," He kneels down as she runs to him and takes her into a crushing hug, and she squeals and laughs, saying 'Sea Sea! Sea Sea! You're back!' over and over again.
I concentrate on my hands, my face burning in... in jealousy. I'm not proud of it but damn it, who is she?
"It seems she missed you, Seaton," Eugene muses aloud, in his annoyingly patronizing voice, "Maybe you shouldn't leave her again."
"Maybe we can establish visiting hours, so that I can spend as little time as I can with you, and a lot with her," Seaton snaps back, standing up and lifting Carley up. She rests her head on Seaton's shoulder and I peek, and yes, she's looking at me.
"Perhaps," Eugene says thoughtfully, "Or you can stop being so stubborn and get over it."
"I'll never get over it," Seaton barks, "She was my mother and you are, and always will be, a liar."
"Sea Sea, who's your friend?" Carley asks innocently, tilting her head at me, "You're pretty, what's your name?"
"Jayden..." I answer hesitantly and she waits for something before outing, sticking out her bottom lip cutely. I ignore the 'pretty' comment.
"When someone says your pretty, you're supposed to compliment them back," Carley tells me, pointing her finger in my direction.
And it's rude to point, I snap at her mentally.
"Sorry," is what I say aloud, "You're pretty too."
"I'm Sea Sea's sister," She says proudly, "Are you his friend?"
I nod curtly and then tune back into Seaton and Eugene's conversation and Seaton looks nothing short of infuriated, even with his precious sister in his arms.
"We'll come to an arrangement then?" Eugene smiles smugly, "You'll call?"
"I said I would," Seaton scowls.
"I suppose you did," Eugene agrees and then looks at Carley, "Come along then, Carley, we're leaving."
"No! I wanna stay with Sea Sea!" Carley held tight to Seaton's neck. "I wanna stay, I wanna stay, I wanna stay!!!"
"Carley Elizabeth!" Eugene orders, "We are leaving. You'll see him again soon, but not if you don't come now."
Carley pouts as Seaton puts her down on the floor. Eugene –Seaton's dad! – beckons her over and Seaton kisses her on the cheek before she runs over. I don't notice them leave, because I'm too interested in the kiss he gave her. Just a small, short, friendly peck on the cheek. Goddamit, even if he doesn't want me, is that too much to ask for?
A stupid kiss on the cheek?
For me, I guess it is.
"Brat, are you listening to me?" Seaton says loudly and I snap out of my covetous revere, bringing me back to reality.
"No, Seaton, sorry," I answer and he rolls his eyes.
"I said, part one of my birthday present to you," He repeats (I suppose...) and I listen intently this time, abashed. He takes a breath, "Is an offer. I wanted to know that the option is open for you... to... stay with me."
Oh my god. My jealousy dissipates. Because I get to be with Seaton. He asked me to move in with him, not Carley. She gets stupid visits and I get the whole package. Or, at least, as much of the package I'll ever be getting. I get to live with him. Happiness explodes in my chest and can't help but smile up at him. Something flashes in his eyes that I can't identify before I speak.
"Yes, Seaton," I say, on the verge of gushing, "Thank you."
"It's not a big deal," Seaton grumbles, looking away, "I mean, it's not a problem. Part two is better."
Better? I think doubtfully.
How could anything possibly be better than being with you?