Sit Back, Gotta Catch My Breath

I finished off my sandwich right as my phone started to ring from my pocket. I pulled it out of my pocket and looked at the contact. Rian?
I clicked answer and put the phone up to my ear. "Rian?"
"Hey," I heard his voice say, "Dude, you need to come back to Baltimore."
I sighed. "Rian, you know I can't do tha-"
"No. Don't say you can't. You need to come back. Alex isn't doing too good."
My stomach dropped. Alex. "What do you mean he's not doing too good?"
"He's just... not doing good. I don't know. I mean, I never see him eat anymore, and he seems to be losing weight fast. And it always seems he's somewhere else. He can't focus worth shit."
"It's going to take him some time to adjust. He'll be fine." Great. So Lex was starving himself again.
"There's something else, Jack..."
"What?"
"I saw something at band practice yesterday..."
"What did you see?"
"Cuts... on his wrist... I don't think he's going to be okay, Jack. He needs you."
I shook my head, even though he couldn't see it, and ran my hand through my hair. "Rian, I need you to be there for him, okay? I can't just up and leave. Not only do I not have the money, but it would devistate my mom."
I heard him sigh. "You know, I honestly thought you cared about Alex. I thought you actually loved him. But it looks like I was wrong."
And then he hung up.
I shoved my phone back into my pocket and leaned against the kitchen counter. What was I supposed to do now? I mean, I've only been here for a couple months. And it's not like it's the easiest thing in the world to move across the country. It took time and money. Both of which I didn't have much of.
I slid down and sat down on the floor, thinking of the options I had. I guess I would have to talk to my mom before I tried anything. I needed to tell her the truth about her son. And I needed to tell her about Alex.
I sat there on the floor for a few hours before I heard the front door open and close.
"Jack, I'm home!" I heard my mom chirp from the living room.
Well, here goes nothing.

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"So, when did this happen?" she asked, looking me in the eyes.
I sighed and thought for a second. "Um... late August, early Spetember. There's just something about him, Mom. I don't know what it is, but..."
"You love him?"
I bit my lip and just looked at her for a second before answering. "Yes."
"Then why did you leave? I mean, I love you being here, but you should be with this Alex boy. It's obvious that he means a lot to you."
"It was just so stressful..." I looked down at my hands, which were folded on the table, "... With dad being the way he is... And the bullies at school... It was just too much to handle..."
"Wait, what about your dad?"
"Um... he drinks a lot."
"Is that all?"
I was silent.
"Jack, if your dad did something, you need to tell me right now."
I sighed. "He gets a bit violent sometimes... But it's no big deal."
She stood up from the table. "It's a very big deal, Jack! Why didn't you tell me?"
I looked up at her. "Because I didn't want you to freak out like you are now. It really isn't a big deal. Just a bruise here and there... Maybe an occasional cut. But, honestly, the school bullies have done worse." I didn't dare tell her about the time Dad put me in the hospital.
She leaned against the wall, trying to take all this information in. "Have you told anyone else?"
I nodded. "I told Alex."
"Did he ever see it happen?"
I shook my head. "No. I tried to keep the two seperate."
"Tried?"
"Well, one time, Alex came over, and then Dad came home. Alex hid in the closet, but Dad didn't do anything that time."
She nodded. "Well, I can understand why you left..."
"But you can understand why I kind of want to go back."
"Yeah. If I had the money, I would have your dad in jail and you on a plane back to Baltimore by now... But with the way my career has been going, I can't."
"It's fine, Mom. I understand."
So maybe going back wouldn't be so easy.

Notes