I still don’t like the idea of therapy but Im wrapping my head around the idea, slowly. And I’m waiting. Flyzik and Zack really seem to think it’s a great idea and that I should take advantage of the opportunity. Rian doesn’t really have an opinion on it as far as I know but Im sure he’s on the same page as the others.

Flyzik told us that he had something to talk to us about this afternoon after school. So say your prayers. He told Rian to tell his coach he couldn’t make practice and that when we get home we need to go straight to the table so we can all talk.

So, here we are. The four of us are sitting around the table and Flyzik looks like he’s going to piss himself he’s so damn excited. “We’re going to have another foster kid move in with us,” he says happily.

“Dude! That’s awesome!” Zack exclaims while punching Rian in the arm. I have no idea why. He just did.

Rian punched him back before saying, “yeah, that’s exciting. Who is it?”

“His name is Alex Gaskarth. He’ll be staying in the room with Jack,” Flyzik says calmly, a smile still stretched across his face.

“That’s cool. When is he going to be here?” I question.

“He’ll be here at six this afternoon.”

“How do you expect me to move everything around in my room for this kid in two hours?” I rush, scooting my chair back to stand and run to my room.

“Don’t worry about that. I took today off so I could get everything ready for Alex,” Flyzik explains. I visibly calm down and sit back down in my chair, letting out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.

“Ok,” I nod.

---

“Guys! Alex is here!” I hear Rian yell from downstairs. I sigh and turn my stereo off. I really wish he would’ve waited a bit to get here. It’s my favorite Green Day album, Nimrod. The song Reject was about halfway through.

I opened my door and go downstairs where Flyzik, Zack, and Rian are all standing around Alex, I assume, and a few suitcases. “And that’s Jack,” Flyzik points at me. “The two of you will be sharing a room.”

Alex waves at me, accidentally yanking the earbuds that hung around his neck out of the headphone outlet in his iPod. I wave back at him and attempt to hide the smile that was threatening to split across my face at his clumsiness. “Hi, I’m Alex. Im assuming you already knew that, though,” he says shyly, holding his hand out for me to shake it.

“Yeah, I did,” I nod while shaking his hand.

“Jack, why don’t you show him around the house? I’d do it but I’m in the middle of dinner,” Flyzik asks as he nods his head in the direction of the kitchen.

“Sure,” I reply. I grab a few of his bags and motion for Alex to follow me and start up the stairs. “I’ll show you to our room first so we can put your stuff down.”

“Thanks,” he says, following my to the bedroom.

It already has a bed for him in it. Flyzik completely redecorated the room today while I was at school. Alex has his own side of the room and I have my own side. It’s a little cramped now but it’s nothing I can’t get use to.

I put the bags I had in my hands on his bed and step back, waiting on him to do the same thing. “So, this is our room,” I say, waving my hands around.

He nods as he takes his iPod out of his pocket and puts it on his pillow along with his earbuds. He turns around and looks around the room, silently taking everything in. “Sweet! You listen to Blink 182?” he gasps as he picks up Enema Of The State.

“I do. I would also like it if you didn’t touch my shit,” I say, taking the CD out of his hand. I put it back on my CD rack and motion for him to follow me. “I should probably show you the rest of the house like Flyzik asked.”

“Why does he insist on us calling him Flyzik?” Alex asks me, digging his hands into his pockets as I show him the rest of the upstairs.

“I don’t know. He told me that’s what Zack and Rian call him. I think Rian started it, though. He told me he thought the name was funny at the time so he use to tease Flyzik about it. Now everyone calls him that,” I shrug, not really paying attention to him. I’d really rather not be doing this right now. I want to get back to my room to finish listening to the CD I have in my stereo.

“How long have you been here?”

“About two weeks.”

“Why did you have to leave your last foster home?”

“I got expelled for fighting to much. What about you?” It couldn’t happen any other way.

“I came out of the closet and my foster parents were super religious.” Another story with a mangled scene.

“That sucks.”

“Yeah. Why did you-”

“So that’s the house,” I say as we stand outside on the back porch, completely dismissing what Alex was about to say. “I’m gonna go back up to the room and listen to Green Day. You’re welcome to come with me, play video games with Zack, or throw a baseball with Rian. I could care less what you do, this is your home now to, so go do whatever,” I state and open the screen door. I walk back inside and go upstairs to my room, leaving Alex alone outside.

I probably shouldn’t leave him the way I did but I really didn’t feel like being interrogated. Can’t shower me with shame. I turned my stereo back on and go out of the window and sit on the roof. This has become my new favorite place to sit since I had that last argument with Flyzik.

It’s calm, peaceful, and an easy escape from reality. It’s what I need.

Notes