Riley's Box

Part 39

After a longer beat of time, I realised that Jason's statement needed a response. 

It was safe to say that I had been a little distracted by his eyes. Again. Sue me. 

"Well, I'm always going to be here for you, Jason. That's what we do." 

He nodded. 

"Indeed. That brings me onto my next question," he said. 

Here we go. 

"What's going on with you, Riles? Don't lie to me. I'll work out all of your secrets. I'm not the best investigator in the world-" he cut off, when he noticed my expression. 

A total lie. He solved every episode of Poirot before I could put my two cents in as to who the killer was. 

Jason took a step forward and then continued. 

"But I do understand you," he said. 

He did. All too well. It was frustrating. And amazing. What had I been thinking about, again? 

"And I know when something is bothering you, too," he took another step forward and tucked some hair behind my ear. Was this allowed? Was he supposed to be doing this when he was dating Susie? He registered the bemusement in my gaze and continued to speak. 

"Call it intuition, I suppose. I can see it. Something has been going on...for a few weeks now, I think. I don't know. I know that my mind has been occupied by everything going on with my dad, but I think it's important that I say that my mind is never too occupied to realise when something is burdening you. You're my friend and I want to look out for you." 

Was that all there was to it? 

Why was I even asking these questions? 

It was just curiosity. 

Curiosity killed the cat. 

Fortunately, the last time I checked, I wasn't a feline. 

"Why?" I blurted. 

His eyebrows creased together. 

"Why?" he repeated, an incredulous expression appeared on his face. His brow furrowed. 

"Why do you want to look out for me?" I asked him. "You...don't need to. I can take care of things, I-" 

He then distracted me again when he placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed. 

Up until this point, I truly had no idea just how much I had needed that reassurance. 

It was a small action, but it made me feel better all the same. 

Hell, what was happening to me? 

"I know you're worried about something, Riles," he said. His voice was so soft. I could have sunk into it, like a pillow. 

His eyes gazed into mine, then, as though searching for something. 

Come on, Jason. Figure it out. 

I wasn't sure what I wanted him to figure out, exactly. I supposed I was going to have to leave that much up for debate. 

He was too perceptive. He looked into my mind like there was a window on my forehead. I was glad that wasn't the case. It wouldn't have been a great look. 

There was no use hiding it. 

My dad knew. 

It was about time that I told Jason, too. 

I only really hoped that he would believe me. 

Something about the warmth in his gaze told me that he would. 

"Alright," I said and nodded, as I started to think about how exactly I was going to explain all of this to him. It wouldn't be easy, but nothing worth it had ever been easy. That was assuming this was going to be worth it, which I really hoped that it would be. 

A light danced in Jason's eyes. 

"You remember the box that I got for my birthday, right?" I asked him. 

He responded with a simple nod. This wouldn't be too bad. He was a good listener. 

"You're my best friend. I haven't told anyone else about this," I said. 

It was mostly true. My father had found out all on his own. 

He nodded again. 

"And you always talk to me about things that are bothering you, so I suppose I'm going to have to do the same. It's only fair." 

"Riles," he said. It had a hidden meaning underlying it- just tell me. 

Patience was a virtue, or so I have been told. 

"And you're easy to talk to, too. So, here goes. Jason, I opened the box. When I opened the box...some really strange things happened." That may have just been the understatement of the century. 

He stared at me with a serious face, waiting for me to continue. 

"You've heard the story about Pandora, right?" I asked him. 

His eyebrows crinkled together. 

"I know of it," he said. 

"Well..." I trailed off. 

His eyes brightened with surprise. 

"You're not suggesting that you've released all of the evils into the world through opening this box, are you?" he asked me. 

"Well, no," I admitted. 

He relaxed a little. His shoulders untensed. 

"I did, however, release the Seven Deadly Sins into my bedroom. Now, I know what you're thinking- they want to wreck havoc and horror on humanity, right? Well, you would be incorrect. They're actually here to get the shadow spirits, spirits that plan on taking over the planet, back to Hell. We have two more shadow spirits to get back." 

Jason froze. His eyes stared hard at me. 

"Jason? Earth to Jason?" I asked him. 

God, I was an awful friend. I had caused my best friend to freeze up from shock! 

The sun began to set on us, casting a golden glow over the garden. 

Jason exhaled and seemed to come to his senses again. 

"You- I- what-" Great work! It was almost grammatically sound. 

"Riley...this isn't some elaborate joke, is it?" he asked me. 

"No, Jase!" I said. 

"And you're not just planning some spectacular novel?" he asked. 

"Nope," I grinned. 

Jason nodded and then glanced towards the sky for a moment, as he thought over everything that I had told him. 

Finally, he spoke again. 

"Alright. It's not that I don't believe you, but prove it. Show me these Sins of yours," he said. 

I rolled my eyes but murmured in agreement, and the two of us walked into my house.