LOTF: Before and After

Phase 3: Chapter 22

Jeffery Langley drove Jack home to Dalton the following morning. Ralph spent a week studying vigorously for his online final exams for GCA. By the last week of June, he was finally finished and ready for summer break. He'd decided against taking the summer course selection to graduate in time. He could always do it next summer for 8th grade, but for now, he just needed time to process everything he'd been through over the past year; personally, physically, and academically.

Sam and Eric came over and spent a couple nights at the Langley house here and there throughout July. Ralph also spent a few days over at the Brooks house too, as he and the twins grew closer. Ralph was relieved that they'd maintained the friendship after the island. Sam and Eric were the only two who survived and still, on the very last day on the island, had Ralph's back when it came down to it.

Ralph wound up telling the twins that he was still friends with Jack. Sam and Eric, as hesitant as they were about Jack, were more confused by Ralph's decision given the last day on the island. Of course, there were a lot of things Ralph had to leave out considering the nature of his and Jack's current relationship status.

Jack too was a frequent visitor at the Langley house in July. Because of the distance, they didn't spend as much time as they initially wanted to together over the summer. There was only one day in August in which Ralph was given permission to go over to Jack's house. Jeffery and Laurie were reluctant considering what they knew about Jack's abusive father, but after a lot of pleading from both boys, they eventually agreed to one night. Ralph had to recite his house phone number and Jeffery's work number repeatedly before they agreed to let him go, in case of a not-so-unlikely emergency.

"Promise me something" Jack requested of Ralph in the backseat of Laurie Langley's SUV on the drive up to Dalton.

"Depends on what it is" Ralph treaded lightly, knowing better than to blindly follow anything Jack did or said.

"Promise me you won't make fun of me" Jack elaborated, to Ralph's surprise.

"Make fun of you? Why would I make fun of you?" Ralph wondered curiously.

"Just promise me. Trust me when I say my house isn't like anything you've seen before" Jack pleaded.

"Okay, I promise" Ralph agreed, and Jack subtly reached his hand over the middle seat and squeezed Ralph's gently, a gesture that went unnoticed by Jeffery and Laurie up front.

"Jesus Christ" Ralph's mouth hung open as he stared up, up, up at the big, white Merridew mansion minutes after he waved goodbye to his parents.

"We made a deal" Jack reminded him firmly.

"I know" Ralph diverted his eyes from the excessively large white house to meet Jack's gaze. "I wasn't making fun of you. I'm just... surprised."

"Yeah, you wouldn't be the first" Jack shrugged. "Just don't say anything stupid, alright? My dad's at work but Paige is home and she really doesn't like it when you point out how much makeup she owns."

"Got it" Ralph nodded as he followed Jack up the perfectly white staircase that led to the large, wooden double doors. He watched Jack unlock it with a key that hung from his duffel bag before he pushed the heavy door open.

Ralph was stunned by the grand staircase that came down both sides coming into the front foyer. A round glass table with a vase of flowers, and a couple sets of keys, wallets, gloves sat in the middle of the foyer. The coat hooks on the wall to the side of the doors they came in could hold enough jackets and bags for a family of twenty. There was high quality, original artwork hanging on the wall across from the hooks.

Jack seemed completely neutral as he entered the place, and Ralph couldn't comprehend how anyone could get so used to being in such an enchanted space. Jack watched as Ralph took everything in around him.