Loving Storm

20. Stand Up Guy

Hudson made it home before the rain started. His parents were in the kitchen when he arrived, and by the look of content on their faces, the school had not called yet. He was relieved for that. He couldn't face them-not now.

Before Mr. and Mrs. Walker could get a word out, Hudson dashed up the stairs to his room and shut the door behind him. Then he walked swiftly to the end of his bed slumping down on the rug.

Something terrible was happening to him and his best friends. The only two people in the world besides his parents that he would take a bullet for. Although his chances of becoming a martyr at the mercy of a bullet in a town like Broadhollow were slim, he knew he'd do anything for them and the bond they shared.

He didn't understand what this terrible omen-like feeling was but since Jack's return, his stomach had been in knots all the time as if his body knew what his mind couldn't process, as if it were bracing for the final blow that would dismantle their imperfectly perfect trio forever.

He buried his head into his knees, recalling the events that day.

Jack is right. I didn't do enough! I was more preoccupied with keeping the peace with my fellow peers instead of defending Storm, the girl I love and need as much as the air I breathe.

"You can't play the peacemaker every time Hudson. Sometimes you to have to pick a side. I know where my loyalties lie."

He recalled Jack's words, repeating them in his head over and over and over again. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't understand Jack's philosophy. He always believed peace triumphed over violence. Then again, his life had been pretty simple and uncomplicated. The toughest choices he ever had to make involved choosing between AP History or Woodshop class as an elective or planning the perfect location to ask Storm to be his girlfriend a year ago. Of course he didn't understand. Life had been too good to him and although he was grateful for it, he wished it hadn't, just a little. Perhaps then he'd understand his best friends more and Storm would lean on him instead of Jack.

There was a knock at the door that caused him to lift his head. "Hudson, you got a minute?"

"Not right now Dad," Hudson said, frustrated with no one but himself. Then he realized he was taking his anger out on his father who was the greatest person in the world to him next to his mom.

He got up swiftly walking to the door and opened it," Dad, wait."

Mr. Walker turned from the top of the staircase and smiled walking back to his son's room.

Hudson closed the door behind him then sat on the red bean bag in the corner of his room while his dad settled on the edge of his bed.

"When I saw you run up those stairs it reminded me of my favorite Flash Gordon comic series," Mr. Walker said laughing lightly. "I think you'd enjoy it. Should be somewhere up in the attic."

Hudson smiled. His dad always eased into conversations. It was a trait every teenager wished their parents had. It made scary subjects less daunting to talk about.

"You know I'm more of a Marvel kind of guy but if you find it, let me know," Hudson said, forcing another smile, masking the ugliness he felt inside.

"So tell me, what's bothering you today son?"

Hudson had his arms drawn out beside him sitting comfortably in the bean chair. He looked away from his Dad at the framed picture of him, Jack, and Storm on his computer desk. "I don't know if I should talk about it."

"Well, you don't have to but remember, you can't find a solution to a problem if you don't talk about it," Mr. Walker advised.

Hudson sighed looking at the football trophies on his wooden shelf above his Macintosh computer. He would give away all those trophies if it meant getting back some sort of normalcy between him and his best friends. Things had become complicated and he felt it was just the beginning.