Jodee

Chapter 34 - Detention

"Hey, Jodee. You good?" Hunter asked me, his hand coming to grab my shoulder and pull my head off from the desk so that I was forced to look at him.

Going to school today was a very bad idea. A very bad one of Ace's ideas, because I wanted to skip school. The entire day I've been zoning out and not being able to pay attention in any of my classes. It didn't matter if I had to listen to a lecture or if we were playing a super fun game or even if we were watching a movie — I just couldn't focus or comprehend anything. 

Usually I'm a very good student — I'm also prepared, on time, and super attentive. But today was not my day at all. During lunch I even decided to go to the library so I could just try to calm down and read a book, but I probably took thirty minutes to read one page of a book I couldn't even remember what it was about. 

So now I am stuck in english, not even knowing what we're talking about as my teacher went on and on about some lesson. I was just surviving right now, or trying to, all I had to do was get through this shitty day and go home to be with my brothers and all with be fine, right? 

I just wanted to go home. So bad. 

My mind was occupied by my father and Caleb — the stress of both situations flooding into my head and swirling around on repeat that I couldn't think about anything else. 

After my failed attempt to make peace with my honorary brother this morning it has come to my attention that I hurt him really bad and I need to do something big to make it up to him. A simple apology won't work. I just don't know what I should do to get Caleb to forgive me yet — and that has been killing me this entire day. 

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." I told Hunter, half heartedly.

"You sure? You just seem ... off, today." Hunter's eyes scrutinized me and his nose bunched up in a cute little way as he tried to figure me out. 

"Just some stuff going on at home." I supplied, not willing to give away too much, but knowing I had to say something because it was probably very obvious I wasn't the same Jodee today.

Due to my less than normal home situation being as I live with my much older brother and his friend and that none of my parents are in the picture — well, I guess now my mom is the only one that is missing. And also just the way my brother is with his selective mutism and everything we went through as kids, I don't really tell anyone about anything hard that might arise at home that I have to deal with. People don't need to know because I don't need them to be mean about something, or if they're nice, I don't want their pity or sympathy.

"Wanna talk about it?" Hunter asked, gently.

Hunter's eyes were drawn directly to mine, making it known to me that he is one hundred present focused on me. His brow was furrowed a little bit, probably due to the confusion I'm giving him with my ominous answers. I appreciate Hunter for checking on me, but right now I just don't need that.

Part of my brain told me that I could trust Hunter and maybe tell him a little bit more about Ace and Caleb — even if I didn't want to tell him about Tobias — because I really haven't said much to him about either of my brothers. I knew that Hunter had a sorta hard home life with his parents being divorced and him not liking his fathers fiancé. But at the same time, he just didn't get my life. He's never had to deal with what I have so he wouldn't understand what I go through.

"No. It's okay." I ended up responding, sighing, and turning my head so I could look at my teacher, but I still wasn't hearing what she was saying.

"Okay," Hunter murmured. "Do you know what the homework is?"