The moment I threw open my front door Tom and I both collapsed onto my couch, I felt the water drenching my shirt soak into the cushions beneath me.
A puddle started to form underneath our shoes. I don't think mom was home, but if she was I wouldn't be able to hear her from both of us gasping for breath.
"Did you-... Did you at least, get the book?" I said between breaths, turning my head over to Tom who reached far into his pockets and pulled it out.
That book was massive. How the hell did he fit that in there?
"I need a minute to breathe," Tom said, tossing the wet book onto the coffee table and throwing his head back on the couch.
To be honest I don't care much about the book anymore. I care about why we were in that shed for five minutes and now it's nearly 9PM.
And that weird whisper. Command the Alessandra. What does that mean?
"Dax...?"
From the hallway on the opposite side of the front door my mom appeared, staring at Tom and I like we were insane.
"What happened? You guys are drenched."
"Uh..." I trailed off, thinking for a right answer, looking at Tom but he held the same expression I did.
"Sorry, irrelevant," my mom shook her head suddenly, stepping into the living room with a smile to Tom.
"I'm Jane, Dax's mom," she extended her hand to Tom. I felt a rush of small embarrassment. My mom hasn't introduced herself to any of my friends since elementary school.
"Tom," he replied, shaking it.
"I'll leave you boys alone, just remember to dry the couch," she pointed to me, starting to walk away.
Thanks, mom. I guess she's going to be asking me about Tom a lot now.
"Oh," she suddenly turned back around once she reached the doorway.
"What did you say to Mr. Walker? He came into the shop today and wouldn't stop talking about you. Whatever it is, please don't get affiliated with that family. You know what they're like."
Tom and I glanced at each other before mom left without giving me time to reply. I guess she didn't really want an answer, just wanted to scold me.
Silence fell for a few seconds before I muttered out, "sorry."
Tom chuckled, "no, she's right. There's a reason Jax kept me a secret."
I guess that comment he made when I first met him didn't mean that Jaxon was a dick and didn't want everyone to know he was friends with a loser, no offense to Tom, we're both losers. It just meant that he was keeping Tom safe by steering him clear of his family.
The more I'm starting to learn, the more I want to know about Jaxon and less of his death. Born into the richest family who owns the town, but he didn't live with them. Nobody knew him. He liked cigarettes over weed. He lived in his elementary school teacher's shed, and his family were sketchy enough for everyone to steer clear, even him apparently.
Just what goes on with that family? And did they actually kill him?
"It's his diary. From when he was dating Andi."
That caught my attention pretty quickly.
Tom leaned forward, grabbing it again but he didn't open it, he just ran his fingers over the damp cover.
Weird to know someone like Jaxon had a diary about a girl he liked. I guess he isn't too far off from me.
"I don't think we should read it."
"Then what should we do?" I asked, holding back the urge to grab it from him now and devour every word he wrote. What about Andi did he write? Are there any clues to his death, even?
"I'm gonna drop it off to her tomorrow," he sighed.
"Is that the best idea?" I asked, his head tilting to me in a questioning way.
"It might make it worse if she's still... Mourning," I said lightly, he agreed with a small nod.
"I know, but we don't deserve to have it. She can read it when she's ready. I think... I'm gonna go for the night."
I let my mouth fall open as he stood up, heading towards the door slowly.
"We aren't... Gonna talk about what happened?"
He barely turned back to me, he knew what I was referring to. How it was suddenly nighttime in the span of five minutes. There's no way I can make sense of it. If I was alone I would've brushed it off as me going insane again but he was there too.
"I'm tired. I'm sorry."
Maybe I was pushing him too hard.
"No, it's fine. I'll talk to you tomorrow."
The human mind is a weird thing. I don't think anyone can really figure it all out. How easily our reality mixes into the one we're actually living. Who's to say what's real and what's not if we can't ever escape our own minds?
I felt terrible. Have I been pushing him this entire time? Did he even want to do any of this? I thought it was hard on me, but this guy was Tom's best friend.
I think I'm calling it off. All of it. We almost died today, from a dog and a crazy lady with a shotgun, and my mom's already getting in trouble with the Walker's by the looks of it.
Even if I suffocate in my sleep, or wake up to his eyeless face again, I'm moving on.
