Jaiden had enjoyed helping people far before he decided to follow a career as a therapist.
He started doing volunteer work in the park when he was twelve--picking up trash and putting out more garbage cans to remind people not to litter, and was still doing it at age fourteen. He helped the teachers at his school pass out papers and textbooks, and when one of those teachers suggested that he take a psychology course, he was delighted with the idea and acted on it immediately.
He was helping at the moment, making iced coffee drinks while his father cooked dinner. His mother and sister were in the living room, talking over the TV to each other in Korean. Jaiden's parents had immigrated from Korea five years before Jaiden was born, and they spoke Korean in the house and English in public. Jaiden preferred Korean over English because of the dissimilarity in the way they rolled off the tongue, but he loved language in general, and was hoping to learn a third language before he graduated high school.
Jaiden poured a layer of whipping cream into the ice and coffee and placed the cups in the refridger.
"Do you need help with anything else?" he asked.
"No, that's fine. Thanks," his dad said, smiling.
Jaiden smiled back widely and walked into the living room. His sister waved at him enthusiastically. Jaiden waved enthusiastically back. She giggled and clapped her hands.
Jaiden sat on the couch and opened his phone. Margarita had been chatting with him.
Margarita: Hi, Jaiden!
Margarita: How are you?
Margarita: Have you talked to Reese lately?
Margarita: Is he okay?
Margarita: Maxy said he was acting strange.
Margarita: I chatted with him, but he didn't respond.
Jaiden: Hi, Margarita!
Margarita: Hi.
Jaiden: How has he been acting weird?
Margarita: I don't know. Maxy was pretty vague about it. :(
Jaiden: R U alright?
Margarita: I'm just kind of tired of worrying about people.
Jaiden: R U still on anxiety medication?
Margarita: Yeah. Have you talked to Reese lately, though?
Jaiden: No. Do U want me 2?
Margarita: Just if you get a chance.
Jaiden: I can talk 2 him now.
Margarita: Okay. Thanks. :)
Jaiden clicked on Reese's profile.
Jaiden: Hi, Reese!
Reese: Hello. Haven't talked to you in a while.
Jaiden: I know! Anyway, how are U?
Reese: Cold, hungry, and mildly unsatisfied with my life. You?
Jaiden: I'm good. What have you been up 2?
Reese: Feeling cold, hungry, and mildly unsatisfied with my life.
Jaiden: LOL OK. R U doing alright?
Reese: Yeah.
Jaiden: OK. If U need anything, U can tell me, OK?
Reese: Okay, but I'm really fine.
Jaiden: OK. Good. :)
Reese: Why did you think I wasn't?
Jaiden: Just checking.
Reese: That's fucking weird, but okay.
Jaiden: Sorry.
Reese: It's fine.
Jaiden: OK. Well, I need 2 check in with some1, OK?
Reese: Sure. Bye.
Jaiden: Bye!
Jaiden switched back to his and Margarita's chat.
Jaiden: He said he was fine.
Margarita: Did he really seem fine?
Jaiden: Yeah. What did Maxy say was wrong?
Margarita: He just said he seemed standoffish.
Jaiden: I wouldn't worry about that.
Margarita: I guess not. Did he seem like he usually does?
Jaiden: Yeah, but I can check in with him every once in a while if U would like.
Margarita: Do you think it would be a good idea?
Jaiden: It might. Most people need 2 B checked on sometimes, though.
Margarita: Okay. Tell me if he seems weird, though, okay?
Jaiden: No problem!
Margarita: Thanks. :)
Jaiden: Sure.
Margarita: I have to go now, but talk to you later?
Jaiden: Yep! :) Bye!
Margarita: Bye.
Jaiden turned off his phone and slid it into his pocket. He turned to watch the TV.
The show that was on was in English. Jaiden presumed his mother had chosen it. English was difficult for her, and she was still learning it, so she was exposing herself to the lands as much as possible.
Jaiden's sister had moved from the couch to the floor, and was rubbing her feet, which were clad in pink fuzzy socks. Jaiden smiled at her.
"Are they soft?" he asked.
"Yeah." She grinned. Red candy was stuck between her front teeth.
Jaiden stood up and walked back to the kitchen. There was a door next to the oven that led out to the balcony. Jaidon opened it and stepped outside.
The apartment he and his family resided in was on the fifteenth story, the exact middle of the building. Jaiden could see a swarm of people buzzing around below, but they were too small for him to make out any distinguishing features. The traffic was noisy and crowded, like it always was in Manhattan. The sounds of revving engines and honking horns sounded distant and muffled at 150 feet in the air.
A bus whizzed around the corner of a coffee shop, followed by the bright yellow of a taxi. A breeze ruffled Jaiden's hair. It smelled of exhaust and salt from the harbor. Jaiden breathed deeply and leaned against the railing.
Jaiden's dad leaned out through the doorway.
"Dinner's ready," he said.
"Okay, thanks. I'll be in in a second," Jaiden said.
His dad nodded and disappeared back into the house.
Jaiden stared back down at the people below. Another gust of wind flew by, colder than the last, flushing his cheeks and brushing along his eyelashes. He shivered and stepped back inside.
YOU ARE READING
Crossing Stars
Teen Fiction[Quick warning: some of the sexual and death related content in this could bother some people. It's probably fine for most teenagers and older, but if that sort of thing bothers you a lot, you might not want to read it.] Life is hard, especially for...
