Bad Boy Games

Chapter 3

October 13, 2013

Enjoy! :3

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was out of it for the rest of my classes, absorbed in my thoughts. Landon finally called me, after years of not having any contact with us whatsoever, to apologize. Should I forgive him? Then there's the thing with Jacob. The school's bad boy, who's never shown any other emotion than his normal cockiness and the occasional amusement, looked concerned. About me.

The end of the day came and I walked home with my music playing but I didn't hear any of it. Carter offered to drive me home but I told him that I would rather walk today. He looked worried but accepted my crappy vague answer. I heard the familiar roar of Jacob's bike through my music and kept my head down, not looking up at him like this morning. I've only been walking for about ten minutes so I have another twenty to go.

My head shot up when I heard the bike shut off. Jacob got off of it and was suddenly right there, walking beside me. I took out my ear phones and shot him an incredulous look.

"What are you doing?" I asked, keeping my tone flat and emotionless. For once he didn't smirk and stared straight ahead, his face blank.

"I was just going to ask if you're alright. You seemed pretty upset earlier..." He trailed off and looked into my eyes, his showing concern again. My eyes widened and I looked away.

"Yeah... I'm fine," I mumbled, walking faster. He kept up with me easily and grabbed my wrist, pulling me to a stop. Little tingles blossomed where he touched me.

"Are you sure?" He asked. I shook my head and gave him a look.

"Why do you even care?" I shot back, sounding a little ruder than I intended to. He looked confused, staring at the ground again.

"I don't know." It was so quiet that I almost didn't hear it, but I did. When he looked up he was back to normal, smirking at me. All of the concern is gone, now replaced with his usual mask of amusement and smugness.

"Well, I have to get home and work on my essay for Mrs. Heath; wouldn't want her to get mad at me for not finishing my homework again." I shot him an unbelieving look. Smirking at me again, he gave me a sarcastic little wave and jogged back to his bike. He started it back up and revved the engine, speeding past me down the road.

Shaking my head, I kept walking home and listening to my music. I finally reached the house and got my key, unlocking the door and stepping inside. Jacob is already home. He's probably just going to sneak out again tonight; he always does. I put my bag down and went into the kitchen, getting a glass of orange juice. This has been a really long, emotional, confusing day.

Going up to my room, I pulled my homework out of my bag and finished all of it, including the essay that Jacob was talking about. It's due on Wednesday but I don't want to have to worry about it. Glancing at the alarm clock, I saw that it's 5:34. Mom and Michael should be home any time. Sure enough, as soon as I went downstairs, the front door swung open and Michael came rushing through, not even seeing me as he ran in the direction of the stairs.

He rushed up them and then came back down two minutes later, looking around frantically.

"Mommy! Where Lilla go?" He ran in the room and saw me standing here. "Oh! Sissy look wha I drew for you!" He called happily and ran up to me, jumping into my waiting arms.

"What'd you draw for me, Tiger?" I asked, using my nickname for him. He held out a piece of paper and I took it, smiling at what I saw. He had tried to draw a heart and colored it in with the help of one of the people at the daycare. He had one of them write me a little note. 'I wuuubb you, Lilla! -Tiger' I grinned and instantly felt better, hugging him tightly.

"Aww, thank you; I love it!" I cried, kissing him on the cheek. His little face lit up and he threw his arms around my neck, hugging me back.

"He was really excited to show it to you. It's all he was talking about the whole way home," Mom told me. I looked over at her to see her smiling at us.

"Do you want me to start on dinner?" I asked her.

"Thanks honey, but don't you have homework?" I shook my head.

"Finished it."

"Well... alright. Thank you!" She hugged me and kissed Michael on the forehead, going up to her room to change and lie down for a little while. She's always tired after work so normally I make dinner and watch Michael so she can rest. Setting Michael down at the table, he played with his cars and made vroom noises. I got the things I need to make spaghetti and put a pan on the stove to boil water for the noodles.

Michael went quiet when I was almost done with the sauce and I looked over to him. He sat at the table, his head resting on the shiny wood as he tried to keep his eyes open. I bit my lip and smiled a little; he looks so cute. I finished the sauce and drained the hot water from the noodles, putting them back in the pan and drying my hands.

Then I went over and picked up Michael's cars, putting them back in his toy box. He has one in his bedroom and one in the living room. Going back into the kitchen, I scooped his little body into my arms and carried him up to his room. He breathed deeply in my ear as I grabbed his pajamas with one hand, gently changing him into them and tucking him under the covers of his bed. I kissed his forehead and left the room, closing the door softly behind me.

As I was passing Mom's room I paused. She was talking in a hushed, pained voice to someone on the phone. Landon didn't call her too, did he? Deciding not to eavesdrop, I went down to my room to change and put Michael's picture up. I put it on the bed.

I went into my closet and got a pair of sweats and a baggy t-shirt, changing in my bathroom. Then I came back out and picked up the picture. I taped it to the wall beside my door so I'll see it every time I leave my room. Turning toward my window, I froze when I saw Jacob sitting on his bed, looking at me.

The shock wore off quickly and I kept my face blank. I noticed that he's looking at something over my shoulder. Oh. He can see the picture. Whatever; I'm not going to move it because I like it right where it is. I can see him when he's sleeping if I wanted to and he can probably see me too. It kind of bugs me but I'm not going to give him the satisfaction of knowing that it got to me.

Turning my back to him, I went back out the door and shut it behind me. I went down the hall and stood in front of Mom's door, listening. Silence. I knocked quietly and then heard shuffling; she opened the door a minute later. Her eyes are red from crying and she's still slightly sniffling but trying to hide it.

I moved forward without hesitation and put my arms around her, hugging her comfortingly. She stiffened as she tried to hold back the tears but then finally let go and started crying on my shoulder. After a while she calmed down and took a ragged breath.

"Mom? Who... who were you talking to?" I asked timidly, not wanting to upset her again.

"Oh honey. I-it was your... your father." Her voice cracked and I rubbed her back, trying to take in this information. Why would he try to call? He knows that none of us want to talk to him and he had to know that it would hurt Mom; he's such an idiot. I honestly want to go and punch him in the face right now.

"I'm so sorry, Mom. He shouldn't have called... Dinner's done and Michael is asleep. Are you hungry?" She shook her head. "Alright; I'll go put the food away. Go lay down." She nodded and squeezed me again for another hug, shuffling back into her room and closing the door softly. I stared at the brown wood for a few minutes, battling my boiling rage at Dad and my confusion towards Landon and Jacob.

I went downstairs and put the food in the fridge then I went back up to my room. Flopping down on my bed, I faced the window. I grabbed my iPod and played music quietly in the background, closing my eyes and curling up under the blanket.



"Sissy?" I heard a quiet little voice murmur. Opening my eyes, I saw that's it's dark outside; already midnight. I turned my head and looked over at Michael. He stood beside my bed, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

"Yeah? What's wrong, Tiger?" I asked my voice husky and cracking from sleep.

"Can I seep wif you? I scawed of the dawk." He stared at me with his big brown eyes in the faint light from the moon and I reached out for him. He crawled under the blanket beside me and I cuddled him close.

"Night Tiger," I murmured.

"Night Sissy." Before I closed my eyes again I happened to look out the window and my eyes widened at what I saw. Jacob is lying on his bed watching me, the only light in his room coming from the moonlight streaming through his window. He hasn't snuck out yet? Normally he has by now; it's almost one o'clock in the morning. I couldn't look away for a moment; his clear blue eyes actually free of all the usual anger, amusement, and cockiness for once captivated me.

I broke out of my momentary daze and rested my chin on top of Michael's head, closing my eyes and drifting off to sleep once again.