The Laws of Paxia

5. That's why no one told you

 Chapter Five

That’s why no one told you

   Swimming is going great, I’ve been there five times already. The time is flying and the summer is closing in. Keith is going to graduate and move off to college by the end of the summer. Things are going to change this year and I hope I’ll do well with school and all. I can always choose homeschooling.

  I am also thinking of Jake who wants to move out of here as soon as possible. He is forced to go one more year in high school to get his last grades and he cursed loudly when the principal told him the decision. At least it’s better than the two years he missed.

  “I don’t know if I can do it, Merry,” he tells me in confidence. “I might take my stuff and leave. I don’t mind getting a bad job as long as I get out of here.”

  He is still very tense, he doesn’t relax at all. I don’t know what to believe anymore. I can’t imagine another world out there and I don’t think Jake would lie to me. We are two messed up people trying to make our friendship work. We are sitting on my bed and it is getting quite late.

  “And leave me, you mean?” I smile sadly at the thought of losing him again.

  “I don’t know!” he says frustrated. “This place is creepy. I won’t survive one more minute in Paxia. We’re not safe anywhere. Didn’t you hear about the house in the woods that just disappeared?”

  “I know it’s creepy,” I add shivering.

  I shrug the memories off me. The whole thing about Paxia is just so absurd. I wish I could pretend like nothing, but that’s what everyone does. It has become more real and it is real according to him. I still haven’t managed to milk out any details of what happened to him in there. I wish he could open up and just tell me all the horrifying parts of that world.

  “Still the government refuses to take any action to solve the issue.” He glares angrily at me but I don’t feel offended.

  “We don’t have to be paranoid. This is a big town and considering that, not many things disappears. What is the chance of you getting caught twice?”

  “What is the chance of getting out twice?” He almost spits the words out of his mouth in disgust. I’ve never seen anyone hate as much before.

  “Fine, I get your point,” I mutter when he totally killed my reasoning.

  The silence that follows is a bit awkward and he shuffles around in the large pocket on his hoodie before speaking to me again.

  “Well, happy birthday.” He smiles genuinely at me and for a second I see a hint of the old Jake in him. He hands me a small present that is covered in blue wrinkled paper. “Sorry I missed the cake.”

  “Don’t be stupid, we saved a piece for you.”

  I grab the present from him and rip the paper off. I wish I didn’t and I’m happy no one else is in my room to see it. I can’t stop my cheeks from turning red and I glare accusingly back at him.

  “When you’re ready you know?” he winks at me and I hiss back at him. I throw the package in my drawer with heated cheeks. “You know we will do it eventually,” he adds in matter of fact.

  I almost want to scream out loud in frustration. Why would he even want to have sex with a girl in a wheelchair? I look deeply into his dark eyes and I can’t deny the attraction that’s still there.

  “What’s the point when you are going to leave eventually?” I fire at him.

  “I wouldn’t leave without you. I love you Meryl.” His tone is one hundred percent serious but I doubt he knows what love is anymore.