Tempest (Royce/Winston)

041

Jacob's P.O.V.

"Jacob, sweetheart", I glanced up from my bowl of cereal and looked at my mom, she was packing her lunch for work and my dad was standing beside the microwave, patiently warming up a cup of tea. "Where have your friends been?"

I quickly stuffed a spoonful of cereal in my mouth and chewed slowly, I watched my dad quirk an eyebrow up in curiosity, but he didn't open his mouth to speak. Obviously my mom was expecting an answer, I could chew as slow as I wanted, but I knew she wasn't going to leave me alone about it. I dropped my spoon into the milk and swallowed my food before clearing my throat.

"They've been, uh... Around" I answered simply.

"What does that mean?"

"We're just doing our own thing right now, mom".

"So you're not spending time with them anymore?"

"I am" I lied, "just not like before, some things happened and we're no-" "oh no" she interrupted, she turned around so she was completely facing me, "what happened? Are you guys not friends anymore? I really like those boys, Ray and Elijah are so sweet, and the relationship you and Chresanto had seemed to be going really well too".

Of course to her the relationship between Chresanto and I was going well, but to me it wasn't. We argued way too much because we lacked communication, which now that I've been told information I should've been told before we even started dating, I really do realize that our relationship wasn't that great. I mean, yeah, there were good times, but half of the time when we weren't kissing and having a good time, we were at each other's throats and having arguments left and right.

"Jacob?"

"Mom, everything is fine" I frowned, "I don't know why you're acting like this is such a big deal".

"I'm just trying to make sure that you have people to talk to" she confessed, "I've been watching the way you've been acting lately... Your attitude towards things have been better ever since you became friends with Rayan, Elijah, and Chresanto. I also don't want anything triggering your depression to come back, you've been fine ever since your seizure, which is good. I don't want something as small as a lack of friends causing you to slowly slip back into where you were before. I don't want you to have to go back on medication".

My dad suddenly opened the microwave and took out his mug, he moved to the other side of the counter and tried his hardest to quietly put sugar and honey in his tea. I watched him for a moment and wondered if he'd taken his own medicine yet.

"I'm fine" I spoke, "everything is fine... The guys and I are just not talking right now, but I have other friends, mom".

"I know, and I'm not saying that you don't, I just really like the friendship you have with Rayan and Elijah, and the relationship you have with Chresanto".

She probably wouldn't be saying that if she knew Chresanto was the boy who took up so much of Axel's time. I wasn't going to tell her about what Chresanto told me... At least not yet. I don't think she was ready to hear it, and I wasn't really ready to tell her. It seemed that she was working really hard to move on from Axel's death, I didn't want to ruin her progress. 

"I should probably be getting to school now" I murmured, standing to my feet and draining my extra milk down the sink. I tossed the soggy cereal in the trash and placed my bowl and spoon in the dishwasher.

"You would tell me if you felt like your depression was coming back, right?"

I rolled my eyes, "mom, come on".

"Jacob, I'm serious, I'm just beginning to worry".

"You're freaking overreacting" I replied, "everything is fine, I told you already that I was fine".