In Between Days: Raising Jordan (boyxman)✅

In Between Days

In the basement of our house Tim had successfully harvested a series of marijuana plants that he was most proud of and primarily used for the enjoyment of family and friends. Marijuana was legal in Massachusetts, anyway, even though he had been growing these plants years before it was legalized. I wouldn't call him a pot head, though. He'd share a joint or two with his friends on a Friday or Saturday night and every now and again I'd join him and perhaps divulge in one of the special party brownies. Apparently I was great at making these brownies. As the doorbell rang, I was sure he was tinkering with his plants and didn't hear it, too busy to come up the stairs.

Since Tim was busy, I opened the front door, leaving the screen door closed, not 100 percent sure it was safe to let this mysterious man inside. Not only that, he wore sunglasses, even in the rain. Weird. I knew it could only be one person: Jamie Perron. That's his name, right?

If I had to guess, he was about the same age as Tim. Of course he was; they were childhood friends. His brown hair was in one of those stupid man buns, blond streaks visible through the pulled back strands. He was gruff-looking with a facial stubble, wearing torn, ragged jean shorts, frayed along the hem, his feet donned in brown hiking boots. He removed his sunglasses, revealing a pair of stunning blue eyes.

In a weird, strange way, I'd say he was even a little good looking. At least I thought he was. He slipped the sunglasses in his back pocket.

"Oh hi," he said. "I...uh...I'm Jamie. Tim's expecting me."

I stared at him for another minute or so. He was different than Tim's other friends. There was something more exciting about him, definitely not plain and boring and perhaps even more "punk ass" than the others.

I stood there, my eyes fixed on his, not inviting him in. My voice also wasn't cooperating. I mean, I couldn't find it at the moment.

"Hey," he said, looking down my body. "The Cure. You're awfully young to be into them, aren't you?"

What's he talking about? Oh yeah...my cheeks burned in embarrassment as I realized I was wearing a Cure t-shirt. My mother liked the Cure and by default so did I. "I like them too."

"What's your favorite song?" I asked, even surprising myself that I found my voice for a few fleeting seconds.

"In Between Days," he replied.

"Typical."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he said, slightly offended.

"It means it's typical." I didn't know any other way to explain it.

"Okay then," he said. "What's yours?"

"Pictures of You."

"That's a beautiful song," he said. "So...are you Jordan?"

Half-nodding, I still hadn't invited him in.

"I haven't seen you since you were like...how old were you? Hmm....maybe eight or nine? How are...?"

"Damn it, Jordan, what the hell?" Tim said, storming into the room. "Why didn't you let him in?" Tim opened the door, letting in his friend. "It's raining out."

"It's not so bad," the man said. "I'm Jamie," he said to me. Yeah, I sort of figured that.

"This is my brother, Jordan," Tim said.

"We've met," Jamie said with a smile.

His smile did something to me, something weird and unfamiliar, so in my usual freak-out mode, I immediately ran away and into the safety of my room.