A Child's Promise (BBRae AU) [COMPLETED]

XXXII

XXXII
A Big Baggy Sweatshirt
~~~

Violet eyes and hair... smoothly stuck to her face...

She cared... Her pink lips...they were right there. She didn't even talk to me.

I didn't talk to her either. What's wrong with me? She was right there and I didn't say anything...

"Gar?" Dick gently shakes him. "Are you ok?" Gar looks at him with glassy, tearful eyes.

"No..." He mumbles.

"What?"

This is the first time he's seen any of his friends since his birthday.

"Yeah. I'm ok."

I don't know how much longer I can go like this... He rubs his fingers together on his right hand, rubbing the penny placed there. I can hardly do anything for myself...

He looks like he's sick again. Pale skin, his eyes are all washed out, and even his clothes make him look ill. He's wearing the thickest sweatshirt and sweatpants.

"You don't look like it."

"Why am I going to this dumb 4th of July bullshit, Rita?"

"You're not getting a choice. Everyone in town goes. Plus it'll get you out of the house and give you a chance to see your friends again. You need human contact." Rita explains.

"Rita, I need a lot more than human contact."

Everything...hurts...

"I know but you never accept it."

"..." he looks back at the house. Steve is leaving with a blanket rolled up under his arm.

"Don't worry, Gar, you'll be with us the whole time." Dick tries to console him. But he continues to stand there looking sorry for himself.

He blinks and the tears that were sitting in his eyes pour over the edges of his kids and trickle down his face.

"Have you really been like this since your birthday?" Dick asks.

Gar nods, "Things haven't really been the same since then..."

My normal functions went out the window. I can hardly control my own body. It moves when it feels like. Not when I do. Its like my body doesn't even trust me to make decent decisions now. He wants to tell him. But his mouth doesn't open after that.

"C'mon let's go. Gar are you driving with Dick or us?" Steve asks.

"I have to go get Kori from Raven's house."

"Oh. Then you can come with–"

"I'll go with Dick." They all stare at him shocked. "I don't even care anymore. If I'm being forced to have human contact I might as well just get it over with. I'm tired of being a wuss." He walks towards the car and gets in the back seat. He knows how much Kori likes shotgun.