Chapter Ten: Dear Diary

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Chapter Ten

J.R was sprawled out on his bed in the attic with only a light bulb over top of him to be able to see. He was supposed to be asleep because he had a strict bedtime, just like every other kid in Denver. But he couldn’t put Escher’s diary down.

He hadn’t actually read anything, because his conscience was telling him to put it away and to go to sleep. But he really wanted to. And as of right now, his curiosity was outweighing his heart.

So he cautiously flipped the diary open and scanned for something interesting.

Dear Diary,

Today my mom took me shopping for bras. It was just awful. She went on and on about how important it was for me to remain pure and all of that nonsense. I really didn’t listen very much. She was making me try on frilly granny bras that made my boobs look eighty years old. I wanted to die. I didn’t protest though because I’d rather do what she wants than ask for one of the prettier ones on the other side of the store that make you look more mature. My life kind of sucks.

-          Esch

J.R laughed out loud as he read; surprised that Escher was capable of even thinking things like that! He’d thought she was head over heels for her crazy mother’s rules. He flipped the page until he came to another entry that caught his eye.

School has become somewhat of a nightmare for me. Everyone there thinks I’m a freak. I think it’s because I’m so quiet.

J.R turned the page once more and then stopped, his heart jumping as he read a familiar name. J.R Milligan.

Dear Diary,

Today was weird. I ran into J.R Milligan of all people on my way to class. I acted like a total idiot. I think I could possibly be socially impaired. After the way I was, he’ll never speak to me again, which is just fine. He’s so intimidating. His crowd seems to run the school and I could never fit in with them.

His heart was beating as he flipped to the next page which included, among other things, another entry about him. He licked his lips and continued reading, intrigued.

Dear Diary,

This morning I ran into J.R again. Except this time he came to see me, even after I made myself look like a freak. I tried to be cool but I was so nervous because he watches me with his pretty blue eyes and I feel so vulnerable when I’m around him, like he’s reading my mind.

J.R stared at the page for the longest time. It was her last entry. He wondered if she would be looking for her diary tonight, wanting to get all of her thoughts out about what had happened earlier. But she wouldn’t be able to find it because he had taken it from her.

He wondered how she was doing right now, all alone in her prison of a house with her terrible mother. He wondered if she was thinking about him right now. There were a lot of things going through his head and he needed to talk to someone. Anyone.

So he reached over and pulled his cell phone out of his nightstand, dialing a familiar number and holding it to his ear frantically.

“Uh, Hullo?” Nick’s voice was slow and discombobulated as if he’d had been asleep.

“Nick!” He said into the phone and searched for the words to continue. Where could he start? “It’s J.R, something really bad has gone down and I’m not sure what to do.”

“Aw man,” Nick muttered into the phone with a yawn. “It’s you. Whaduyawant cuntface, I’m trying to get in my full eight hours of beauty sleep.”

“It’s about Escher,” J.R said simply.

“Oh.” Nick’s tone was serious now. “Tell me everything.”

~*~

“That’s a big load of shit,” Nick said quietly after J.R had finished.

“Tell me about it man,” J.R agreed. “Mrs. Griffith hates me, she really hates me. She was going on about how I was a teenage boy and I can’t be trusted. She says Escher sinned or some crazy shit like that. It’s the same church crap the preacher feeds these people every Sunday.”

“I still can’t get over the fact you read Escher’s diary,” Nick said randomly.

“I told you it was a mistake! I couldn’t help it. It was just there and I had nothing to do, “ J.R said defensively. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with it.”

“Give it back to Escher in history tomorrow,” Nick suggested the laughed. “Oh wait, that won’t work because then she’ll see you for the manipulative asshole you are and she’ll never talk to you again.”

“She won’t talk to me again anyway,” J.R said with a sigh, running his hands through his hair. “I’ve pretty much ruined any chance I had of winning this bet. It kind of sucks.”

“Are you giving up?”

That was a good question. He hadn’t planned to. But what happened when she wouldn’t have anything to do with him? He couldn’t push her too far; he’d get himself into trouble. Plus how was sneaking around going to work in a place like Denver if things did miraculously work out?

“Hello?” Nick sounded bored.

J.R stared at his phone for a second and then smiled.

“Gotta go, I have a plan,” he said quickly and then ended the call, stuffing his phone back in his drawer. He pulled out his laptop and clicked onto his facebook account, searching his chat list for Escher’s name.

There it was.

He scrambled to click on her, then started to type.

J.R Milligan: Hey. Are you okay?

He waited for a few seconds, his heart hammering. If she didn’t respond, he’d know she was done with the whole thing.

Escher Griffith: Not really.

He stared at her words for a few minutes and searched for something to say. Something clever. Something classic. Something that would make her smile. But he couldn’t. Nothing about what had happened was funny. He decided to go with a question instead.

J.R Milligan: What’s going to happen to you?

Escher Griffith: My mom and dad are still deciding. They’re going crazy right now.

J.R Milligan: Do you hate me?

Escher Griffith: Of course not.

J.R breathed a sigh of relief and made up his mind to continue this conversation at school. Some things just couldn’t be explained over the internet. Besides, if Escher’s parents caught her chatting him, they’d flip shit.

J.R Milligan: Then you’ll meet me in history before class starts tomorrow morning…?

He waited with baited breath. This was his last chance to make things right between them. He hoped she’d agree because he really didn’t want to quit now. Not after all the trouble he’d gone through to get here.

The red message notification popped up and J.R took a deep breath while clicking the message box.

Escher Milligan:  Maybe

Author’s note:

Thankyouuu Thankyou for reading my story. I love you. And I really hope you like this. If you do, vote, comment, or fan.

I should be uploading quite soon. Look out for it!!!

-ACertainLady___

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