Jerry stirred his tea absently. He should've made coffee, but he didn't have enough energy to get up again. Plus, where was he going anyway? What was there to do except sit right there and perform a mindless activity? His mind had shortcircuited and nothing made sense.
Jessie leaving. Tom and Angie breaking up. Sarah. Especially Sarah. He should've said something to her, not play games. Sarah wasn't a fragile flower he needed to spare and protect. Sarah was not Tina. And yet, in that moment, he'd acted like she was a timebomb ready to blow up in a river of tears.
Tom stepped into the kitchen and only threw Jerry a fleeting glance before heading to the fridge and opening it. He wore his sunglasses even inside the house now. Everyone was out of his circle of trust.
"What are you doing?" Jerry asked as his brother pulled out an energy drink and cracked it open. It was seven in the morning.
"Going to college," he answered before drinking out of it.
"Don't you want some breakfast then? That thing is basically poison."
"Good. Poison is good."
"Tom..."
He turned to Jerry, his expression blank. "Get off my back. I'm going to school. I'm on call at the Agency. I'm functioning."
You need therapy too. But Jerry didn't dare say the words, not when Tom seemed to be one word away from throwing something. And he didn't want to start his day with a can shaped bruise on his forehead.
"Working helps," Tom snapped. "You should try it sometimes."
"I do have a job, you know."
"Nursing us is not a job, Jerry. Especially when you're in the dumps over your traitor girlfriend. I mean really work." And just like that, he tossed the can in the trash and left.
Jerry sunk his head in his hands. He now wanted to poison himself, too, but with more efficient substances. He huffed at the stupid impulse. All this had to pass. It couldn't last forever. Things would get better eventually. It could hardly get any worse. At least Kyle and Kay were still together, even if Kyle had been staying at home and Kay had practically moved in to nurture Angie.
No one really knew why Angie had disappeared except Kyle and Kay who had both been sworn to secrecy. Sam was a little pissed about that, but Jerry didn't see the big deal. It was her choice and, as her friends, they should respect it. The only one who could rage was Tom, but he'd given up that right when he'd broken up with her.
"It will pass," he whispered to himself. It had to pass. And then he'd look back and... Scratch that, he would never look back.
"Can't you just wait five damn minutes?" Kyle charged into the kitchen, pulling his uniform shirt on, his hair tousled. He headed for the fridge as well and opened it. "Fuck it, Matthews, that is not an emergency!"
Jerry jumped and only then realized that Kyle had a headset on was actually on the phone. He waved his hands to get his attention and mimed offering breakfast. Kyle frowned at him, but more because he was focusing on the phone rather than annoyed by the offer. He shook his head, gave Jerry a small smile before he picked up a can of that disgusting energy drink. Who had filled the fridge with those anyway?
"I'll be staying at my place tonight, so don't wait up," Kyle said quietly, clasping Jerry's shoulder on his way out the back door.
"Finally," Jerry mumbled. Hopefully this meant Angie was doing better and Kay would be going back too and at least one problem would be solved.
His stomach turned over because seeing Kyle reminded him of Sarah again and how he'd messed up. Maybe he should call her and just outright ask her for an answer and if she said no, he'd believe her and apologize. He couldn't believe he was thinking about her so much. He barely knew her.
YOU ARE READING
Lose Control (The Jewel Project #5)
Adventure"It's never going to end, is it? The rivalry, the hatred, the madness. Not even now. Not even after so many years." It has been three years since the last jewel was recovered, and the Agency seems to have put the project to rest. They have a new tar...
