The Double Dimple

CHAPTER TWENTY

I have the slight feeling that Jackson and his friends are going to do this everyday. Yesterday they all came to the cafe when I was working, ordered four milkshakes and tried to start conversation.

Which they tried one again today.

Of course I helped them and not Elliot because I knew them at least, I might as well serve them. Plus Elliot is very hard working, I'll give him a little break. I'll help him even if it's the smallest thing I could ever do for him.

Instead of friend, Elliot was more like my big brother, looked out for me, cared about me, stood up for me, helped me, listened to me, talked to me, he tried to be in my life and I feel like I owe him everything for how he's treated me.

He's the only person in my life that has been kind to me through all this, I just hope the boys that I will have to see more often will do the same.

~~~~~~~~~~

I opened my window as did he, he gave me his number when I gave him his milkshake. They tried to start a conversation but I was in way over my head at work that day and I didn't have time to. Luckily they weren't like other customers and I could tell them no without being considered rude.

Or at least I hope not.

"Are you coming to the Cafe everyday after school?" I asked him curiously.

"Probably, it's really nice" he nodded his head.

"Don't think I forgot what I'm trying to get you to do?" He pointed his pointer finger at me. I looked at him confused.

"I'm still trying to see that double dimpled smile that you keep hidden, I'm going to find it and I'm going to make sure it stays" he smiled at me.

One trait I would give him was persistent.

I gave him a smile that kind of said 'whatever' and I grabbed my two books as did he. The books each we had were pretty easy, they weren't as much as high school level but it was four books, a poster all due in two weeks.

For me reading an about 400 page book would take me the night but over 400 pages and I have only the night I don't know how long it will take.

Hopefully he reads as fast as I do.

I threw him a pack of yellow sticky notes and I got mine out and I began taking notes on every page.

Each person would get two books, one non-fiction and one fiction so each pair would have two of each. You would first read the non-fiction and then fiction taking notes on how the author altered history or used it.

It was pretty boring the whole time we were reading so we made light conversation but not too much that we didn't get any work done.

I learned that his favorite color was blue and mine was teal, he loved the TV show Friends. He also has two younger siblings, Vivian and Ethan. He has both of his parents which he is very lucky for.

I wish I still had mine, and my two older siblings. His life was everything that I had.

He doesn't know about my brothers, or my parents, he still thinks my uncle is my father and he hasn't asked why I have no mother.

He can probably already tell how lonely I am by just looking through my family. I have no siblings or mother, and I have no friends.

I wanted to tell him everything, I wanted someone to know but I had no clue what he would do with that kind of information.

Yeah he is kind and generous but what would he do if he found out the way I live everyday. Would he even do anything about it?

I can't just depend on someone else to take the risk for me, I need to do it but I don't know what I would do, if I stand up to him I'm dead. If I go to the police what would they do, would they just send me away and I would be homeless because I'll probably be around 18 and I can't be in a shelter and I have no place to go and not enough money.

It won't work.

I can't tell anyone.

He snapped me out of my thoughts when he waved his hands in front of my face.

"You okay? You kinda spaced out" he looked at me, a tinge of worry in his eye. Curiosity even.

"Oh, yeah I'm fine, just thinking to myself" I rolled my eyes foolishly at my stupidity.

"Whatcha thinking about?" He asked, he was trying to break down my walls.

"Nothing" I shrugged and closed my book on my page.

"Well okay then, it's still kind of early, do you want to go out and do something?" He asked looking to the side where the houses spilled into the city.

"I don't think so, I'm sorry" I gave him an apologetic look.

"Come on, live a little, please!!!!" He begged.

I really would love to go but I'm not allowed to leave, and I'm not gonna go out to just spend money.

"I can't" I winced.

"Yes you can, it's called sneaking out, just put some pillows under your sheets and you father won't even look. You are a teenager, you should be able to live like one, it's just a little fun" he explained, he was really good at explaining because I found myself agreeing and that is so insanely impossible to do.

I put pillows under my skinny covers to make it look like me under there and grabbed my phone and money just in case.

He was already out of his house waiting for me, I looked out of my bedroom and found the house silent and I silently went down the stairs.

My uncle was snoring, I could hear it clearly now, beer surrounded him and the TV was left on. I gulped as I walked past him, trying to be as discreet as possible.

I walked to the front door and turned the knob slowly before opening it. The door was almost soundless but he didn't wake up and I slipped out the door closing it behind me.

Jackson walked up to where I was at on my little porch an gave me a big smile, telling me he was proud of me sneaking out which could get me killed later if I'm caught. I hope that doesn't happen. 

We walked down the sidewalk side by side, talking endlessly. At the end of the street there was all the buildings, the restaurants, the movie theatre, all of these places that were at full access.

This is going to be a fun night.