The Oak Tree And The Shotgun.

Chapter 14

Jackie's POV

I thought about what i was going to tell him all day.

"My mom and dad are filing a divorce." is all i could come up with.

Then again I could just come clean and tell him everything.

No.

I can't do that. Dad will hurt Izzy if he ever found out.

But i wanted to tell someone so bad. I might as well just tell him.

Someone tapped my shoulder and i turned away from my smelly locker. I came to inspect it.

"Heya Jax. It's Grace remember? From yesterday ?" I nodded.

"I wanted to check your leg. Is that ok?" She asked.

"Yea." I replied and followed her into the bathroom. I sat on the toilet while she checked my leg.

"You see the white? That's a good sign. It's not a fungus and it's not festering, its fat. Proof that you're healing. I'll give you Bactroban ointment to put on it before you add the Inadine and Tegaderm patches. It'll help keep the wounds moist and make them heal faster. When it's completely healed, you can add Bio-oil to help the scars disappear." She rummaged in her first aid and gave me a white sachet.

"Every morning after you've washed and before you add the patches and at night before you go to bed. Here, I'll put some on now." She put on a glove and rubbed it on then she gave me a bandage.

"After 3 days when the moist is gone you put the ointment on before wrapping this around your thigh. It won't get dirty unless you make it, so you don't need a replacement but if anything happens I have more for you, just come and find me." She smiled.

"So, why did you cut yourself?" She watched me pleadingly.

"I didn't care anymore. It was out of anger and exhaustion." I looked down.

"What are you tired of?" She waited.

"Hiding. Getting hurt. Living." I balled my hands and she took them in hers.

"Hey, things will get better. Right now it doesn't seem that way, but things will get worse before they get better. Look, you met me, so it has yo be getting a bit better at least. You have another friend now. I'm sure you'll get more and they'll help you through whatever you're going through and you'll be better. I promise." She smiled before kissing my hands and getting up.

"You shouldn't clutch your hands. They leave eternal marks on your palms. The skin there is difficult to fix because it's more dense than other skin on your body, but I'm sure tissue oil will better it... Chao!" And with that she left.

I sat for a bit longer then I got up and walked out the bathroom.

"Hey. You ready?" I heard his voice from in front of me and my heart got mixed up with my stomach.

I nodded and he took my bag. We started walking down the hallway, and out to his car. He put my bag in the back trunk and opened my door. I got in and he jogged around and sat in his seat. He drove.

"You know, you shouldn't carry your bag on one shoulder. It makes your back and shoulders stiff and weak. It's also the cause of your shoulder dipping unevenly. You're still growing so you can fix that." He desperately started the conversation.

"Anyway. Who was that girl? A friend?" He kept his eyes on the road.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"No Jackie. That's not how this works. When a question is asked, an answer is given. Not another question." His eyes became bored.

"Who is she?" He repeated his question.

"Grace. A medical student who is helping me with something. She's... A friend." I looked forward.

"Where are we going?"

"Well, you'll see. it's a surprise." He grinned.

We stayed quiet till we came to a place where there was a massive oak tree beside a lake with a tiny boat beside it on the grass. The air smelled like freshwater and damp soil. He walked with me to the tree and we sat down.

His arms came around me and his body close. I freaked out and so pushed him away.

"Shhh. It's only a blanket. I won't hurt you." He spoke softly and I let him wrap the blanket around my body.

Snow fell from the trees leaves. It was really beautiful. It felt like fairy dust hitting my sore skin. I brought my knees to my chest and took in my surroundings. He leaned against the tree.

"Beautiful right?" His voice peirced the silence.

"Peacefully beautiful actually." I replied.

"I thought this was the perfect place to come and release any negative energy. It's very therapeutic. It's easier to say things out loud and not regret it here." He watched the water.

He was right. It felt like I could breathe here. Like i could whimper and cry and scream and no one would hear me. And it would be and feel ok here. Most if all, I felt like i could trust this place. Like I could trust anyone who comes to this place to unwind.

"You can come whenever you feel like coming. It's not reserved for anyone or anything.."

"How did you find it?" I mumbled out words.

"I didn't. My mother brought me here once. She told me that whenever I felt like it, i could come here and tell the Oak tree how i felt. I came here many times before..." His eyes looked sad.

"Before?" I softly pressed him.

"Before she left for good. My mom and dad got divorced 3 or 4 years ago. That was the last time I visited here. It's good to be back though. I've missed it. The first time she brought me here was when I was diagnosed with anger issues. She thought it was a good way to deal with them if i came here and she was right. It could be good for you too, if you let it." He spoke as if everything he said was nothing.

I started to feel bad. I misjudged him on a horrific scale. I wanted to take it all back and say that i was sorry but I didn't. I guess the grass isn't greener on his side.

"But we aren't here to talk about me." He sat closer to me as I shivered, my entering burning.

"Why are you limping? I want the truth no matter how horrible or insane in sounds." He dived into the interrogation.

"I Uhm.." I held in my breath and tears formed.

I didn't know how to lie to this boy.

"Turn around and look at me. Please." He asked and i did.

He shifted closer and waited.

"My dad he... He does things to me." I started.