Bombshells ~ Complete

Chapter Thirty-Six: The Outsiders

I didn't know what to do. Sit down and wait for my stomach to finally eat my spleen, or go to the kitchen, get something to eat, and risk seeing anyone in the house.

Jake was lounging on my bed. I had already asked him, but he had told me that I needed to face the world.

I simply went back to reading The Outsiders, wondering if I had a chance of making it down and back up without bumping into anyone.

Carter had texted me, but I hadn't responded. I didn't know what to say.

'Yeah, my best friend is dead, I'm ignoring my step-mom and brothers, and currently have Jake in my room.' That would go over well.

Lila and the boys had pleaded with me to come out through the door. I couldn't even open my mouth to respond. I was so angry at first, but that anger slowly faded to a hollow feeling in my gut.

And it wasn't the hunger.

"If you're that hungry, just go down." Jake said, making me jump in surprise. We had mostly kept to ourselves, but I guess he knew that I wanted company, so he kept coming over. I wasn't complaining by any means.

"I don't want to speak to them." I whispered, shutting my book. He sighed and sat up from where he had been sprawled out on my bed.

"You don't have to. Just keep on moving." He said. He was the only person, so far, that had told me it was okay to be furious with Lila and the boys. Peggy and Liam, who had texted me their condolences, said I needed to check myself and work through my problems like a big girl.

Liam said something much gentler, but Peggy was like a blunt knife. And it cut me to the core.

I didn't want to face my problems. I didn't want to face anything. Much less the people hanging around the house, hoping for me to make some sort of peep.

"Easier said than done." I told him, leaning my head back against the wall. Jake was easy to talk to, for some reason. Maybe it was because I had no one else. Maybe it was because he didn't treat me like I was breakable.

He didn't treat me like I was fragile, but he wasn't cruel about it. He just let me grieve in own way.

"Fine. You win. But all you're getting is a PB and J. You know that, right?" Jake huffed, sadly sliding off the bed. I jumped up and hugged him, ignoring the dizzy wave that passed over me.

He wrapped his arms around me slowly. Like he was new to the whole hugging thing. With a sister like Peggy it wasn't hard to believe.

"Thank you." I mumbled, my voice muffled by his shirt. He chuckled a bit, the sound making me looking him in the eyes. He was smiling down at me softly.

Was it just me or had we bonded?

"No problem, kid. Gotta let me go or there's no food." He smiled. I cracked a weak grin at his joke, but released him all the same. He walked out the door.

It was five minutes later as he was walking up the stairs when the questions started. Questions about my health, how I was feeling, if I wanted to speak with them.

Jake didn't really respond. I guessed he was angry at them for me. Ignoring them was his way of showing his rage, just like me.

"She needs to come out here and talk to us. I don't get the theatrics of all this." Someone said. At that moment in time, I was so shocked by the words I couldn't tell who spoke.

Looking back I think it may have been Zander. I still wasn't sure.

I suppose that was what sent Jake over the edge, because he snapped.

"You don't get it? Really? How much of a dumbass can you be? The girl obviously has trust issues, and when she finally gave you her trust, you went and broke it. You don't understand her theatrics? Her best friend just died and you didn't have the balls to tell her." Jake snarled.

I was very conflicted at that moment in time. I was nearly glowing with the thought that Jake cared enough about me to yell at his best friends like that. I was also near tears that someone had said something so cruel.

Jake stomped through the door, a couple different containers in his hands along with three two-liters. He would have made an excellent waiter.

He had made me enough food so that I wouldn't starve for the next two days, which he would be spending at school.

School hadn't been cancelled for Kas's funeral. Which I couldn't even bring myself to go to. I couldn't look all those people in the face, who just now started caring about her for more than her looks or popularity, and know that her death was because of me.

I couldn't handle that.

As I munched on a sandwich Jake had made for me (PB and J, as promised) Jake fumed. He was pacing and running his hands through his hair.

I looked at the book right beside my leg, on the floor, and then back at Jake. I set my sandwich aside and grabbed my book, before making my way over to the bed.

I sat down and crossed my legs, then pat the place beside me. Jake day down. I pulled at his shoulders.

I found it funny how easily he knew what I wanted. He laid out, his head on my leg, my hand in his hair. I knew that it was something I always did with Kas when she was hurting or angry or just plain stressed.

She usually went to sleep right away. I was hoping that Jake would be able to sleep off some of his anger.

I cleared my throat.

"The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton. When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I only had two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home..."