Chapter 23- Give Me A Sign

Nick and I walked all around the park or whatever it really was. It was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen actually. There were various paths all around, most of them were sidewalks but some of them were dirt paths. Nick explained what he was in here for and what his life was like before he was sent to this prison. He had killed a man but I believed that he was only trying to protect the girl that the guy was beating on. I think it’s stupid that she killed herself and I told him that. All he had done was shrug his shoulders.
We walked over to a tree with its branches low to the ground, I started climbing on them and he leaned against the tree. ‘So, I explained myself, your turn.’
I smiled to myself as I climbed onto the second highest branch. ‘Well… where do I start?’
‘How about how you got in here?’
‘That’s a horrible story and it’s not selfless like yours. It’s selfish and I shouldn’t have done it…’ I explained to him what had happened about Aaron and his gang and the pot. I didn’t tell him about the sex with my brother which I incredibly regretted, Eli probably thinks I love him now. Great. I told him about my mom and what I did after she beat me. When I was done, I hooked my legs on the branches and bent upside-down to see what he looked like.
He was looking straight ahead with no expression whatsoever. ‘Sooo…’ I said, trying to get him to say something. He looked at me and nodded slightly, I was confused. ‘What?’
‘I understand why you did it… but that doesn’t make it right. Does your mom do that a lot?’
I shrugged and explained to him about my mom, dad and Noah. I told him everything about my family pretty much except for the sex with Eli. I even told him about Eli’s big crush on me. After I finished I took a loud, deep breath. ‘Jeez that’s the most I’ve talked since my dad was around. I hope I’m not creeping you out or anything…?’
He shook his head abruptly, ‘No, no of course not. Nobody has ever talked to me before so it’s kinda comforting… I don’t think you deserve what you’re getting. You deserve a lot better, and for Eli… that’s creepy and not even right. He shouldn’t be hitting you and no offense but he shouldn’t have a crush on you either.’
‘Yeah, I guess,’ I mumbled as I turned right-side up and began climbing another branch. ‘I just wish things were easier, ya know? I wish Eli was a normal, protective brother and my mom hadn’t screwed Noah up. Most of all I wish my dad was back, he was so cool, Nick. You should have met him, I think y’all would get along.’
‘Do you miss him?’
‘A lot. Sometimes I feel like he just… gave up..’
‘Why do you say that?’
‘Cuz he was there one day and gone the next. He got tired of my moms s**t and left, I think he knew that she would fight tooth and nail if he took us. She’s stubborn.’
‘Why would she do that if she doesn’t even care for y’all?’
‘She wants people to be there even if she doesn’t wanna see them. I think that us being there makes her feel like she won and eventually my dad will come back for us and that she could convince him to stay…’ I hated talking about this but in a way I felt relieved to be finally telling someone. Raven only knew that my dad left and my mom coops up in her room. And I felt guilty for not telling her all of it, after all she is.. Well was my best friend. There was something about Nick that made me want him to know everything about me… in time at least. Strange.
‘I think things will be better now that she’s gone… And your brother needs to realize that he’s putting both of you in danger by doing that stuff. If I was there, I’d kick his a*s myself.’
I giggled and was about to say no more killing people but I slipped on a moss-covered branch and went tumbling down. It was about 15 feet to the ground. Just before I landed I realized that Nick was below me. I fell onto him, ‘What the f**k!‘ he exclaimed more than asked as he went down. I jumped right up and started freaking out.
‘Ohmygod, Nick?! Are you okay?’ I moved my hair out of my face to see him better. He was coughing which blew dirt into my face. Pulling back, I wiped my eyes and looked at him again. He flipped over, looking into the sky and started laughing.
As soon as he did I cracked a smile and started giggling too. ‘Jeez, are you okay?’ he asked, looking sideways at me.
I nodded, still smiling. ‘I’m sorry, I slipped on the moss.’
He sat up and rubbed his shoulder with a smile pasted on his face, ‘Now that’s what you call a body slam. Speaking of which, have you ever fought Eli back?’
‘A couple times but only when I really need to. He’s really strong and I hate it when he overpowers me.’ He wiped the dirt off the front his shirt.
‘Hm… Maybe I could teach you how to fight back? If you win at least one fight, I guarantee you that he’ll back down. It’ll teach him something. Knock some sense into him..’ He stood and helped me up but again pulled me up too fast and I stumbled into his chest.
I backed up and smiled, ‘Well, you do look pretty strong..’
He smiled back, holding out his arm and flexing his biceps. ‘Are you kidding? Look at these babies, hard as rocks!’ He kissed them which made me giggle.
‘Someone’s being self-centered for the first time today.’ He stuck his tongue out at me and I rolled my eyes. ‘Maybe your lessons could come in handy, oh wise one.’ I stroked my chin and cocked my hip. ‘Sure, you can teach me.’
He did a fist pump, ‘Oh, yeah finally get to teach someone my skillz!’