Page 7 of Lost Boy
“Yeah, but your hair is just so fucking blue, dude. It’s awesome, by the way. So, you sure you don’t wanna come sit with us? ’Cause if you don’t, I’ll just stay here and keep you company; it’s no biggie. I don’t mind either way.”
Joel is like family to me, and Fallon is his nephew. I’m staying if he’s not ready to meet my friends. I’m definitely not leaving him alone at lunch on his first day.
He takes a deep breath, his smaller frame heaving with effort as if he’s exhausted.
He needs to eat more too. I push my pudding toward him. “The tapioca here is bomb, dude. Try it.”
I can’t help but grin as he chews on his lip ring in indecision. And my smile only grows when his eyes dart to my mouth and stare for a moment too long before dropping back down to the pudding in front of him.
“Thanks,” he mumbles.
Score!
I really wanted that pudding, it’s definitely bomb, but Fallon needs it more.
I thought my somewhat corny, yet very friendly, gesture might earn me a small smile or even a twitch of the lips. It doesn’t. But that’s okay. I got athanksinstead. There’s plenty of time to earn one from him later, and I have a feeling it’ll be special.
He switches from the salad to dessert, and while he’s enjoying the best pudding known to mankind, I see if it’ll help coax some answers from him.
“So, what classes do you have next?”
Instead of answering, he leaves the spoon in his mouth and reaches under the table, digging in his front pocket. He pulls out a wrinkled half-sheet of paper that’s been folded five times, sets it on the table, and slides it toward me.
Jesus.He really doesn’t want to talk to me.
It’s fine. I’ll get through to him. I know I will. Eventually.
I unfold the paper and see that he has Music next, followed by AP Statistics, English Lit, and gym.
“Sweet, dude. We have the last two classes of the day together.” I fold it the way it was and slide it back toward him. When he reaches for the paper, I leave my hand and let our fingers brush purposefully. His nails are painted a shiny black, and his skin looks creamy and soft.
Fuck. No. Shit.
I pull my hand back fast, ignoring the weird flip my stomach just did.
“I have basketball practice most days except on Fridays. Maybe we could hang out after gym?”
I’m taking a risk here, asking that so soon. But he looks like he needs a friend, and Joel confirmed he did. I also need to figure out how and when to break the news to him that his uncle and my dad are dating.
I could see him clearly when he jolted upright in bed last night, but I know I was nothing more than a darkened silhouette and a whispered apology. Unrecognizable as myself.
After stuffing the schedule in his pocket, he darts those detached eyes back to mine before looking down at his food. He picks up a piece of pizza and mumbles, “Why?” before taking a big bite.
Okay, this is good. He’s eating and talking. He finished half of the tapioca impressively fast too. I can answer his questions.
“Have you seen the town? The lake? The mountains? We could camp or hike or swim. My friends and I do something outside almost every weekend.”
“Not really my thing.”
“None of it?”
He shakes his head, shaggy blue and black hair swaying in front of his face.
“Not even going into town? We could just get ice cream if you’re more low-key.”
He peeks at me from under his lashes and chews on that lip ring again, daring me to stare.
“’Nother time,” he finally mumbles before eating his pizza. Everything he says is laced with a bit of melancholy, like he’s given up, and it hits me right in the heart.
