Possessed

No. 1

Hilight Tribe- Free Tibet (Vini Vici Remix)

    "How's Colt doing?" I turned around to see the usual guy. I've learned his name. His name is Rite. Rite Williams. Yep, that's his name. I've known it for two days now. 

    "I want to say good, Rite," I answered truthfully. 

    "Can you give this to him?" he held out a baseball for me to take. 

    A pang in my chest ached like nothing I had ever felt before and I felt like breaking down in front of this poor guy. The ball is signed by the baseball team. It's covered in names. A beautiful gesture to let Colt know he isn't alone. The one thing I like more than watching them all play ball is they're always there for one another.

    "Yes," I choked out carefully taking it from him without us touching. His eyes stayed on me and for that, I wish I could tell him off. I don't like it when people look at me when I'm vulnerable and this guy, I feel like he can see into my soul and I hate it.

    "How are you doing?" he asked. 

    No one ever asks except for him. Not that they should. It's not my dad who's gone but it feels okay to have someone ask even when they don't really care. Which only proves that his eyes see right through me. It makes me emotional. Like my body trusts him with this pathetic display but my mind isn't quite ready for anyone other than Colt to see me like that.

    "I'm okay," I basically squeaked out. Can I be any more pathetic?

    "This is for you," he said handing me a chocolate bar. I looked up at him. "It has my number on it. If you ever feel like answering that question truthfully or just want to hang out. Call me," 

    "Erm," that noise that sounds like a bear mumbled something in its sleep during hibernation, that just came from me. I awkwardly took the candy and cleared my throat before answering. "Thank you," 

    "You know it gets better. You guys always seem to make it better," I nodded. "Smile, you have the prettiest smile ever," 

    He tipped my chin upward with the curve of his index finger before walking off. I noticed there was no one around us anymore as he walked away. I sighed before walking out and heading towards my car. There aren't any cars left but mine and an older blue Honda on the other side of the parking lot. I got in looking over the baseball to see all the names signed on it. 

    As of late, I've been pushing the time I stay in school. I usually go home right away but since James, I can't seem to find more excuses to stay behind. I drove to our favorite fast food place and despite the long line, I pulled up into the drive-thru to prolong the drive home. 

    Arriving home just means I have to see my best friend sit in the room across from my mine falling apart without being able to say a word to him. Even when I tried, I was dismissed. Harshly. I sit out the rest of the day and wait to try again the next day. My dad has thrown himself into his work and there is now no one who will be able to pull him out of it. 

    "How is he?" I asked walking into the living where my dad had set up his workstation since the guest room is now taken. 

    "Got up and went for a run today," he said motioning me past him. 

    I placed the bag of food I had picked up and a soda cup on the side table as I walked past him. Colton sat at the end of his bed where he has been sitting since we got back from the funeral. I put my bag down crouching down on one knee in front of him. The ass hole just patted my head. 

    "They got you something pretty cool but I'll only give it to you when you eat," 

    "I'm not hungry," he replied, looking away. 

    I stood up going over to the desk with my laptop on it. I opened it turning it on before I took the food out of the paper bag I was holding. I set his food up next to mine and grabbed my laptop going over to the bed to sit down. 

    "You should eat," he said after a while. 

    "I'm not eating until you do," I shrugged him off, plugging my phone in. He sighed falling back. "I have a new mix. Want to hear it?" 

    "Sure," he groaned, putting his arm over his eyes. 

    I loaded what I had been working on in the music room back in school onto my laptop. I plugged it into the giant speaker because it sounds better coming out of my laptop than my phone. I looked back at him. He's looking back at me waiting to see what I had done this time. I smiled at him and played the song. He immediately sat up recognizing the chanting. 

    "You were right. It could go harder without going too hard," I smiled, sitting down. 

    He wasn't able to hide the smile as he leaned forward putting his elbows on his knees. The bass vibrated the glass in the windows and the frames along the walls. I know he can feel it like I can. The vibrations sent goosebumps over my skin as the mix of sounds and bass took off and then came back down smoothly. 

    I looked over at him to see the tears slide out of his eyes, down his cheeks, and free-fall onto the carpet. The smile never faded from his face. It turned into a grin when the chanting started again. This time he shut his eyes moving along to the origin of the beat. I sat down next to him and took his hand in mine. He leaned into me tossing his big ass arm over my shoulders. 

    "Sometimes I want to hit you," he said because that was his dad's favorite song. I know that he knows that, and my father downstairs who is probably also crying knows that.

    "Now you know how I've felt all my life, b***h," I smirked. He laughed giving me a little shove. 

    "Fine, let's eat," he said going over to the desk to take a box of his favorite chicken tenders from The Plumpy Chicken dinner. My mom would have our birthday parties there every year and we've kept the tradition alive until today. "Happy Birthday, Baby," 

    "Thanks," I said taking a box of my own. "Rite and the team got you something," 

    "What?" he asked looking up at me. The next track started and I jumped for my phone disconnecting it from the AUX cord. 

    "Not finished yet," I said turning my laptop off. "It's in my bag," 

    "Is it this chocolate?" I jumped up again snatching it from him. 

    "Nope, that's mine," 

    "Does that have someone's number on it?" he smirked. 

    "It's a ball. Get the damned ball," I said rolling my eyes. He laughed reaching into the bag and pulled out the baseball. He smiled handing my bag over. I put the chocolate bar back inside and tossed it on the bed. 

    "This is really cool," he grinned, tossing it at me. I caught it before sitting at the desk with all the food on it. 

    "They miss you. Everyone has Rite ask me how you're doing every day," 

    "I'm sorry," he apologized, sitting on the bed taking a big bite out of a chicken tender. 

    "You don't have to be. I never apologized for all the times we almost died sneaking into each other's rooms," he smirked. "You coming back Monday?" 

    "Yes," he murmured with his mouth filled with food. I would have scolded him but since this is the first time he's actually spoken to me without telling me to get the f**k out of the room. 

    The rest of the weekend we spent listening to music and playing video games. Come Monday, he'd go back to his bros and I'd finally have a peace of mind and maybe even a little sleep. Sunday night, I went over to his house and packed up some of his clothes and brought them over to him. I cleaned out the kitchen and did their laundry. It felt good and it made me wonder if this is why James would do it for us. 

    Before walking out the door, a cold feeling came over me when I reached for the knob. The only way I can describe the feeling that came over me is when you reach for the freezer door after running around outside and the coldness of the icebox blasts over your hot skin. I shivered pulling away rubbing my arms. 

    A slight pang of fear came over me. Quickly, I opened the door and rushed out closing it behind me. My heart began to beat really fast. I almost didn't want to lock the door but knew if my dad came over here and found it open, I'd get yelled at. My eyes watered as I put the key in the slot and turned it locking it. I pulled it out and stepped away breathing heavily. My hands are shaking and I'm not really sure why. 

    "f**k," I whispered shaking my head. I spun around and ran to my house. I pushed the door open feeling slightly better. I looked over at the door to see the light flicker. 

    "Baby, close the door. The A/C is on," my dad shouted from inside. I swallowed the lump in my throat and rushed inside closing the door behind me. "Where've you been all day?" 

    "I was getting some stuff for Colt. I ended up cleaning up so when he's ready he can go through what he wants," I rushed out. He looked me over getting up. 

    "You okay?" he asked. I flinched with the coldness of his hand. 

    "Yeah, just it was a little weird being over there, you know?" 

He nodded looking at the duffle bag on my arm. "Get some rest. Is he going to school tomorrow?" 

I nodded. I was going to rush up the stairs before I looked back at him. 

    "Dad, maybe you should say something to him. You know like James used to with me. It doesn't have to be too grand just let him know you're here too," he glanced back at me before nodding. "Good night, dad,"