One of the Boys...Right?

*Jess*

I was in tears when I finished the story, but my friends did as I asked and let me tell the entire thing. Dunn was at the end of my bed, Kelsey was in the one chair next to my bed, Bam was next to my on the bed, and Dico, Raab, and Novak were all filling in the other spaces on my bed.

“I-I’m sorry th-that I-I lied t-to a-all of y-you.” I stuttered. Nobody said a word; nobody moved an inch. The silence soon became too much to bear.

“Someone s-say something d-damn it!” I slammed my hand down on the bed.

“Like what?” Dunn’s voice didn’t sound like his.

“I-I don’t know! I n-need to know if-if you’re m-mad at m-me or...or...just...” I trailed off. I felt myself being pulled into Bam’s arms.

“Of course we’re not mad at you.” Dunn squeezed my hand.

“B-but I l-lied.” I was amazed.

“You would’ve told us when you were ready.” Dico shrugged. Kelsey tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear.

“Does anyone else wanna punch Chase in the dick?” Novak asked. I let out a half-laugh, half-sob.

“Until he passes out?” Raab added.

“No. You have to say it in Chinese.” Dico corrected him. We all laughed more.

“Are you sure you guys aren’t mad at me?” I asked when we had settled down.

“Hell no.” was the general answer. I wasn’t convinced, which they must’ve seen.

“You were 8, and you were doing what your parents told you to do. And you have an aunt that loves you like you’re her daughter.” Bam said.

“And you have friends that love you no matter what dysfunctions you may have.” Kelsey smiled.

“Maybe because they’re as dysfunctional as I am?” I smiled and yawned.

“You need sleep.” Dunn observed. I only nodded.

“We all do. Unlike JJ, we have school tomorrow. Except for Bam.” Novak announced.

“Why don’t you have to go to school?” I asked. Bam lifted his shirt to show a giant bruise across his ribs.

“What happened?” I asked, my eyes wide.

“I threw myself on top of Chase and the gun went off into the floor. It kicked back and bruised two of my ribs.” he said as our friends left after telling me goodnight.

“And yet you carried me down the hallway and just let me squeeze the life out of you? Why?” I asked.

“Because you need people there for you. You know that no matter what kind of shit you get into, we’ll always be there, right?” he stroked my hair.

“I’m trying to believe that. But I expected one of our friends to be mad at me for hiding something like that.” I confessed.

“We could never be mad at you, JJ. You or Kelsey. You could probably push someone off a cliff and we would still love you two.” he promised from his spot: still sitting beside me on the bed.

“I love you all, too.” I put my head down on his chest and we fell asleep on the tiny bed.