Adolescent

Jimmy’s hands covered his swollen eyes as he continued to sob. His shoulders shook with each breath as Matt tried to calm his best friend down. He didn’t expect the comments Hillari had said to be so sudden and powerful. Granted, he had a feeling she was under the influence, there was no calming Jimmy down.

He patted his back and tried to talk him down, but his sobs stayed at the same speed. If Matt couldn’t calm him down soon, he knew Jimmy would have trouble breathing or get sick. Matt took Jimmy by the shoulders and tried to make him face him. He was having a little bit of trouble.

“Jimmy, please,”Matt begged quietly.”calm down.”

“You, heard,”He sobbed uncontrollably; it was breaking Matt’s heart to see him this way.”her, Matt.”

“She doesn’t think that of you, I promise.”Matt breathed.”I want you to know that she could possibly have been under the influence, you know?”

Jimmy only shook his head and wailed loudly into the room. All the hard work he and his friends put into finding Hillari’s number and address went down the drain. He slightly expected some hostile comments here and there, he just wasn’t expecting it so soon, especially when he thought they were making good progress.

Matt slumped back into the arm chair in the living room, rubbing his temples out of stress. He hadn’t been there for the conversation, but Jimmy sorrowfully filled him in as soon as he came over. Jimmy’s hands rubbed down his redened eyes before he sniffled back more tears.

He finally looked up at Matt after a few minutes and coughed into his wet hands. He brushed back his matted hair and whimpered quietly. It was painful to know the truth of his daughter’s feelings toward him, but everything she accused him of was just wrong. All of it.

“She needs to know.”He whispered quietly.”She needs to know that I didn’t know she existed. She needs to know that I would have loved her her whole life if she had been in my arms, Matt. She needs to know.”

“Then call her.”He sat forward, looking Jimmy directly in the eyes.”Call her and tell her, Jimmy.”

“She wont answer.”Jimmy’s head fell as the tears in his eyes spilled over once more.

He kept it under control, though. Jimmy more than expected to reach Hillari’s message machine when he phoned her, only because of what she had to say to him when he called nearly two hours ago. It was almost nine in the morning and he was starting the day off in tears.

Matt stood from the couch and snatched Jimmy’s cell phone from the table. He flipped it open, searching through Jimmy’s last few calls to Hillari. Jimmy looked up, his heart pounding fiercely at the fear of confrontation. He stood and reached for his cell, but Matt pulled away from him.

“What are you doing?!”Matt opened his cell phone aswell and began to type in Hillari’s phone number.

He looked from Jimmy to the phone and continued. Matt’s face slightly grew to a smile as he stated, “I’m going to talk to Hillari for you.”

“No. No, Matt!”He tried to take the phone from his hands, but Matt was too quick for him.”Matt, don’t fucking call her!”

As Matt finished getting her number in his phone Jimmy had taken Matt by the shoulders, pushing him into the wall behind him. He didn’t mean for the event to turn violent, but he couldn’t risk losing his little girl forever. Matt placed a hand on Jimmy’s chest and pushed, but he refused to budge.

He reached in for his cell phone and earned it within seconds. Matt’s face fell when he got his phone back from him. He let out a long, painful sigh and wiped down his face. He shook his head, stating, “I’m sorry, Jimbo. I just want to help make this right, ya know?”

“I understand, Matt, but I don’t want to lose her one hundred percent by having one of my friends call her.”A smile perked up on his lips at his next comment.”Especially since you have that gravely, kidnapping tone to your voice.”

They laughed loudly at the comment and Matt only smiled wider. He patted Jimmy on the back and said, “I need to get going. Call me if you have any trouble, okay? But I mean it, Jimmy. Call her at some point. Set things straight and no matter what, make sure she understands she wasn’t given up by choice.”

“Don’t worry.”Jimmy forced a hurt smile.”I will. Thankyou, Matt. For everything.”

“What are best friends for?”He placed his aviators over his eyes and walked out of the house, shoving his cell phone into his front pocket.

As he walked toward his black SUV, a cruel and mysterious smirk crawled it’s way across his lips. Yes, he indeed did give Jimmy back his cell phone, but Jimmy never made sure he deleted Hillari’s number out of Matt’s phone.

“Sorry, Jimbo.”He chuckled.