The River

Jake walked to the closest shop. It was a grocery store. He bought two apples and walked slowly to the cashier. He was tired and felt like all the bones were crumbling and pushing against his flesh.

Lars looked at him stumble around the room. He watched him place the apples down and look for money.

“Hi. I’m Lars. You look beat man!”
“I… I didn’t sleep good last night!” Jake answered not looking up in Lars’ eyes.
“So you have a place?”
Jake looked at him and his eyes got fiery.
“Shit! Sorry man! I saw you yesterday at the park. I was just a bit worried…”
“Whatever…”
Jake turned to leave. Lars sighed and followed him, he caught up with him at the door. Jake could barely walk let alone walk faster.
“You could stay at our place. There are a lot of friends there. It’s not much, but you have a pillow, a blanket and if you’re lucky something to eat.”
Jake closed his eyes and sighed.
“Look, Lars, I’m not that kind of guy… drinks, drugs… I dunno what you do… I don’t want to be part of it, ok?!”

Lars pulled the neck of his shirt lower and showed Jake the word "edge" tattooed on his skin.
“I’m edge. I’d never get you into something like that. You need a place to stay and I have it. Maybe we can even find you a job.”
Lars smiled and went on. “I’m off in exactly 7 minutes for half an hour and I can take you home.”

Lars left Jake there without waiting for an answer and went to finish his shift.

They walked home in silence. Lars tried to break through to Jake but he just couldn’t. He imagined the kid just didn’t trust people so he let it be. He hoped Daniel would get to him. After all he was the one that wanted him in the house.

They got inside. Gyl and Liz were all over the table making out.

“Guys, stop it. This is…”
“Jake…”
“Jake and he’s staying over for a while. Where is Daniel?”

Gyl looked at the floor, a gesture that was caught by Jake.

“He’s indisposed. It’s good to have you around Jake.”

He nodded and looked at Lars. “I’ll guess I’ll just lie down. Where can I do that without disturbing anyone?”

Lars showed him to a couch and he watched Jake lie down, his bag close by and he went to sleep.
Three hours later Jake woke up to an empty house, he took a shower and left.

Daniel didn’t meet him, he didn’t even know the boy he wanted to see was in the same house with him.

Later that evening they all met at the park. It was a happy atmosphere. Gyl and Lars didn’t have the guts to tell Daniel Jake had been in the house earlier that day.

After a while Daniel got brave and stole Lars’ skateboard. He was doing flips when he saw Jake enter the park. He looked at Lars but he just avoided his look.

He just knew something was wrong but he couldn’t place his finger on it. He went to Lars and raised his eyebrow questionably.
“Is there something you are not telling me?”
Liz put her hand on his shoulder in an attempt to solve matters.
“He was at our place earlier today. You were asleep.”
“FUCK!”

Daniel threw the skateboard away. He was upset he missed a chance to talk to this boy. He didn't know why he wanted to do that so much, but he didn't give it too much thought.
After all a lot of things you really want answers to are solved if you don't dwell too much on them.

This outburst however didn’t escape Jake. Daniel looked for him with his eyes and when their looks met they kept it that way.
Daniel broke the gaze and walked over to Jake.

“Hi. How is it going?”

Gyl, Liz and Lars were looking at them expectantly.
“Daniel likes him.” Lars said.
“A lot.” Gyl added.

“Fine.”
“Care to hang out with us?”
Jake nodded.

They walked to the group. They started talking about music and soon enough Lars and Jake dived into a deathrock bands conversation that couldn’t be interrupted even by meteorites falling from the sky.

Whatever they talked about or however warm they were Jake still kept his distance. They could feel it. It wasn’t truly disturbing but they didn’t know how to deal with it. Daniel kept a low profile but he liked Jake. He liked the ideas he had and the man he could read he was. Between the few words he spoke he appeared to be a person worth being friends with.
How he felt was easy to read mainly by the way his eyes were burning every time he stole a glance in Jake’s direction.

Lars rose to skate and Daniel was left alone with his new friend, he tried to keep up a conversation but Jake answering with yes and no didn’t help at all.
After a while he just got tired of walking around the main subject. Liz was beside them trying to help, but to no avail.

“Don’t be so guarded. I’m not gonna give you the Chronicles of Life, Death and the Decadence in between.”
“Yeah, stick to him.” Liz said smiling.
“Huh?”
“Where do you sleep at night? You can stay over. We can make some room for you!”
“Look. I don’t have a job. You don’t even know me.”
“We have time for that!” Gyl answered hugging Liz and kissing her temple. She smiled and something inside of Jake melted.
“Ok.” He looked at Daniel and smiled.