Finding Atlas

After classes ended, Delphine and I strolled down the hallway till we hit the parking lot.

"Well, I best be going home," Delphine said excitedly.

"What's going on?" I asked, because she she usually didn't have to go home so soon.

"Evangeline's going on her first date today," she exclaimed, and my heart swelled as I smiled. Evangeline, Delphine's younger sister, was a sophomore at St. Bart's who swore she would "never ever date a pig of a boy."

"Who asked her out?" I grimaced as soon as I saw the smirk on Delphine's face. "No," I said, shaking my head in disbelief. "No! Raymond Wilkinson?" I squealed.

"Yes! I gotta go, though, I'll see you on Monday!" Delphine ran towards her car still shrieking from excitement as I laughed at her.

"She looks excited." A chuckle came from behind me, and I jumped at the sudden sound of it. Atlas was standing beside me with his backpack slung over one shoulder.

"Hey," I said smiling at him. My smile stopped short once I saw his appearance. Well, not his appearance, per say, but his—for lack of a nicer word—face. His eyes were slightly bloodshot and had bags under them, his face looking sallow and pale, his lips cracked and dry, and, though I hate to be that person, his posture was absolutely horrible.

"Atlas, what happened?" He scoffed humorlessly as he shrugged his backpack strap higher up his shoulder.

"My mom. Yelling, fighting, tons of it. And Alexis and Tess had to be there, god, it was awful,"

"I'm sorry," I replied softly. "Who're Alexis and Tess?"

"They're my little sisters," Atlas replies, and for a moment, his eyes light up. It was so easy to tell that he loved them to pieces. "Alexis is seven and Tess is five,"

"They sound sweet." I cringed. What I said was so weak.

"They are," and the conversation stops there. We stand on the side of the street for God knows how long, until I offered what wasn't really mine to offer at all.

"I could, you know, baby sit them when you need to talk to your mom," I shrugged, trying to act as if it was nonchalant. Atlas's eyes widened, and I felt like I messed things up, made things awkward. "If you'd like, of course!" I added in hopes of it making the situation less embarrassing.

"You're kidding, right?" he asked, and I shook my head. "Oh, my god, Andromeda, you're a life saver," he breathed out before his arms wrapped around my body in a bone-crushing hug.

"Oh," I breathed out before I felt my own arms wrapping themselves around him. "But," I choked out, and he released me.

"Right, right, of course. I'll pay you, obviously, uh, how much?" A giggle escaped me before I could stop it, so I clamped my palm over my mouth.

"Pro bono," I said, and Atlas embraced me in yet another bone-crushing hug. "But you gotta tell me what's going on, Atlas, I have to know what's happening." I could feel his arms tighten around me, I could feel him taking in a breath and holding it, before he let it out, then released me.

"Okay," he said. "I know how bad this sounds, but could we, ah, go to your place? I don't really wanna see my mom right now." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously as if I would have said no.

"Of course! Come on, I'll give you my address, but you can follow me. If you want."