No Particular Reason

Jakob heeded to his brother’s advice the best he could. It was hard to avoid Frankito when they went to school together and he popped over at the house randomly when Tre’ came over to see Billie Joe, but with Joey’s help, Jakob was able to allude Frankito’s snide remarks for the most part. His actions, however, were a bit more difficult.

While at Jakob’s house one day, Franktio purposely stole one of Billie Joe’s cigarettes and began to smoke it outside in a shady corner in the backyard. He called Jakob over there and burned him with the cigarette. Jakob had since been wearing long sleeves to conceal the hole in his arm that was bubbled up with infection. Franktio also took the opportunity to burn Milo’s tail, much to Billie Joe’s enragement and confusion as to how it happened.

Jakob’s locker at school was often rigged with silly string or was glued shut and Jakob had to get maintenance to fix it every other day. After about two weeks, Joey insisted that Jakob share locker space with him. Soon afterward, however, Jakob’s homework began to become missing, so he had to keep several copies in different places so he could get credit for his work.

Franktio was failing and skipping all of his classes. However, he threatened Jakob to no end not to tell his Dad, and Jakob wasn’t very sure he wanted to test the waters of Frankito’s promises and rage.

By the end of October, Jakob began talking to a girl named Christy. He had started off as Christy’s Biology tutor and their sessions soon became opportune make out opportunities. They may not have been official boyfriend and girlfriend, but they were close enough and Jakob had no complaints.

“How’d you do on that test?” Christy asked Jakob one December afternoon as they were in his room studying. She was laying on his bed with her Biology book and notes and he was sitting in his rolling desk chair backwards.

Jakob shrugged. “I made about a 96. What about you?”

“Eh, something like an 85 so I was pretty proud of myself.” She grinned at Jakob. “Thanks again Jakob.” Christy got up and kissed Jakob sweetly on the lips. “Now, we need to talk about something.”

“All right. What about?”

“Jakob Come here for a minute ” Joey bellowed down the hall.

“It can wait until you get back.” Christy said as she straightened up.

“No, no, what?” Jakob took her hands, confusion evident on his face.

Christy gave him a very small smile. “Go see what Joey wants and then I’ll tell you.”

Joey reluctantly got up and hurried down the hall to his brother’s room. “What?”

Joey looked up from his computer when Jakob snapped his greeting. “No need for attitude Jake. I need your help with something. Close the door.”

Jakob bit his tongue and shut the door. He leaned up against the wood and crossed his arms in impatience. “What?”

Joey swivelled in his chair and leaned his arms on his legs. “Amy’s birthday is coming up and I need your help with something.”

“What?” Aggravation was apparent in Jakob’s voice.

Joey, obviously not taken aback from Jakob’s poor attitude, continued. “I need you to hide this bag,” He lifted a pink polka dotted bag from a popular chick store, “In your room so Amy doesn’t find it. Can you do that for me? Hold up, what’s that?” He nodded to Jakob’s arm as he had just put his hands into his pockets and with his sleeves shoved up, his cigarette burn easily visible.

Realizing what Joey was looking at, Jakob quickly yanked his sleeves down and crossed his arms again. “Nothing.”

“Like Hell it was nothing. What did you do?” Joey stood up and crossed over to Jakob and grabbed his arm. “Jesus Jake, it’s infected.” He gently touched the red outside of the now green and yellow puss filled burn and ooze started to come out from underneath a scab. “You have to show Mom this.”

“No.” Jakob pulled his arm away. “It’s nothing. I wasn’t careful in lab and I burned myself. That’s all.”

Joey looked Jakob squarely in the eyes. “Did he do it?”

“He who?”

“You know who ” Realizing that his voice was raised, Joey quickly lowered it. “Franktio. Did he do this?”

“It’s none of your damn business.” Jakob snatched the bag away and stalked back down to his room where Christy was waiting.

“Is that for me?” She asked when Jakob came in holding the bag.

Jakob, still feeling ticked from Joey, played it off by laughing and placed the bag in his closet. “No babe. It’s Amy’s birthday present from Joey. I’m just keeping it safe. Now, what’d you want to talk to me about?” He sat on the bed next to her.

“Um, well,” Christy looked a little nervous as she scooted closer to Jakob. “Well, we’ve been having a lot of fun these past few months and you’ve really helped me in Biology. . .and anatomy,” She blushed a little bit.

Christy took his hands and grinned at Jakob sweetly. She kissed his cheek and rested her forehead against his. “And I thought about seeing if you wanted to make things official and all, but. . . .”

Jakob backed his head away and his eyebrows had furrowed together. “But what?”

“But I’ve started seeing somebody else and we’ve been hooking up more and more and. . . . I’m really sorry Jakob. I still want to be friends though.”

Jakob bit his tongue and controlled his emotions the best he could. “Who is he?”

“Franktio.” Christy could tell that Jakob was shocked and angered by the news. She slowly began to gather up her things. “I better go. I’m really sorry Jakob and thank you, really, for everything.” She started for the door.

“Wait.” Jakob got up and grabbed a jacket. “I’ll walk you home.”

Christy almost smiled. “So you’re not mad?”

Jakob gave a half-hearted lopsided grin that camouflaged his real emotions. “Well, you can’t really control these things now can you?” He took her books from her. “Come on.”