"What?" Jackson asked some what thrown back, the next day at lunch. It was just Him and Melissa again on the picnic table under a shady tree.
"Well, they just want to meet you so they asked me to invite you over to dinner on Friday," Melissa said trying to make it seem like nothing.
"And if they don't like me?" Jackson asked, "I mean c'mon Mel..."
"Well even if they dont...it's not their decision who im friends with-" Melissa said quietly.
"But see it sort of is, your parents are strict with you, you told me so they wouldn't let you come anywhere near a guy like me," Jackson said depressingly.
"Jackson you're a different person now, you saved my life, and you are a great guy," Melissa said looking him straight in the eye, "just tell them the truth when they ask."
Jackson gave her an 'are you serious look'.
"Look my mom is really respectful about peoples lives, if you say 'thats something I'd rather not talk about' she'll back off," Melissa said cheerily.
"And your dad...?" Jackson asked nibbling on a sandwich.
"My mom has a way with my dad, she'll get control over him," Melissa said encouragingly.
"...that seems to run in the family," Jackson said with a slight grin.
"does that mean you'll come?" Melissa said brightening up.
"I guess..." Jackson said hesitantly.
"Thank you, Cody Jackson," Melissa said.
"Heh...Jackson," he corrected with a smile.
The week rolled by slowly. All the teens kept in touch at school and still kept a strong bond. They would sometimes hang out after school and just sit around and talk. Jackson disappeared a few times here and there.
Jackson was trying now harder than ever to do over the top on his community service. He was sure it would make no difference about how Friday went but he hoped. Jackson finally decided that if Friday went good, he would ask Mr. Wu if he could do chores around the house to try to prove himself. If he did good he was going to ask his permission to ask Melissa out on a date. He hoped that asking Mr. Wu first would give off a good impression.
Hid neck was probably sun burned by now and he was sweating like crazy. Today he was cleaning up a park in California. Just Jackson's luck there seemed to be a college party there last night so all of the park was trashed. Jackson's parole officer knew Jackson probably wasn't going to finish the whole park in four hours, but he did.
"Done..." Jackson said throwing the last trash bag in the big green dumpster.
"Really?" the officer asked looking around the park. Sure enough there wasn't a red plastic cup or beer can in sight. "How'd you finish so fast?"
Jackson who was panting and wiping sweat off his forehead sighed and said, "Sooner I finish this the sooner I can go home."
"Well...nice job son," the officer said impressed and unlocked the back seat. Jackson was silently thrilled about this. His parole officer was usually mean and showed no mercy. He had to write a report about every community service he did with him. Maybe now he was going to write wore than just 'Service complete'.
The drive home was as usual, silent but the tension seemed to lift. Once they pulled up to the old penthouse the officer came around and unlocked Jackson's door.
"Keep it up boy, and they might let you off for good behavior," the officer said as he left.
"Thanks..." Jackson said walking up the steps to his home, "Hey I'm back!" he said mindlessly and closed the door behind him.
A chorus of high pitched squeals yelling, "Cody!" filled the house as four or five kids under the ages on eight came running down.
"Cody guess what? Guess what?" one little girl said jumping up and down.
"What? What?" Jackson said equally enthused. He really did love all his brothers and sisters not matter how hard people at school made him out to be.
"I gots a 94 on my spelling test today!" she squealed.
"Alright nice job!" he said high fiving her.
"Eww you're stinky!" said the smallest of the five kids causing giggles around the others.
"Alright, alright let the man go you guys. C'mon go brush your teeth and get ready for bed, " Said the small plump foster mother herding the kids back up the stairs. The kids ran up the stairs in the same manor laughing and talking gibberish.
"Just got off the phone with you parole officer," Wendy said looking pleased and handed a cold bottle of water to Jackson.
"Yea what'd he say?" Jackson asked casually and chugged half the bottle.
"He said that he was very impressed with you today and you did really well," Wendy said patting his back even though she was shorter than him.
"Yea, I just wanna be done," Jackson said trying to keep it casual. He hadn't told her about Friday and Melissa's but he was planning to...eventually.
"I'm not so sure thats the case...could a girl have anything to do with this?" Wendy asked grinning.
"Wha- no no. How did you-" Jackson asked stunned that she had known.
"I'm a social worker, I'm very social, I hear things," she said triumphantly.
"You hear things or you see things?" Jackson asked suspicious.
"Well I have noticed at dinner that you seem deep in thought and when you do you smile randomly," she said.
"...oh," Jackson said blushing and realized how many times he does that.
"So who is she?" She questioned.
Jackson knew there was no avoiding her. "Um...her name's Melissa..."
"Is that one of the girls that was on the island with you?"
"Yea..."
"Well I think it's good that you're getting social and I would like to meet Melissa someday," she said starting to walk away, "better than your old friends."
"Aw fuck them," he said feeling a flash of anger. "Sorry..."
"Cody...I think you need to forgive. You need to let the anger go before you can heal," Wendy said putting her hand on his shoulder.
"How can i forgive them? Look at what they did to me," Jackson commanded.
"I'm not saying become friends with them again. I mean just forgive and let go. If you want to mover forward with this girl Melissa you need to heal," Wendy said in her 'therapist' tone.
"I just want to forget... I want to make a better life for myself but no matter where I go this follows me," Jackson said blinking back tears.
"Jackson you have the power to break the cycle of violence and anger. You have the will power Cody...find it," Wendy whispered trying to get through to him. Jackson didn't know what to say back. Wendy understood and headed towards the stairs to help the other children.
"Um...can you help me?" Jackson said feeling awkward saying that.
Wendy stopped in her tracks and turned and faced him. She was just as surprised and stunned as Jackson. Jackson had never asked for help befor.
"Cody, I will always be here for you but only you can break the cycle," Wendy said.
"Oh no not with that...Melissa's family wants to meet me..." Jackson said after a minute.
"Ah, say no more...you must really like her huh?" Wendy asked with a warm motherly smile.
"Um, yea...I do," He said blushing even more now.
