Chapter 11:
Jakes view
I stared down at my phone, reading the text i had just received.
Wanna help me find the letter today? My house at 1:00? Sent 31 mins ago.
I had been staring at the text a while. I looked at the time on my phone. It was a quarter to one. Should I go?
"Of course you should stupid." I scold myself running my hand through my hair. I pocket my phone and stand from where I was sitting on my bed. I make my way across the wood floor to where my favorite jacket hung.
I lift it off it's hook and smile down at it. This was a gift from Ella.
I push my arms into the Green sleeves. I make my way outside to my bike. I question myself with every step and i mount my bike.
Should I go?
Should I not?
I pull my phone out and stare at the text. My fingers fly across the keyboard as i reply.
Kay. i'll be right over (:
As I send it I immediately regret adding the smiley face. I shove my phone into my pocket with a huff before pushing the pedals and make my way to the house i never thought i would willingly enter.
.
…
…..
I ring the doorbell.
Again.
I turn away to chicken out when the door flies open. I look over my shoulder to see who opened the door.
A woman, who I assume was Stones mom, stood there.
She had long black wavy hair that reached just past her elbows. Other than the hair, she looked very similar to Stone. Fair, freckles, icy blue eyes.
"Hey! You must be Jake. Stone told me you were coming. He's up in his room." She told me, stepping out of the doorway. "C'mon in."
I turn on my heels and slowly step into the house. It was...a nice house. It felt like i was stepping into a warm cabin during the fall.
"So...where's Stone?" I ask nervously. This was Gem's house. The one i bullied. The one i pushed. And here i am talking calmly to her mom.
"Down the hall. You'll hear him before you see him. His door is open." Stone's mom turned into a room i assumed was the kitchen.
I peek down the hall, and in fact i did hear him before i saw him. I heard a guitar. He was singing.
"And she says,
'I wish that I could be like the cool kids,
Cause all the cool kids they seem to fit in,
I wish that I could be like the cool kids,
Like the cool kids,"
I stop at the door and stare in at him, leaning on the door frame. He sits with his back to the door and a guitar in his grip. He was leaned over a bit, staring at some sheet music on a stand.
He sees them talking with a big smile
But they haven't got a clue
Yeah, they're living the good life
Can't see what he is going through
They're driving fast cars
But they don't know where they're going
In the fast lane, living life without knowing" He turns his head to see me standing in the door. He continues with a smile.
"And he says
I wish that I could be like the cool kids
'Cause all the cool kids, they seem to fit in
I wish that I could be like the cool kids
Like the cool kids
I wish that I could be like the cool kids
'Cause all the cool kids they seem to get it
I wish that I could be like the cool kids
Like the cool kids
And we say
I wish that I could be like the cool kids
'Cause all the cool kids, they seem to fit in
I wish that I could be like the cool kids
Like the cool kids
I wish that I could be like the cool kids
'Cause all the cool kids, they seem to fit in
I wish that I could be like the cool kids
Like the cool kids
I wish that I could be like the cool kids
'Cause all the cool kids, they seem to get it
I wish that I could be like the cool kids
Like the cool kids
Like the cool kids" He held out the last note for a few seconds long. He lowered the guitar and shot a smile towards me.
"Sorry, I would have stopped...but it feels wrong not to finish a song." He explained, turning to face me, crossing his legs. I just shrug. He waves me over.
"Sit down dude, you look like a tree in a field." He lets out a small laugh, his freckled nose wrinkling, and twists his bracelet.
I sit down on the floor and lean against the wall a few inches away from the music stand. I rest my elbows on my knees as silence stretched uncomfortably for a few moments.
"So," I began, "Where should we start to look for the letter?" I look up at Stone and he strokes an imaginary beard thoughtfully.
"I suspect it might be hidden in a book, or some kind of box. She had a box under her bed of some of the gifts and cards Ella gave her when they were friends." As he talked he leaned back and crossed his ankles. "She never wanted to get rid of them, but she HATED looking at them."
I stared at the wooden floor. After a moment he shot up with a clap of his hands.
"C'mon then." He launched off of his bed and stood over me with a smile. He held out his hand and I stared at it before grabbing it. He helped me to my feet.
He stood in front of a closed door, a little ways down from his room in the hallway. The door was bare.
"This is her room." he reached for the handle hesitantly. I wondered why he said IS and not….well say WAS like everyone else who has talked about Gem.
This WAS her locker. This WAS her French folder. He was the first I heard say IS.
He opened the door and stepped in, and motioned for me to do the same.
"Go look through her bookshelf. I'll find the box." He told me before heading over to a bed. I glanced at the bookshelf by the window. It was filled with books, envelopes and Sheet music.
After about 20 minutes of looking we finally found a few things. Stone did find the box under her bed, but i found a few notes hidden in the covers of a few interesting books. They were letters addressed to Stone. And I even found one for Ella, but it was dated for a few years ago, when they first stopped being friends.
Now we sat on the floor of Gem's room, Sitting cross legged and across from each other with the small pile in between us.
"You ready to open them?" I ask the other boy.
He had a look of neutrality on his face. He gave me a small smile and ran a hand through his hair with a nervous laugh.
"A-Are you?" He asked reaching for the box.
BAM. So. it's been….a while…..sorry guys, I've been super busy with everything right now and i'm a little stressed. But I'll try and post more often when I can.
~Lynx