a/n: lil update 1/3/2024
The roof of course didn't tell me its secrets within the first ten minutes so I sat. I sat through the day, through the sunset, and later into the night. I sat with the journal next to me while the gloves, and hat already sitting in my sparse room.
I was still on the roof when the stars were glittering above me.
So I pondered all that has happened.
The moment of the crash everything in my life shattered. Then the long journey from state to state with the fatherly concern from both John and his Dad. There was so much to do before I was shipped off. The social worker that was assigned to my case wasn't sure about shipping me off to a different family and state. She didn't know what to do with me. She felt better about it after I told her I have been at his place plus I messaged John everyday.
The state of Texas had a lot of paperwork to get me to Washington.
Miraculously, it got done.
It also helped Bro mentioned John's family on his will, that helped a lot.
There was a long chat between me and my social worker about what was going to happen. The social worker was sure she could send me to my aunt but then stopped speaking after she read the six DUIs on her record. I read a bit of my aunt's record over her shoulder while coming back from the bathroom, and well, I knew, I visited her. She then found out that my Uncle was so isolated in the jungle she wouldn't be able to contact him for some time. So he was out too.
Then they had to look at sending me to John's. And it worked out, thankfully.
Something seemingly to me went right in my life.
Then I packed everything and found a lot of weird things in the apartment.
All of my shit still hasn't been sent here yet.
When I was packing I found some clowns in the back of a closet, a lot of random keys, and a blanket from when I was a kid.
I packed for two or maybe five days before John and his Dad showed up. I wasn't keeping track of time. I was concerned about getting everything in order, rationing what meager things were in the cupboard, and to try to take care of myself for some semblance of my mental health staying intact.
The reaction John had while picking me up was to saying hi, hug me like usual in his dorky way, and then he helped me move out of the apartment that was already listed. It was on the market already, I checked. I knew. Retailers were sharks. Also government workers were really on their toes for getting jobs done.
They wanted me out as soon as possible. Also they wanted to sell the furniture and assets right away to pocket some for themselves and give me some money to be happily on my way. I had a couple thousand in my account but it wasn't enough to live on my own.
And of course, I was a minor still.
I needed a job, I needed to grieve, I needed a lot...
So I went with John.
I noticed other things at John's house like it was on the complete edge of the block. I also noted that he had a muthafricking tire swing in his backyard or...front yard? Who knew what these suburban builders meant.
On the roof, I was wearing shades and in the dark but it didn't matter at the time. I trying to think through it all.
I tried to grab a handful of Doritos to chow down on but they were all gone. Thank God for John's snacks. I almost wished for cake but with a twist of my stomach, I grimaced. I was starting to get really sick of the sweet fluffy smell from the kitchen. I tried bundling up with the blanket more but chills raced down my legs. So I sighed, grabbed everything with my left arm and hopped down from the roof easily.
As soon I was inside, John put down his nerdy high fantasy book and looked up at me setting down all the stuff I brought up on his floor.
I looked at John and not his creepy posters.
"Did you find what you were looking for?" John inquired to me.
"Not really...but. Did you know you have a tire swing?" I noted.
I was shifting from foot to foot.
"Oh really?!" John fake smiled widely, "Wait. No really. It's been there for years."
"Oh..." I noted.
I hadn't noticed a lot of huge details lately.
Being depressed and all that helped me missing the obvious. Especially since the nightmares have been coming back. I was uncomfortable with the fact that I noted his layout in depth like a newcomer but-
"Oh by the way..." John trailed off.
"What?" I sat on his bed.
He turned to me.
"Sooo..." He continued this time, "Care to explain how you got onto the actual roof? I thought you meant the outdoor patio-landing thing but you got onto the actual real roof?"
"Impressed with my ninja skills Egbert?"
He turned pink.
"No!" John sputtered, "Only that I may or MAY NOT of tried climbing that sloped roof and well...I've been here longer? I don't know. I just want to sit up there and look at the stars. I haven't, you know, been..."
My shades were covering my feelings...of indifference? I was here to get back on my feet and here John was worrying about how to get on his own roof that took him years and me minutes.
I cleared my throat and just let it slide off.
So, with a smile I said, "Get your ninja skills on Egbert, we have a lot of work to do."
"Shut up!" John laughed.
"Come on then." I said and grabbed the blanket I brought in.
He followed me out onto the landing.
It was maybe going to be alright after all. Maybe.
I was going to put off my plans of self-destructive behavior.
And I was going to put off reading the journal that would tell me a lot of things that I didn't need to know right now.
A/N: This chapter is just some gap filling and angst. Trying to keep progression linear.
thank you for reading!
