"Because you trust people more than you should."
He sighs. "Can I go now? I'm gonna be late."
I pull him in for a hug. "I love you. You know that, right?"
"Yeah," he says like I'm crazy. "Are you on something?"
"No." I let him go. "You can go. I'll see you tonight."
"Is Brook coming over tonight?" he asks as he leaves.
"Yeah, she'll be here."
"Cool." He smiles. "See ya."
He loves Brook. So do I. I love her so damn much. I didn't know love like this existed. It scares me, but I'm not letting that fear keep me from being with her.
As much as I love her, I didn't think I could tell her. I was too afraid to say the words. But last night when she was saying all that stuff about me, I couldn't hold back. Nobody has ever told me I'm amazing. I don't think that I am. But she does. She's amazed by everything I do, and I feel the same way about her.
I couldn't wait a second longer to tell her how I feel. And after I did, I had to tell her the rest. How I want a relationship with her. A real relationship, something I've never had. It felt good to finally tell her that, but it felt even better to hear her say she loves me. I don't think I've ever felt that happy.
I'm glad I didn't wait to tell Brook how much I love her but it took a lot of courage to say those words. They're not words I say very often, which is why Jake thought I was nuts when I said them just now. But I needed to say those words to him too. I want him to know he's loved, because I sure as hell didn't feel that way growing up. Nobody ever said those words to me, so I'm saying them to Jake. And I'm going to keep saying them to him so if something ever happens to me he'll know how I felt. He'll know how much I loved him.
All last night I went back and forth trying to decide if I tell him about Dad. I decided not to, but I still might. I need more time to think about it. For now, I'm just going to keep telling him to be careful. And I'm not letting him go anywhere without me except for school.
Shit, I'm going to be late. I should've left five minutes ago. I look for my phone but can't find it. I go in the bedroom and see it on the dresser.
I pick it up and see a text from Brook.I love you!
I love you too!I text back.
Smiling like an idiot, I shove the phone in my pocket and go back to the kitchen to grab my keys.
"There's my Dino!" a voice says from behind me. A deep hoarse smoker's voice. The one I haven't heard in seven years.
I try to run but am jerked back by his arm going around my neck. "Where you going, kid? Don't want to talk to your old man?"
"I have school," I say, trying to remain calm. If he sees fear, or even senses it, he won't let me go. He loves scaring people. He gets off on it.
"School?" He huffs. "Why the hell would you waste your time at school? You're dumber than shit. School can't fix that. You should be at a job, working like the rest of us."
I have to get away from him. He's got me in a choke hold but I don't see a weapon in his hand. I need to get him to release me so I can either run or try to fight him. I doubt I'd win the fight. I'm big, but he's even bigger. And from the size and feel of his arm around my neck, he's been lifting weights.
"Let me go," I say in a firm even tone.
"What was that?" He laughs. "You telling me what to do, kid?"
"I can't breathe. I need you to let go."
"If you couldn't breathe, you wouldn't be talking right now."
"What do you want?"
"I want to see my boy."
"I'm right here."
"I want to see the other one. The smart one. The one who has a chance of getting a decent job someday so he can support his old man."
