"Yes, because I don't want to talk to him."
"Brook, he's a friend of the family. He's been in your life a long time. Don't you think blocking him is a little extreme?"
"No. I don't want to hear from him. He hurt me and I don't want him calling me."
"What if he needed to tell you something? Something about one of your friends?"
"Then someone else can call me. I only blocked Chad, nobody else. So what did he want? Why was he calling?"
"He didn't say. He just said he needed to talk to you. It sounded urgent. I really think you should call him."
"Mom, trust me, it's not an emergency. Everything's urgent to Chad, assuming it's about him. If it's about anyone else, he doesn't care." I walk past her. "I'm not calling him back. He can go to hell."
"Brook! Don't talk that way." She follows me to my room. "Just because you're not dating him doesn't mean you two can't be friends."
"Why would I be friends with him? We don't have fun together. He never listened to anything I said. He put me last all the time. None of that's ever going to change."
"It might be different if you two weren't dating and truly were just friends."
"If he treated me that badly as a girlfriend, he'll treat me even worse as a friend." I go to my dresser and pull out a t-shirt to sleep in. "Why are we arguing about this? I told you it's over with him. Why won't you just accept that?"
"I accept that you don't want to date him, but I know, deep down, you still care about him, even if it's just as a friend. If he called, it's because he really needs to talk to you. Are you really just going to turn your back on him?"
"Yeah, actually I am, because that's what he did to me. He didn't care about what I was going through when you and Dad got divorced. He didn't care that I had to move and change schools. He just went on with his life and acted like I didn't exist. And now HE'S the one who needs something and he expects me to be there for him? Sorry, but he'll have to find someone else."
She sighs. "I understand you're upset, but maybe just think about it. Just because he didn't treat you well doesn't mean you have to do the same to him."
She closes the door and I quickly change into the t-shirt and climb into bed. I grab my phone and search for any new stories about Joe and Jacob. I find lots of articles but they all say the same thing, stuff I already know. I called the cop several times from the hospital but he didn't pick up or return any of my messages. He probably doesn't want me bothering him now that I'm done giving him information.
My phone rings and I see Jane's name on the screen. It's late and I'm not in the mood to talk but I answer anyway, curious why she's calling.
"Hey, Jane."
"Hey. You weren't asleep, were you?"
"No. I doubt I'll be sleeping tonight."
"Why? Did something happen?"
"Um, yeah. Have you seen tonight's news?"
"Daddy had it on but I wasn't really watching. Why do you ask?"
"Never mind," I say, not wanting to get into it. Jane won't care. I told her about Dean weeks ago but I doubt she remembers. I don't even think she was listening.
"Is it about that guy who goes to your school?" she asks. "I saw some story about this football player getting beat up by his dad. I think they said he went to your school. Do you know him?"
"Yeah, that's Dean. The guy I told you about?"
"You did? I don't remember you mentioning him."
"I told you all about him. I was tutoring his brother, Jacob. The kid that's missing?"
"I kind of remember you saying something about tutoring. So anyway, how's everything else going?"
That's it? She's not even going to ask about Dean? How is it possible we were ever friends?
"Jane, I need to go. I've been at the hospital all night and I'm really tired."
