409 Truth Comes Out (1/2)

"Jake. Jake." Noah shook me a little. "Come on. It's okay. Everything's going to be okay."

"How?" I asked, not lifting my head out of my sweatshirt. "How could everything possibly be okay?" My dad was dead. Is dead. "He's gone, Noah. I've spent a decade hating this man for abandoning me, and now, and now I don't get answers." The tears wouldn't stop.

I'm just like Mr. Atkins. This is what he meant when he wished his dad was still around. Not to curse at him, but for closure. I'm sure he had so many unanswered questions and now I'm the same.

"Jake, I can't say I know how you feel." Noah patted my shoulder. "And it feels a little wrong to say this, but, on the bright side, Mom and Dad can adopt you freely now. You're free. Your Mom is locked up and your dad isn't around. Isn't this what you wanted?"

What I wanted? This? "I. Didn't. Want. Him. Dead." I cried harder, trying to spit out these words. I wanted justice for myself. I wanted him to show and tell me he was wrong to leave me behind.

"Jake. Jake!" Noah was pestering me.

I just wanted to be left alone.

"Hold on, Jake! Stay right here!" I heard Noah get up. "I'll be right back." He left me. He left me like everyone else.

I cried into my jacket, uncontrollably. I heard the bell ring, but who cares about math when you find out you lost your father.

"Jake?" A warm voice was near. A familiar voice. It had to be Dr. Moore. I forgot that he worked here since the Golladay incident. "Noah? What exactly happened?"

I heard Noah sigh. "Short version: we found his dad...and he's gone. For good." A new round of tears fell. "Is Jake going to be okay? Should I call Mom and Dad? Zeke?"

"Noah. Relax." Dr. Moore said calmly. "What you need to do, is go to class. You're going to be late."

"I can't just leave him here! He's my best friend!" Noah shouted.

"Noah, I know it's hard, but this is the most you can do for now. You have to attend your classes. I'll call your parents and have them come for Jake." Dr. Moore told him.

"But-"

"I'm sorry, Noah." Dr. Moore cut him off. "You're a student-athlete. Student comes first in order for you to participate in athletics. I'll write you a late-pass for your teacher. The sooner you go, the sooner I can help Jake."

Noah sighed in defeat. "Fine. Call Dad first. Jake is okay with Mom, but he prefers Dad."

I wanted to laugh at Noah's instruction, but it was right on the money. I don't feel comfortable crying and breaking down with Mrs. Atkins watching. She's not my mom, and that's not a bad thing, but because my mom was never the type to comfort others, it was hard to see it from another mom. At least I don't have anyone to compare Mr. Atkins to.

"I'm calling right now. Here's a pass, get going." Dr Moore commanded.

"Let me talk to Jake for a second." I heard footsteps coming closer. "Jake, he's sending me away. I'm sorry that you're hurting, but Dr. Moore was the only person I could think of that could help you through this. Be strong. I'm here for you." He patted my shoulder one more time before leaving.

Here for me? How can he say that as he walks away? My eyes started to dry out and I yawned. Who knew why crying always made me so tired. I slumped a little in the seat, hearing Dr. Moore talk on the phone some distance away.

***

(Third-person perspective)

Classes had finished for the day and students hurried out, trying to escape sooner than one another. Noah Atkins looked to be slow-moving compared to the rest as he studied his phone on his way down to the baseball field.

He was so absorbed into the phone, that he was startled when he was suddenly pulled from behind. He found his twin brothers giving him a pair of identical smiles.

Kyle noticed Noah's lost expression first. "Something happened with Jake again?"

Noah nodded slowly.

"We didn't see him in math, so we sent you a text." Dave said as the three of them walked to the lower lot. "Why didn't you reply?"

Noah's shoulders sagged as if he was carrying 100 pounds worth of baggage. "Jake had a moment at lunch. Dr. Moore and Dad are handling it." He glanced down at his phone. "He's sleeping right now, Dad says."

"What happened?" Dave asked. "Were you bugging him about using an aluminum bat again? You gotta take it easy on the kid, ya know. He isn't like us."

"We found his Dad." Noah blurted our.