shrugs her slender shoulders. "We've been seeing each other for about a month or so. It's nothing serious. Not yet anyway."
Not ever, if I have my way. "But you haven't told him about your family?" Yep, I am totally digging here.
She turns those big green-gold eyes on me again. "No, I really don't like to talk about my family." Not saying anything more, she sets her chin on her knees which are now tucked up against her body. It makes her look even smaller than she actually is. And it kind of makes me want to protect her. Against everything and everyone.
"You don't talk much... at all ."
She sighs, "Yeah." Her eyes slide back to mine.
"See? There you go again, running off at the mouth. Half the time I can't even get a word in edge wise. It's so annoying."
One side of her mouth quirks up and I would be lying if I didn't say how much I want to close the distance separating us and kiss her. But I won't. She's like a skittish deer and I'm doing my best not to spook her.
She continues to eye me in that quiet way of hers. The one that tells me she's sifting through her thoughts. "My mom has depression."
It's on the tip of my tongue to tell her sorry but I bite it back because it feels like nothing more than a knee jerk reaction, an empty platitude. Instead I squeeze her to me, continuing to hold her close. Wanting to somehow offer comfort. I don't think I need to tell you that I usually use a different method when comforting the opposite sex...
"When she has an... episode , she usually ends up drinking. A lot." She suddenly scrubs a hand down her face. "Too much. I think it dulls the pain or something."
What I can't understand is why she's dealing with all this on her own. "Where's your dad?" Because Jordan called Ms. Fisk right away to come over. As far as I know, she didn't even tell her dad what was going on which I guess seems kind of weird now that I think about it.
She's quiet for a long moment before saying softly, "He's not home much anymore."
My brows draw together. "He travels a lot?"
She laughs mirthlessly. "Yeah. Pretty much all the time."
"Does he even know what's going on?"
Because I can't imagine any parent leaving their seventeen year old kid alone to deal with a depressed parent. And from what I saw, Jordan's mom needs a lot of help. More than what Jordan's capable of giving her. More than what any seventeen year old is capable of giving.
She continues looking out over the water. "That's why he stays away. He doesn't want to deal with it anymore."
My mind swirls with everything she's telling me. I wish there was something I could do to fix this for her. But I can't. And it makes me feel strangely useless. Up until this point, I've never really given a crap about anyone else's problems but my own. This is exactly what I meant when I said unchartered territory. I don't think I'm even on the grid anymore. That's how far gone I am.
"That's why we moved here." Pulling away from me she picks up a small stone before hurtling it with all her might into the rolling waves. It sinks with a plop. "So my aunt could help us."
I want to pull her back into my arms where she belongs but I can feel the heaviness of her words settling between us. Almost as if they’re pulling her away from me. Not just physically but emotionally as well.
"He's a selfish prick who doesn't think about anyone but himself."
That has to seriously be one of the biggest under statements I've ever heard in my life. Her dad makes my dad look like an amateur asshole. Which I honestly didn't think was possible. But clearly it is.
I blow out a long slow breath. "Well, Ms. Fi- ah, your aunt, seemed like she had everything under control when we left."
"I don't know what I would do without Aunt Sara."
Sara. Normal enough sounding first name. I had always imagined something more along the lines of Medusa or maybe something evil or sinister. Like Cruella or Maleficent. Yet the woman who'd barreled
Not ever, if I have my way. "But you haven't told him about your family?" Yep, I am totally digging here.
She turns those big green-gold eyes on me again. "No, I really don't like to talk about my family." Not saying anything more, she sets her chin on her knees which are now tucked up against her body. It makes her look even smaller than she actually is. And it kind of makes me want to protect her. Against everything and everyone.
"You don't talk much... at all ."
She sighs, "Yeah." Her eyes slide back to mine.
"See? There you go again, running off at the mouth. Half the time I can't even get a word in edge wise. It's so annoying."
One side of her mouth quirks up and I would be lying if I didn't say how much I want to close the distance separating us and kiss her. But I won't. She's like a skittish deer and I'm doing my best not to spook her.
She continues to eye me in that quiet way of hers. The one that tells me she's sifting through her thoughts. "My mom has depression."
It's on the tip of my tongue to tell her sorry but I bite it back because it feels like nothing more than a knee jerk reaction, an empty platitude. Instead I squeeze her to me, continuing to hold her close. Wanting to somehow offer comfort. I don't think I need to tell you that I usually use a different method when comforting the opposite sex...
"When she has an... episode , she usually ends up drinking. A lot." She suddenly scrubs a hand down her face. "Too much. I think it dulls the pain or something."
What I can't understand is why she's dealing with all this on her own. "Where's your dad?" Because Jordan called Ms. Fisk right away to come over. As far as I know, she didn't even tell her dad what was going on which I guess seems kind of weird now that I think about it.
She's quiet for a long moment before saying softly, "He's not home much anymore."
My brows draw together. "He travels a lot?"
She laughs mirthlessly. "Yeah. Pretty much all the time."
"Does he even know what's going on?"
Because I can't imagine any parent leaving their seventeen year old kid alone to deal with a depressed parent. And from what I saw, Jordan's mom needs a lot of help. More than what Jordan's capable of giving her. More than what any seventeen year old is capable of giving.
She continues looking out over the water. "That's why he stays away. He doesn't want to deal with it anymore."
My mind swirls with everything she's telling me. I wish there was something I could do to fix this for her. But I can't. And it makes me feel strangely useless. Up until this point, I've never really given a crap about anyone else's problems but my own. This is exactly what I meant when I said unchartered territory. I don't think I'm even on the grid anymore. That's how far gone I am.
"That's why we moved here." Pulling away from me she picks up a small stone before hurtling it with all her might into the rolling waves. It sinks with a plop. "So my aunt could help us."
I want to pull her back into my arms where she belongs but I can feel the heaviness of her words settling between us. Almost as if they’re pulling her away from me. Not just physically but emotionally as well.
"He's a selfish prick who doesn't think about anyone but himself."
That has to seriously be one of the biggest under statements I've ever heard in my life. Her dad makes my dad look like an amateur asshole. Which I honestly didn't think was possible. But clearly it is.
I blow out a long slow breath. "Well, Ms. Fi- ah, your aunt, seemed like she had everything under control when we left."
"I don't know what I would do without Aunt Sara."
Sara. Normal enough sounding first name. I had always imagined something more along the lines of Medusa or maybe something evil or sinister. Like Cruella or Maleficent. Yet the woman who'd barreled
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