The One Without Words

❀ chapter seventeen | trashed ❀

Don't ask me how I ended up in my underwear, stranded on a boat, and stuck with Jack Michel for company. The icy breeze made goosebumps rise on my arms. I wanted nothing more than to lay under my warm covers, then scolded myself for the thought. Better cold than bored in bed on a Friday night.

I carefully uncrumpled the three dollar bills Jack had given me, now soggy from our impromptu swim in the lake. I flattened them along the bow of the boat to dry, where the rest of our clothes also laid. A patch of clouds moved in front of the moon, darkening everything around us.

"So," I said. "How are we going to make it home?"

"I don't want to go home," mumbled Jack, who was now curled up with his knees against his chest, probably as freezing cold as me.

"Why not?"

He shrugged.

"You can tell me," I offered. He'd already said more words I ever thought him capable of tonight, so how hard could it really be?

"Noo," he said, then slumped his head onto his knees. "I don't trust you."

I rolled my eyes and sent Eli a text: Everything ok?

No reply. Guess I would definitely not be counting on him to rescue me tonight.

Two minutes later, Jack, still very much tipsy, his hair a wet, spiked-up mess, finally spilled: "My dad is at my house."

"Even though him and your mom are divorced?" I asked, wrapping my bare arms around myself. "That's weird. Well, guess I can't say anything because my dad let Grace stay over for a few nights, too."

Jack nodded slowly. "It's been... two years. They were arguing yesterday. My dad thinks it's Mutti's fault I grew up to be so... so messed up."

"Oh, please, you're not that messed up."

He rubbed his eyes. "She lied to him. She said that I was talking again, that I was normal. And then she tried to make me lie to him. She tried to make me... talk to him." He rocked slowly back and forth. "She was putting away my rocks so he wouldn't see them."

I went to sit beside him. He seemed to be trying his hardest not to look at me. "And what did you do?"

"I came to the party. I wasn't planning it... I just said I would... so Seth would shut up. But then I did."

Was this someone actually opening up to me? Usually people knew better, even Eli. I never had the right words, but maybe Jack was too drunk to care. I stared at the glowing, rippling water. The curve of his spine. Every detail vivid, almost too real.

"The only time Mutti doesn't worry about me," Jack continued, "is when I'm dating someone."

"Why?" I asked. More like why are you telling me this, but I didn't need him going quiet again.

"I guess she thinks I must not be too messed up if I can get a giiiirlfrieeend. They all break up with me anyway."

I laughed. "I bet they dump you once they find out you're more attracted to rocks than human beings."

He shot me one of his signature death glares, and I couldn't help but laugh harder.

"Kleinkriminelle," he muttered.

"What's that?"

"Petty criminal."

"What, do you want me to say something cheesy instead? Like you'll meet the right person someday?"

He looked away, slouching in on himself. "I don't care about that. They always want me to change. Not for me, but for them."

"Maybe that's just the girls you've been with."