Boys Like You by Jaye Pratt
I never intended to open up to JD, but when she was lying next to me with her hand on mine, it was like the words just wouldn’t stop coming out – like word vomit. When she was curious about my biological parents, I needed to change the subject so I suggested we pack away her clothes. My legs tap under the table and Levi shoots me a look. He always seems to know when something is up with one of us. He raises a brow at me and I look over to the kids so he thinks that’s all that’s wrong. I instantly know he doesn’t buy it.
Dawson, the youngest, is fussing, and Beth calmly tries to find out what is wrong with him. His crying does put me on edge, but I have learned some breathing exercises. His sister Emmy is colouring with Rory. Joining us, Damien talks Mercer’s ear off about some moves he should teach him next time. Mercer may come across as a tough guy full of anger, but he has a way with younger kids.
When JD and Maximus enter the room, we all turn to look at them. Well, all of us besides the three little kids. He is holding JD’s hand. Maximus hates being touched, – yet somehow he has managed to hold her hand, and I know he didn’t ask her. When we found him Sunday night, he was in a bad place – finding a body on the beach would do that to a person. He thought she was dead. He broke down and feels bad he didn’t call us – we have assured him it’s okay, he can’t help how he reacts to situations, especially after the way he found his biological mother.
I move down a seat so JD can sit next to me and Maximus. My phone pings, and I open a chat Levi has started with all of us in it except Maximus.
Levi: Are you seeing what I am?
Mercer: Yep
Me: No, we’re all blind
Rory: leave him be, don’t make a huge deal of it
Levi: He is holding her hand
Me: Way to state the obvious
Levi: Shut up Rocky
A new message pings and it is another group chat.
Maximus: Stop talking about me, my ears are burning
Me: Levi is just trying to be captain obvious
Levi: Shut it Rocky
Mercer: Mumma B is staring at us
Maximus: It’s no big deal, she needed the comfort to face dinner more than I needed the space.
Levi: Are you okay?
Maximus: Just fine, I have never actually tried to touch someone other than you guys, so I winged it, still alive.
I snort, and Mercer kicks my legs from under the table.
“Care to share what’s so funny, boys?” Mumma B asks. JD looks at me, waiting for me to answer.
“Um… I farted,” I say. The guys shake their heads at me, JD has no reaction and the three little kids laugh. At least they’re good for something.
“Not at the dinner table Rocky, take it to another room,” she chastises before trying to convince Dawson to eat his veggies.
After dinner, Mercer offers to do the dishes with Damien. I get another message.
Maximus: JD needs her medicine, she is wincing every time she moves
I text back straight away.
Me: On it.
I lean into JD’s side “Do you need something for the pain?” She nods. Mumma B excuses herself to get the younger two kids bathed and to read them a story.
“Merce, are you cool to give the guys a ride home? Rory and I are on our way out,” Levi says. I thought they were cancelling their plans tonight. JD is still at the table with Maximus; he’s showing her something on his phone. We’re all in the kitchen with the kid. I look down at him and back up to Mercer.
“We’re finished here, kid, remember what I said,” Mercer says to him. “Now go and see if Mumma B needs your help with the other two. Damien runs off.
“I thought you were cancelling your plans so we could all hang,” I snap as soon as he’s out of ear shot.
“Are you being serious? There are girls waiting. JD doesn’t need the five of us here all the time. We might end up smothering her, and I need to get laid, dude,” Levi snaps back.
“I second getting laid,” Rory adds. I swear they’re up to something. I would usually call them on their bullshit, but I think JD has ruffled their feathers and they don’t know how to deal. Rory doesn’t want to get laid, he wants to get drunk, it’s how he deals with shit when it gets tough, but Levi, he is probably a bit confused about Maximus and JD. He won’t want Maximus to get hurt; the guy is very protective of him. I get it after everything I have seen him go through, but at some point, he needs to try and figure things out on his own.
“Didn’t you just hook up with Jessica Perkins the other day?” Mercer asks Levi, and he laughs.
“Rocky, calm down. I know you’re getting overwhelmed and worked up, but we can’t stay here with her all the time. We don’t want her to get an unhealthy attachment to us; we’ve all had enough therapy to know that. It was the same with Maximus, we all crowded him so much he never went anywhere alone,” Levi states, and while what he says is true he is kidding himself if he thinks I’m stupid enough to believe him.
“We will go, you three chill tonight, and Levi and I will take tomorrow night. You’ll need to be up early for your laps, Rocky, so don’t convince anyone to stay super late.” I salute him. He is as bad as Dad sometimes and just as bossy.
“Whatever,” I grumble, grabbing JD’s endone from a lock box on the fridge – Mumma B doesn’t leave anything lying around. I take out one pill, lock the box again and put it back where it came from.
“Here’s the pain medicine.” I hand them to JD. She has one of Maximus’ ear buds in. I smile, glad Maximus is trying to communicate in his own way. He needs to practice, especially since he has started showing interest in girls; the rest of us have no issues. Rory’s on-again off-again girlfriend, Macy, is a piece of work. They are off at the moment and have been for a while. He did mention seeing someone new once, but nothing ever came of it. Levi has an agreement with a girl from Highland Heights High, the school we all would have gone to if our “scholarships” hadn’t come through. I have one for athletics, Levi for basketball, Maximus because the kid is smart, and Mercer for some specialised program in personal training. Besides fighting, he loves to take care of his body; it was an easy in for him. I know Mercer gets laid, he just doesn’t do girlfriends. He says girls ask way too many questions and he can’t be bothered answering them. I think he’s just afraid to let someone in, to see how broken he feels on the inside.
I don’t have time for a girlfriend, and most get sick of me after a while. The last one, Becky, broke up with me because I was too immature, and she only liked me because of how I looked in a speedo. Couldn’t argue with her, I do look mighty fine, and who doesn’t like a ripped body? I work hard to keep this six pack. Doesn’t hurt that my package puts the other swimmers to shame – I see a few mums checking me out. I enjoy swimming more than athletics but I would love to focus on triathlons in the future.
“Hey, we’re out,” Rory announces, walking into the dining room. He looks at JD and when she meets his gaze, he looks away.
“If you need anything, just give us a call. We’re heading to a party on the beach not too far from here,” Levi adds. “Will you be cool to catch a ride with Mercer, Maximus? Otherwise I can drive you now.”
Maximus shakes his head and gestures to JD. They both say goodbye before heading up to say goodnight to Mumma B.
Maximus, JD and I head back into her room. Maximus takes a seat on one of the couches, just as I spot our old PlayStation in the tv cabinet. Mr Cole must have unpacked it.
“Maximus, look what I found.” He laughs; he must remember all the nights we snuck into the games room to play Crash Bandicoot. The console had belonged to Beth’s brother, John; he made a bet with Rory that he could kick his ass on any game. They spent hours playing Tekken, the rest of us preferred Crash.
JD looks at Maximus when he laughs, and I take the opportunity to study her. I can’t wait to see what she looks like without the bruises and swelling on her face.
“I love your laugh,” she says to him, and he goes bright red. “I embarrassed you again, I’m sorry.”
“Did you know Maximus has a crush on a girl in his chemistry class?” I take the focus off him being embarrassed at her comment, to being pissed at me. He gives me the finger – I know when we leave he’s going to chew my ass out – dude has no issues voicing his opinion when no one is around, he actually never shuts up. Maybe it’s to make up for not being able to talk around anyone else.
“Really? I bet she’s smart and pretty. You should go for it. If you are doing chem, you must be smart, and you’re hot; she would be stupid to not want to at least go on a date with you.” Maximus is looking at JD like he wants to mention the elephant in the room.
“Are you forgetting he doesn’t talk?” I remind her. She looks at me as if I’m crazy for pointing it out.
“Why does he need to talk? He communicates with me just fine. And I was told he just doesn’t talk to people he doesn’t trust, so maybe he would trust her after a while. And even if he doesn’t, deaf people date hearing people all the time and do fine.” I love that she voices her opinion, so many girls just keep quiet and act shy.
“Girls just never want to get to know someone like that, they always have so much to say. We always try to help.”
“So let me guess, his four big bad babysitters try talking to girls for him; a girl I’m guessing is probably shy, gets approached by Mercer, who while he looks pretty, could intimidate someone with a look; Rory just gives off a pissed-off vibe; Levi can seem a bit over protective, and you’re full of beans all the time – maybe you guys are scaring her off.” Maybe JD is on to something. Her description of us is pretty accurate, and the girl is a bit nerdy and shy.
Maximus laughs again and nods his head in agreement with her. “I never thought about that. You guys may be able to go full speed ahead with girls, maybe it comes natural to you when you have no issues talking, but Maximus is going to have to work a bit harder. Maybe when you see her next, write your number on a piece of paper and hand it to her – leave the ball in her court; she would have to know he doesn’t talk.”
Well, who would have thought a girl’s perspective could help? “Thanks, JD, I think I may like having a chick around; you can be my wing woman.” She laughs but I was being serious.
“What did I miss?” Mercer asks, walking into the room. “The little demon child made me tell him a story; his imagination is way better than mine, he pretty much told me a story. Don’t tell him, but I think I like this kid.” I shudder at the thought of being friends with and liking kids; I don’t intend on having any of my own.
“We found John’s old PlayStation. I’m about to kick all your asses, and oh, apparently it’s us who is scaring the girls away from Maximus.” Mercer scratches his head and takes a seat.
Maximus gets up and starts setting up the PlayStation while I look through the pile of games. Crash Bandicoot is there, and so is Tony Hawk. I loved that game, I always wanted to grow up and do the tricks on a real board. Turns out I can run better than skateboard.
We all take turns, both Maximus, Mercer and I watch JD when she tries to work out how to play, yelling out, “Run, little bandicoot, run”. Mumma B stops by and brings some popcorn, letting us know that she is off to bed, asking us to make sure we lock up when we leave and if we end up staying, boys must sleep on the floor and the door stays open. The good thing about her is she knows us; if she says something, we do what we’re told. So many times we’ve crashed here over the years, sometimes out of comfort and the need to be close to her. She makes me agree out loud to follow the rules, I have been known to bend them from time to time and try to find a way around it without breaking them.
“I solemnly swear to lock the door or sleep on the floor.” She shakes her head at me and tells JD if she needs anything her door is first as you walk up the stairs and to wake her.
After we finish with the PlayStation, JD yawns. “If you’re tired, we can go,” I tell her, wrapping the controller up and placing everything back where it goes.
“I know I can’t have one of you stay here every night, but do you think you could just stay tonight?” There’s fear in her eyes, and I can see why. Having your past erased from your memory must be hard to accept.
“You don’t even have to ask; sleepovers are our specialty. Maximus, you in?” Mercer asks. “If not, I can race you home.” He gets a thumbs up, so I guess we are all staying. I tell them to pick a movie and I’ll get the supplies; Mumma B keeps our sleeping bags in a closet under the stairs.
When I return, they’ve pushed the furniture back slightly to give us room, and JD has her blanket and pillows set up on one of the couches.
Mercer takes the sleeping bags and sets them up while I text my mum.
Me: Staying at Mumma B’s, will be at the track on time.
Tomorrow I have to train at the track with my dad who is also my coach.
Mum: Okay, Hunny, don’t be late, Dad will bring your stuff.
Me: Thanx Mumma, heart u
Mum: Heart you too, baby
“Operation sleepover is a go; my mum is good. What are we watchin’?”
“Grown Ups,” Mercer says. I see Maximus roll his eyes. We have watched this movie so many times; it’s our go-to when one of us has a bad day. Mercer may come across as a hard-ass tough guy, but he really is a big softy. I wouldn’t say it out loud though, he could beat my ass.
Ten minutes after the movie starts, JD is lightly snoring on the couch.
“Do you think she will be okay?” Maximus asks quietly.
“I think so, look at us; between us we have been through so much and look at us now,” Merce says, still watching the movie.
“Speak for yourself. I still struggle to talk to people. It’s been ten years.”
“We all have our issues but we have overcome so much together, we can help her overcome her trauma,” I say, watching Maximus lying on his side staring up at JD. I know I talk a big game but I don’t want him to get hurt either. I think we need a family meeting to make sure we are all strong enough to deal with the worst case; when her memory comes back, or her parents come to collect her. What if she gets taken away? Jeez, my damn conscience suddenly sounds like Levi. At least if we all make sure we understand the ramifications of getting close to someone new. We might not get hurt.
“Stop thinking and go take your melatonin, I can hear your thoughts from here,” Maximus says. Mumma B keeps some of my medications here for times like this. I slip out of my sleeping bag and make my way to the kitchen to get my pill and a glass of water.
Popping the pill in my mouth, I take a mouthful of water when a loud, ear-piercing scream echoes through the kitchen. I turn away from the bench and run back towards JD’s room. She may not have memories, but her memories have her. Subconsciously they’re still there.