Jumping Puddles by Rachael Brownell Read Free Book Online Page B

you home,” I console him, trying my best to be enthusiastic.
    “Wanna come in and watch a movie or something? I’m ready to relax for a while.”
    “You look exhausted,” I say as we head toward his porch. “Did you forget to sleep while you were there or something?”
    “I didn’t forget, I just didn’t have as much time as I needed.”
    Judy pokes her head around the corner as we walk through the door. “Did you want something to eat, Blake?”
    “I’m not really hungry, but thanks, mom.”
    Her eyes light up for a brief moment before looking him up and down, the same expression she had in the driveway consuming her features. I can tell she’s worried about him, his weight especially. I am, too. I shake my head at her, mouthing the words “I got this” as I usher Blake toward the stairs and up to his room.
    I have two weeks to get my best friend back—all of him.
    “So, what’s up with the crazy clothes?”
    “Dean bought them for me. Well, he bought them and then took the money out of my paycheck. He said I needed to look the part. You don’t like them?”
    “I’m sure they’re fine for New York. Here? Not so much, and you don’t look like you at all. I almost didn’t recognize you when you got out of the car.”
    Plopping down in a bean bag, I power up the Nintendo and insert the first cartridge I see. Blake, on the other hand, drops his bag next to his dresser and flops backward on his bed, exhaling what sounds like a sigh of relief. I’m sure he’s excited to be home. Maybe he’s even excited to be done with his internship. Most of all, I think he’s relieved he doesn’t have to answer to someone else all the time anymore. His time is his own. No one controls it but him. He is now free to do whatever his heart desires. Right now, I hope it desires a game of Mario Bros.
    “You wanna come down here and play a game or two?” When he doesn’t answer, I push myself to my knees and find he’s already fast asleep. That didn’t take long.
    Tossing my controller on the floor, I move to take a seat on the bed next to Blake. I remove his shoes first, tossing them one at a time into the corner, hoping some imaginary hole will open up and they’ll disappear forever. I contemplate undressing him further, but I don’t feel right about it. Instead, I open his closet and pull a blanket off the shelf, covering his exhausted body.
    As I’m about to close the door behind me, I hear Blake’s voice, and I can’t contain the smile that spreads across my face.
    “I missed you, Charlie.”
    I’m not surprised to find Judy waiting for me at the bottom of the staircase.
    “Is he okay? What happened to him? Why is he so thin? Is he on drugs?”
    I raise my hand to cut her off. She would ask as many questions as she could think of if I didn’t.
    “I don’t have any answers yet. He fell asleep the second he hit his bed. I think he’s going to be okay, though. It seems like he’s been overworked. We need to give him some time to relax, sleep, and recuperate. I promise to tell you if there’s anything you need to know.”
    “I don’t know what he would do without you, Charlie. I hope he realizes how lucky he is.”
    Pulling me in for one of her famously tight hugs, I manage to squeak out a response between gritted teeth. “Me too, Judy.”
    Letting Blake get the rest he most definitely needs, I head back home to get lost in a book for a while. This proves to be a challenging task for me. I reread sentences over and over again as I try to push all thoughts of Blake, his appearance, and his demeanor from my mind. Finally, I give up, tossing the book on my bedside table.
    Looking up at my ceiling, I replay the moment Blake stepped out of the car this afternoon. I still can’t get past the shock of how he looked. This internship was meant to help him advance his career. He was supposed to spend a few months in New York learning about his craft, honing it. The only thing I can see is a worn-out version