Page 103 of Sugar and Skulls

Raffe’s eyes bounce between the two of us. He swallows hard as he listens. “You mean I might never ride again?”

My eyes drop to the white blanket covering his body.

“No, you dumb ass. I’m telling you what the fucking doctors told me. Now, listen to what I’m telling you.” Dirk chucks me under my chin, insisting I look at him too. When I do he returns his mood ring eyes back to Raffe. “You will walk again. You will fucking ride again. Don’t listen to these pricks. It will happen because I’m going to make it happen.”

Raffe blows out a long breath. “Dirk, I don’t know if anyone has ever told you but you’re not a fucking god.”

Dirk stands up. “I’m as close as you’re ever going to get one.” He turns and walks out of the room leaving Raffe and I alone.

I start to open my mouth but Raffe raises his hand. “Don’t you dare apologize to me, Jesse.”

My mouth snaps shut. That is exactly what I was going to do. This is all my fault.

“I’m tired, Jesse. I…I just need to sleep.”

I nod, sucking back my emotions. “Yeah, of course. We will be right outside.”

He turns his head away and closes his eyes. Before I close the door I take one last look. His eyes are open again, locked on the ceiling. My heart cracks right down the middle for my friend. This is so unfair. Raffe is the best of the best. He didn’t deserve this.

I make my way to the waiting room to find Dirk. My dad is sitting in the middle of the room alone. He glances up when I step inside.

“He’s walking everyone out. He told them to go home and get some sleep.”

My eyes dart around the empty room. “You should get some sleep too,” I tell him quietly.

He watches as I pause by a magazine rack, mindlessly running my hand over each copy, not really seeing what I’m looking at.

“Come here, Jesse,” he says sternly.

Reluctantly I plop down in the chair beside him. He lets his eyes roam over me, sighing loudly. “You are so damn stubborn.”

“Yeah, well, I hear it’s a trait I inherited from my dad.” I shrug my shoulders and turn my face away from him to stare at the blank wall across from us.

“Did you get them all?”

“Yeah.”

He shifts towards me and leans forward forcing me to look at him. “Don’t pull away from me.”

“I’m not.”

“How long have you and Dirk…” his words trail off.

I blow out a breath. “I can’t do this now.”

“Jesse, I need to know. I need to know.” He shakes his head. “It’s killing me.”

My dad looks so tired. He’s as much a victim as I have been.

“Since, the day he found me.”

His eyes bounce over my face. “Jesse.”

I hold up my hand. “I’ve loved Dirk since I met him. You want the truth I’m giving it to you.”

He leans back in his chair, letting me finish.

“Nothing happened until I turned eighteen, if that makes you feel better.”

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