Dark Days Do Come

I laugh as Will finishes his joke, trying not to drop the phone.

It wasn't so much a joke as something he'd read online, in a chain email. He hates them, but can't resist sending them on. "S***!" I gasp as my iPhone hits the floor. I can hear Will's voice, but can't make out any words. Hurriedly, I pick it up, saying, "I'm here, I'm here!"

"Jesus, Genna," he says, chuckling to himself. "How many times is that in the past week? Nine?" Will always knows when I drop my phone, by my cuss word of choice.

"Shut up. It's not like you haven't done anything stupid." Will is quiet for a moment and I can actually picture his face. "You still there, Will?"

I can hear shouting in the background. "Yeah, Gen, just hold on a second." Will is shouting now, and he tries to muffle the sound, but I can still hear a part of the conversation.

She's...of your...I...doing that for...have to...

I then hear my name and know they're talking about me- Will and his father, I mean.

Will's voice, exasperated, sounds in my ear. "Dad's being stupid. He doesn't like me being on the phone with you all the time, and supposedly not doing anything else."

I bite my lip. His dad and him go to blows over me all the time, but I don't like to say anything, because Will's kinda touchy in that respect. Family life isn't good for him. I mean, it's not like he lives on the street or anything; he's actually got a pretty swanky house. His mom died awhile back, and after that... his dad just snapped. He yells at Will all the time, blames him for his mother's death.

It's gotten to the point where Will actually believes it.

My heart hurts for Will, sometimes. I'm the only one he has. I've been his friend ever since I can remember, and he's been mine. Whenever he's had enough, he either calls me, texts me, or comes to see me. Which, lately, has been all the time.

I know that, right now, I'm the only thing that will cheer Will up.

So I say goodbye to Will and hang up the phone. I throw on my battered brown leather bomber jacket, pull on my hightops, and run downstairs. I slide down the polished oak banister even though I'll "fall and break my neck."

On my way out the door, I snatch up my skateboard and yell to my parents where I'm going. They don't care that I just decided to leave... they know it's good for Will to have someone to be with.

They think he'll kill himself or start abusing drugs or something, but I know better. Will loves life too much for that.

I throw my board on the pavement and set off to see Will.