THE JOCK JUST WANTS THE NERD [2]

66

||ETHAN||

The next day, the sun had started piercing through the blanket of clouds. It had stopped raining after a violent session. Everything "looks" fine, but it kept a remaining feeling of uneasiness. The department is still on the hunt for Kenny's parents. Right now, I'm making breakfast while dad is still in his room sleeping. I was staring at the pan, listening and watching the fried rice sizzle.

...

At the time after finishing work, I talked to Damian more about the disappearance of Kenny. He told me that he plans to apologize if he gets the chance to meet him. After he had left and I returned home at night, Jackson had been calling me. Answering, the first thing I noticed was how shaky his breath was, tone consisting of weariness. I asked what was the matter if there's anything bothersome. Closely, there had been a sound of swallowing the lump of his throat.

Jackson said he had found him.

At first, I was so relieved and happy. Only them did the next few words drop my smile. Upon further explanation, it was a rather sensitive story. There was a bridge involved. I listened with silence, his voice playing from the speakers of my phone. Currently, A person named Kyle who I assume is a friend, is coming up with means to solving this problem while Kenny is living with him under the same roof.

Jackson wished me sweet dreams after ending the call, I did so too to him as well.

Even though he does want me to get a good night's sleep, all I could do was feel horrible. Laying down on my bed, the guilt flooded over me. I hugged my blanket, even almost cried at the thought of death. I never saw it coming. Wondering if there was a chance that I could help him in a way before his commitment. Mind flashed, imagining what would have happened if they didn't make it in time. Could I be considered as a reason for letting a casualty happen if that would have been the case? It was a dark thing to think of, bringing me back to those days myself when I would reach low points in life. I'm just glad I haven't passed the point to do it.

I was snapped back to reality when the creaking of a door murmured. "Good Morning," dad smacked his mouth and looks at me with a grin.

"Morning," I replied, scooping up a generous amount onto 2 platters and served. When we've seated ourselves, I spoke up as he was about to dig in, "dad, can I tell you something?" Starting.

He looks at me, but still took a spoonful, "hmm?" He mumbles, chewing.

"If you do manage to find those people, what would happen to them?"

Staring blankly and thinking deeply, "well, we'd have to detain and question them. But for the main point, it's not really my decision for their penalty. I just want to know the details, why that truck driver got you and your mother in a car accident..." I can see his motivation. Avenge. Not for the sake of seeking punishment, but for in search of the truth.

"Hey, dad..."

...

"I know the son of the convicts."

The moment I said these words, he stopped himself from taking a mouth of food to look at me in shock. Before he could say anything else I immediately interrupted for further context, "b-but please, don't arrest him," saying with conviction.

"Why?" He spoke sternly, needing an explanation.

"He's a friend. Misunderstood. He didn't much have a choice because he was caught under their experiments. I'm sure he's innocent and didn't want anything to do with this..." I held dad's tense hands, fingers gripped tightly to his palm, "please..." pleading for him to understand.

Dad let out an apparent sigh of frustration. But, he took more than a second to comprehend my perspective. Soon, his eyes soften and looked at me with empathy. His rugged hands caressed mine, looking at me with a frown, "I see..." he nods, "I don't want to do that to a poor kid either," voice was fairly sad, like his fatherly instinct couldn't push himelf to do such an action towards a child.

"But, listen," he starts again, "I won't apprehend him for anything. But, I need to talk to him at least to find leads of his parents' whereabouts..." Dad's just doing his job as a cop. If all he needed was to ask for information without Kenny being taken into custody, I guess it's a start. Hesitantly, I agreed to his notions. Eventually, this topic has come to a halt to which we resumed our breakfast. All I desire is that conflict doesn't arise to devastation.

When we finished, I sent a message to Jackson if he had Kenny's number. To be frank, I did try asking Kenny directly before, but he didn't seem fond of the idea of sharing yet for some reason. Now, I just really need to ask him if it would be alright for interrogation. I don't know if I'm doing the right thing. I don't know if Kenny would like the idea of being queried for the location of his parents. But, I made accordance to settle the dispute of this drug-dealing situation. After knowing what Jackson had told me. I just want to see Kenny and see if he's alright.