A/N
Sadness alert! This chapter will make you cry. You have been warned.

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I'm currently in Dave's car on the way to an empty house, since my mother is still at work. I thought it'd be harder to skip school but these past few days has proven otherwise. So much for the prison impression.

Now I don't know what to do. I feel like my brain has been chucked a load of information it can't carry. I kinda feel like a zombie at this moment. My heart feels heavy. My eyes are drooping but I don't want them to close. I know what happens when my mind relaxes ... It begins to process everything. I haven't let it done that since my dad died. The last time it tried ... it didn't go so well. I still remember my mother kneeling in front of me, asking me for forgiveness.

In an attempt to redirect my thoughts, I look over to Dave's shadows across his face. They look like they're fighting for his attention. Was he telling the truth? Did he really like me all those years ago? Is Dave gay? I would like to ask him but I have a feeling that if I do, I'd be in a one-sided argument.

I glimpse my house ahead so I guide my thoughts into maybe think of trying to complete homework as a distraction. I can't imagine what my history teacher must be thinking, what all of my teachers are thinking.

What about other students? What do they think after seeing a silent Dave drag me out of the school and away in his car? It seems like being with Dave has just brought the situation from my primary school along with him. Yes. Dave knows. He knows about my dad. But I wonder if he remembers. Who could forget? The boy who murdered his own father.

The car stops and Dave hops out the car to get over to my side. He opens my door and waits for me to get out. I don't look at him. I don't want to see the hurt I know is there. I didn't mean for it. I stand up and walk ahead of him to my front door.

Normally, I would make a joke about him bringing me to my door just like the end of a first date but I think that would just bring more hurt.

I dig in my pocket for my keys and unlock the door. This sad door that I remember so dearly. I touch the wood and feel how worn it is with the many dents from guests or door salesmen. I remember a few knocks in particular. My mother had opened the door and cried for every one of them.

"Thanks for bringing me home, Dave, but I'm fine to be alone now." I glance over my shoulder at him and notice his back is small for some reason. "Dave?"

I look down at my feet that are half a metre above my front step and I'm still going up. I look above me and see dark sky from the beginning storm. There is nothing to stop me from touching those dreary clouds so high above in the air. I look back at Dave's back as my heart follows the way of gravity. I reach my hand out to him as my only attempt for help. No words think to utter themselves to save me.

A thought enters my mind. A familiar type of thought I had to hear constantly for an entire year. Would he even save me? Would anyone? Am I even worthy?

Dave.

He finally turns around and sees me. He sees my real face. Immediately, his body jerks forward to grab hold of me and drag me down to his warm embrace.

"Please don't let me go, Dave. I don't like this hurting. I don't want to die just yet. Please, Dave, don't let me go. Not in front of you," I stumble, my words racing with my heart.

"Are you a cat? Of course I'm not going to let you die, idiot Jackie. Just calm down, okay? I've got you," he assures me.

A sob releases from my throat into his shoulder and all at once, my body begins to shake. He squeezes me tighter and rubs my back. After a few seconds, he lets one arm around me loose.

"Wait!" I protest.

"Calm down, I'm just opening the door to get you inside safely," he explains softly to the frightened being in his arms.

He takes small steps with me into my house then closes the door behind us. Even inside, he doesn't let me go of his grip. And I don't want him to either.

Against the comfort of my body, I try to pull away from him. All I'm thinking about now is his feelings. It's just cruel to make someone watch you fall apart. It hurts that person and scars them for life while you move on and forget about it completely. You only remember about what you were going through. No one ever thinks of the person with them.

That person will tell themselves constantly that they were there to help and comfort you through the hard times but there's still that blame that falls on your shoulders from them. It's all your fault for exposing them to this hurt. Then they fall apart in front of you and the cycle continues. It's a dumb blame game.

"Dave, let me go."

"But-"

I shove him off of me then race upstairs to my bathroom and lock the door. I won't let him see my crying face. I won't let him see me as I was a year ago. I never want to show this face to anyone again.

"Don't show them your crying face."

The familiar voice. My eyes shoot to the mirror above my basin. I scramble to the porcelain bowl and stand directly in the centre of that mirror. I lift my hands and hook my fingers into the corners of my mouth.

"Instead, show them a smile~"

I yank my fingers up so my mouth forms a broken smile.

"That's it, Jackie. A smile so big, you can hide everything behind it. Even happiness."

My face looks horrible. Snot and tears run down my pathetic excuse for a smile. My smile will help me protect others. In this way... I can be Space Man.