Crystal Lies Read Free Page B

couldn’t do it.
    That’s when I realized I had no desire to spill my sorrows in front of total strangers, or anyone for that matter. And as I looked around at the faces that were watching me, intently waiting for me to say something, I knew that Geoffrey would call these people “losers.” And, despite my attempt to remain nonjudgmental, I suppose that was how I saw them too. I ended up saying very little and leaving early. Then, as if to spite my efforts at getting some much-needed help, I came home to discover Jacob sitting on the sofa in the family room, eating a bowl of Rocky Road ice cream and watching a rerun of
The Simpsons
. His hair was wet, from either a shower or a swim, and he looked tan and healthy and was justsitting there laughing at Homer Simpson’s stupidity and acting as if everything were perfectly normal. I suppose it was, for him.
    “Where have you been?” I demanded as I threw my purse onto a chair.
    “Sorry, Mom.” Jacob tossed me that old smile, the one that used to work when he wanted something simple like cookies hot from the oven or “just one more” video game before dinner.
    “Do you know how worried I’ve been?”
    “Yeah, Dad filled me in.” He rolled his eyes.
    “You’ve already talked to Dad?”
    He scowled. “No, as usual Dad talked to
me
. Like you could call it that. It was more of a sermon or lecture. We all know that he never listens to anyone.”
    “Well, he was worried too.”
    Jacob laughed in a cynical way “Yeah, you bet, Mom. Believe whatever you like.”
    I sat down in the chair across from him now. “He
is
worried, Jake. We’re both worried. We know you have a… a problem. We know you need help.”
    “I’m”
fine.
His eyes narrowed now. “I just need people to be a little more understanding is all. I’m going through some stuff. And I’m trying to sort it all out. I needed some time and space to just think about it.”
    “But you’ve been gone since Friday.” I shook my head, forcing myself to remember exactly what had happened, even wondering why I’d been so upset and worried. One thing I knew by then was how my son had become an expert at changing the subject or throwing up smoke screens. “I’ve called your friends—”
    “Who did you call?” he demanded.
    I listed off a few kids who had been good friends before Jacob had started to change.
    “They aren’t my friends,” Jacob said quickly.
    “Well, those were the only numbers I knew to call.” I sighed. “You won’t even say who your friends are anymore. You hardly talk to us at all.”
    “Because you’re always putting me through this kind of crap. It’s either a lecture or the Spanish Inquisition.” Then he cursed.
    “Please, don’t use those kinds of words in this house.” I gave him my automatic response to his occasional use of unacceptable language.
    “It’s just a stupid word, Mom.”
    I took in a deep breath and closed my eyes. What had we just been talking about? Oh, yes, my missing son. “But this is the deal, Jacob. You’ve been gone since Friday.” I used my fingers to count. “That’s four days. And since today is Monday and you obviously missed school—”
    “I did
not miss
school,” he roared back.
    I blinked. “You went to school today?”
    “Yeah. I knew I’d better not get another unexcused absence if I want to graduate this spring.”
    Well, that was something, I told myself. At least he still cared about graduating. Although it was hard to understand exactly why he cared since he’d given up sports last year and had begun attending an alternative school during his senior year. That was only after the school counselor convinced all of us that Jacob might “perform better away from the restrictions of the more traditional campus.” Whatever was that supposed to mean? Was it simply their way of getting him out of their hair? Was it a mistake for us to agree to it? After all, everyone in town knew what the alternative school was all about.
    I