I Fell in Love with Hope - Lancali

“I–I never beat anyone up,” he says. My brows knit together, but C
keeps defending himself. “I’m his partner in class for reading–”
“Neo doesn’t lie.” I remember the ache in Neo’s face when he saw C
standing in the hall, so oblivious.
Neo is in and out of this place constantly. One day, not long ago,
when he came in with bruises all down his shoulder blades, a black
eye, and the wrist he likes to squeeze is broken. That day, he
wouldn’t talk to anyone, even me. We lay together in the dark. A
single tear rolled down his temple. I thought it was his father at first.
But now I’m not so sure. “You hurt him.”
“Yikes. Sorry, dude.” Sony plants her hand on his shoulder, tsking. “I
can’t be buddies with a bully. Maybe in your next life, you’ll be
likable. See ya!”
“Wait!” C calls out to both of us before we walk away. He swallows a
lump in his throat, confusion and memory morphing into a
realization. “Can I talk to him?”
—
C, I quickly find, is not unlike Neo. Whatever he’s thinking, it isn’t
said aloud. When someone talks to him, only half his attention is on
the words. The other half is lost, glazed over behind his eyes.
I don’t think it’s intentional ignorance. I think, like when he knocked
me to the floor and missed Neo’s clenching teeth and fists, he simply
doesn’t notice.
I lead him to Neo’s room, not only for Neo but also to feed that
selfish curiosity. I want to know what Neo didn’t say. I want to help
them. And something tells me the rest of the story lies in C’s side of
it.
He opens the door.