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“Can you at least answer a question for me?”
He waited to hear what I was going to ask before he would agree to even that one small thing.
“Can you at least tell me if he's okay or not?”
“Yeah, he'll live.”
That wasn't what I asked, but it was probably the best answer that he was going to give me. I was now left to wonder what in the world was going on and why he had some kind of bodyguard/police officer outside of his house. What had happened?
I started the car back up and drove away because I have been told to. The guy had not been someone that I would even dream about going against. He was someone that was used to being listened to.
My mind was racing, and all I could think about was Dennis. Was he hurt so bad that he couldn't answer the phone, or was he ignoring my calls? I couldn't say which one was worse.
* * *
When I didn't seeDennis for all of the next week, I started to believe that the attack on him was far worse than I could have imagined. I didn't want to believe that something horrible could happen to him, but what other reason would he have for being out of class so long? And then he didn't go to a football game, a very important one with the college rivals. He would not have missed that, if he had an option to do otherwise. That was probably the most telltale sign for me. It had nothing to do with what I had been told, but what he had missed that he never would have if he had an option.
I went back to his house twice, and both times the same bodyguard was there, and I didn't even stop. His expression made it clear that no one was allowed anywhere near Dennis. My mind came up with all sorts of reasons, one of which was that he was disfigured horribly and that was why he was hiding. I didn't care, though. I just wanted to make sure that my friend was alright. I still called day in and day out, hoping that he would answer. For two weeks he didn't answer and then all of a sudden, he did. I was actually quite surprised when I heard his voice, because I had been so convinced that I wouldn't.
“Dennis? God, it is so good to hear your voice. I was starting to think that you had fallen off the face of the planet.”
“It sure the hell feels like it.”
“What happened? Are you okay? No one will tell me anything and I’m so worried about you. If that goon that is outside wasn’t so big, I would be able to get past him and see you.”
“Jeffrey? He’s not a goon. He’s actually a good guy that probably saved my life. He’s the one that found me.”
“Found you? What’s going on?”
I was clueless and I was trying to figure it out, but for whatever reason, he didn’t want to talk about it. He asked me how I was and I kind of bitterly chuckled. “Seriously, you want to know how I am?”
He agreed and when I thought to say something rude, I stopped myself. He was the one that had had a horrible time of it obviously. He would tell me when he was ready, so I asked him if there was anything I could do to help.
“No, I think I’ve got this. I don’t want to get you into anything.”
“What does that mean?”
He didn’t say anything, pausing for an unnaturally long time, and I waited for him to say or do something. He had to have an answer, because I honestly didn’t have one.
“It doesn’t mean anything, Kimberly. I just wanted you to know that I was okay. I will be back in class soon. You don’t have to keep checking on me.”
“Oh, okay.”
I tried not to let my voice shake, but it was hard not to. I knew that he was upset about something, but I wanted to help him. He needed my help. Even though he said that I should stop checking on him, I was now more convinced than ever that I needed to. Something wasn’t right and I was going to find out what it was.
I had never been one to listen when someone told me what to do and I wasn’t about to start now!
