January's woes

Derrick was a bit peeved that Josie wasn't picking up on her cell. Anyway, he did finally make it home, and he thought he heard something.

He went to wake up Max.

"Shh..." Derrick was as quiet as he could be.

He knew it. Asa was talking.

"I think he's going crazy." Derrick told Max who was half asleep.

"No, he's not." Max whispered back as he rose up on his elbows. "Where were you?"

"Shh..it doesn't matter." Derrick sighed. He could take care of himself. Just their luck Asa was going off the deep end.

"Let Asa, alone, if it helps him, to talk to Amanda, then let him." Max winced hard that it was Derrick with the problem.

Derrick rolled his eyes.

"Do you want to live with Dad?" Max made it sound like a warning. That was the other alternative.

Derrick shook his head, no. There were options. His older brother still lived close by, but he didn't want to change schools now.

"Are you, OK?" Max asked about Josie.

"We're..fine." He didn't say that they were losing touch. He knew it was his fault. He wasn't always kind to be around. And yes, he'd been a jerk, lately to everyone. It was as if this whole thing was a mistake, getting mixed up with Josie. He knew it. She knew it, but neither really wanted to talk about it.

Derrick felt awful sad. Suddenly a dark emotion over took him. He felt as if he couldn't grieve enough or correctly. He felt so numb.

"You really think, he can feel her presence?" Derrick didn't believe in ghosts.

"Yes." Max's voice cracked. "I can feel it some times, too. I do."

Derrick laid next to Max. They were both crying. He didn't want to feel this way. "Can I sleep here tonight?"

Max nodded. He turned away from Derrick. For a moment Derrick wanted to reach for his cell to text Ian, but he didn't.