Two Sides of the Same Coin Lams College AU {Mature} {Completed}

Chapter 22 ⚠️

A/N: Questions, s'il vous plaît. I just realized that y'all have had two cutesy chapters. I feel like it's time for some depressing shit. Also, happy birthday, Alex! (1/11/2021)

⚠️ TW: suicide, self-harm ⚠️

John's POV - Saturday, February 27, 2021, 3:19 pm

I was playing with Philip when my phone began to ring. I picked it up and looked at the caller ID. It was Harry. Confused, I pushed Accept and held the phone up to my ear.

"Hey, Harry, what's up?"

"J-John?"

He'd been crying, I could tell. "Harry, what happened?"

"It's M-Mary."

Mary was our cousin in South Carolina. She had taken care of us for a few weeks following our father's arrest, before we had moved in with the Mulligans. My breath hitched.

"What's wrong with Mary?"

"John, sh-she... She killed herself."

My heart nearly stopped. "What?"

Harry broke down. "I... she... F-Freddy just called M-Mrs. Mulligan."

A/N: Freddy was her husband.

"Does Martha know?"

"Y-yeah. She's not d-doing so well."

"Hang on. I'm coming over."

"J-John, are you sure-"

"You two need me. I'll be right there." I pulled the phone away from my ear. "Alex, I'm going out for a little while. Watch Phil."

"Okay!"

I grabbed my keys and raced out the door, running as quickly as I could. I hailed a cab and told the driver the Mulligans's address. As soon as I got there, I paid the cabbie, jumped out of the car, rushed up the steps, unlocked the door, and burst into the living room, where Mr. and Mrs. Mulligan, along with my distraught siblings, sat on the couch. I sped over and gathered my siblings up in my arms, where they buried their faces in my shoulders and sobbed. I looked at the Mulligans, tears in my eyes.

"I... I don't understand."

Mrs. Mulligan smiled kindly. "None of us do, John. Not even Freddy."

"I just..." I carefully released my siblings's grips. "I need to go."

Martha looked up at me. "Jacky?"

I tried not to be bothered by the nickname. "Yeah?"

"I don't want you to go."

I looked at her. "Martha, I have to. I have to go back to school.

Henry chimed in. "I don't want you to go, either."

"Guys, I have to"

"John, they're right. You can't leave right now, It wouldn't be healthy," Mr. Mulligan said. "You need to be with your family."

"I have no choice!" I cried. "I'm out of days. If I miss any more classes, I'll have to repeat the year."

"But Jacky, we need you!" Martha sobbed, clinging to my side.

I sighed. "Let me make a call."

~~~~~~~~~~

Alex's POV - Saturday, February 27, 2021, 4:55 pm

"Hey, John, what's up?" I asked after picking up the phone.

"Hey, d'you think Martha and Harry can stay with us for a little while?"