The Boy Who Made Flowers Sing

40 | Too High

Elena didn't know how involved she wanted to be with Kennedy anymore. When she was given the space to talk, she wouldn't open her mouth. Or when she was around her friends, she would intoxicate herself to the point that she couldn't comprehend a single word coming out of one's mouth.

Things got worse when her father, Tom, came back after his brief retreat out of the city. Surprisingly, he started drinking less and acting like a real father to Kennedy by dropping her off at places and making her lunches. But, she was still so uncomfortable around him, that she found it safer to sleep at Tarence's or Elena's.

But, it had been three months like this with Kennedy switching between Tarence and Elena's place. And for the past few weeks, Kennedy would sleep over only at Elena's since Tarence was busier.

The worst part was that Elena had to hide the fact that Kennedy was sleeping over from her mother and sister because Joel didn't know her daughter slipped out at night either. Kennedy would crawl into Elena's window late at night when her mother had gone for a shift at the hospital.

Kennedy and Elena wouldn't talk much though. It wasn't like two friends having a sleepover at each other's house. Rather, there was tension between them and Kennedy often was inebriated. Sometimes, Elena feared she would wake up in the morning and Kennedy wouldn't. The scariest part was that it wasn't an irrational fear and it could actually happen.

That's why Elena couldn't take it anymore. She had to stop her friend from hiding from reality every hour of the day.

Sometimes, Elena would offer her a pill and tell her it was recreational while it was actually a sleeping pill. It was the only way Kennedy could fall asleep so Elena could too. She felt bad for doing this to Kennedy, but she had no choice. Elena would watch her eyes close a few moments after taking the pill,  and she would crawl back into bed, relieved she could finally get some shut-eye.

The sun's bright rays were refracting through the window pane in her room, lighting up Kennedy's face from her left side. She was sprawled onto a purple bean bag with her eyes peacefully shut, breathing noiselessly. Elena stared at her in disbelief. She thought about how she and Kennedy had been great friends in elementary and middle school. After Kennedy's parents' started to fight in grade eight, things began to fall apart.

Elena shook her head. What had they become? Two souls that teetered between life and death, that tested the limits every day without question?

That's what Melissa did too. What bothered Elena for a long time was the reason why she died. Did she have a death wish too? Did she want to escape reality forever and hid that secret about herself from Elena? Or was Elena too blind to see all the signs? She shuddered and felt a pit in her stomach when she remembered the night before Melissa died. She worked so hard to remind herself she wasn't the reason her friend passed away, but guilt was a feeling that never truly went away. It always sneaked back and attacked when you were most vulnerable and on the edge of despair.

What if she wasn't seeing the signs with Kennedy either. Was she so oblivious despite being her friend for a decade? And if she didn't see the signs, would Elena be standing in all black, daring to peek into a coffin? Would she be looking at the emaciated corpse of her friend who was writhing in depression and could have been saved?  

"What's wrong," A croaky voice said.

Kennedy had woken up and was looking straight at Elena who was lost in thought, her eyebrows furrowed in concern.

"Hm?" Elena said suddenly. "Oh, nothing."

She gave her a small smile. "You want breakfast?"

"Nah," Kennedy yawned and stretched her arms up. "Tom's probably gone now. Gonna head home. See ya."