Chasing Sunsets

21

I was moving towards him before he finished saying her name.

Instantly, my mind thought the worse. What does he mean by it's Bella? Was she hurt? Was she injured? Did something happen to her?

Asher barely waited for me, as soon as I was close to him, he turned around and bolted out of the door. I followed him, my feet quickening pace to match his. My mind was in a sheer state of panic, wondering what the hell had happened to the only friend I had left.

I didn't have to wonder for long though, because I heard her voice before I saw her. Or, I should say I heard her screams. They tore through me, piercing me with the pain that was echoing through them.

Asher reached her before I did, but he didn't go directly to her. He stopped a few feet away from her, his arms raised in front of him like he was worried what she might do. I stopped too, glancing around quickly at the crowds of people that were around us. They were pretending like they weren't paying attention, pointedly looking away, but sneaking glances every few seconds.

My heart dropped to the floor as I looked at my best friend. She was standing in front of Isla's locker, tears streaming down her face, leaving black makeup on her skin. She was moving frantically, chaotically as she ripped the decorations from Isla's locker, her sobs and breaths mixing together until they formed as one.

"She fucking hated daisies! She hated them," Bella cried out, throwing the false flowers to the floor. "Anyone who knew anything about Isla KNEW she hated daises!"

I moved closer to her, my own eyes watering as I felt the pain radiating from my best friend. I could feel how bad she was hurting, I could feel the pain as if it were my own. Just like how it's been the last month, our emotions were tied together. When she cried, I cried. When I screamed in frustration, she did too. When I felt empty, I know she felt the same.

"Bella," I whispered, raising my hand to touch her shoulder. "It's okay."

She flinched as I made contact, shrugging my hand away, before she turned and looked at me. Her eyes, I have no words for them. They were pained and wild, darting around with quick movements.

"It's not okay, Indie!" She screamed at me, closing her eyes for just a second. "It's not okay! They don't even know her. They didn't know anything about her. Look at this, look! I'll miss you in Chemistry, Isla," she read from one of the notes, holding it close to her face before she crumbled it into a ball and discarded it on the floor. "They didn't even know her! They don't miss her, Indie! They don't miss her, don't you see that? They don't miss her, we do."

Bella let out a sob, turning back towards the locker and continuing to pull the flowers off. "Anyone who knew Isla knew that she liked yellow sunflowers! It's the only flower she liked!"

"I know, Bella," I moved my hand back to her shoulder, sighing in relief when she didn't shrug me off this time.

"They don't miss her, Indie," Bella said, her voice falling soft once again. She turned towards me, before she flung her arms around my neck, holding on to me tightly. "They don't know what it's like to miss her. It hurts so badly."

I wrapped my arms around her, gently rubbing against her back. My own tears were falling now, my own sobs stuck in my chest. "I know it hurts, Bella, I know it does. It hurts me too."

"I don't know how to exist without her," Bella muttered into my ear, and she began to fall towards the ground, pulling me with her. I didn't hesitate to follow her, collapsing onto the ground with her. We held each other tightly the whole time, not separating ourselves for even a second.

Bella didn't say anything else, she just cried into my hair. I only rubbed her back, hopefully letting her know that I was there for her. I'd always be there for her, just like she would always be there for me.