Lemon and Lime

【Cԋαρƚҽɾ 4: Dɾαɱα】

It's been two weeks since that incident. Now, it's April. Just one more month and it's the end of school. Helen and Toby haven't been in touch with each other since. Toby wanted to talk to Helen of course, but it was hard. He couldn't bring himself to do it.

Helen on the other hand, left Toby alone, waiting for him. He wanted to wait when Toby was ready to talk to him. He was afraid that if he bugged Toby, it may really end their friendship. He felt as if their friendship was dead, but he hoped that it wasn't. He missed Toby badly. Toby missed Helen as well, as much, if not, more than how much Helen had missed him.

Before lunch, Helen went to the nurse's office, claiming to not feel good and needed to rest at home. The nurse of course, let Helen leave, calling his parents to come pick him up.

When it was lunch, Toby tried to find Helen near their usual spot, since he'd often see Helen there, waiting for him. Toby wanted to apologize since they've been away from each other for too long. He wanted to make it up to him, not wanting to lose their friendship.

Seeing that Helen wasn't at their table, he sat there, eating his lunch, waiting for Helen to come. He waited, and waited, and waited... Helen still didn't come.

After lunch, Toby headed to class. Suddenly, the school called for hard lockdown. It wasn't a drill. The students huddled in a corner, away from the windows and doors. Toby tried to be as quiet as he could when it came to his Tourettes. He couldn't help it though.

Apparently, it was a school shooting. Gunshots could be heard literally everywhere. The shooting went on for hours, it was almost at the end of school. Finally, it was over, so was school.

Toby ran outside, going home in a rush. Once he arrived home, he rushed into his room, locking himself in, texting Helen.

'Helen, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you. I'm very sorry, please forgive me.'

'I hope I can make it up to you somehow.'

'I wanted to apologize in person, but I didn't see you at school today. Are you okay?'

'Also, there was a school shooting, you didn't get hurt, did you?'

'Hello?'

'Helen?'

'Are you okay?'

'Helen?'

Now, it was Toby's turn to worry for Helen. He was worried that Helen might've gotten kidnapped or shot before the school shooting, as to why he wasn't at lunch. He wanted to apologize to Helen in person so that it sounds sincere, more sincere than texts.

Then, someone knocked on the door. Toby froze, before he heard the familiar, kind, voice of his older sister, "Toby?" She asked. He went to the door, unlocking and opening it. She immediately hugged him. "Thank god you're okay! I heard there was a shooting at your school, I was so worried!" She said, he smiled and said, "Don't worry, I-I'm okay."

"How's your relationship with Helen?" Lyra said, "Did you apologize to him yet?"

"N-No.." Toby says, "I-I didn't s-s-see him at school t-today.. But h-he c-came yesterd-day.."

"Oh," She said, "Maybe he felt sick or something, I'm sure he'll be at school by next week!"

...

Next week, Toby didn't see Helen at school. Maybe his sickness was bad. At lunch, Toby texted Helen, asking if he was okay, or if he's sick. Helen didn't look or answer his messages, which made Toby sad. 'This was how Helen felt when I hung up on him without telling him anything, leaving him to worry all night.' Toby thought, 'Such a terrible feeling.'

Toby continued his week as normal as his school days got. He got bullied as usual, beaten up of course. They left him a black eye and a few bruises, which luckily for him, he couldn't feel the pain.

On the weekend, Lyra and Toby went on a drive. On the freeway, a truck crashed into them. The accident was bad. Someone called the police, and people stopped their cars and came to help.

"Ugh.." Toby muttered, then seeing his sister covered in blood, her head on the steering wheel, "L-Lyra?!" Toby says, unbuckling his seat belt, rushing to Lyra. "L-Lyra!" She looked at him, smiling.

"G-Get out Toby.." She says, "You need to go.."

"I-I can't l-l-leave you h-here!" He says, and she shakes her head, sitting up

"I'll be okay.. But you need to go right now." She said, pushing him. "Go."

Toby hesitated, but then left. Once he's out, she smiled, falling back on the steering wheel, dead.

The police and the ambulance came, putting victims on stretchers, rushing to the hospital. The police managed the accident area as the ambulance sent victims to the nearest hospital. The victims were sent to get treated. News came that some of them had died, which included Lyra Rogers, Toby's older sister.

...

Helen was feeling better. It was Saturday afternoon. He checked the news, seeing the car crash incident on the freeway. 'Breaking news: Car accident on freeway #####. Truck crashed into a car. There were many casualties, including the death of Lyra Rogers..'

Helen jolted out of the couch, turned off the TV, and drove to the hospital where Toby and Lyra were at.

Once he arrives, he meets the traumatized Toby, crying. Helen immediately ran up to him and hugged him. "T-Toby! You're okay!" Helen cried, Toby looking at him, smiling, "H-Helen.."

Toby continued to cry as Helen comforted him. It was hard for Toby, losing one of the only people who actually cared about him. Helen tried to comfort him as much as he could, trying to calm him down. Soon, Toby's mother came, taking Toby in her arms.

...

Helen stayed at Toby's house for the night, staying by his side. Toby was so caught up in the moment, he forgot to apologize to Helen about their argument from 3 weeks ago. Helen didn't seem to mind, though. As Toby's parents fought over Lyra's death, Helen kept Toby company, playing music in Toby's ears so he wouldn't hear his parents fight. Helen wrapped his arms around Toby, comforting him.

They didn't need to talk. They kept silent. Toby found it comforting and fell asleep at ease. Toby's parent's argument annoyed Helen though. He was mad that his parents fought at a time like this.

Helen fell asleep by Toby's side. They slept peacefully.