The Double Life

chapter eight

Above photo: Jenn (left) and Andrea (right).

"ANDREA!!!" I yell, running up to her at the airport. I didn't realize how much I would miss her and Jenn until they were gone. That was the slowest month of my life, but it was definitely eventful.

Andrea runs and meets me in the middle. I hug her for a minute, and then see Jenn running up to me. I hug her too, and then we leave.

"So how was Panama City?" I ask them, turning out of the airport parking lot. Jenn starts to laugh.

"I got stung by a jellyfish and...." Jenn trails off, laughing too hard to continue. Andrea finishes the story for her.

"A hot guy had to pee on her to get the sting out." Andrea and I start laughing too.

"anything else interesting happen?" I ask, wiping tears from my eyes from laughing so hard. "I got a surfer's number. He's from there though so I won't see him that much." she says, pulling out her phone to show me a picture since we're at a red light. She hands me her phone. The kid was hot. And I mean like Zac Efron hot. "Damn Andrea good job!" I say, laughing and still ogling at the boy. I hand her her phone back.

"So what did we miss?" Jenn asks when I start to drive again. shit. Do I tell them about Jesse or Jace? I'm definitely not telling them about Connor. And I don't think jace would want them to know about the whole self harm thing. And jesse would kill me if they knew he cried.

"Jace and I went on a few dates... and I kinda let myself get close to him. But I've stayed away for a while." I admit sheepishly. Andrea and Jenn go silent, so I keep talking.

"I know I'm supposed to be treating him badly because of school. But he shared some stuff with me and I feel like I can help him because he's struggling." I say, turning into Andrea's driveway.

"It's okay. Its always better to help people." Andrea says, leaning over the Center console to hug me. she says thank you and gets out of the car. Jenn does the same. they leave for england tomorrow to visit some friends. I drive off, heading to Con's.

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"DAMMIT NATALIE NOT AGAIN!" Connor yells, throwing his controller as I beat him in Mario Kart for the ten millionth time since I got here an hour ago. I smirk. "One more game?" I ask.

"Nope. I need some dignity. So are you ready for school to start again?" Connor asks me, turning off the Wii. We were supposed to go back last week, but all of the pipes burst so we got another week off. Connor, Andrea, Jenn, and Jesse go to a different school.

"I guess. Going back to being a nerd for another month until graduation."

"I can't wait for you to tell Jace who you really are and bitch him out for being an ass to you when you're dressed like you are at school." Connor says, rubbing his hands together like an evil villain and making me laugh. He sits down next to me.

"So how's Tro..." I start, but I'm cut off by Connor's phone ringing. He pulls his phone out of his pocket.

"Hello?" he says, picking it up. I hear a voice on the other side of the phone and they have some urgency in their voice. Connor's face immediately pales and he hangs up the phone, dropping it onto the couch with his jaw hanging open in shock.

"Con?" I ask, sitting down on the couch and pulling him down with me. He turns and looks at me.

"Troye was in a car crash... it's probably fatal." He says emotionlessly. I immediately pull him in for a hug. he stays stiff as a board, his eyes not even watering. it doesn't look like its hit him yet.

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"Con, want me to drive you to the hospital?" I ask him. He just nods his head. He hasn't spoken since he got the phone call ten minutes ago. we head out to my car.

As Connor gets in, he gets a text message. he hands me his phone because he's shaking too hard to hold it. The text is from troye's mom, laurelle. it says:

laurelle: we'll be there in about 5 hours. Too bad this plane can't fly faster. Luckily we were coming for a visit anyway. how are you holding up? everybody is good except for Tyde over here. he's very upset. you might have to talk to him because he won't listen to anyone. not even steele.

I read the text to Connor. Tyde and Steele are troye's brothers. tyde is 15 and Steele is in his twenties. I've only met Steele once and don't know much about him. They also have a sister, Sage. she's 16. I think. I've never met her. I feel bad for tyde. I don't know how much Connor will be able to talk to him because Connors pretty shaken up too. I decide to text laurelle back.

Connor (me): hi laurelle! :) Natalie here. Connors too shaken up to type and he hasn't really talked to me since he got the call. would you mind if I tried to talk to tyde? He and I are pretty close and I don't think connors in the best shape to do it. I can take tyde back to my house after he sees Troye and talk to him for a bit. Could you ask him if that's okay?

I hit send and put on my seatbelt. I look over at Connor and see silent tears spilling over his lashes and down his cheeks. "Con. Talk to me." I say, turning my whole body to look at him. that's when he speaks for the first time since the call.

"I'm in love with Troye and now he's dying and there's nothing I can do and I don't know what to do with myself and what is gonna happen to me if he dies? he saved me from my depression and you're probably gonna freak out when you hear this but he saved me from suicide." Connor says all in one breath. he's sobbing now. I get out of the car and go around to his side of the car. I open his door and he gets out. I walk over to the grass and sit down. he does the same. I hold him while he sobs for about twenty minutes. I'm just so glad he's still here.

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Connor And I have been sitting in the ICU waiting room for about five hours. they wouldn't let us see Troye until his parents arrived. Laurelle texted me about ten minutes ago to tell me they landed and that I should talk to tyde.

Connors eyes are red and puffy and he's laying with his head in my lap, sleeping. I'm playing with his hair because I've seen Troye do it to soothe him before. we've been in this position for about two hours now.

Just then, Troyes parents, along with Steele, sage, and tyde, walk in to the hospital. tyde looks... horrible to be honest. his face is tear stained and his eyes are red and puffy. I go to wake up Connor, but laurelle tells me not to until after she and Shaun (Troyes dad) find out what's going on. I sit back in my chair and whisper greetings to Steele, tyde, and sage. they sit down next to me. well Steele and sage do. tyde goes to sit alone in the corner of the waiting room, crying softly. I look at Steele and he says,

"I don't know what to do. he usually always opens up to me. he won't talk, eat, or sleep." I shake my head sympathetically and then look down because Connor moved. his eyes are fluttering open and he gets embarrassed when he realizes he's on my lap, clinging to my hand in front of all of these people. I give him a reassuring look and he slowly sits up, nodding to Steele and sage.

Laurelle and Shaun come walking slowly out of the room. Connor jumps up and runs to them, anxiously waiting for the news that could save him or crush him. I'm either going to be celebrating with him or picking
Up the pieces.

Laurelle starts to cry and buries her face In Shaun's jacket. Shaun clears his throat and motions for me to come over. I stand next to Connor, grabbing his hand so he knows I'm here. he looks at me and then right back at shaun. Shaun finally speaks.

"He has 48 hours."

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A/n: SORRY IM KILLING OFF TROYE IM SORRY. it
Just went with the plot and it had to happen to keep the story going. lots of drama in Natalie's life... can she handle it?

Teaser for next chapter: Connors reaction to the news + Natalie's talk with tyde.