Gamma Stellaris

Chapter 10

        Jared wheezed, trying to blink back tears. His shoulders were trembling as he tried to get his brain to work. Kassidy was lying lifeless on the floor in front of him, her eyes glassily staring up at the ceiling.

         "Wake up!" He hissed softly, shaking one of her shoulders. "Kassidy, please wake up!"

         All he could think to do was continue shaking her. 

         "Jared?" Brian asked softly, rushing over to kneel down beside him.

         "Wake up! Wake up, please!"

         "Oh my god! Jared, what happened?!"

         "Kassidy, please-"

          "Dude!" Brian hissed softly, grabbing Jared's shoulders and making him face him. "You need to calm down and tell me what happened."

         "W-We were looking for anything useful and- and-"

         Brian slowly sighed, placing a hand on Jared's shoulder. "Please don't hyperventilate. Let's get back to the classroom, okay?"

        "But Kassidy- she- I-"

        "Stop being such a baby about it." Kassidy said softly.

        Jared looked over to Kassidy in surprise, but she was still lying lifeless on the floor.

        "Over here, dufus."

        He glanced over and saw Kassidy standing against the wall.

        "How the-"

        "Dude, you've got to calm down. So what if that was a crappy way to go? You have no reason to be so upset about it, I was just in your way most of the time."

          "How could you say that?! You have to know that isn't true!"

          "Ummm..." Brian started softly.

        "I do have to say though, I always thought our shitty car would be what took me out." She said with a soft chuckle.

         "Why are you so calm about this?! You just died!"

          "And?"

         "Kassidy, please don't-"

         "Leave you? I'm already dead, dude."

         Jared let out a small sob, his trembling worsening.

          He and Kassidy had been together for everything his entire life. How was he supposed to just not have her around now?!

         "We should get back to the classroom." Brian whispered.

          "Not without Kassidy! We can't-"

          Kassidy arched an eyebrow. "You want to drag a corpse around? That won't traumatize our friends or anything."

         "I don't care! I'm not leaving you!"

           "Are you okay?" Brian whispered.

          Jared shook his head, wiping his face dry. "I-I just need to... we need..."

        Brian lightly pulled Jared to his feet, slinging an arm around him before leading him back toward the classroom.

        Jared's body was moving without him. How could he have let that happen?! He was right there! He could have descalated the situation before anything happened!

        "Stop beating yourself up." Kassidy whispered. "You couldn't have stopped that. Besides, I'm the one that started mouthing off."

         "You can't blame yourself!"

          "It's my fault!" She answered with a laugh. "I get it, it sucks. But I got what I was asking for, that kind of shit happens sometimes."

         "Don't try to justify this!"

         "Wh-Who you talking to?" Brian asked softly, his voice saying he was half afraid to even ask the question.

        Jared ignored him, wiping his face dry one last time as they made it to the classroom. He silently walked in, avoiding eye contact with everyone.

         "Hey, what's wrong?" Leanne asked softly, kneeling down beside Stefanie.

         Stefanie nodded. "Yeah, why do you look like someone died or something?"

         Brian clenched his jaw, motioning for them to cut it out as Jared physically winced at Stefanie's statement.

         "What's wrong?" Leanne whispered. "Where's Kassidy?"

         "Ummm... well... she sorta-" Jared could feel his lungs shrinking with every word.

         "Just rip the band aid off." Kassidy said softly. "They're gonna find out anyway."

        "She's-" He let out a small sputter, shaking his head. "I need to sit down."

          Leanne's eyes widened in understanding. "How could she be-"

         "Be what?" Stefanie asked.

        "Dead." Brian whispered.

         Just hearing that one word was enough to make Jared start sobbing again. He pulled his legs into his chest before placing his forehead on his knees.

        "Are you okay?" Leanne whispered.

        How could he let something like that happen to his sister?! 

         Oh god, how could he tell his parents what happened?! What were they supposed to think?!

        Kassidy had a promising future ahead of her! She had gotten accepted to a great college, got a few decent scholarships, and she was on the homecoming court. And sure the homecoming court didn't sound like a huge deal, but it was a big deal to her. Besides, she was the only junior in the school's history to get on the homecoming court.

        She was liked by everyone she met. She would have thrived at college.

        And now she'd never get to go.

        Leanne walked over and knelt down beside him, lightly placing a hand on his wrist. "Do you need anything?"

       Jared didn't answer, trying to calm down enough to not feel like he was going to pass out any minute.

         "Just leave me alone."

         "Jared-" Brian started softly.

        He shook his head. "Leave me alone!"