Another love

Chapter 2

I stare at the message, before I could even think about saying anything the bubbles popped up again.

'I think this is goodbye, friend.'

My heart sank in my chest. I grab my keys and leave as fast as I could.  Racing through the streets, I finally pulled up to a smaller house, I had spent almost everyday after school here, at one point it felt more like home than my actual home. I remember why I stopped coming over, I felt pieces of me shift the closer i got to the front door. it didn't stop me from rushing in. I open her door, the darkness nearly consumed every bit of the room. As I walked into the room, I noticed bottles hidden under the bed. I look up to the bed, she was curled in a ball, her body shaking. I moved closer, kicking a beer bottle which makes her jolt up and face me. Tears stained her face as more rolled down her rosy cheeks. She didn't have to say anything. I wrapped my arms around her, taking her by surprise but she quickly fell into them crying harder.

"I'm so sorry" she apologized in-between sobs. I felt like an asshole. She was really my only friend besides bee, allowing her to slip from my mind and seemingly not caring about her anymore. I forget that Bee's death affected a lot more than just me.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," I held her until sobs turned to whimpering and I knew she was sleeping. I stayed there all night, making sure she was going to be okay and that she didn't die. Morning came the sun shining threw her curtains, waking her up.

"You're still here?" her voice wavered.

"Yeah, I'm still here," she nodded in response, she got out of bed and ran to the bathroom. I get up to assist her. She was hunched over the toilet like a witch over her caldron. I have seen her like this before but not for awhile. It reminded me of our sophomore year, when Jillian threw her big end of the school year/birthday bash. I also remember her making me go and then leaving me for some random boy, and then her finding me by the end of the night and I took care of her.

"You can leave," her voice course.

"Do you want me to leave," I asked standing in the door-way of her bathroom as she cleans herself up. She drops her head and sighs.

"I obviously don't want you to go," her voiced changed, "but you probably don't want to stay," she turned to face me.

"lia," before I could get another word out, her mouth connected to mine. The minty toothpaste hitting me, for a second I thought about kissing back, just letting go for a few moments and allowing myself to be vulnerable with someone else. But reality set in and I knew it wasn't right. I back away from her embrace. Her face fell quickly as tears filled her eyes, she just stared at me.

"You never wanted me," a few tears fell down her rosy cheeks, "and it was okay, but god am I tired,"

"Lia, you're my friend, I know I haven't been the best one since the night that bee died, but god, you have always been my friend, I'm sorry, I've got to go," I made my exit heading down the stairs.

"Oh, Erin we haven't seen you in forever," her mom spotted me, making do a 180 and put on a smile.

"Hey jane, yeah it's been awhile," she stepped closer to me

"You look tired dear, are you okay?" her voice got low, she's always been protective of her family and me. It was nice to know someone cared about me enough to stick up for me.

"yeah, I just was heading home actually," the smile fell slightly from her face as she nodded.

"Don't be a stranger, ok?" I gave her a small smile as I made my way out of the house.

I pulled up into my drive way, seeing the red head frantically step out of the house and make her way to my car.

"Where did you go?" she asked as I stepped out.