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Chapter 11

Alice walked into the break room reading the latest book. Only a few pages left. She walked directly to the coffee maker to make Matt his afternoon coffee. "Hello, beautiful." She heard from behind as two strong arms wrapped around her waist.

She dropped the book and turned around surprised. "Mike!" She said, putting her arms around his neck and hugging him tight. "What a surprise. What are you doing here? I thought we couldn't meet for lunch today."

"We can't. But I wanted to give you this." He said, pulling a single red rose from behind his back and handing it to her. "It's been one month since we met on that elevator." He said, placing a kiss on her cheek.

"A month already? Time has gone by fast." Alice said, smelling the rose.

"I know it's only been a month, but you've made me so happy. I can't explain it."

"I understand. I feel the same way."

"I'm dating such a beautiful, smart, young woman." As he said this her phone vibrated, it was Jeremy.

"Weird, it's Landon's roommate. Hello?" She answered.

"Alice, it's Jeremy. They found him. They found Landon." He sounded somber, not excited as she expected with this news.

"What is it, Jer?" She held onto the counter.

"He's dead. They found him dead in a sleazy motel downtown. Apparently he killed himself!"

"What? No! It can't be!" She dropped the phone and Mike picked it up. He guided her to a chair.

"What happened? Is everything ok, Alice?"

"No, it's Landon. They found him. He's dead. I need to go to his parent's house." She said, looking at him for reassurance.

"Yes, go! Call me later if you need anything, okay. No matter how late it is." She kissed him briefly and ran out of the break room.

On the way out she crashed into Keith and Casey. "Keith! I need to go. Landon, my... my friend, they found him. He's dead."

"Oh my God." Casey said. "So young, didn't you guys date for like a long time?"

"Yes, he was still my friend." Alice said, annoyed.

"Go, I'll let Matt know. Take all the time you need. And be careful on the road." Keith said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you, Keith. I appreciate it." On the way to Landon's parent's house she tried calling her parents, but the tears on her eyes wouldn't let her see. She tried concentrating on the drive. As she got there, her phone vibrated, it was her mother. "Hello? Mom?" And she started crying.

"Oh, sweetie. You heard?"

"Yes, I just got here to his parent's house. I don't know what to do, what to say. I just thought that the right thing to do was to come here."

"We are almost there if you want to wait for us so you don't have to go in by yourself, okay?"

"Okay, thank you. I'll wait for you." As she waited she remembered all her times with Landon. When they announced to their parents that they were dating, how happy they got. Their first date, they went to watch a really bad movie. She was nervous the whole time, and when he put his arm around her in the theatre her heart wanted to jump out of her chest. Their first I love you, right after their first big fight when she found him flirting with a cheerleader. She couldn't believe he was dead. He was gone.

"Sweetie, are you ready?" Her mother knocked on her window as they walked to the driveway. They hug outside the house before ringing the doorbell. The maid opened the door and showed them in. They could hear murmurs and crying coming from the living room.

When they entered, everyone went silent and stared at Alice. "You! This is your fault!" Laura said, getting up from her chair and pointing at Alice.

"Laura, what are you talking about?" Julia asked, looking around the room confused.

"Your daughter killed my baby boy. Might as well have killed my husband too, they just took him to the hospital."

"Laura, I'm so sorry." Alice said, crying. "Why are you blaming me?"

"Don't you dare. You drove him to kill himself! He was fine until you broke his heart. You stomped on it and didn't care. I've heard you are already sleeping around."

Alice covered her mouth and looked at her mother. "Laura, they had broken up a year ago. We saw him before he disappeared and he seemed fine, happy about his internship." Carl said, putting his arms around his wife and daughter.

"He always thought he still had a chance. We all thought it, even you two. But that night she told him there was no chance, ever, that they would get back together."

"Laura, I..."

"Shut up, I don't want to hear anything come out of your mouth. I wish you were dead. Get out of my house."

"Please, Laura." Alice begged.

"Now! Get out before I kill you myself!" Laura said, slapping her.

Julia and Carl pulled Alice out of the house quickly. "Let's go. Do you want to go home tonight?" Julia asked, stroking her face.

"No, I'll be fine. Laura will be fine, it's just the shock of it, you know. Maybe I am to blame." Alice said, wiping her tears.

"No, this wasn't your fault. You don't know what was going through his mind, honey. This is not your fault. Don't blame yourself." Carl said, hugging her. "If you need anything just come home. Okay?"

"I will." They said goodbye and Alice got in her car. She checked her phone and saw a message from Mike and a missed call from Patrice. She called Mike.

"Hello?"

"Hi." Her voice trembled.

"Come over. I'll send you the address."

"Okay."