The Death Note

15 // Charlie

"Is this the house?" Dad asks, pointing towards the Wellford's house.
"Yup," I reply. It feels so good to come back here after a few months. I'm so close to seeing Liliana, and Heather and George. So close.
"This one? Are you sure?" Mum questions.
"Yes I'm sure Mum," I reply. I'm not likely to forget this house. It's all I've been thinking about for the last three months.
I walk up to the front door, and knock, a smile trying to push its way onto my face.
The door opens, and George opens it. When he sees us, he breaks into a huge grin, and I do too.
"Charlie!" He says, shaking my hand, "Good to see you again!"
"You too," I reply.
"These are your parents?" He asks.
"Yes," I reply, turning and beckoning them forwards. "Mum and Dad, this is George."
They all shake hands an then we go into the house, into the living room. Heather is on the sofa, and George joins her, with Liliana in a wheelchair by the side.
Liliana.
She looks so much better.
But so much worse as well.
She looks so much healthier than before, her hair is brushed, washed and tumbling down past her shoulders, her skin bright and healthy, and again, like the first time I saw her i think how beautiful she is. Not pretty, beautiful. But then... she seems more deeply depressed than before. Her eyes show it. They are dark and stormy, and even though I see her face light up a bit when she sees me (that makes me happy) she does look so dark.
"Hello Charlie, and, sorry what are your names?" Heather says, smiling and standing up.
"Oliver," Dad says, shaking Heather's hand.
"Ellie, but call me Els," Mum says, also shaking Heather's hand.
"Do sit down," Heather tells us.
My parents sit on the sofa with Heather and George and I sit on an armchair nearer Lily.
"Hi," I say quietly to her.
"Hi," she replies, also quietly.
"How have you been since we saw you last Charlie?" George asks.
"I've been great, thanks," I reply, "How have you all been?"
"Really good," He smiles.
"Good yes, thanks," Heather replies.
There's a slightly awkward silence, until Mum breaks it with a 'I-can't-think-of-anything-to-say-so-I'll-just-say-something-random' question.
"Do you both have jobs?"
I mentally facepalm. Why are parents so...ugh. I almost cringe.
"Yes we do," Heather replies, "I work as an accountant."
"I'm self employed, I own a book shop," George says.
"That sounds like hard work," Mum replies. I mentally cringe again. No mum, no. I look sideways at Liliana, and give her an awkward smile. She returns it.
"What do you do?" Heather asks my parents.
"I'm a primary school teacher," my mum says.
"I'm unemployed," Dad says.
"Nice," George smiles.
They get into a conversation, and I get a little bored, especially when they move onto talking about government and the economy.
I turn my body to face Liliana more.
"Happy to be home?" I ask.
"Suppose," she replies.
"It must be better than being in hospital all day."
"Yeah."
There's a pause, then I say, "Parents are boring, huh."
"Yep, you got that right."
"And embarrassing. God, my mum."
"My dad can be really bad sometimes," she laughs.
"They just don't get it," I smile. It's nice to see her laughing. Her whole face lights up, and her eyes.... Wow.
"The amount of times I have had to leave the room at a parents evening 'cause of Dad..." Lily smiles.
"Oh no, parents evening," I grin.
We keep chatting and laughing, and our parents keep chatting, until George pokes his head round the door and announces dinner time. I hadn't even noticed him go out to cook, I'd been so engrossed in talking to Liliana. It really makes me happy to see her, and even now she seems happier than when we arrived.

We go into the dining room, with me pushing Lily, and sit down to steaming bowls of spaghetti bolognaise with freshly made garlic bread.
"It's not much, but it'll do," George says.
"It looks delicious George," I assure him. It really does.
"I love spag bol," Dad says, licking his lips.
"Oh thank you," George smiles.
"Do tuck in," Heather tells us.
We all pick up our cutlery and begin to eat.
"Thanks Dad," Liliana says.
"Yes thank you, it's really nice," Mum agrees.
We all murmur our agreement.

* * * *

I lie in bed, on my back, thinking about, mainly, Liliana.
Her happy sadness as he sat at the dinner table, like she was happy to have us all there, but sad in general with life. Most people get that feeling at some point in life, but she had it bad. I do want to give her a hug and tell it'll be okay, but to be honest, I'm not sure she'd want me to do that. And I'd be too nervous.
After dinner we watched TV and chatted together, and then Liliana and I came up and sat in her room together. We talked a bit, but my mum didn't want to let me stay in there alone for too long. She's so overprotective. So I came to bed. I'm not really tired. Well, I probably am, just adrenaline or happiness or excitement at being back here has woken me up. Oh, I want to go back and talk to Lily.
My phone vibrates, and I pick it up. A message from Liliana. I smile.

Thanks for making me smile.

That's all it says. She's so sweet and nice. I really don't get why she is so depressed. I will have to find out some way, I need to get her out of it and happy again. She does not deserve to be like that. And... if she hasn't got any better since a few months ago, she'll be wanting to try and kill herself again. I can hardly bare to think it.
I reply with:

No problem! Sorry about my mum haha :)

And soon get another reply:

It's fine :) Are you in bed?

Charlie Sellham- Yeah...I was trying to sleep but that didn't really work out....

Liliana Wellford- So am I haha! I hate not being allowed to move around much by myself. I can't get out of bed :(

Charlie Sellham- Aw, it's for the best. When you can move again you won't regret staying still :)

Liliana Wellford- If I decide to stay alive that is, you got the note I sent a few months ago.

Charlie Sellham- Lily don't do that again. Please, for your parents, for me, for your friends, stay alive.

Liliana Wellford- They don't care.

Charlie Sellham- They do! I told you this when I last visited. Especially your parents. They love you loads.

Liliana Wellford- If you say so. Have you got Facebook?

Charlie Sellham- Yes I have!

Liliana Wellford- Have a look at my profile, see what everyone at school says.

I open Facebook, search Liliana Wellford, and up pops her profile. The profile picture is Lily aged about 13 sitting in a tree. It seems she hasn't changed it in 2 years. I scroll down a bit, and read some of the comments. None of them are seriously bad, but there are hundreds, and it's just the sheer amount of them, the small insults and horrible gossip and rumours, that gives me a lump in my throat. I can see now why she wants to quit life. As I get to the bottom of the page I see she's been enduring this for around two years. I feel a tear roll down my cheek, and wipe my eyes. I scroll back up to the top, request to be her friend, and go back onto messenger.
I understand why she feels as she does now.
And I want to help her get through it. Now more than before.

A U T H O R' S N O T E

They're back together WOOP WOOP 😊😋

My family are watching some freaky ghost thing so I'm trying to distract myself on here 😂

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Emma 🍄