Finding Family

Chapter 16

*unedited*

Briar POV:

I survived my first my week of private school. It went surprisingly smoothly, Potter definitely helped. We had quite a few lessons together and hung out every lunch.

Sometimes, when I'm with him I forget that I was ever without him, I forget that some day soon I'll have to go back to being without him and even though it's only been a week, I don't think I could survive that.

Then there's Mia and her nightly hot chocolates that she brings to me before bed, without being asked, without awaiting a thank you from me. I don't think she even knows how much those hot chocolates mean to me, how much their warmth and sweetness heals my soul.

And Gabby, the way she looks at me with so much...pride? Love? As if me surviving another day at that school is some kind of world record achievement. No one's ever looked at me that way.

Except Lila. But she's gone now.

I lay awake. Again. I haven't slept since my first night here, every night I stay awake until the sun reappears, clutching onto the mug of hot chocolate, even once I've drained it of all liquid. Just to feel some warmth, some comfort as my tired eyes fill with salty tears and I beg them not to fall.

I'm so alone
No you're not.
Yes I am
You have Mia and Gabby and Apollo.
For another week maybe

I think it's the exhaustion, but sometimes I feel like this could be my home forever. Sometimes it feels like I've found my family, my parents, my forever friend. But then again I haven't sleep in over a week so I'm probably hallucinating or something. Wouldn't be the first time.

A beam of sunlight peaks out from behind my curtains, I lessen my tight, almost painful, grip on the mug and wipe my leaky eyes. It took a while for my limbs to move, for them to be able to brace my weight as I attempt to make it to the bathroom, but I managed. I always do.

Once I had gotten ready for school, I slumped downstairs and ate Gabby's home cooked feast of a breakfast. I was moving slowly, I could tell, but no matter how much my brain screamed at my arms to move at a normal pace, they were just far too heavy.

I saw the worried glances shared between Gabby and Mia but I didn't care, I didn't have the energy to care, to pretend like I'm fine. So I let them worry in silence and ignored all their attempts to talk to me.

Like slow motion I arrived at school, still trapped in a daze of zombie-like exhaustion and unable to get myself out of it.

"You look like shit" Apollo exclaimed when he saw me, his voice sprouting some energy into my veins as I rolled my eyes at him. "Thanks Potter" I replied sarcastically.

"No seriously, are you ok? You look...dead" Apollo said, squinting at me as he brought his face closer to mine, as if examining me, I pushed him away playfully and dragged him by his wrist to history class.

* * * *

I was at lunch when the world started spinning around me. Sounds all blurred together before disappearing completely, colours mixed into a swirl and the world span faster and faster and faster.

I think I could hear Apollo's frantic voice but I couldn't reply even if I wanted to. I tried to stand, it took an abnormally long time, but once I succeeded in doing so everything just got worse.

My head blazed up in pain, my ears began to ring and the spinning world turned dark.

I jumped awake, taking in deep shallow breaths.
I didn't mean to fall asleep.
Why did I let myself fall asleep?
Did he do anything?
Ddi he come home?
My breathing quickened as my chest began to ache and sobs racked my body.
I didn't mean to fall sleep.
My panic grew and my breathing stopped all together.
I didn't mean to fall asleep.