Addicted to Green

CHAPTER 4

NAVINA

I walk along the edge of the cliff. The ruble fell and went into the water below. Thara died today... committed today. October third, 2020. She jumped off this very cliff. My hands grip the metal bar that stops me from jumping. If I jumped would it hurt? Did tara die in pain? Was our friendship not enough for her to keep going? Did she think about how her actions might have affected other people who love her? Did she even know I loved her? Or does her father love her? How did her mother love her before she killed herself? The waves crash against the rock at the bottom. The police didn't find her body until two weeks later. She was found bloody broken and ... well dead. I saw the tarp covering her face and body. I remember that day like it was yesterday. FLASHBACKI walk into my room dropping my bag on the floor and sigh as I grab my remote and turn on the TV that's hung on my wall. I go about doing what I was going to do which was take off my makeup but the female new reporter's voice makes me turn. "Thara Greenwood was found dead in the ocean."My eyes widened and my stomach dropped. Tears spring in my eyes, feeling the heat as I drop on the floor holding my stomach and covering my mouth as a sob racks through my whole body. "Thara." I cry out "No thara" I start sobbing tears racking down my eyes and sobs rack through my whole body as my heart sinks. I see the police or whoever cover her body with a tarp her long wavy black hair getting closed. Her skin is paler than pale and it looks discolored "God. no!" I cry out. "Honey, what's happening are you okay?" I hear the knocks on my door and my mom's voice booms. I cry more the sound of not being able to stop my mom opens the door my dad closes behind her. They frown. "What's wrong honey, are you okay?" my mom asks as she comes to me and hugs me tight. "Thara.'' I point to the screen. My dad looks at his black hair mussels turning with his blue suit. "Oh, honey. Oh, I'm so sorry Nav." my dad speaks coming to me as well hugging me from behind. I wrap my arms around my mom and cry into her shirt. "She's dead" I speak quietly. "She can't be.... Oh my god no, no," my tears pool, and I can't help but cry. Sobs racks through my whole body I can't help it. I couldn't stop it... Hurt is all I felt. I will never see Thara my best friend ever again. I won't be able to see her big blue eyes her awestruck smile. I won't hear her voice I won't smell in her scent. I won't be able to see her ever again. To huf her ever again.END FLASHBACK Tears sting the backs of my eyes. I try hard to fight them but it's hard. Thara's gone. I feel a tear roll down my face and I use my hand to wipe it away. I miss her so goddamn much. She always brightened my day when my dad was out of town on a job. I never know if he's going to come home and she always helped. She was always with me cheering me up. We always had such a great time when we were together. We were together a lot. We faked so we could be in all the same classes. She didn't even make it to grade ten."You okay?'' I hear a deep voice boom from behind me and I recognize it immediately. Caden. "You look a little... well suicidal if I put it gently."That's not gentle. I turn to see the cadet's face. If I was seeing correctly it looks like he's empathetic to me right now. He looks worried. I'm worried. I must be going blind. "What are you doing here?" I asked holding my hand to my chest and frowning startled as I didn't hear him. This guy is like a lion or whatever animal that's stealthy"Walking," he says vaguely "Walking at ten at night?" I was not convinced. I feel him come closer. His hands slid on the cold metal as well. I look at his hand all pale and veiny and corded with rings and... scars? White thin scars cover his knuckles... as well as a couple looking fresh cuts from last week I saw. We haven't talked only briefly when in class. Not outside of class. I did see him around but we never spoke.''You didn't answer my question." he then said. I turn to look at him. His profile again like on the tarmac. The little light shining from the street light shines and brightens his abnormally high cheekbones and strong jaw. His angular thick black brows. His long lashes. Jeez can this guy get any more perfect? His lip cut is gone and the bruised eyes on his left eye are not right so I can't see it but I don't think it's there anymore since I did see him earlier today in class. It's a Friday again and he showed up. One thing I'm beginning to notice is that he's not that much of a schooler goer. He only comes like 3 times a week maybe 4 on a good day. "I'm fine," I say more persistently as the grip tightens on the bar. "You know when someone says 'there fine' there not fine," he mentioned quietly. His voice is soothing like the wind and vibrates like the waves below us. "Well, I don't lie.'' Okay, that was a whole swarm of lies. I shrug it off. Whatever. It's not like he never lied to me before. And what is he even doing out here?"Oh my?" he then asks I turn again and he's smirking. "What?" I then ask as he turns to me as well. "Well what are you doing out here?" he asks. Oh just visited the place where my best friend killed herself. Nothing much. For comedic purposes, I want to say that. For sanity and not exposing myself I don't say that. "Couldn't sleep so I started walking," I mention. "Mhm," he hums in response. "And why are you out here mister truth?" He chuckles deeply "Mister truth?" "Don't deflect. Why are you out here?" I then question back. "Same." "And why couldn't you sleep?'' I wonder as I turn to look at the waves. He chuckles. Why is he chuckling exactly? "Why couldn't you"I freeze "Fine. We won't tell each other then." I say sighing as I push back off the metal and start walking in the direction of my house. I hear his footsteps behind me. "Why are you out here all alone?" I hear him walking from behind me speaking. "Because I can be." "Your parents trust you and well... People in general, enough to let you walk outside in the dark?" he questions."Well my mom is sleeping," I mentioned not sure why I even answered. "And you dad?" he asks. "Out of town, "I say vaguely. I know he wants to ask why or for what so I answer before he can ask "his work takes him around the world... he's like Aaron Hotchner." I say not saying what he does. "Aaton hotchner? As in FBI Aaron Hotchner." he wonders, his voice sending shivers down my neck as I continue walking through the little park walkway. I turn abruptly almost giving me whiplash and a hard headache. "You know criminal minds?" I asked wide-eyed, staring into his pale as-sin eyes that faded in the darkness as for the rest of his black attire, almost losing my cool and forgetting what I was earlier thinking about. And what the date is. He shrugs "ya. I watched it." I widen my eyes and squeal. "Oh my god! Caden whatever whatever you are now my favorite person!" I squeal as I walk over to him and hug him tight. I notice he freezes and doesn't do anything. Almost in a flinching way. "Sorry, not a hugger. Got it" I say, pulling away. "Just um got excited." I shrug. A faint smile dances on his lips and I enjoy it. He never really smiles. "for someone who watched criminal minds?" he asks with a cocked brow.I nod eagerly "No one and I mean no one I know, knows the show or watches it." "Mhm" he hums and we continue walking alongside each other. We walk in the middle of our street, the light shining on us.We talk for the rest of the time about random things. Criminal Minds and other shows we both watched. Can you believe Caden watched The Vampire Diaries? And the Arrowverse series! I'm in heaven right now. Yes, I'm shell shocked too...."You are seriously perfect," I say as we get to the sidewalk to my house. He chuckles lowly but doesn't say anything as he looks down. "Well, I should" I point to my house. "Get going." my smile graces my lips. He nods and I look down. "Thank you, for this," I whispered to him. "For what?" he asks and I look up at his very grey very deep eyes. "For... you know." I smile lightly. "You were thinking about jumping weren't you?" he questions. Sadness covers my features as I try to get out of this. "Not really. I mean..." I chuckle dryly "You must have heard what um.. What happened two years ago... ot thara greenwood." "The girl who jumped?" he wonders. I nod lightly and his eyes go wide with recognition. "Navina Gallagher?" "You didn't know my last name cade." I pout "sadness." "Your tharas best friend?" he asks confused but putting pieces together like a puzzle. Weirdly, I thought he already knew. I nod "That's me." I forced a smile. "People always talk about me at school... you must have heard the rumors. I thought. When you know you came to the ledge that you thought I was gonna go like that." "I didn't know. Now I do though," he mentions. I fold my lips in and look down. "Well, I should get going. Again thank you," I said turning. My Converse makes no noise as I walk up the driveway. The doors unlocked and I opened it and looked seeing Caden on his phone and walking the opposite way to the house I had seen him in before. I frown but don't mention it as I close my door. I go straight upstairs and to the front of the house room where my brother Neo normally stays when he comes home. Well, he is not my brother's brother but. Ugh, whatever not the point. I walk to the window and see him walking the opposite way. I frown but leave it alone just go to my room and change for bed, I think about Caden. That's a first.

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caden when he saw navina at the edge of the cliff holding the bars:

for sad/serious reasons im not serious.