the last straw

damage

Sierra POV

i'm so shaken up from going to her house. i can't do that again. i just can't.

i tried to protect avery. i really did.

i don't want to talk right now. i don't feel like myself right now.

mom keeps trying to get me to talk about what happened. they even scheduled a session with the therapist. i'm fine. i just don't feel like talking.

i wish i didn't have to live with memories from her before her and dad separated . all i remember is how she used to hit me. how small i felt. how every part of my body felt like it was being pelted with rocks.

i remember it all.

ANGIE POV
friday night

Ty is back for the weekend.

Avery seems to be doing better, but sierra isn't. maybe it's because avery has kirby, and sierra doesn't. avery is always with kirby now. he seems to keep her happy.

sierra is worrying me. she's barely eating again and won't talk about what happened. she's not even talking. sometimes she'll come in my room, and just lay on me without speaking. i know i can't force her to talk, so i just let her lay in peace. she probably doesn't want to be alone.

she's been clinging to me more than normal, like avery is clinging to Mike more than normal.

i was in the living room with trinity and george. sierra came in and sat with us.

"good evening, ms. sierra." george says, warmly.

"good evening george!" sierra says, oddly happy.

"how are you?"

"i'm trying to do better."

this is the most she's talked in days.

"It is great to see you smiling and hear your voice again." Geore says, smiling.

"I hope it lasts." She replied. George nodded, and we continued to watch TV.

There's something off about her. She's suddenly happy. I can't put my finger on it, but something is wrong.

At dinner that night, Sierra was the life of the party. She was cracking jokes, and she ate all of her food. It was like before she told us about her struggles.

While I'm happy she's back to being her old self, it feels weird. It's so sudden. Just yesterday she wouldn't talk to anyone, but now she's so happy.

After dinner, sierra suggested we watch a family movie together. We all agreed.

After we watched tangled and frozen, she kept suggesting we do things as a family. I'm not complaining. I love spending time with them.

I push my thoughts of this being sudden to the back of my head.

Sierra POV

I wanna hurt myself. I need to get these feelings out. I tried to deny them, but it's not working. I'm hurt and I need help. Maybe by pretending to be happy, it'll come true.

ANGIE POV

during frozen i let my thoughts get the best of me. i started googling sudden happiness in people with depression. it said that this could be a sign of them getting ready to kill themselves. sierra might be trying to get us to be happy with her before she hurts herself so we are left with happy memories.

i have to tell mike.

sierra insisted on sleeping in our bed tonight. we couldn't say no, especially not with my discovery. avery didn't want to leave mike, so she was in there. to make sure ty wasn't left out, he slept in our room too. kirby somehow found his way in our room.

while they were sleep, mike and i went to the kitchen to talk.

i told him what i was thinking. he freaking out. had i not been there, he would've have spiraled.

he was so happy that she was getting better, but now he's scared for her.

when he calmed down, avery came into the kitchen crying.

"daddy, i thought you left me!" she said, then started crying.

"baby, i'd never leave you. i'm always here."

"i had a dream you left, then i woke up and you were gone."

"im sorry, baby. im here now. it's okay."

TIME SKIP TO NEXT MORNING(sunday)

everyone was their normal selves, but sierra. she kept saying she as tired.

i can't let her out of my sight, not that she'd let me out of hers.

after breakfast, mike got a call. his dad was in the hospital in seattle. he had to leave. i was more than willing to go with him, but he insisted on me staying, and George going instead. he said that sierra needed me.

avery would not take this news well. not only were mike and george leaving, th would have to go back to college tomorrow, since he has no classes on mondays.

avery was devastated. not only was he grandad sick, but her dad, who she became clingy to, was leaving for a few days.

how am i going to handle a baby, clingy 6 year old, and depressed teen all alone for a few days?