Swept Away

17 - Jules

"Danny," I whisper up to the front seat of Colby's Jeep. Danny is driving all of us home. Paige is sitting in the passenger seat next to him. Colby and I are in the backseat. Colby's laying on my lap. My bike is in the back. "What are we supposed to do?"

Danny shakes his head, "I don't know. We all knew this was coming," he takes one hand off the wheel and starts biting his nails, "I think he knew it, too. We knew he would take it the hardest. He just needs time."

"I don't know how much time he has," I sigh.

Paige turns around to look at me, "What do you mean?"

I glance at Danny who looks as if he knows exactly what I'm talking about, "He said to me that his parents think he's depressed and suicidal," I can feel my eyes burning with tears.

"No, they don't. That's a lie," Danny snaps.

I look at Danny, "That's what Colby said. Maybe I heard wrong, but I don't think I did."

"You did. You don't know what you're talking about!"

"Danny!" Paige hits his arm.

"I do know what I'm talking about. If Colby is actively thinking about killing himself, I should know," I look down at Colby and run my hands through his hair. His body is lightly shaking. I try to soothe his subconscious brain. I can't imagine what would happen if this boy were to die. What could lead a person to feel so worthless that they feel they would be better off dead?

Danny pulls the car to the side of the road, "Get out."

"What?"

"Get out. You and Paige. Both of you. Get. Out." Danny snaps.

"What the fuck?" Paige looks furious.

Danny gets out of the car and opens my door, "You! Out! Now!" When I don't move he snaps, "Get the fuck out of my car!" I finally heave myself out of the car. "You don't know what the fuck you are talking about. You aren't friends with us. You're not Colby's girlfriend. You know nothing," he goes around to the trunk to get my bike from the back, " so take your fucking bike and go!" He yelled.

Paige gets out of the front seat with tears in her eyes, "No," she shakes her head, "what about me, Danny? How am I supposed to get home?"

The eyes that were just sending daggers through me soften as he looks towards his friend, "I'll take you home. You're on the way to Colby's."

Paige fully bursts into tears, "No. If you refuse to take Juillet home then I don't want to ride with you. I'll walk. This island isn't that big anyway," she sobs. She walks over to me and I put my arm around her. She cries into my shoulder.

"Paige," Danny reaches for her but she refuses to turn around, "Paige. Stop. Please stop crying. I'm not making you walk all the way back to your house. It's like 2 miles."

Paige doesn't turn around. I stare Danny down, "Leave her alone, Danny. You dug yourself this grave. Now go lie in it." I grab Paiges arm and we start walking towards our houses. I turn my head back to Danny's car where Colby is now standing outside looking extremely confused. Danny tries to get him back in the car to take him home.

"Where is she going?" I hear Colby ask, "Why is she leaving me? I love her."

*******

I don't know what to say. Paige and I have been walking silently for the past ten minutes. I'm pretty sure we passed her house, but she didn't say anything. Eventually I speak up, "Do you think he meant it?"

Paige looks down and takes a shaky breath, "I don't know. I've seen Colby drunk maybe twice in my life. He never acts like that. I mean, he was drunk, so he probably didn't mean it, but..."

"But drunk words are sober thoughts," I say.

"Yeah," she sighs.

I never expected myself to want Colby to mean it, but I feel like a part of me needs Colby to mean it. I think I might mean it, too. I desperately want Colby to be okay. I need him to talk to me though. I need him to be honest with me. If he isn't, I can't do anything but assume. And right now I assume that Colby is going to go home and grab a knife from his kitchen and slit his throat. I know, rationally, that he's not going to do that. But that doesn't stop me from worrying. I want to know what's going on. As much as I hate it, Danny's right. I don't understand what's happening. I can only assume. I don't know anything about Colby's life except that he has an older brother whom I've never met.

"It'll be okay," she grabs my hand, "He'll be okay."

We turn the corner to Ashlyn's family's house, and Ashlyn comes bursting out the front door. She gives me a big hug, "I'm so scared."

"What?" I ask her, "Why are you scared?"

She pulls away from me, "Because of everything. Colby, Tanner, Danny, Matty, myself."

Ashlyn is bawling her eyes out in front of me, "Ash, it is okay. Colby is going to be fine. So is Matty. Wait, what's wrong with Tanner?"

Ashlyn lets out a sob. Paige stiffens beside me, clearly as concerned and confused as I am, "His dad is pissed. He said he's going to kill Tanner if he lies to him again."

Jack and Peter come running out of the house, and pull Ashlyn away from me. Ricky comes out after, and he wraps her in his arms. Jack lays his hand on my shoulder, "It's going to be okay. We heard what happened."

"I'm fine," I said, and smiled. I didn't really have a reason not to be. Not a reason that I was comfortable sharing right now.

Jack looks at me skeptically, "Are you?" 

Paige taps me on the shoulder, "I have to get back home, but...if you hear anything will you text me?" 

"Of course," I say, as I pull her into a hug. 

I watch as she walks off, turning my attention back to Ashlyn who is being held by her older brothers. They love each other so much. It makes me wish that I had a sibling. Nick runs out of the house and stands next to peter, "Pete," Jack says, "You and Nick go make sure Matty's still in bed."

Peter looks at Jack confused, "Why?" 

Jack walks away from Ashlyn towards them, "Because I said so."

Ashlyn's phone starts ringing and she immediately picks up, "Hello? Tanner?"

She runs inside."Whats going on with her? Who is she talking to?" Jack asks me.

I cross my arms in front of me, "She's talking to Tanner." Now if only the boy I'm worried sick about would call me.