Someone Like Me

Chapter 13 (Stay Strong)

Carl P.O.V.

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I felt a hand start to shake me. I groaned and shifted within the chair then they shook me harder and harder until I slowly opened my eyes and looked up at the person.

"Hey buddy, why don't you go get some water and rest on the couch." Alex's dad, Jay said as he retracted his hand and was looking at me with a smile.

I glanced towards Alex and took a deep sigh before I got out the chair and walked towards door. Just as I reached the kitchen, I heard coughing, so I stopped reaching for a cup. Alex? I thought as my heart started to pound in my chest.

"Carl?" A soft raspy voice called from Alex's room which caused me to face the door before I sped walked almost breaking out in a run over towards the room and looked in. "Is Carl, okay?"

"I'm okay." I said as I walked into the room whipping the tears from my eyes that mange to slip without me knowing. I watched as he turned, his head towards the door, the moment his hazel eyes made contact with mine I froze as time begun to slow down.

"Hi" he said as he started to smile causing me to release a breath that I didn't know I was holding and smile back at him as I took a couple steps forwards.

"Hey." I responded as I felt burning sensation on my cheeks. I watched as he shifted his gaze to the ceiling and froze. Just when I was about ask him if he was okay, his body begun to shake which made me flinch back, hitting the wall behind me.

"ALEX!" Jay screamed as he reached down to hold his body just the Hershel came running in.

"No, don't you'll only hurt him, all we can do is just wait until till past over." He said as he quickly removed the pillow from behind his head. I ran out the room not wanted to watch anymore and headed for the door, passing Maggie as she just walked in.

I burst out onto the porch, my footsteps heavy and uneven, as if the weight of the world was pressing down on me. I collapsed onto the wooden steps. burying my face in my hands as sobs wracked my small frame. Tears streamed down my cheeks, and the guilt gnawed at me like a relentless beast. I couldn't shake the image of Alex getting shot then him shaking in the bed, to stop replaying in over and over in my mind.

I heard the door open and soft footsteps walking my way. I felt the person sit down next to me then they wrapped their arms around my trembling shoulders and pulled me into a hug. " Carl, Honey" Mom said softly as she rubbed my arm.

"It's my fault, Mom." I choked out between sobs. "Alex got shot because of me. I should have done something. I should've been the one who got shot."

Mom pulled me closer, her heart pounding against my shoulder. " Carl, listen to me, it is in no way your fault, Alex saved you honey. He cares about you if he didn't, he wouldn't have made that choice. He did it to protect you."

As we sat there, another person sat on the other side of me. " Carl," Nikki began gently, "do you know how much Aelx talks about you? He always said you're the bravest kid he knows"

I lifted my tear-streaked face, looking over at Nikki with wide, red-rimmed eyes." Really?"

She nodded, a smile playing on her lips despite the sadness in her eyes. "Yes. I remember one time, he came home from school, and he couldn't stop talking about this amazing kid in his class. He was so excited, saying how you stood up for someone who was being bullied. He admires you, Carl."

As she spoke, my tears began to flow again, but this time they were mixed with a sense of relief. She reached out and pulled me into a hug, and I clung to her, the weight of my guilt lifting just a little. Mom joined in, wrapping her arounds both of us, her own tear silently falling.