Tough Guy Dies (bad boy Jack Johnson fanfic)

Chapter Twenty Six

Jack's POV

I stayed with Riley that night. She didn't sleep, and to be fair, neither did I. I spent most of the night comforting her until she was calm enough to close her eyes.

She didn't go to school the next day, which I didn't expect her to, anyways. I got a ride from Gilinsky to her house after school, though, and I spent the night there.

The day after that was her grandmother's wake, then the day after that, her funeral. I've never seen her cry, but I pray to god I don't have to ever again.

Its been a week now, and she still hasn't left her house. From what her parents have told me, who are holding up surprisingly well, she only showered at least twice, and only leaves her room for food and other essentials. Lilly hasnt even been over.

Today though, it was raining, and it brought me back to when we first started talking a few months ago, and we were listening to If You Can't Hang by Sleeping With Sirens, which eventually became my favorite song. I remember how she danced to the beat, and how crazy she was, and even got me to join. How she was laughing. How she was dancing. How fulfilled she must've felt. Her eyes have never looked as bright. I smile as I think of how happy she was.

All that is gone now.

Her eyes that were once so dark but could light up a room, were gone. They hold emptiness, like a lake with no water. Her bright smile that was once so contagious, only cracks from the lack of water she has had within her. Her laugh, which was the unofficial eighth wonder of the world, can only be visited through memory.

I'm on my way to see her, Gilinsky was glad to take me, but this time I'm brining over something that can hopefully bring her some happiness.

We pull into her driveway and park the car. "Can I come?" Gilinsky asks. "Itts just. . . I haven't seen her in a while. . ."

"Yeah, of course," I say. "Just. . . she's changed. She's fragile, so be careful, okay?"

"Okay."

We walk into her house, which would seem vacant if you've never been inside. All the lights were off and nothing seem organized. I take that back; it looked more like someone evacuated from a tornado.

We walk upstairs, the faint sound a TV being heard. I knock in the door and I hear a small, "Come in."

I open the door and see her sitting in bed, wearing the same clothes she was yesterday. She had a bag of chips at the end of her bed, and a half drunk bottle of water sitting by her pillow. Her hair was in a messy bun, and her white tank top had a stain on the side of it. I don't know exactly how she got the side of it stained, but she did.

"Hello," I say and kiss her temple.

She mumbles a, "Hey."

"I brought Gilinsky; he wanted to say hi."

"Hi," Gilinsky said and awkwardly stood at the doorway.

"Hey," she said in a monotoned voice.

I sit at the end of her bed and pull her in between my legs. She leans back and I gently kiss the back of her head.

My poor angel.

Gilinsky sits at the end of her bed and watches TV, which is playing Big Bang Theory. We sit in silence for a while, nobody moving a muscle. The rain slowed down now, it's a mere drizzle.

Gilinsky stands up, looking agitated. "I can't do this anymore," he says.

I look at him confused. "Do what?"