Stuck Like Glue (Derek Hale Fanfiction Book #2)

Chapter Sixteen: Depression

Chris’s POV

            After two days in bed, eating up my feelings and viewing all the deaths in every single TV show I watched while I cried my eyes out incessantly, I finally decided that I would get up, shower, and unpack so I could go to school the next day. Finals were the week after next, and if I didn’t catch up on my schoolwork I would fall so far behind I might not move on to junior year. After a quick shower, during which I played “Since You’ve Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson on repeat and let a few tears slip loose, I was about halfway done unpacking all of my stuff when my phone began to blast “F**kin’ Problems” by A$AP Rocky, which I knew was the custom ringtone Damien had set for himself. I answered quickly, mostly out of an eagerness to stop hearing the blasphemous song than to talk to Damien.

“Hey, how have you been holding up? You’ve been dodging all our calls for the past three days,” Damien’s silky smooth voice assaulted my ears, and I cringed. I hadn’t actually spoken to another human being in over 48 hours, and I decided that I preferred my own company.

“Yeah, sorry, I’ve just been…I mean, there’s a lot to do…and…you know,” I mumbled uncertainly, scrambling to come up with a legitimate reason as to why I had been AWOL and failing miserably. But I didn’t really care if Damien and the others knew I’d been avoiding them; there was only one thing on my mind, and it had nothing to do with the seven vampires I’d befriended. As a matter of fact, I’d also been ignoring Dean, Isaac, and Erica’s calls, too. And, of course, Derek’s. Give it a few more days, and I was sure I’d soon have Scott and Stiles to deal with as well.

“Chris, you need to get back on your feet sweetie. You’ve been hiding out for almost a month now. Tomorrow is the first day of May. Start the new month on a good note, okay? Just go to school, hang out with your friends, and try to heal, day by day. Take it slow.”

“Damien, I…I can’t,” I whispered brokenly, falling down onto my bed as my knees gave out and sobs threatened to overtake me. I pushed them back with what little strength I could muster up, determined to put on a strong front for my worried friends. At least, I tried to put up a stronger front than the one I’d been sporting for the past few days. But of course, Damien didn’t buy it. I heard him sigh on the other end, and then there was a scratching sound and Cate’s crisp but worried voice floated over the line.

“Christina Laymen. Why haven’t you answered any of my calls, but when Damien calls you pick up practically on the first ring?”

That was almost enough to make me crack a smile, but not quite. I settled for straightening out my perpetual frown and sighing.

“Sorry, I’ve just…it’s been hard.”

“I know. But that’s no reason to ignore your friends! We care about you, Chris, and we’re worried.”

“Thanks, but you guys shouldn’t even be thinking about me. Focus all your energy on finding my brothers,” I croaked, clamping my eyes shut and letting out a shaky breath. Because of everything that had happened, I really needed my family right now and I wished I could just pick up the phone and call Michael. But like I’d been doing all weekend, he was ignoring my calls, as was Kyle. I wanted to know where they were, but more importantly, I wanted to ask Mike if he knew about our dad. No, surely not. If Mike and Kyle found out Dad was dead, they would’ve told me. They would’ve called. Two months ago, I would have been sure. But now…now I had no idea what my brothers really would do.

“We’re vampires – we can do both.”

“I guess you’re right. But…I don’t want you guys worrying about me. I’m fine, really,” I said in as convincing a voice as I could manage. It was probably the worst lie I’d ever told. No surprise Cate didn’t buy it.