One bad move

Chapter 2

    The next 30 minutes we sat in his living room calling Justin back to back.

"Maybe I should handle this on my own. You know, give it time."

"Mak, I know you didn't mean it that night. And I would do anything to help. If you hear from him don't hesitate to call"
My stomach knotted up at the sound of those words.

"Will do" I say giving him a half smile.

Getting home took almost twice as long as normal. I drove by Justin's a dozen times, wanting to go and beg for him to just listen. But I knew no matter what I said, there was no way I could shine any light on this situation. I knew I was wrong for thinking he should stay with me. After all, I did cheat and keep it from him.

I start back the way of my house turning off the radio. It did nothing but drown my head with memories of us.

I pull into my house right next to moms 2014 black chevy equinox. It had been a present from my dad, before he passed 2 years ago. He liked Justin, I could only imagine how my dad would've felt knowing what I've done to him. Although I knew he'd comfort me as much as i needed, he'd still be disappointed. I cringe at that thought.

  Just as I walk in I see my mom sitting on our long leather couch, with Erica's mom.

My best friend Erica had grown up with me and my brother. We went to the same elementary school and lived down the road from each other our whole lives.

"Hey mom!" I say.

She looks up at me with mascara smudged eyes, trying to smile but tears came out instead.

"Hello sweetie." She tries to force out.

I run over a million things rushing through my head.

"Mom! What's wrong? What happened!?"

Erica's mom looks up at me, the saddest I'd ever seen that women. She was always upbeat, dancing or cooking something.

"Is everything okay?" I say again.

"Erica..." She paused for a long second.

"Hung herself this morning" my mom whispers.

My heart sunk to my stomach. I clinch my jaw trying to find words to say.

"You mean.." I reply

"When I found her there was nothing they could do. It was too late" her mom says attempting to catch a breath.

      Erica was dead.

   Later that night I walked into the kitchen listening to moms phone call. But when she saw me she quickly hung up the phone. I figured it was about Erica, and lord knows that's the last thing I wanted to talk about. So I just ignored it.

"What's for dinner, smells good" I say, poking my nose in her pan.

"Food" she replies with a smirk.

My mom and I were alike in a lot of ways, one being we use sarcasm to cover up sadness. When dad passed me and mom got really close, because besides my little brother Joey, we were all we had.

I sat down at one of the tall chairs lined against the island in our kitchen, popping grapes into my mouth.

I run my fingers along the shiny granite countertop.

"Mom." I say.

"Yes honey." She replies looking up from the Mexican smelling food she was cooking.

"Is Erica's mom doing okay?" Trying to get her to tell me about the phone call. No matter how much I told myself I didn't want to know.

I did.

"Well Mak, she's heartbroken. Like the rest of us." She says, keeping what she knew to a minimum.

I figured she wouldn't tell me, but all I could think about was that poor women walking in on what she had....

I sigh glaring up at the clock remembering that I had school tomorrow. The thought of sitting at our lunch table without Erica and seeing Chase again made me sick.

"I think I'll pass on dinner" I say.

Before my mom could stop me. I get up from the table. Thinking I might actually throw up.

I didn't want to use Erica as an excuse to miss school, because thats pathetic. But I couldn't bare going back into my classes knowing she won't burst in 30 seconds before the bell rang as she did every day.  With her big smile that she had always wore. Wearing some cute outfit as she always did. I run upstairs trying to keep myself from crying before I had got to my room.

Although I could've laid in my bed all night wallowing in my self pity, I had to shower. I check my phone hoping Justin would've called, even though I knew that'd never happen. I throw it back on my bed and pick out the biggest sweat pants I could find.

In the shower all I could think about was Justin. How yesterday everything was perfect. I had my best friend and the best boyfriend.

But now, everything possible was going wrong.

After I finish my shower I lay in bed wrapped in a towel thinking about how this had happened. And wondering why on earth Erica didn't call me, why she didn't tell me she was so miserable.

I know I did talk about myself a lot. I clinch my fist realizing how pathetically selfish I was, beginning to blame myself.

And then seeing how selfish that was too.

I didn't want to even think about how in a week or less I'll be attending my best friends funeral, seeing her beautiful face so lifeless and young was the last thing I wanted to do.

I pick up my phone trying to stop myself from continuing the overflowing thoughts of her.

MISSED CALL

Oh no...
I swallow hard.

Justin called me and I missed it.