Chapter 21: You're not alone I'll listen till your tears give out
"It's my dad." I murmured, picking up my phone as Hunter turned back to the closet, pulling out more shirts and jeans. I would have never been prepared for it. My jeans were wet and sticking to my skin now uncomfortably, but I quickly pushed it out of my mind. It didn't matter.
"Hello?"
"Hi sweetheart." Something was wrong. I could tell in his voice. It was hard and dark, filled with worry, not filled with its usual warmth when I answered the phone.
"Daddy...is something wrong?"
He coughed, clearing his throat. I turned to Hunter, scared of what dad might say.
"Yes, baby, something is wrong. Something bad happened today." His tone was soft, as if he expected me to explode if he wasn't careful.
"...Daddy I'm worried, tell me what happened. All of it."
"Ok.." He took a breath, letting it out slowly over the receiver.
"Today at your brothers school...there was a shooting."
I was shocked. A shooting? "I-is everyone alright?"
"Your brother was...killed."
I couldn't speak. I dropped my phone, and just stared at Hunter, hearing the glass crack on the hard floor. I stood, my hands visibly shaking in the air.
Hunter noticed me looking at him and walked over to me, bending down to pick up my probably now broken phone.
I felt tears begin to roll down my cheeks. I wasn't a crier; I never cried. But naturally, I couldn't stop myself from it right now.
"Bridget? Bridget?" I heard the muffled sounds of my dads voice on the other end of the phone.
"Baby...what's wrong?" I almost couldn't hear Hunter's voice in my ear. I was so drowned in my own frantic thoughts.
He wasn't dead. This was all some kind of sick nightmare and I was going to wake up any minute. I was gong to wake up with Hunter right next to me, and everything in the world was going to be ok.
Jake wasn't dead.
HUNTER'S P.O.V.
It was like she was paralyzed. Her eyelids and lashes never moved. Her scared and shocked gaze stayed the same. It was as if she couldn't speak. She was frozen in fear. I raised her cracked phone to my ear, hearing Ben's frantic voice on the other end.
"Hey, its Hunter. What's going on?"
"Jake's been killed."
"Oh my go-Ben, I'm so sorry. But can I really call you back?"
"I suppose. Remember to, Hunter."
"I will, I will. Bye."
"Bye." I turned her phone off, quickly throwing it on the bed beside me. She had crumpled to the floor in tears, and I sat down beside her, wrapping my arms tightly around her and rocking her, keeping her body as close to mine as I could.
Oh Bridget. I had fallen in love with this girl over these past 6 months and seeing her like this broke my heart too much to bear. She was hurting so much, I knew. I just didn't know what I could do to make it better.
"You're not alone, I'll listen till your tears give out. You're safe and sound I swear that I won't let you down. What's hurting you? I...I feel it too. I mean it when I say when you cry, I cry with you...." I softly sang into her ear as tears rolled down her cheeks. She mouthed the words I sang silently through the tears, knowing the lyrics by heart. I didn't know what else to say, but to sing. I knew music meant so much to her. I only hoped it could help get her out of this.
