b r e a t h e

Chapter Seventeen

"I love them." I smile at Alex.

"Are you gonna miss them?" He asks.

"Of course. They're my best friends." I roll my eyes.

"I'll keep you company." He winks.

"You do realise that Anna and Samantha are still here for a week. They came at five this morning."

"I know, just checking." Anna and Samantha come up the stairs and Alex sinks into the darkness of his room.

"You two have a quick flirting session just now?" Anna asks, batting her lashes.

"Yep, uh-huh, definitely." I smile.

"Stop joking around and let's plan the next couple days." Samantha groans.

"So. My mom left me her car and plenty of cash for food and fun." I start, opening my laptop and searching for things to do.

The room falls silent and only the tapping of my nails against the keyboard are heard. Samantha sits behind me, watching the screen closely. Anna stares out my window into Alex's blackout room. "I don't know how to get places that well. Alex takes me everywhere." I admit, closing my laptop.

"We can just use a GPS." Samantha suggests.

"Yeah! I have one on my phone." Anna comments.

I stare at them, amused, yet perplexed. "While you two figure this out, I'll go buy some food at the market."

They talk amongst themselves as I walk out of my room and to the garage, snatching my mom's keys off the side table. I start up the car and drive down the street, as I had done many times before with my mom. I pick up a few foods, varying in sweet and savoury. I grab a large Pepsi and go stand in line. As I'm waiting, I snag a normal sized Kit-Kat and pay for the food.

My phone starts buzzing in my pocket and check the caller I.D. Anna. "Hey!" I answer.

"Ella's amazing." Alex says, his voice distant and muffled. "What do I do? You are her best friends! Please help!"

"Wait," Samantha's voice comes into the phone. "Ella is fragile. She's scared. Finn, Noah, Gabe. They messed her up. Her anxiety hasn't gotten better from what we've heard. Her mom tells us that she's even-" The call cancels. I sit in the front seat of the car, staring in front of me.

What are they not telling me? What's wrong with me?

I shake off the thoughts, driving home. I drive into the garage and sit for a few more moments. I finally bring myself to get out and take the groceries in. Alex pops up behind me and starts putting things in the fridge. "Please go." I whisper.

"What's wrong?" He turns to me.

"Please go." I raise my voice a little.

"Ella..."

"Don't 'Ella' me and please go!" I shout at him. He stares at me, his eyes getting glassy.

"Fine." He replies, his voice cold and dead. He runs up my stairs and into my room.

"I'm so sorry." I whisper, putting away everything else. "I need time."

"Ella Hannah Gone! What is wrong!" Anna yells at me, rushing down the stairs.

"What!" I bark at her.

"Alex is on the verge of tears." Samantha stares at me. "What is wrong?"

"What is wrong with me?" I cry, yelling at them. "I heard you three talking to each other! What has my mom told you? What is going on with me?"

I fall to the floor, curling up into a ball. "It's okay." Anna coos.

"I feel horrible. I yelled at Alex, I yelled at my best friends." I choke out between sobs. "I'm a very very bad person, aren't I?"

"No, it's not you. You are perfect. Blame stupid boys, for messing you up. For triggering your anxiety." Samantha says.

"That's why I'm afraid. What if Alex messes me up more? What if he drives me over the edge?" Samantha and Anna help me up, taking me to my room.

"Your mom told us that you're having flashbacks. Of Finn." Anna murmurs and I nod.

"It's really bad." I stare at Alex's window as we pass it.

"We'll talk to him, don't worry." Samantha says.

"Tell him that I'm not ready. Tell him to move on." I cover myself with two blankets, and close my eyes.

"Okay." Anna tells me and I doze off.

1.14.16-720 Words

I FEEL BAD FOR SHORT CHAPTERS IM REALLY SORRY OH GOSH I'M JUST TRYING TO UPDATE ENOUGH TO FINISH BY THE 21ST.

-glo