To Save Her

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"So..." Trent starts, rubbing his hands over his thighs. He eyes me for a moment, shifting in the seat beside mine uncomfortably. "Failed any tests lately?"

"No, Trent," I mutter, running a hand through my hair, body hunched over the counter as I stare down my calc homework angrily.

"Uh, fighting with a friend?"

You could say that, I guess, except Liz doesn't consider us friends. "No."

"Um, help me out here? I don't know what it ever is with you. You're happy one day, and then the next you're all sad. You're confusing!"

I let out a deep sigh. "Please, just leave me alone."

Trent stares at me in disbelief. "How can I just leave you alone when there's clearly something wrong?"

I shake my head. "Whatever," I say, dropping my pencil and sliding out of the chair. If he won't leave, I will. Trent furrows his brows, but I ignore him and make my way upstairs to my room. I pull off my school clothes, throwing on some joggers and a hoodie, heading back downstairs and out the door.

It's been a while since I went for a run since it's been so cold out, but with everything that has happened today, I really need this. The cool air hitting my face as I jog down the sidewalk starts to feel relaxing and I let myself just focus on putting one foot in front of the other rather than thinking about Liz or anyone else.

*

All I see is darkness.

Then, Liz materializes in front of me, her head down. She frowns, eyebrows furrowed as she stares down at the nonexistent ground, her hands folded in front of her thighs.

"I've missed you," she whispers. There's a pang in my heart. She has?

"I..." I start, voice soft. "I don't."

Her eyes widen as she looks up at me, mouth agape. "But...you wanted this. You wanted me."

I find myself laughing. "I never wanted this. I only did it because I had to. I would never really be your friend, Liz. Don't be stupid."

Her head drops, shoulders slumping. She takes a step back, a bridge forming behind her.

"I'm sorry," she breathes out quietly. "Sorry for wasting your time..."

She turns, stepping onto the bridge. She glances back at me for a moment before climbing onto the ledge and jumping.

I wake up in a sweat, my body numb and my heart beating fast. I check my phone. 2 AM. With a heavy sigh, I let my head hit my pillow. This isn't right. These visions stopped. Now they're back, and I'm the bad guy in them? Why would I say those things to her? I would never say that to her...and it's not even remotely true.

I guess this is only further proof that I have to somehow fix things between us. I just have no idea how.

*

"What is wrong with you?" Foster says, smacking his fist into the table. A few people glance at us, but no one really cares. This is normal for Foster. He's typically loud and obnoxious.

"What?" I ask, voice muffled by my sandwich.

Foster glares at me. "You know what. You've been so down for the past two days. Speak, or something! Stop moping. You don't need her—there are other fish in the sea!"

He still just does not get it.

"Liz obviously doesn't need you to save her. She flipped, and there's no way she's going to prove your theory right. She'll be fine and you need to get over her."