savior ≫ z.m. [completed]

4

“I was six years old when my father died in a car accident. A drunk driver crashed into his car, and killed him right there. Worst part is, the drunk driver got away without any scratches or bruises.” I sigh. “My mother became depressed, and she became an alcoholic, and she still is. Right when my brother Jake turned 18, he moved out of the house and I haven’t heard from him since. Last year, my little sister Danielle ran away, and I have no idea if she’s alive or not.” I finish. All Zayn can do is stare.

“That’s...”

“Fucked up,” I finish.

“Yeah,” he whispers.

“It gets worse,” I mumble.

“How could it possibly get worse? You’ve been through so much more pain than anyone has probably ever experienced in their 17-year lifetime,” Zayn says desperately.

“In middle school, I met my best friend Abbie. She was basically the only one who kept me alive. She made me feel loved, and worth it. I loved her as much as I loved my own sister. Then in eighth grade, she,” I pause and swallow slowly. “She committed suicide. I was the one who found her in her bathroom, and her suicide note crumpled up in her hand,” I take a deep breath. “Callie, stay strong baby, you are worth so much. I’ll always be there with you in spirit, I love you and I beg you, please don’t cry over me...” I whisper. “That was what was on the note, to me,” I couldn’t stop the tears from falling.

“I’m so sorry,” Zayn says.

“I blame myself for her death,” I say, looking down.

“Why?”

“Because I was selfish. She was too busy saving my life for me to even realize that she was in pain too. I didn’t even know she was feeling that was until I found her on the bathroom floor. I’m too selfish for my own good, and I’m a terrible friend,”

“Please, don’t think that,” Zayn says. I can see the panic in his eyes. “Have you ever tried?” he asks hesitantly, as if afraid to know the answer.

“No,” I don’t know why I have never tried. Probably because I’m too scared.

The bell rings, signaling the end of the day, and I quickly compose myself and grab my things.

“Wait,” Zayn says as I get up to leave. His hazel eyes look right into mine as he stands up. “I’ll, uh, see you tomorrow,” he says, biting his lip. I nod and turn around and exit the library.

~

This was the first time I had ever told anyone about my life. So why I told someone I met less than 24 hours ago, is a mystery.

Maybe it’s because he told me about his life, or maybe it’s because he’s the one person since Abbie who actually bothered.

When I turn the corner to my street, I stop in my tracks.

Five police cars, an ambulance, and a fire truck are parked in front of my run-down house, my neighbors gathered around it. I run up to the scene, and as soon as everyone sees me, they step out of my way and give me sympathetic looks.

Paramedics rush out of my house, rolling a gurney behind them.

“No,” I whisper. My next-door neighbor, Carla, runs up to me, sobbing. She throws her arms around me while frantically mumbling “I’m sorry child, I really am,”

They load the gurney into the ambulance, and Carla shoves me towards the large car. A paramedic notices me and walks up to me.

“Are you Denise Montgomery’s daughter?” he asks. I’m in too much shock to say anything, so I nod. He puts his hands on my lower back and leads me over to the ambulance. I climb in, whimpering at the sight of my mother.

“We’ll do our best to help your mother,” one of the paramedics assures. I sit down and feel the ambulance lurch forward, signaling that we were on our way to the hospital.