The Boys

call me in the morning

Seeing my best friend go the next day was utterly heart breaking. We had the best night ever, staying up talking and laughing until 4am. Her parents came for her at 3PM. They had a long journey and wanted us to spend enough time together but it was hard when they live hundreds of miles away.

"I love you so much." She cries into my shoulder. I was trying my best to not cry but hearing her sob wasn't helping me.

"I love you too. Call me when you get home." I pulled out of the hug. I wipe her tears quickly as her parents waited behind her.

"I will. I promise. You better look after yourself or else I'll be on the next bus up here to hit some sense into you." She chuckled a little. "Oh no, you can't cry." She takes my hands and hugs me tightly again. I can't stop the tears this time. I know I have to stop before I go in because Helena and Robert are at the door and I'm pretty sure some of the boys are watching us also. I don't want to have their pity looks.

"I'm not crying." I mumbled against her chest. She was so much taller than me and I hated it but I loved it. I felt protected in her hugs but she had the advantage.

"I've got you. Just keep looking at your book. We're never going to leave you. And I'll be back and you'll come down and visit for a week or something." She smiled at me and let go for sure. I hug her parents. These people have been so kind to me. I don't deserve them.

"Look after yourself." Her mother said.

"We love you, Eve. You go careful now." Her father hugged me.

"Have a safe journey." I told them. I hug Phoebe one last time before she gets into her car. Then they leave. I stay standing outside, watching the or car drive off while the weather got colder.

"Eve, honey, I think it is time to go inside now." Robert said 5 minutes later. I didn't notice the rain that had started.

"Yeah." I answered and turned round, wiping my face quickly. He gives me a sympathetic smile and move out of the door frame so I can get in.

"She's a nice girl, she'll be back." He reassures me.

"Y-yeah." I responded again and started walking to my room. Luke was waiting at my door.

"We need to talk." He tells me. This is not the time for me to talk.

"Can it wait please?" I asked.

"I need to get this out now or else I won't ever." He groaned. I sighed and went into my bedroom, letting him go in also.

"I think we need to break up." He says sadly. Great. Just what I needed.

"Please give me your reasons then leave." I mumbled.

"You aren't ready for a relationship. You're 15 and very vulnerable. You need to think about yourself before you think about a future." He says, standing a good few feet away. "This doesn't mean I hate you or anything. You're such a beautiful girl and you just need some time. I can't do this." He finishes.

"Okay." I opened my door back up and motioned for him to go.

"I'm sorry." He walked out quickly with his head hung and shoulders low. I take a deep breath and close my door. I didn't need that to happen then but it did. Why at this time? I do not know.

I crawl into my bed and go under the covers to cry again.

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I'm called down for dinner later on. I didn't feel like moving but I had stopped crying an hour ago and haven't eaten a lot again. I'll go back to the doctors on Wednesday and they'll put me into a hospital and force feed me because I haven't gained enough weight.

I slowly stumble downstairs and into the dining room where everyone was waiting.

"Hey, Eve." Helena greeted me.

"Hi." I replied politely and sat down next to Marcus. Tonight's dinner was spaghetti. I ate it all without a fuss, noticing there was more on my plate than normal. Afterwards, I run upstairs and do some studying for science. Science is always the trickier one for me so I might as well use that to my advantage and revise it to keep me busy.

"Eve?" Someone knocks at my door. Now what? Don't people understand that I need some time alone?

"Yeah?" I sighed. Zack opens the door and walks in, holding some paper. Oh, I don't mind Zack. He cab stay.

"Are you okay?" He asks cautiously.

"Yeah. I'll be fine." I shrugged.

"Would you mind helping me with my homework?" He walks over to my bed and holds out a sheet. It's biology. That's okay, I can do that.

"Help you - yes. Do it for you - no." I gave him a look and pat my bed. "Sit down."

"I just don't understand it. How can enzymes be used in a factory?" He groaned and flopped back onto the bed.

"Sit up." I instruct. "Right, so, you know the basics of an enzyme, right?"
"Biological catalyst." He nodded.

"Right. And the types of enzyme?"

"Lipase breaks down fat, protease breaks down protein, carbohydrase breaks down carbs." He informed me correctly.

"And do you know how they function? The lock and key method?"

"Yeah." He draws the diagram on some paper for me.

"Right. So enzymes are cheap, aren't they? Easy to make and don't cost lots. So people can use that to their advantage. Stains on clothes can be broken down by enzymes in the bio washing powder. Then you've got weight loss drinks that contain fructose and enzymes that are basically sweeteners but stronger so there's not as many and therefore, less calories. In sports drinks, too. Then protease is in baby foods because babies need lots of protein all at once to help them grow loads." U educate him. He glances at his sheet and writes some things down.

"Thanks, Eve. Anyway, we've got assembly tomorrow morning. Every 2 weeks it is a year assembly. They suck balls but if you don't go, you get detention for a week." He stood up and walks to the door.

"Oh. Do we have to leave earlier?" I ask.

"No. Just thought I should tell you... you are going to be okay, right? I... I've been where you are and it is not nice. It is lonely and cold. You need to talk to someone soon. It isn't healthy keeping everything to yourself." He turns around and opens the door. But I stop him.

"I lost my best friend. She means everything to me." Zack closes the door and stays in the room. "She's one of the only reasons I kept on living while my dad hurt me. She kept me sane. I've been her best friend for 12 years. I spent weeks on end at her house with her family as mine died. And now she's gone. I know I can still see her but it won't be the same. I've lost a year of my life and she is honestly the person I need with me right now. Because I don't have a mum. My mum is going to die soon. She told me. The doctors are going to pull her life support soon. I'm not going to be there for that. And the funeral. She doesn't have any other family but me. She's going to die alone, Zack." I started crying, tears running down onto my school book. Zack runs over to the bed and pulls me into a tight hug. My head rests on his chest, his heart rate slow and steady.

"You will be by her side when she goes, Eve. I promise. You can get to say goodbye. It's going to hurt like a bitch when she does, but at least she'll be at peace. Your mum knows you are safe now. She knows you aren't getting hurt no more so she feels she can go." He rubs my back with his hand in small circles. I'm a small girl so I haven't got a lot to me. He is soft with me, like I'm porcelain. But I'm broken. He can't break me anymore.

I fall asleep in his chest, safe from the world. Safe from the monsters and the black holes and oblivion.