Anything but Typical

Chapter 17

This had to have been Jess, right? My heart was pounding, and my brain was going haywire. Jess is alive! Or is she? Is this a ransom letter?

I started taking deep breaths to calm myself down. She's alive! I was happier than I had been in a long time. A very very long time. I took my phone out of my pocket and took 3 pictures of it, from 3 different angles. We can analyze this when we get back to my place.

I sprinted through the forest, my legs crunched on the leaves behind me as my heavy footsteps landed on the forest ground. The last remains of sunlight bore down on my back as I raced to the car.

When I finally reached the car, I got in and slammed the door shut.

"Step on it." Noah gave me a worried look.

"It's nothing bad," I reassured him. Though I kind of think I was talking to myself when I said that, and not Noah. "I'll explain everything. Just drive."

Noah pulled out of the parking lot, and loud chatter immediately erupted in the back seat.

"Did something happen?"

"What did you find?"

"Damn it I spilled my soda on my pants. I did not piss myself, guys!"

As you can probably tell, Robin said the last one. I snorted obnoxiously when I heard him say it.

I explained everything quickly, and stumbled over my words. I was literally running on adrenaline in that one moment. She's alive! Jess is alive! I wanted to sing it from the top of every building in town. I wanted to scream it from the sun, because my freaking girlfriend is alive.

Even as adrenaline coursed through my veins, a very very tiny spot in my head wondered: what if she isn't?

I quickly brushed it off. She has to be alive. There isn't another Jess and Drew in town.

As I finished my story, I studied the faces of my friends, and judged their reactions. Everyone looked either happy or relieved, except for Molly.

I'm not going to let her get in the way of my happiness. I turned back around, so that I was facing forward again. I mentally wrote another letter to Jess. I knew I would remember it because a, I have a good memory, and b, I tend to remember things that make me happy.

Jess-

Remember that day we lay in the sun and counted every beautiful thing we saw? You went on forever about how the sky looked pretty, but when it was my turn, I told you that the only beautiful thing in this entire world was sitting right next to me.

-Drew

I grinned to myself, and Noah gave me a sideways glance.

"This is the first time I've seen you legit smile for a while."At first, I didn't respond. How exactly do you tell someone that you're depressed and you contemplate suicide every day?

Finally, after what seemed like forever, I found words to describe what I'd been meaning to say. "There wasn't anything to smile about."

The rest of the car ride was in silence. I could tell that everyone was relieved. Relieved that they didn't have to deal with my problems. Relieved that they could finally stop worrying about me and get on with their own lives. I didn't blame them. It can't be easy dealing with me.

When we got back to my house, I ordered another pizza. It was sort of becoming a tradition now. We just always get pizza when we hang out together. We all sat in my living room, lounging on the couches. Except for Molly and Scarlet. They were sitting in the area between the couches. I didn't really question it. Hey- if you want to sit on the uncomfortable ground, go ahead.