Aftertaste [COMPLETED]

Chapter 24 :: Back To School

BERLIN'S P.O.V.

**

Two weeks after James' death, I was at my lowest point. I was living in a viciously cyclic rut. I barricaded myself in my room, as I had gone back home to my parents. I stopped going to class, I wouldn't even talk to my friends. I was slipping deeper and deeper. Nothing seemed to change, until suddenly everything changed.

I had been asleep all day that day, just as I had nearly everyday since James' passing. I could hear my phone vibrating on the night stand next to my bed. It had been buzzing nearly nonstop since I had taken it off of don't bother me mode the night before.

I couldn't take it anymore, the vibration was driving me nuts, and I was just about ready to chuck my phone against the wall.

My bed springs groaning in protest, I rolled over, that is, I rolled over a bag of crisps, a sleeve of Oreo's, an empty tub if ice cream and a spoon, and blindly fumbled for my phone. It grazed against my fingertips right before it took a tumble behind the back of the night dresser.

"Bloody hell." I extended my body as far as it would go without me actually having to get up or roll over a second time. When I had my phone in hand, I sat up and cleared my notifications. There were just to many to look at, I would deal with it later.

I went into my messages and scrolled past all of the people just wanting to "send their condolences." I felt bad scrolling past familiar names. Rory, Lindsay ,Logan, Kadeesh, Alex and even Eli, and—Who's this?

It was a number I hadn't recognised. I clicked on the one sided conversation and read the message. It read: Hey, Berlin. Hope you don't mind, but Rory gave me your number. I just wanted to check to see how you were holding up, you kind of disappeared after the funeral. But if you ever need to talk, I'm only a phone call away.

That was it. No name, nothing. After a minute or two of thinking, I looked down to see three white dots, which meant that someone was typing.

A second message appeared:  It's Chad btw (:

Chad. I had been surprised to know that he and James had been priorly acquainted with one another and even more surprised to see him at James' funeral. I knew that I needed someone to talk to other than my parents, who could never know the true full story of what happened between James and I.

But on the other hand, I was traumatised. I was nowhere near ready for a relationship or any thing of the sort. So for now I just responded with a simple  thank you.

I looked up at the time on my phone and it read 14:57. Ugh. It was almost three o'clock and I hadn't even gotten up to brush my teeth yet. With apprehension, I pulled myself out of bed and, with lead for feet, dragged myself to the door.

As I reached for the doorknob, so did someone else. I recoiled when my mum suddenly pushed the door open.

I gasped as a hand flew to my chest. "Mum, you scared me."

She looked me over with sad eyes. "Sweetheart...—" I stopped her with a raise hand.

"I know, I look like grim death. I just got up... I'm gonna get in the shower soon."

"Well, that too, but, umm...your father made lunch, and I really think you should eat something since you skipped over breakfast completely."