Priceless

Chapter 12:

I don't remember getting home or eating dinner.

I don't remember greeting my parents.

The only thing I remember is laying in bed, staring off into space.

I can't remember what time I fell asleep.

I'm 97% sure I never went to sleep.

...

*Bradley's POV*

Karla walked into 1st period at the very last second like she did everyday. Head down, messy hair, over sized cardigan, and coffee in hand.

She wouldn't look at me in the eyes but I could tell hers were bloodshot and empty. Her skin was a sickly pale color and her favorite shirt that she wore all the time was a couple sizes too big now. She wasn't eating, it was probably all the coffee.

I watched her hand tremble all class period as she rushed to copy the study guide and notes off the slides.

At the end of the period I took the chance and grabbed her arm to force her to face me. She winced at my grip and pulled away but not before I saw the look in her face. The dull eyes. The frown.

"Karla..." I called after her but she had already slipped away.

...

"I'm telling you guys there's something really off about Karla."

Aria and Samantha glanced at me and then at each other. They knew it too, there just wasn't anything we could do if Karla wouldn't let us.

"Dude she hasn't even spoken to her parents." Samantha frowned.

Her parents had called us multiple times to ask us why their daughter hadn't come home, why she wasn't speaking, to ask what was wrong with her.

We didn't have an answer.

"What about Leo? Has anyone called him?" I asked pulling out my phone.

"I don't think..." Samantha started but was cut off by the dialing tone.

After a few rings Leo answered me, "Hey man, what's up?"

I wasted no time talking to him, "When was the last time you spoke to Karla."

He was quiet on the other end.

"Leo?!"

"A while," He whispered shamefully, "It's been a while."

My heart dropped a little, I had hoped that through all of this Karla at least had Leo. That she at least had someone... but no she was alone.

"She's not okay." Was the only thing I could think to say.

"What-what do you mean? Is she hurt? what happened?"

"I don't know," I began turning and getting up from the table, "She's not talking to anyone, she's isolated herself, and she looks sick. I know she isn't eating, or sleeping, and she's drinking too much caffeine."

"I.." Leo began but I cut him off.

"Listen will you just call her please? She won't talk to any of us or answer our texts. She won't even speak to her parents so if you could just get through to her."

"After that interview I don't think she'll want to talk to me."

"What interview?" I asked.

...

"Son of a..."

"Bradley!" Aria interrupted me.

I handed Samantha back her phone, now I understood why Karla hadn't reached out to Leo. He had basically betrayed her on national television. I didn't even want to think about what was being said about her on Twitter.

"Oh no.." I muttered thinking about all the horrible tweets she must have read about herself.

I had to find Karla right away.

"Hey where are you going?" Samantha and Aria called after me as I ran towards Karla's locker.

I got there, out of breath, turning in every possible direction but she wasn't here.

I dialed her number. No answer. I kept calling, looking down the hallways for her face.

Then I saw her. The first bell rang over our heads as she came towards me on her way to class.

"Karla, I know whats wrong." I said to her blocking her path.

She eyed me carefully before speaking "Do you Bradley? Do you know whats wrong with me?"

I nodded, "You're stressed. Finals, graduation, that suspension, and now Leo. You must be over the edge."

*Karla's POV*

I tried to smile against the tears that were beginning to pour from my eyes. The sleepless nights, the constant stream of caffeine, missed meals, the torturous silence, lunches spent crying in my car, the self hatred I had developed for my insides and now my crumbling appearance. I was beyond stressed, I was depressed.

"I wish it was that simple." I choked back the tears, "I wish it was just stress and that I wasn't losing everything."

Bradley looked at me through the crowded hall of kids pushing through to get to class and then he embraced me.

I sobbed relentlessly into his shoulder.

"Don't worry, I got you. I got you." He whispered.