The Common Differences

Angela's Attempt

Chapter 6

*Snow*

     I look at the message reading it over and over making sure it says what it says. I look up and Val, Josh and Adrian are looking at me. "What, What happened?" asks Val. My eyes fill up with tears. Adrian hold me and I lean onto his chest. He picks up my phone and reads it. "We gotta go," I hear him say. "What happened!?" Val asks once more. "Can I tell them?" Adrian asks me. I nod. "Snow's sister is in the hospital. The hospital is on 8th street." "Umm that's all the way down town," says Val. "We can take my dad's truck," Adrian says softly. I sit up covering my face. The tears run down again. I'm not sad. I'm scared. I know she tried to kill herself. She's done it before. I'm scared because of what she'll do when she sees me there in the hospital with her.

     When I realize what Adrian just said, I sit up quickly. "NO NO PLEASE I CAN'T GO! I DON'T WANNA GO PLEASE DON'T TAKE ME!" I cry loud but quiet. "Shhh I understand but you have to go. She's your sister Snow," Adrian says trying to calm me down. He doesn't get it. He won't understand. He doesn't know what she does to me. "PLEASE ADRIAN PLEASE!! DON'T TAKE ME THERE!! PLEASE PLEASE!!" I say as I start to move out of my seat. When I partially stand up, I lift up my hand and Adrian's comes up too. He quickly lets go so Val and Josh don't notice. They all don't understand. I can't go. She'll try to get of her hospital bed to come after me. I didn't do it. It wasn't my fault. I'll go. Just for them. To prove that she hates me now. She's been trying to put me in the hospital every chance she gets.

     "Fine, Fine!" I say. Josh stands up. As well as Val. I start to cry once again. Josh hugs me. "Don't worry about it were here to protect you. If she tries to do anything to you, Adrian and I have got her," he whispers. He's wrong. There is no stopping her. We leave. Heading for Adrian's dad's truck. After about 8 minutes of walking in silence, I speak. "I'm too afraid," I say quietly. Val grabs me. "We've got you. Don't think about what will happen. Just let it work itself out." "I think it's... " I stop. They have to be ready. I can't just dump it all at once. We reach Adrian's house and get in his dad's truck. Josh drives, being 16 and all. Val sits in the front next to Josh, and Adrian always by my side. 15 minutes pass in even quieter silence. They're ready. "I think it's time to tell you what happened to Kendrick." Josh and Val must have overheard Adrian and I's conversation because not one of them asked who he was. Either that or they didn't want to ruin the moment.

     I take a deep breath. "Okay. Kendrick and I had ran to the store to get the cake we ordered for Angela's state debate club winning. He drove. He was 17. He would make comments on my outfit then I'd remind him he has a girlfriend. We had to park across the main road because the store parking lot was full. We went in, got the cake, and left. As we were getting ready to cross, he dropped the drinks we bought on the side. As I bent over to pick it up, he "taps" my butt. I stood up and slapped him in his face. He stumbled. He.. He," I start to cry "It's okay," Adrian says "you don't have to finish." "I want to finish so I never have to tell it again." "He stumbled and tripped and fell over the curb, into the street. He sat up and I stepped into the street to help him up. A car came flying around the corner. He turned his head and saw it. He put his foot to my stomach level and kicked as hard as he could. I flew back into the sidewalk and watch the car run over his body. I killed him. I was my fault. I didn't have to slap him. I killed him and he's gone. He spent his last seconds trying to save me. He cared about me. The only person in a long time. Everyone blames me. My mom. His parents. Angela. My dad. Everyone. This is why I never want to go home." I cry harder than I ever had. Because I relived the entire thing. Adrian grabs me and puts my head on his shoulders. "He cares," I tell myself repeatedly. "Umm we're here," Josh says hesitantly. I start to shake. Adrian holds my hand. "I'm fine really," I say in between tears. This whole time Val was facing me, but she suddenly turns away. Does she blame me as well? I hear her whimper. She's crying. I lean forward and hug her from behind the chair with the hand that isn't holding Adrian's. "It's okay," I whisper.

     We park. Everyone gets out, Even Adrian but he's still holding my hand. Everyone except me. I breath. I can do this. I get out. We walk in. "Good Afternoon, who are you here to see?" the front desk lady asks. "Oh umm Angela Slate," I tell her from behind Josh and Val. "Room 423. You can sign in right here," she says pointing to the sign in and ID booth. We all sign and get our passes. To the elevator we go. As we walk in I start to shake uncontrollably. Val pushes together my arms to help me stop shaking so much. I give her the smallest smile and wait for the elevator to hurry to Floor 4. It's here. We walk out in silence and look for Room 423. "Over here guys! Josh yells from the end of the hallway. "SHUT UP!!!" Val says loudly quiet. "Sorry Sorry."Are you ready?" they all ask at the same time. "No but there's no backing down now." I start to walk in. Shaking once again, I grab Adrian's arm and reach for Val's hand. I come from behind the curtain and see Angela, more awake than the normal person should be. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" Angela yells. I jump back but step forward getting ready to give her a hug. I lean in and have a sharp pain in my leg. I look down. There is a scalpel shoved deep in my thigh. I look up at Angela as blood drips down my leg. She twists it and lets go. She's staring at me hard. "I saved that for you. I was waiting." "Help," I say in between a gasp. "What's wrong?" Adrian asks. I hit the ground and pass out.

*Adrian*

     I wait for Snow to give Angela a hug. Snow looked scared as she walked over. She looks down but I don't know what she's looking at. Did she just say help me? "What's wrong?" I ask. She hits the floor. What the heck. I run over and turn her over. She has some sort of knife in her leg and it's pretty deep. I look up at Angela. "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!!!" I scream at her. "SHE KILLED HIM!!! IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN HER!!! I LOVED HIM!!" "WELL I LOVE HER!!" I yell. Vale is holding the spot where all the blood is coming out. Josh already left for the nurse. They all come running in. "Oh my gosh! What did you do?!" screams one of the nurses. "It was her!" I yell pointing to Angela. She says nothing. The 2 male nurses pick her up while Vale still holds her leg where the blood is gushing. She moves like she's lifeless. It's terrifying. I start to freak out. "Where are you taking her?" I ask. "To the doctor," one of the nurses carrying her says. "Come along," he says. I saw Vale lean in and whisper something Angela. She turned away and walked out. I was about to scream at Angela but I didn't. I ran out leaving her alone with Josh. I hear him say something but I can't make out anything.

This has been a wonderful week so far.