Thin Air ✿ Jeff Atkins [COMPLETED]

THIRTY TWO

"Good morning, honey, wha-Woah, where are you going right now?" Kelsey asked, looking at Josie who was in a red hoodie that Jeff bought her, jeans and sneakers.

"I gotta head to school quickly, uh, Gina has some books of mine and I was um, I was thinking I might try to catch up." Josie scratched her head nervously.

"Wow, Josie. Very convincing. Where are you really going?" Kelsey asked.

"Okay fine, nothing to do with books but to school. Really. There won't be any trouble, I'll be fine, I promise." Josie sighed.

Kelsey sighed, "Alright. Please be safe. Call me if you need anything."

"Well, I kind of need your car keys." Josie said sheepishly.

Kelsey chuckled,, rolling her eyes, "Take them."

"Thanks." Josie smiled slightly before taking the keys and hurrying outside.

Josie reached the school. It was during lunch break and she only wanted to see one specific person.
She walked down the hallway, determination in each step she took and she can almost feel anger in her lungs as every breath she took was harsh, seeming to suffocate her.

She opened the doors to the cafeteria, feeling eyes on her but she didn't care. Her eyes searched for one person. One specific person.
And there she was, sitting with her perfect cheerleading squad, laughing, as if nothing is wrong with the world. As if people dying is a hobby of God's.

Josie took long strides towards her, standing in front of her at the end of the table, their eyes locking. Sheri's breath hitched, her smile falling. Josie walked towards her, taking a hold of her wrist, forcefully dragging her to stand and dragging her behind her, out of the cafeteria and into the baseball field.

"You're hurting me!" Sheri yelped.

"Good!" Josie screamed, dropping her wrist and turning to look at her, anger in her eyes, "Did you mean to do it, Sheri? Because you wanted him and you couldn't have him? Or was the good girl's dream to have a dirty secret? Just an edgy taste to your sweet life?"

Sheri shook her head fearfully, "I-I don't know what you're talking about. You're not making sense."

"Really, Sheri? Because I think I'm making perfect sense. If you're not getting what I' talking about here, how about I explain it to you?" Josie chuckled bitterly, "On one Friday night, a girl had a party at her house for the whole school, everyone went, the nerds, the wallflowers, the outsiders, the jocks and the oh-so perfect cheerleaders, one of the oh-so perfect cheerleaders was my favorite, you see, she was a fucking coward and chased what wasn't hers.

One guy, from the jocks, was a sweetheart, had a girlfriend who loves him with every fiber in her body and he loves her too, he was going on a beer run. The fucking coward and a girl who was only trying to fit in left the party, hit a stop sign that later resulted in the death of the jock. You know why? Because the fucking coward didn't call the police because she was scared," Josie explained, circling Sheri who had tears down her cheeks, "And now? She still is a fucking coward. Left his parents and the whole school thinking he was drunk. Snatched him away from everyone who loved him and everything he loved. Do you want me to explain more or is that enough, Sheri?"

"How did you know about this? Was it Clay?" Sheri choked out.

Josie shook her head, "No, it wasn't him. It was my best friend. I think it was brave of her to do that. Don't you think?"

"S-Stop. I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Sheri cried.

Josie stood in front of her, "Sorry?! You could've saved him! He could've been here right now, only doing better in life because that was the only thing he wanted! Do you know how it feels like? To lose the best thing to ever happen in your life and-and not because of a breakup or anything like that, no. I want to pick up the phone and call him, visit him, have him kiss me, hug me, anything! Everyone thought I was crazy, Sheri. I told them it wasn't his fault and nobody believed me." Josie cried out.

"It hurt me to see that happen, trust me, but I cou-"

"Couldn't say anything, right?" Josie chuckled bitterly, shaking her head, "I'm not even going to do anything, Sheri. Your conscience is doing more than the police ever will. I feel sorry for you." And with that, Josie left, leaving Sheri standing in the middle of the field, crying. "Hey, Sheri?" She called out, making Sheri turn to look at her, "Fuck you!" And she left.

"Hey, hey, are you okay? What are you doing here?" Monty stopped Josie, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"Please let me go. I just want to leave, Monty. Please."

So he did, he let her leave.

//

Josie sat on Jeff's grave in silence, almost feeling him around her.

"It hurts, Jeff. Everything hurts."

//

So this story is coming to an end but now is time for the surprise.