Falling - A Short Story

14

Gregory James

Brooke was out of the hospital couple of days later, however she only came back to school a week after that. During that week I came to see her everyday after class. I could tell she was recovered and healthy again. She didn't want to tell me what happened and I respected that, even though sometimes I couldn't hide my curiosity. She would always say, "I am fine now, isn't that what matters?".

A month went by and within each day we became closer as friends. She was slowly breaking from that little shell of hers, I could tell. But the more I got to know her the more I noticed that something wasn't quite there. She was different. I began to pay attention on little things here and there, like how less she was eating and how tired she always was. She often missed class and wouldn't tell me why. When I would ask, she would shrug and tell me that she wasn't in the mood to come.

There were so many times where I thought about talking to her mother, but I also knew how she would just hate me forever if I did that. I asked Jordana and she agreed with me, she said it would be best to simply let Brooke be Brooke. I trusted her, because I knew how well she knew her friend and how she has been through worst with her. I just wanted everything to be fine again.

But it wasn't.

It was a friday night, I was home with my family when my phone started to ring. The second I saw who it was I knew something was wrong. 

"Julia?" I answered.

"Greg, can you please come over? Brooke is not well and I don't know what to do." Julia said, her voice was shaky.

"What? It happened again? Call 911 and take her to the hospital! Where's your mother?" I told her desperately, I felt my heart racing.

"No! No it's not like last time, she is not having an attack. She is just acting weird, I can't understand a word she says and I just- Please come, Greg. My mom is out with her boyfriend again, I'm not sure if I should call her."

I sighed. "I'll be there in five."

˜

"She's upstairs in her room." Julia informed me as I walked in her house.

 I quickly ran to Brooke's bedroom and as I open the door I see her laying on the bed. I quietly approached her. 

"Brooke?" I called, "Are you okay?".

She groaned.

"Brooke, what's wrong?"

"Call Mason, I need to talk to him." She mumbled, I could barely understand her.

"Call who? Who's Mason?" I asked, sitting on the edge of her bed.

"Just call him, please." She cried.

Examining the room, I could see a good amount of empty bottles spread around.

She's drunk? I have seen Brooke drunk before and it's nothing like this at all.

I carefully touched her shoulder. "Brooke? It's me Greg. Do you know where you are?" I asked.

"Greg? You're here? Where's Julia? Where's Mason?" She asked.

"I'm here, sis." Julia came in, her voice was soft and she looked very worried.

"Julia," I said, "She will be alright, you can go to your room."

She looked down. "Are you sure?".

I nodded reassuringly and she left.

I turned to Brook again. "Come on, Brooke. Snap out of it."