Changed For The Better

TW: Sleepless

I didn't sleep last night. Literally not at all. It wasn't a good start to the day. As the alarm went off, I continued to lie still. Not having the energy to move, not having the time or energy to fall asleep. Today is going to suck.

"Marie, have you woken up?" Ryan asked tiredly as he turned the alarm off.

"No, because that would require actually going to sleep" I said kind of sadly. I'm sad that I didn't sleep. I'm sadder that I have to get up this early. I'm the saddest because I have to go to school like this.

"What?!" Ryan got up and came and crouched down next to my bed.

"I didn't sleep at all. Not even for a second Ryan. I haven't slept"

"Oh my god how come? Why didn't you wake me up?"

"I was thinking to much. And I didn't want you to not get sleep either" I said on the verge of tears for some reason.

"Hey it's okay" Ryan said, getting on the bed and cradling me. "I would have been more than happy to help you sleep. You make sure you wake me up next time okay?"

I nodded and sniffled. I am not crying now. I refuse. I will not cry.

"Gosh look at you, you look awful"

"Wow thanks Ryan(!)"

"I didn't mean it like that and you know it. You always look gorgeous to me. But come on, we do have to get up and get ready. It won't help if we are late to school as well. Let's just get through today, and then when we get back after school I'm going to give you some looking after. You will definitely get a good nights sleep tonight, alright?"

I nodded my head again and calmed down a bit. We got up and I wearily tried to start the day. I don't want to draw attention to myself, so I put my best efforts into getting ready as well as I normally would.

Little did I know, that everything I did that morning wouldn't matter anyway.

----------

We were all sat having breakfast. It was early. I wasn't quite with it, naturally. Nobody would have been in my shoes. The last thing I needed was for Jody to start some meaningless drama.

"So Marie, we all saw the photo. What I want to know, is why you never told anyone except from Carmen, that you were going to Molly's party?"

"Because why is it your business?!" I snapped back at her.

"Well you could have at least tried to get us all an invite, not just your precious Ryan"

"UUgh Jody it really doesn't matter alright?! Just forget it! It's over!"

"Oooh touchy"

"Shut up Jody!"

"Jeez what's your problem today Marie? Wake up on the wrong side the bed?"

"Actually I didn't wake up at all" I mumbled.

"Sorry what was that?"

"I said my problem is you! Get out of my face!"

"I've said it once, and I'll say it again, touchy"

I was about to respond, when my phone started ringing in my pocket. I groaned out loud as I reached in there to get it. I groaned even louder when I saw the caller ID. I accepted the call and put the phone to my ear.

"Harley what the hell do you want?!" I yelled down the line.

"Turn on the news" he said. His voice was slightly shaky and he sounded scared, and almost like he was crying.

"Harley what..."

"Just do it! Right now or so help me you'll live to regret it!"

"Fine fine I'm doing it"

"Faster! You need to do it now!"

I scraped my chair back and ran through to the living room, ignoring Ryan and the others calling after me. I ran into the lounge where Floss, Dexter and Archie were watching some show while eating their toast.

I stepped over them and started changing the channel, still holding my phone to my ear, listening to Harley's heavy breathing.

"Hey what are you doing?! we were watching that!"

"Sorry Floss, this is important...I think" I said as I began flipping through the channels. I never watch the news so I had no idea what number it was.

The others had followed me from the dining room and were stood by the door, looking both confused and concerned for me. I was acting weird to be fair.

When I finally found the news channel, the lady on screen was speaking, with the footage of what was going on next to her on screen.

"...the mystery boy has been identified as Harley Richards. Rescue services and the police are on their way to the scene, coming at you live..."

I couldn't breath. On screen, Harley was standing on the roof of a really tall building, on the edge, holding his phone, crying. Wearing his pyjamas. There were people on the ground staring up at him, worry written all over their faces.

"Harley don't do it..." I started. The rest of the dumping ground lot started to crowd around the tv and watched what was going on.

"Don't give me any of that crap!" Harley yelled, he was in hysterics.

"Harley you need to calm down and be rational..."

"No Marie! Being rational is what got me here in the first place!"

"What? What do you mean? Harley please stop" I was also crying by this point.

"I stopped taking my pills you see. I started to see the world how it is again, and to see you how you are and what you think of me, rather than what I chose to see you seeing"

"What? Harley stop we can talk this out..."

"And why?! So you can lie to me and say you like me? Lead me on then make me look like the bad guy?!"

"Harley please..."

"Everyone hates me! The things they say to me now! The things that you were thinking but would never of said to me! I actually thought I could trust you! I believed that you could help! You said you could help!"

"i wanted to help Harley I tried to help...!"

"Well your kind of help isn't helpful. My Mum is dead! she can't breath again or help again or make it better. You were supposed to replace her but your help brought me pain! You made me worse! You did this! So I hope you're happy. But I'm going to see my Mum now. I'm going to get rid of the pain. This is you, all you"

"Harley..."

I watched the screen as he threw his phone to the side and held both his arms out to the side. "Harley! Harley listen to me no! Harley!!!"

It was no use. He couldn't hear me.

He jumped.