A Change of Heart

5.

Trigger warning: suicide attempt is in this chapter.

I was at the part where Carol was overworking herself and she was very stressed. It was right before September, and she was trying to earn money for her tuition. Her parents were not helping her at all because she decided to switch from life science to  theatre production back in June and student loans were not granted since her family is well off. She had multiple part-time jobs ever since her family cut her expenses and I was paying most of the rent for our rented apartment but she was burdened by the fact I was paying most of the rent. She got very sensitive whenever I brought it up that it didn't matter if I payed the full bill and that she could just pay me back, but she was so adamant on contributing. On September 5th, I –

"Violet! Why are you still up?! You need to sleep!" Mom took the journal I was reading and closed it. "It's 11:00! You need to sleep, okay? You can read it tomorrow morning." She puts all the journals I had lying on my bed back onto the shelf above my desk and turns off the lights.

"But it's just 11:00! I'm pretty sure I didn't sleep that early before I had amnesia!" I try to protest.

"You definitely stayed up much later than 11:00 but you need to sleep with that concussion of yours. Doctor's orders!" Mom comes over to the bed and tucks me into bed. "Goodnight honey! Sleep tight and I will see you tomorrow morning." She leaves the door to my room open and it kind of annoys me, but I was too tired to protest anymore. Within ten seconds after she walks out of my room, I fall into a slumber.

The next thing that happened was very weird. I am back in the condo in my last flashback. The condo seems a bit darker despite the fact it was morning, as it was very cloudy outside. I'm making breakfast and I guess everyone else is still asleep. Taylor stayed the night from studying together and was sprawled on the couch napping from the all-nighter we both pulled. Carol turned in early last night so I guess she's still in her room sleeping as well. She seemed awfully burned out from working 3 part time jobs and balancing 5 courses. Whenever I tried to ask if she needed something or help whether it's financially or a friendly gesture, she snaps at me and then quickly apologizes before brushing me off. Carol's been acting weird and I'm seriously worried about her.

Smoke came into my line of vision and something seems to be burning. I looked down at the bacon I was frying and they were already started charting on one side. Taylor started coughing from where she was sleeping.

"Violet! It smells in here jeez!" She runs over to open up the door to our terrace and opens up the windows one by one. "Are you done making breakfast?"

"Yeah, I just need to plate these burnt pieces of bacon and fried eggs." I laugh as I separated the food into three plates.

"Here, I'll go take these and put them on the table. Go wake up Carol, please?"

"But I cooked breakfast and I'm hungryyyyy!" I whine and pout my lips trying to act all cute.

Taylor shoves a piece of buttered toast in my mouth and pushes me towards Carol's room in our small apartment. "Stop whining and wake her up before our food goes cold!"

I smile and start nibbling on my piece of toast. When I got to her room though, something was very wrong. The scent of smoke was stronger there was something blocking the door from opening. I shove the toast in my mouth and I use my body weight to push into her room. When I get into her room, it was filled with smoke.

"CALL 911!" I scream at the sight of a bucket of burning coal and Carol just lying in her bed, unconscious. I run over to her windows and open up every single one of them. Everything became a blur as I tried to get Carol out of the room and Taylor trying to alert the police.