I'm Fine

Chapter 18

I couldn't stop thinking about what I had heard. It made me jumpy all day.

At least it seemed to have sped by. It was now 6:00 and I was at home, sipping cocoa on the couch with Annette, who was half asleep.

"Job...inter...view! So...boring," she says slowly, like an intoxicated zombie. I laugh.

"Where's Mum and Dad?" I ask, taking another sip of cocoa.

"Work." Annette shits to rest her head on the armrest of the couch and rolls on her side. "Some peace at last."

"ANNETTE!" Lee yells suddenly. Annette jolts up in surprise, accidentally knocking my arm. My cocoa sprays over the lip of the cup and nearly spills on me but doesn't.

"Sorry," says Annette, wincing at me.

"It's fine."

"Annette! I need you to take me somewhere!" Lee yells, racing over to us.

"Now?" Annette sighs, sitting up.

"Please," Lee replies looking at Annette with big eyes and a pouting lip. Annette rolls her eyes and glances at me. I laugh and nod.

I grab Lee and pull her onto the sofa. I dramatically place my cocoa on the coffee table and grin at Lee with an evil smile.

I reach for her neck and tickle her. She sprawls into fits of laughter while looking simultaneously annoyed at me.

"Stop...it!" she cries, tears pouring down her hot face.

I stop and she compels herself, smoothing down her bouncy black hair.

"So where do you wanna go, little missy?" I ask, picking my cocoa up again.

"Katy's house. Please! She's only ten minutes away on foot. She invited me to a sleepover..." Lee looks up at me with wide eyes and does the same puppy face look she did to Annette.

"Okay. Fine, I'll take you. Just, lets call Mum first."

I call Mum and she says, "Yeah, sure, whatever. Sorry hun, really busy!" and then she cut the call.

I shrugged and pulled on my coat.

"Get your shoes on, let's go," I say to Lee. She smiles and hugs me while I sit by the doorstep and shove on my boots.

"Best sister ever," she whispers in my ear. I glow and smile at her.

She runs up to her room, stuffs her bag full and then joins me by the doorstep. She kneels down and puts on her boots and coat and we step out into the cold air.

"Cold, isn't it?" I ask, shivering. Lee nods and we start to walk.

I turn my GPS on and follow the instructions. We'd been walking for around three minutes when Lee suddenly said, "I need to go to the bathroom!"

I sigh and shook my head, but we were close to a park so we raced there and I waited outside the public toilet door for her.

I was looking at the rest of the way on my Google Maps when suddenly, my phone vibrated.

Hey, Imogen
Unknown number
6:03pm

I stared at it for a few seconds.

Is this Brody?
6:03pm

Yes
Unknown number
6:03pm

I sucked in cold air and smiled. I went into contacts and put his name in, then returned to the conversation.

Lee came out of the bathroom at that moment and she looked really cold and disgusted. "It stinks in there."

I laugh and she does too.

I pull gloves out of my pocket and hand them to Lee. We go back to the footpath and I open the conversation again.

So, what's up?
Brody
6:05pm

Taking my sister to her friends place :p It's cold.
6:05pm

Really? Stay warm.
Brody
6:06pm

Sure. So how are you?
6:07pm

No prob. I'm good. Just out with my sister and her fiancé.
Brody
6:07pm

Cool. Do you like him?
6:08pm

Lee nudges me and I look at her. "Left or right?" she asks. I check the directions and point to the right.

Nah. He's weird. But my sister likes him.
Brody
6:09pm

Aww. Well at least she likes him :)
6:09pm

Lee nudges me again. We're at a pedestrian crossing. I look both ways and then step onto the road. Lee takes my arm and we start to walk when I get another buzz.

That reminds me. I want to tell you something.
Brody
6:10pm

What is it?
6:10pm

I like you :)
Brody
6:11pm

A million thoughts ran through my head in that millisecond. In that millisecond I wondered, how, why, when, what...but it was too late.

I was glued to the ground on the pedestrian crossing. A car was heading straight for me.

"Imogen!" Lee cries, her eyes wide open and scared for life.

She lunges for me and pushes me out of the way, just in time. I expected both of us to tumble onto the road, covered in dirt with our hair messy and mouths agape.

But, no.

The car ran Lee down and she shrieked in pain. "Lee!" I yelled, on the verge of tears. They pooled in my eyes and fell down my cheeks.

The driver up ahead stopped the car and came running. It was a thirty-something year old man but nearly balding and wearing a fancy suit.

"I...I...I'm so sorry! I tried to break but she was just too close. I...I don't know what to say!" he yells.

I kneel down beside Lee's small and bleeding body and pull her close. Her legs look trampled and my heart cracks.

"Call the ambulance," I whisper. My head lolls onto Lee's and I put my hand to her chest.

"Y...Yes," stutters the man and then he dials the number.

"I'm sorry. This is my fault," I say, caressing her limp body on my lap. A tear lands on Lee's cheek and I crumple on the ground beside her.

The last thing I hear is a small gasp before everything goes black.