Drama Llamas | Phan

13- Daniel James Howell Didn't Realize

- D.H -

I was laughing heartidly again. Me, Daniel James Howell, was truely laughing of pure joy again. Something I never thought I would experiance again. Louise sat, smiling at me from the other sofa as we shot banta at each other back and forth again constantly as we caught up on life in general. As our conversation fell into a comfortable silence, Louise asked me a question that I hadn't prepared for. I'd purposly avoided it, because Louise was the one person that could see through all my lies. "So, why where you out last night?" Louise asked unexpectantly.

She sounded so casual, because she didn't know the contents of my answer. I shrugged desperatly to avoid having this particular conversation. "Oh come on" Louise pestered, insisting that I answered her question. "You must've been doing something, Dan. C'mon, spill." Louise added, pointing out the obvious. I paused, deciding not to reply for a chance of her dropping the subject - it wasn't really something I wanted to talk about right now. However, Louise didn't seem to get the hint and still was waiting for her answer. I sighed, giving in to the heavy subject.

"Uhm, it's not particularly well, light-hearted, Louise." Her brain clicked and immediatly understood the context of which we were about to move into, but, unluckily for me, she only looked even more intrested in the situation now. "Well, I, yesterday..." I stuttered nervously. "Last night, I uhm, It all just sorta, got too much, you know?" I shifted uncomfortably. Louise nodded, a look of concern in her eyes. "So, I decided to go to one of those more unpopular bridges to cross the Thames - I don't know what they are called, but it wasn't the Tower Bridge."

Louise nodded, understanding where this was going. I swallowed, taking a deep breath before I continued. "I was going to commit suicide - I, well, I did techinaclly. I jumped off the bridge - it was really windy and was about too start raining so there was no chance I'd live - atleast that's what I thought." I told Louise, my eyes falling from her's which were full of sadness. "But, but I didn't die. Because, I didn't keep falling." I hesitsted, able to tell that Louise was confused at my strange way of wording what had happened. "Somebody stopped me." I explained quietly.

Louise's breathing caught in her throat - making her splutter slightly. "Somebody grabbed on to my wrist before I could fall. Somebody stopped me from dying. Somebody put so much effort in to pull me back onto that bridge - somebody, whoever it was, changed my mind. Somebody inspired me to live again." I finished, waiting for a reaction that didn't come. "He pulled me up and offered to let me stay the night at his place because it had started raining heavily and I was only in my jacket and a t-shirt with jeans." I added anxiously. I looked up at Louise nervously.

When I saw Louise, a pang of desperation crossed my face. She looked distressed, saddened at my answer to her seemingly light-hearted conversation - regardless of the fact that I'd given warning about my reply's contents. She leaned forwards and embraced me in another large hug. I smiled into her shoulder. "Thanks Louise, thanks for always being there. Thanks for caring and being the greatest friend ever." I murmered. Louise pulled out of the hug, smiling weakly back at me. My eyes fell to my feet once more, yesterday now  a fresh memory and replaying in my mind. 

"Dan, you don't need to thank me for those sorts of things - that's just what a friend should do." Louise assured me kindly. My eyes raised to her own once more, hoping that my overwhelming thankful emotion was showed in my expression. "So, who was the boy who saved you?" Louise asked, intrested. "I must tell him my thanks for saving my best friend." Louise added. I shrugged, remembering that I never actually had gotten the name of my saviour. "How did you know he was a guy?" I asked suddenly. Louise laughed at me shortly, while I sat, oblivious to her ways.