Broken

Chapter 4

I woke up, but Justin wasn't with me anymore. Did he leave too? I was about to panic, but then he walked back into the room, and I embraced him in the biggest hug. "Woah there." He said wrapping his arms around me.

"I thought you left too." I whispered clinging onto him. I felt his arms tighten around me.

"I would never do that, I just went downstairs for a few minutes, I promise I won't leave you unless you ask me to." He stated I just nodded my head unable to find any words. "Do you want to go downstairs? Kate made food, and everyone is still here." He asked.

"Yeah." I replied my voice still croaky, and my throat sore from crying so much Justin lead me downstairs, and everyone gave me sympathetic looks. I didn't like the way they were looking at me, it just made my imagination go crazy that they somehow knew something I didn't or were they just keeping it from me to protect my feelings? "What?" I snapped, and everyone who was staring at me diverted their attention to something else.

"Alright fireball let's go to the kitchen." Justin said grabbing my shoulders, and lightly pulling me to the kitchen where Kate, my mom, and Natalie Tyler's ex girlfriend were all sitting at the island lightly chatting with each other until they noticed Justin and I. Natalie ran up to me, and embraced me in a hug we held onto each other for a while until Kate started to speak.

"Look who is finally awake, would you like something to eat Mar?" She asked standing up, and going to the pantry I wanted to say no, but I didn't have the heart, and I also know that they would probably make me eat anyways since I haven't ate anything since I was at the bakery with Serena yesterday, so I just nodded, and whispered thank you. Letting go of Natalie to actually look at her, her eyes were red big, and puffy.

"You look terrible." I managed to choke out, and she chuckled.

"Me? You should see yourself." She laughed giving me another hug, then letting go I went to hug my mother, then I sat down next to her on one of the stools. Justin stood close behind me, then Andy walked in with Jarrod, and Levi. They all gave me a hug.

"I am making pancakes, and french toast, so I hope everyone is hungry." Kate said standing over the stove.

"That sounds amazing, I'll go let everyone else know!" Natalie exclaimed. Everyone was acting a little too calm, but I was trying not to snap again, so I decided to wait until after we ate to say anything else. I felt something rub up against my leg I looked down to see Willow Tyler's cat purring up at me I patted my lap, and she jumped right up. She made herself comfortable on me, and quickly fell asleep. Natalie soon returned with everyone sitting down at the table, none of them saying a word. I could feel eyes on me, and started to tense up, Justin noticed, and started to rub my shoulders, which at first made me flinch.

"Hey, it's just me relax." He whispered in my ear. I calmed down a little, but not much. Do you know how hard it is to be calm when you haven't heard from your best friend in about two days, and all of his friends are just staring at you not saying a word.

"Here you go sweetie." Kate said placing a plate of french toast in front of me, I smiled afraid of what I might say if I opened my mouth right now. I stared at the food french toast was my favorite, but there's no way I could eat right now. I have too much on my mind, and food is so far off my radar. I picked up my fork, and just played around with the food on my plate. There was small chatter coming from the table behind me, and I tried to focus on that in case they were talking about Tyler, but it was just some sports game.

"Alright it's time we talked about this." Ray said walking into the kitchen with Charlie right behind him rubbing the sleep from his eyes. I stopped breathing we were finally going to talk about it, something I had wanted to do so bad, but now that it's time I wish we weren't. "It has officially been more than twenty four hours, so that means we can get the police, and anyone else we need to involved. It also means." Ray had to think about his next words carefully before he said them, and we all knew it was hard for him to keep going. "It also means we may need to start.." He paused yet again. "Start preparing ourselves." He finished leaving the room I dropped my fork, and put my face in my hands. The sound of the fork scared Willow, and caused her to jump off my lap. Charlie ran up to me, and climbed in my lap Justin hugged me from behind. I started sobbing again. Prepare ourselves that's what Ray said that means I couldn't even think about it....

Pretty soon Tyler's Uncle Don, and his son Adam showed up, and not long after that the cops showed up. Charlie, and Adam went upstairs, and the rest of us just waited for any kind of news, after everyone gave statements to the cops, they promised us as soon as they found out anything they would be back, and the only thing we could do now was wait. I snuck away from everyone and I went back into the kitchen, and walked out the sliding doors to the backyard I sat on the deck I put my head in my palms, and started crying again. How do I even start to prepare myself for the news I'm about to receive? This could still be a sick joke Tyler's playing right? I looked up at the sky. "Are you already up there?" I asked. Not really sure if I was expecting an answer or some sort of sign. I took a deep breathe

"Look I know I haven't done this recently, but if there is some chance that he is still with us, please keep him here until we can find him, let me at least say goodbye. If he's already up there with you, well I understand that there is nothing you can do, but if there's still hope I need it. I really do, you know how much I depend on him. How am I supposed to go on without him with me?" I knew it was probably pointless, but I had to try right?

"Hey." Andy whispered putting his hand on my shoulder, and sitting down next to me.

"Hey." I answered.

"You know we are all here for you honey, you do know that right?" He asked making me look at him I just nodded. "I remember when you first started coming around, granted when you were a baby obviously you were around, because your mom babysat, and she was great friends with Kate, and Ray, but when you started to become real clingy around Tyler, and always around Tyler made us all promise that if anything were to ever happen we would protect you, and take you under our wing. I looked at him shocked, I knew Tyler vowed to protect me, but I had no clue he made the guys do the same thing.

"He did?" I asked Andy just smirked nodding his head.

"Yes I think you were five or six." He answered I started crying again. "Hey, it's okay." He said scooting closer to me I laid my head on his shoulder, and stared up at the sky again. Wiping my eyes I decided to ask

"You think he's okay?"

"No matter what he is ok, whether he's found safe, or not he will be safe either way you know that." He replied I nodded my head, then we just sat in silence staring at the sky enjoying each others presence. Until we heard the doorbell ring I bolted up, and ran through the kitchen to get to the door. Kate opened it, and there stood the same police officer that was here earlier, he had his hat off, and he looked at all of us with sympathy written all over his face.

"Family, and Friends of Tyler Clemmons we sadly don't have good news, a body has been found, and identified as the missing person known as Tyler Clemmons. There was a bullet wound in the head, and we found him in the woods behind a truck driving training facility, we found his car, and wallet, but no phone. We will make it public tomorrow morning, but as protocall we came to tell the family and close friends first. I apologize immensely and want you to know we are here for you if you need us for anything." He finished, and tipped his hat then he left I dropped to my knees, and couldn't breathe my best friend was gone, and he wasn't coming back.