Logan

58. Not Ready To Talk

*Scarlet's POV*

We'd all decided to meet up, but it felt so weird without Natalie there. We decided to go to the breakfast place we all liked, and everyone ordered their usual.

"So, what's everyone been up to?" I quietly shuffled my waffle around, while everyone else quietly ate. Logan was pale, he hadn't been out of his room for a few days, while Damien never seemed to sit still. He was sleeping over at Kellan's apartment since Natalie left. Jordana had been short with me, still upset that I advocated for Natalie to go to Lakewood. It was quiet for a few more moments before I tossed my fork down. "Come on, we're going to have to move on-"

"Move on!?" Kellan's voice was loud and brusk, "You know, Scarlet, maybe you weren't as close to Natalie before all this, but the rest of us have feelings, you know."

"How dare you, Natalie's my best friend. I wanted her to get help. She needed it, and you know that. She would've struggled so much if she wasn't at Lakewood."

"Why are you so happy about it?!"

I felt the burning in my face, "Because I went there."

Logan and Damien both looked at me, and Logan spoke up first, "Wait, what? Scarlet, when?"

"Remember that summer when I went to 'camp,' well I didn't actually go to camp."

"What do you mean?"

"I was at Lakewood, getting help, the help I needed. I tried to commit suicide that week before school got out. I didn't make it onto the sophomore cheerleading squad, I was starving myself, and when I didn't get in... Well I didn't take it very well. I just, we didn't want to say anything before, because I scared the shit out of Mom and Martin. I scared myself, honestly."

Logan looked at everyone, then Kellan. Kellan was the first to break the silence "Scarlet, I'm sorry."

I waved him off, "I'm fine now, I still struggle with my disorder, but I'm okay. It's not about me though, it's about Natalie. She needed help, she's getting it."

The table was silent, and Jordana patted my hand. "We're all missing Natalie, and we're all pulling for her. Do we know if she can accept care packages?"

"They usually let them have snacks, but anything that's even remotely considered sharp or a weapon, they're going to take it away. We could probably send her some books." I took another bite as I finished talking, and we continued to talk until someone made a joke, and then we laughed. It still felt weird without her, but I knew we'd be okay.

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*Natalie's POV*

The first few nights I'd managed to only have an attack once, and Frankie sat by me while I sipped on some water and cried.

"Petey again, huh?" She whispered softly, "I'm sorry you've gotta go through this. Can I ask, what happened?" I didn't say anything and then she tilted her head, "Come on now, we're going to be spending a LOT of time together."

I wasn't in the place to say it out loud yet, so I lifted my shirt to reveal my surgery scar, and made a shooting motion, then pointed to myself.

"Someone shot you?" She looked at the scar until I pulled my shirt down. I nodded, and she sat up in shock. "Wow, you're one tough woman to get through that."

I shook my head, "I wasn't tough, I bled out on the floor while my EMT friend tried to save me."

"How'd it happen? Crazy ex-boyfriend?"