Goin' Viral (Kleinsen)

Chapter 3

(Evan) 

After a few minutes, I went all through my house looking for Jared. He was nowhere to be found. He must have gone home. I checked outside and his car was no longer there. I sighed, but didn't close the door. I grabbed a jacket that was hanging by the door and walked out. I'm so glad my mom wasn't home to witness this terrible night. I walked to the forrest behind my house. I was so glad that my mother had picked this place. It made me feel even more at home, being with the trees. 

I walked through the trees, deep into the woods. I thought at one point I heard a twig snap, but it was probably just a small animal. I reached the tree. Yes, the tree. The one I fell out of last summer and broke my arm. I began climbing it once more. Soon enough, I was at the top, looking out over forrest and up into the night sky. It was beautiful. I wonderful last sight. 

This time, when I fell from the tree. I wouldn't survive it. At least that's what I hoped. There was no reason for me to be here now. Jared hated me, Connor would never be able to handle me, my mother was exhausted. This way she wouldn't have to work so much to support us. I didn't have any other friends. Most of my family hadn't seen me since I was little. So what was the point of being here anymore? 

The answer was clear: there wasn't one. 

I edged out towards the end of the branch. Looking out one last time. I was fully exposed. Anyone in this forrest would be able to see me clearly. Luckily, there was nobody here. Just like that day. If I fell, and somehow managed to survive again, nobody would find me. Maybe I could just lay there, until some animal found me. But I wouldn't have to, because I was up much higher than I was last time. 

"Evan?!" 

My eyes shoot open and I squint to look at the ground below me. The sound of my voice being called out scared me so much, I let go of the branch. I started to fall, hitting a few other branches on the way. I managed to grab onto another one a little lower down from where I was. 

"OH MY GOD! EVAN BE CAREFUL! STAY RIGHT THERE AND I'LL COME GET YOU!" The voice was unmistakeable. 

Jared. 

What was he doing here? His car was gone. He should be at home. Thinking about how much he hates me. About how terrible I am. About how he never, ever wants to see me again. 

Jared was climbing up the tree, and soon enough he reached me. 

"Jesus, Acorn. How did you get all the way up there? Do you do this everyday? And why the hell are you out here this late at night! It's so dangerous-" 

"J-Jared, g-g-go back d-own." I said trying to sound deadly serious. 

"What? Evan I need to get you out of this tree. If you fall, you could seriously injure yourself, or wors-" 

"I k-know, Jared. Now l-leave. I need to g-get back up t-there." I backed up and grabbed onto the branch above me again. I wasn't going to let Jared stop me. I didn't care if he knew my secret now. All the more reason for him to leave me alone. 

"Evan, I don't think you understand. You're going to hurt yourself." He grabbed my arm and sat there with his back against the trunk of the tree. 

"Jared, I d-don't think you understand w-hy I'm up h-here. I know it's d-dangerous, I know it will k-k-ill me if I fall. I-I know, I know, I know!" I say aggressively, yelling toward the end. 

His face went pale. I could tell, even in the moonlight. He stood up quickly, letting go of the tree. 

"Evan, no! No, no, no. You can't- no. Evan you are coming back down with me." He grabbed my waist and pulled me close to him. He wasn't holding onto anything. Just balancing on the branch. 

"Jared, h-hold onto the t-tree before you fall. Y-you don't need to- to get hurt." 

"If you're going down, I'm going down with you." 

We stared at each other for a minute. I couldn't put Jared in danger. He knew I wouldn't. He knew it wouldn't take long before I cracked. My face softened and I sighed. I grabbed the branch above me. 

"Fine, Jared. You know I won't put you in danger." 

He looked relieved. He put a hand on the side of my face and held it there for a minute. I could feel my face turn red. We stared into each other eyes for what seemed like forever. At one point, I thought I felt him leaning in. But it was probably just my imagination. Why would he be doing that? 

"Let's get down, Evy. We need to talk." He said gently and I nodded. 

We slowly climbed down the tree. I went first since I knew the tree better than him. I told him where to step. But then, I placed my foot in the wrong spot and slipped. Luckily I wasn't too far from the ground. So it just hurt like hell. Nothing was broken this time.

"Evy!" He called before scrambling down the tree. He got on his knees at my side. "Are you alright!?" He took my hand and put his other on the side of my face. 

"Y-yeah. I'm f-fine." I said, sitting up and rubbing the back of my head, groaning a little. 

He held me to my feet, and let me lean on him for support. He put my arm over his shoulders and held my back. We walked back to my house and he laid me on my bed. 

"Thank you, Jared." 

"It's no problem, Ev." He brushed the hair out of my face and let his hand linger there. We both looked at each other. There was sadness in his eyes. I'm sure there was some in mine too. 

"Why would you do something like that?" He asked, whispering, as if he was trying to be as gentle as possible. 

"I'm alone, Jared. People wouldn't notice I was gone. And the ones that would are better off that way. You hate me, I know it. My mother wouldn't have another person to support. Connor will never understand or be able to put up with me. It would be better if I just... let go." 

"Oh Evan.. do you really think that?" His face was soft, and full of worry and concern. 

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't." I looked into his eyes. He gripped my hand tightly. 

"Evan, I could never, ever hate you. You mean so much to me. I should not have said everything I told you tonight. You are so worth sticking around for. And no matter how many times I try to tell myself otherwise, I do need you, Evy." 

"Jared, I'm so sorry." 

"When I left, I couldn't distract myself from the thought of you. So, I went somewhere I knew you loved. The forrest. The trees. It comforted me to know that I was in a place that you found comfort in. And then I saw you up in that tree. And I was so glad I went there. If I hadn't have... we'd both be in very different places right now." 

"Jared..." 

"When you t-told me..." His voice was breaking. Tears were pouring down his face and his lip was quivering. He was doing everything in his power not to completely fall apart. "that you were trying to jump.. that you were trying to.. to kill yourself.. my whole world came crashing down. Everything stopped. And it was just you and me. And I cou-couldn't let you do it. I n-need you Evan, please-" 

"Jared, shhh. It's okay." I sat up a little and pulled him into a tight hug. He buried his face in my neck and sobbed. I moved to sit all the way up and he put the top of his head on my chest and his arms around my waist. He stayed there like that and let everything go. 

"E-Evan I'm- so- sorry! I s-should have been there- more! I sh-shouldn't have left- I-" 

"Shhh Jared. It isn't your fault." I rubbed his back and played with his hair a little. 

"C-come here, lay down with m-me." He did as I instructed and now we laid with his head buried in my chest, our arms around each other and my head on top of his. "Jared...I'm so sorry I put you through this." 

"N-no! It's my fault!" Jared looked up at me as he said this. I couldn't bare to see his face like this. Suddenly, I realized I was crying too. I pulled him back into a hug and we both sobbed. 

We stayed like that until we both fell asleep.