What Friends Are For

Chapter Twelve

CHAPTER 12

"It is by chance we met, by choice that we became friends." -Unknown

Weeks passed since the schools shut down, which made me more and more paranoid each day. Alexis texted a group chat "Hello everyone," and I totally freaked out.

Oh no, I thought to myself, what if she's just saying that so she can say hello to us one more time before she dies? What if... What if... What if...

Yeah, I know. It's something totally normal to say 'hello' to your friends. But in my defense, after you've been through my school issues and haven't talked to a suicidal friend for about a month, it starts to get to your head.

On the other hand, I'm glad that she said hi. After all, it proves that she's alive. It also means her mom is letting her contact us, because if her mom were to beat her, she wouldn't let her contact us.

Also, my dreams have been bad ones. Not necessarily ones about Alexis, but just being scared affects them. I'll have just a random dream about my friend or someone I care about being shot or killed.

I remember having a dream where a deranged clown was about to shoot David. The police officer gave me the choice to kill the clown or David. Obviously, I chose the clown, but the police officer wouldn't let me. Then I woke up.

In a lot of books I've read, the main character is a middle schoo- ler who is supposedly going through "a super horrible time." The thing is, it's just a fight with a friend, or their crush not liking them back. They act as if it's the end of the world, and here are me and my friends in middle school trying to save Alexis' life.

Just a note to everyone who's been through something like a not serious fight with a friend, or a crush who likes that other girl, think about it like this.

There are worse things happening on earth.

Get over it.

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It's week seven now. We've been stuck in our homes for seven weeks, and I don't see an end to this pandemic anytime soon. All I know is that Alexis and Jacob are safe and...well, alive right now. But if one of them dies...the other one is also gone.

Jay and Alexis are best friends. If one goes down, the other one does the same. Both of them are in the danger zone right now, I can feel it. Jacob sends me the word "HELP" at least once every few weeks, and Alexis is worried. But I can't give up hope.

I do what I do a lot...think about earlier in the year. I had just started sixth grade. It was simple and boring. Nothing important. I miss that dearly. But instead of sitting in a boring old classroom with friends doing kid stuff, I'm stuck at home during a pandemic, worrying about my suicidal friends.

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No chance schools are reopening until September...

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YES! YES! YES! YES!

Bella texted me her conversation with Jacob! He found out that he is staying at our school for grade seven! YES, YES, YESSSSSSSS! I'm so happy to hear that...

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I had trouble sleeping last night. I was worried more than ever. I had these images flash through my mind for a split second. Images of what could happen.

I pictured Jacob and Alexis doing worse than ever, jumping in front of trains, leaping off cliffs, killing themselves. And it worked. I knew that school had better open up quickly. It had to. Otherwise, I don't know how much more time we have.

Could this be the last time I would ever hear from them again? Or are they doing okay?

I hadn't had a bad dream for five years. But now, ever since what happened, all of my dreams were bad. David getting shot by a crazy clown, me and my family getting hunted down by the government, drowning, a giant evil head about to destroy earth, all sorts of dreams. Once I had a dream where a random dude shot me, and I could really feel it happen. The moment I was shot, I woke up breathing heavily.

I sighed and talked to god, but only through my head.

Dear God, I thought, closing my eyes. Please listen. I know you have other things to do. I know you are out there helping other people. But this is important. And I need your help.

Please let this pandemic be over soon. I need to see my friends, and help them through this. Also, please give a little luck to all those families who have lost their homes, their jobs, and their loved ones. Please help everyone struggling because I realize what they could be going through, and no one deserves to go through something like that.

And my friends...You probably know them. Jacob S and Alexis B. Maybe they've talked to you before. I don't know how they are doing right now...I just hope they are all right. Please do me a favour, god, and make sure they are okay. Please. Keep them safe.

I never did that before, and I'm not sure it'll even work. But at this point, I need all the help I can get.

But, somehow, I knew. I knew that he stopped what he was doing, and listened...