Rising Star: Book 3 of The Orion Series

Ending Junior Year With A Bang

**TRIGGER WARNING** Depiction of severe depression, suicidal ideations, and a severe anxiety attack.

**CONTENT WARNING** Mention of underage drinking. 

I might not sleep tonight

Sometimes I look at you and I look into your eyes

I notice the way you think about death with a smile

Curved lips you just can't disguise

But you think it's the living making your life worthwhile

Why is it so hard for you to decide which you love more?

The living

Or the dead

You're not fond of the darkness

And you really hate vastness

But you just think back to the dead

And your happiness is back inside of your head

--The song Disguise, lyrics by Orion Bauwens

I look down at my ringing phone. It's Orion.

"Ori, I was just about to go to sleep."

"Sorry. I can't talk long and I have a huge favor."

He's crying. Fuck, he's crying. Why? "Orion, what's wrong?"

He gives his nervous laugh. "Um, I'm at the police station and this is my one call. Bail is seven hundred dollars."

"What the fuck..."

"I know. I couldn't call my parents because they'd just let me stay here."

"What the fuck did you do?"

"I have a minute--are you going to help me or not?"

I sigh heavily. "Holy fucking shit, dude...I'll see what I can do."

He sniffs. "Thank you..."

"Dude--I don't know if I'll be able to do anything."

"I gotta go, okay?"

"Fuck, Orion--!"

"B-bye."

For a second I don't do anything. Then I throw my phone against the wall. Then I stomp out of my room and go looking for my parents.

~

"Oh thank God." Orion scrambles to his feet.

It's really, really disturbing seeing my best friend in a jail cell. As if this year couldn't get any more surreal, then here we were. I go over to him and grip the bars angrily.

"What the fuck did you do?"

My parents are with me. I don't give a damn about my swearing, they can deal. Orion whimpers and looks at them, physically cringing.

"I...broke a window," he squeaks unintentionally.

"Why?"

His eyes are globes. "I don't--I don't know."

"Orion," my dad says gruffly, crossing his arms.

He sniffs. "It was the window of a lady I don't like."

My dad frowns.

"She lives--she lives across the street from me..."

"Why don't you like her?" my dad says in his deep, scary voice. He's not even trying to be scary--he just is sometimes.