I Lost Control

28. Feels like the End

SUMMER

The breeze blows through my hair and tickles my skin as I sit on the porch in silence. It's been hours since Matt left. Hours have gone by and sleep wasn't even an option after he'd stormed out in a whirlwind of hate and rage. I knew better than to try and get involved between the two friends, if you can even still call them that, but the nagging at the back of my mind wouldn't cease enough for even a second of rest.

I glance down at my phone and before hitting the home button I say a little prayer that there's a text from Matt saying everything is okay. The cracked screen illuminates at the touch of the button and there's nothing new. My heart sinks. It's been too long. I should have heard from one of them by now. My fingers brush across the shattered glass of the Iphone screen.

More time passes by and still no word from Matt or Brian. I let out a sigh as I stand from the porch swing and head towards the front door. The sun has just started to make it's appearance and there's a soft glow of light starting to peak through the nighttime darkness. My hand freezes on the door handle when I hear the sound of a car making it's way up the driveway.

Matt's Jeep comes to a screeching halt just before it hits the garage and the door swings open. Matt sets one foot out onto the pavement and his leg gives way under his weight and he falls to the ground before being able to get his other leg out of the car, smacking his head on the asphalt as he goes down. The door is left open and the sound of Metallica comes rolling out in the quiet night.

"What the hell?" I step down off the porch and hurry over to him, wrapping my sweatshirt tighter around my body, to see his eyes fluttering closed as his head lulls back onto the ground. He reeks of alcohol and cigarettes, and there's a pretty deep cut on his forehead just under his hair line. There's dried blood trailing down the side of his face and into his ear, then down his neck.

"Unreal." I whisper to myself. When he told me he had called his therapist, I really thought things were going to be different. I grab my phone out of my hoodie pocket and dial the only person I know who can help.

"Summer, It's 5 in the morning. What's wrong?" A very sleepy Brian answers after a few rings.

"Matt." I whisper out, defeat evident in my voice. "It's always Matt, Brian. Did he come see you tonight?"

"He tried calling, but after he started screaming at me, I hung up. He kept calling and threatened that he was coming over to finish this, but he never showed up."

"He's laying on the driveway covered in blood. He drove here. He's completely passed out and I have no idea how he managed to get home without having a car accident. He's gone."

"Leave him out there. Go to sleep."

"But-"

"No. I'm done trying to save the two of you. Go to sleep. I'll see you tomorrow for the party." The line goes dead without a chance for me to respond and my eyebrows scrunch in confusion. Brian has never hung up on me. He's always there for me when I need him.

I stare down at Matt who is making no move to wake on his own so I reach down and give his shoulder a shove. He mumbles out something incoherent but his body stays limp on the pavement.

"Matt, please wake up." I shove him with my foot and let out a heavy sigh. "Forget it." I whisper to myself as I turn back to the house and make my way up the steps. I turn to look at him laying on the ground looking pathetic, the car door open and dinging because the keys are still in the ignition.

•••

"Mama." Landon's voice greets me as I look up from the pan filled with heart-shaped pancakes.