Strings (1 of 2)

Chapter 33 - Pigtails

[Dean's POV]

My assistant drops off my laptop and headphones in the morning so I can work while Emily sleeps. I don't want to work, I would give anything for her to wake up right now. But she needs her rest and I need a distraction. I turn my music up loudly to drown out the beeping of the machines as I try to focus on emails.

I shouldn't have left her on the dancefloor last night after I got there. I didn't want to force her to go - to be that guy - but I knew deep down nothing good would come from her staying. As soon as I saw her pretend to yawn, I knew what was happening. 

But I was too late.

The doctors say whatever she took was laced with something. They had to pump her stomach and give her medicine through an IV to heal and rehydrate her. It kills me to watch her like this, in a hospital bed, helpless.

I'm so angry with her for being so reckless and careless. Deep down, I know it's not my place to chastise her. Not anymore... if it ever was, I don't know. However, I can't turn it off. 

If I wasn't there last night, would Jade have been able to help her? Would she have been able to spot her taking the second pill and stop her from leaving with that disgusting drug dealer? Probably not.

I guess in a way, I have never needed to worry about who would help her before. I've always been there when Emily needed me. Half the time, it was being at the right place at the right time. The other half, I would be there at her side on purpose, unable to stay away from the beautiful girl I have always loved, even when she did things I didn't agree with. Like the pills.

I try to think back to better times, before all the shit our adult lives brought us that tore us apart. 

Our first kiss pops into my mind, making me smile sadly. I guess that was the first time I was there when she needed me.

It was years before anything sexual happened between us, back when we were silly teenagers. It didn't mean anything to her at the time, I was just her brother's best friend then. I doubt she remembers it... but to me, it was everything...

---

[10 years ago]

The house fills with people, more people I don't know than people I do. Matt blares rap music on the big speakers, pleased with himself at the turnout. He wanted to throw this party to piss off his dad for something he said to Emily that hurt her feelings, always the protective big brother. I agreed and helped him plan it, obviously.

Matt stands beside me in between the legs of a random girl I've never seen before - Danny, Danielle, maybe - who is sitting on the kitchen counter. They flirt endlessly and eventually start making out.

Her friend stands on the other side of me, chatting away into my ear. I'm not really listening. Her name is Chicago, or she's from Chicago, or she likes Chicago - I have no idea. I try to pay attention but I can't focus on her. I'm not interested in her.

I'm not interested in anyone here besides one person.

My eyes roam the living room packed with other high school kids, finally spotting her pigtails out of the crowd.

Really... who wears their hair in pigtails to a high school party? No one.

No one besides Emily.