Tʜᴇ Fᴏʀɢᴏᴛᴛᴇɴ- Bᴀʀʙᴀʀᴀ Hᴏʟʟᴀɴᴅ

ᑭᗩᖇT Tᗴᑎ

"What's going on here?" Steve frowned as the two approached, carefully separating themselves from each other. It took Nancy a moment to notice the severity of the situation, as when her best friend didn't reply, she picked up on a problem.
The hallway slowly cleared as students made their way to next class, but the group surrounding the trembling girl didn't seem to mind being late just this once.

"Barbara here has just gone like, insane." Carol spoke, not taking her eyes off of the girl before her. It was like she was dangerous and that it was a completely idiotic idea to lose eye contact incase of attack. Barbara hated them for thinking that way of her, ashamed being a core emotion. As much as she was aware of what was going on, she hated knowing all the more. Sometimes, the things that you don't know can't hurt you...but Barbara knew. Barbara was aware of her actions, and how foolish the whole ordeal made her feel, and it took a toll on the already dismal amount of self esteem.

Nancy took a step forward, being careful not to startle her friend as if she was a deer in headlights. Barbara backed away at her touch, trying to hide the obvious flinch which travelled through her nervous-system. Holland was aware that Nancy would never hurt her in any way, which made her feel a large amount of guilt when her friend took a step back.
Barbara hated her brain for convincing her that the worst was to come, yet she didn't even know what the worst was.

The patter of feet came to an end, and the ear-penetrating shake of the school bell signified the beginning of the lesson which the group was meant to be... enjoying.
Being the brain of the group, Nancy Wheeler dismissed her acquaintances and stayed with Barb for a moment, sinking down onto the floor with her when her best friend lost strength.
"Barbara..." Her words arrived calmly, a comforting familiarity. "I think that we should head over to the nurses office."

The muted girl lifted her head from her knees and blinked away an escaping tear. The nurses office was the last place that she wanted to be. She needed her bed, and nothing more. With a shake of her head, Holland parted her lips. "No."

Nancy sighed, placing a hand on Barbara's leg. All she wanted to do was help, but help wasn't wanted. Having known each other since childhood, the teenager could sense that something was brewing, something bad, but didn't want to worry anyone with her predictions. This was the start- the start of the worst month of their lives.
She didn't know why, or how, but she knew. She knew it would be.

Barbara looked over to her friend, bottom lip trembling slightly.
"Nancy, I needed you."

"What?"

"I needed you, and you weren't there. You aren't here anymore- like you normally are."

The eldest Wheeler breathed out, eyes drooping slightly.

"Where have you been, Nancy Wheeler?"

Her friend didn't answer, and soon words came flowing out like a faulty tap, not stopping until the sink had overflowed and too much had been said. The girl regretted it afterwards.

"The only thing you've cared about recently is this relationship you claim to be in. They're all douches, Nance, we both promised to not get caught up in that kind of thing. I've been struggling... like, really struggling, and I could've really done with a friend to help me through. I haven't slept in weeks, haven't eaten, I'm seeing things, hearing things. Panic attacks occur every other day and I honestly don't know what to do with myself. I've been working myself to the point where I don't even care about my education anymore, Nancy, and you know how much it means to me normally. Somethings not right, and I hope you can sense that too."

Nancy looked taken aback, jaw dropped slightly from the confession. Guilt travelled through her body, closing up her throat and threatening tears. She felt horrible. "Barb, I- I didn't know-"

"We are done, Wheeler."  The cutoff was instant.

Barbara watched her friend rise and storm off down the corridor, bringing up a sleeve to catch the falling tears. She had regretted what the conversation lead her to. Hateful words shot out like bullets about Steve and his cronies, and how she was only dating him because he seemed just perfect at the time. The two had always known it was too good to be true.

Barbara Holland had just lost her childhood best friend, and the longest. If she wasn't lost before, then she definitely was now.

-

The room was colder as it's owner stepped inside, causing the floorboards below to creak and groan. They'd been doing that recently, for reasons unknown. The build itself wasn't old, so possibly just worn. Stacks of newspapers still took space upon the floor and every other surface usable, but after what had happened that day, Barbara didn't even have the spirit for investigating anymore. Unless the pages could lead her to a new best friend- which was possible if she wanted to take some psycho child-murderer as an option- she didn't bother. She didn't want that. Actually, she didn't know if she wanted a replacement at all. Perhaps it was too soon to tell.

After the whole ordeal earlier in the day, Barbara had walked out of school unauthorised, completely disobeying all of the organisation's rules. Rules were only there to be broken, so who cared anyway? Her mother and father questioned her like it was the end of the world as their daughter walked through the door five hours earlier than usual- puffy eyed and startled.
Questions were the least keen things to be answered and the girl was shocked to find herself snapping an answer in reply. It seemed that her mind wanted to push everyone she loved far, far away- and she was allowing it to. One after another, loss after loss.