After Paige Atkins loses her brother in a car accident she feels as if her world was crumbling, until another baseball player comes to her rescue and makes her feel safe.
*Yes I will be sticking to the tragic storyline of Jeff dying, However Hannah...
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It had been five months since Jeff's death. I wasn't over it still, but my parents insisted on me going back to school. It was November now, and I had missed almost all of first semester.
Today was my first day back at Liberty after the events of the summer. I already knew people would stare.
I dressed in all black, and I did my hair. I attempted to do my usual makeup, but my eyes were puffy and red. I cried more and more every day. Apart of me lost forever.
Scott pulled up to my house, and I walked outside to his car, not saying goodbye to my parents. They seemed so fine after his death, how could they?
I got into Scott's car and he gave me an odd look.
"What, Scott?" I said sounding ticked off already.
"Nothing, I- I'm just worried about you." he said while pulling out of the driveway.
"Scott, I love you, and you know I do, but can we not talk about him, or how I'm doing, please." I asked him, my voice breaking on the word please.
Scott nodded and started to play the radio. We listened to the music and I stared out of the window. I couldn't help but blame myself for his death. It should've been me.
Jeff offered to take me home with him and I refused, I should've been the one dead in that car, not him. I hated myself for letting him die.
Once we got to school I walked in and straight to my locker. I didn't acknowledge anybody, but I felt everyone's eyes piercing through me.
I grabbed my books and walked into class. I sat at the very back and stuck to myself with my head down.
At lunch, I didn't go to the cafeteria, I went out to the baseball field and remembered the first time Jeff had been on the field.
He was 7, I was 6. It was a baseball camp and Jeff was gonna play there for camp. It would've been the first time me and him didn't do something together during the summer.
Before I realized, I was now crying on the baseball field. Once I realized I immediately stopped, crying proved I was weak.
As I went back inside for my next class I felt somebody touch my ass. I felt so empty, and weak. I couldn't fight back.
I nudged the man, but then I felt him stop.
"Stay the fuck away from her Bryce!" a familiar voice warned.
Monty. He has been there for me after Jeff passed, but I think he only cared for me because Scott did.
"Thanks." I mumble and walk to class.
After school I had to wait for Scott to give me a ride home. I sat outside on the bleachers of the football field, lost in thought.
"Mind if I sit here?" a girl asked me.
I didn't recognize her, but I also wasn't going to decline her.
"I don't believe we've ever met. My name is Leah. I was Jeff's girlfriend." She said with a half smile.
"Your brother was amazing. He spoke very highly of you," she continued.
"And I know this might come as a surprise, but, he had given me a necklace, I never wore it or touched it because I felt bad accepting such gift. But I thought you might wanna have it." Leah said holding a black jewelry box.
I glanced at the box, then to her. I took the box and opened it up. Inside, a sapphire necklace. I sat in shock, it was beautiful.
"I- I couldn't possibly take this from you Leah, he gave it to you." I said giving her back the box.
"Paige," Leah started talking with a calm tone, "I loved Jeff, don't get me wrong, but he was only a boyfriend. I can find other guys to date. However for you, he was a best friend and you're brother, you can't replace your brother."
She took out the necklace and put it around my neck before walking off. I grabbed the necklace and tried to hold in the tears that were about to fall.
I didn't want to wait anymore, so I decided to walk home. I stopped at the cemetery and sat by Jeff's grave.
"Hey Jeff." I started but my voice sounded a million miles away.
"I know I don't visit often, and I'm so so sorry for that, but coming to see you hurts. I miss you so much Jeff. I wish I would've gone home with you. You died alone, because I insisted on drinking." I said to his grave.
"I went back to school finally, everyone was staring at me. And Bryce grabbed my ass again. Monty stopped him. It's not the same without you here. You were the one person who believed in me when no one else did. Monty and Scott aren't you. I cant do this anymore, living without you is so hard." I said crying to the headstone.
"I love you so much Jeff. I never thought you'd be gone. I'm sorry that you're gone, and I would rather take your place. J, I miss you more than I thought I would. I thought I'd get used to you being gone, but the longer you're gone, the more I miss you. Again, I'm so sorry that it was you and not me." I said crying before walking home.
