The way I missed you

Chapter 25- Dex

I hadn't been able to get to school since the new girl started so I hadn't met her. I'd met with Keefe a few times thought and he said she was decent.

I also heard she was staying at Havenfeild... That makes three girls in one room... Seems a little excessive to me, but I didn't really think about it much.

As for why I haven't been at school... I dont like to talk about it. I don't want to admit it happened. That it's real.

"Dex," I heard my mom call. I swiped at my eyes taht had annoyingly teared up and set down the small cube I'd been working on.

"Yeah?" I asked, opening my door.

My mom looked aged. She had bags under her eyes that had been forever present since the incident. Her hair was an unkempt mess, but bellow all of that, she was still beautiful. She was still my mom with her heart of gold.

"Linh called again. She really wants to know why you haven't been at school, Dex."

I groaned. Linh had called the first day I'd been gone, and since then, she'd called 5 times.

"You have to tell her eventually, sweetheart."

"I know. I just... I can't yet, mom." I said, turning back to the cube.

My mom sighed but turned around and pulled my door to a soft close behind her.

..........

I grumpy slunk across the grounds. My mom hadn't wanted to send me, but she also knew I had already missed almost a month of school. I hadn't even seen Linh since she'd moved to Havenfeild, but I'd heard she was doing well there. I was glad she'd finally gotten away from her rotten parents.

I sighed as Keefe spotted me. Sophie must not have been here yet cause he was alone. Which meant one good thing, Linh wasn't here yet. I knew she'd ask, and I really didn't want to answer.

"Dex," Keefe called, coming over, "you're back!"

I nodded and sighed. "I didn't really want to, but I already have almost a month of schoolwork built up."

"Well, Linh's going to be excited to see you. Ehes asked litreally every day if I'd heard anything."

"You didn't..." I trailed off.

"No, I didn't tell them. She said she had called you, so I figured you didn't want them to know yet, but Dex?" Keefe answered.

"Yeah," I asked

"They will find out. Whether you tell them or not so I'd suggest you tell them. Let us be here for you." He said quietly.

I nodded. "Fine, I'll um... Lunch. Probably..."

........

I was dreading lunch. I didn't want to voice it. I didn't want to admit it. I walked into the lunch room and saw a blonde girl who had been in my first class of the day sitting with Keefe and Sophie. Linh must still be getting lunch.

My had packed me lunch, so I went right to the table and sat down next to Keefe.

"Dex!" Sophie said excitedly. I just kept staring at my lunch. I was trying to decide what in the world I was supposed to say. "Dex?"

I looked up and forced a hopefully convincing smile. "Hey."

She saw tight through it. I'm not surprised we'd been friends almost a year now, and I didn't make a huge effort to disguise the pain in my voice.

She asked what happened, and I let it spill. I held back a lot. Only told her what she needed to know. I also introduced myself to the other girl--Eliza.

Linh had just been heading to the table when I left. I knew I would have to talk to her, but I didn't want to do it in front of everyone.

I avoided Linh as much as I could for the rest of the day. I couldn't bear telling her. Not yet.

I was just leaving when I felt a hand squeeze my arm and turn me around. Then I was staring into the alst eyes I wanted to see.

She led me off to a small secluded section and demanded, "Dex, what is going on? You've been ignoring me all day, you ignored all my calls, you've been out of school for nearly a month with no explanation. Not to mention, Sophie seemed really upset after you left the table, but Keefe wouldn't let her tell me. Said if I wanted to know I should hear it from you so-" Her voice stopped when she looked back up at me.

I could do it. I couldn't contain the tears as I stared at Linh.

"Dex," she asked, her voice a soft and tender tone as if speaking to harshly would shatter me completely, which to be fair it might. "Dex, what happened? Please tell me."

I sniffed and tried to tell her only what I told Sophie, but I couldn't hold back when I was standing in front of her, and the whole story flowed out.

Tears were wet on my face as I finished. "I took the triplets to the store, and I wasn't watching careful enough. Another car collided with the back end. I was lucky to survive it, but the triplets..."

I watched her face as she realized what I had just said. "Dex..." Her voice was barely a whisper.

I felt the hot tears run trails down my face. I'd dint care anymore. I'd lost everything. All I had left was my parents. I had claimed to hate my siblings, but that was never true. I loved them. As much as any brother should.

"I failed Linh. My job as the oldest was to protect them, and I failed." I practically cried. I felt Linh's arms wrap around me, and I sunk into it, letting the sobs go.