One Drop

Chapter Three: Emily

The next day I arrive at school early, so that I can spend more time with Will before first period. However, when the warning bell has sounded Will still hasn't turned up and he hasn't answered any of my texts or phone calls. I am definitely worried now. But, no matter how much I want to I can't wait for him any longer and I trudge to my first period Maths class. By lunch time I am seriously freaking out, because not only has Will supposedly disappeared off the face of the earth but Jilly has also apparently been abducted by aliens. I eat lunch alone in the quad again, which makes me think of my first day here, when I had first met Will, and when I had first known that this place would become my permanent home, no matter what. After school I walk the half hour to Will's house but no-one is home. I am really scared now, because not only does the house look empty, but it also looks devoid of life, like no-one had lived in it for twenty years. I sit on the front steps and force myself not to cry. I sit there for three hours, and after six I am just getting up to go home when the Marksbury's car pulls into the drive with the entire family in it. Except Phil, who is like an older brother to me. As the family all gets out of the car I run to them, but stop abruptly when I see the looks on their faces. The pain and grief etched into their normally smiling faces slices into my heart and I run to Will and wrap myself around him as he begins to cry. I havn't seen him cry this much since his grandfather died, and my heart pulses again painfully as I imagine Phil lying in a grave, Molly crying over his cold, dead body. "What is it, where's Phil?" I whisper to Will as I hold him and feel him sob into my shoulder. "He's..... gone." Will croaks and my heart wrenches open and I am crying too. I look over at Jilly, who isn't crying but simply standing in the middle of the driveway, a shocked look carved into her immobile features. "Jilly," I say, and she collapses into my arms, so Will, Jilly and I all stand there in an awkward three-person hug. "Lets get you guys inside," I say after about two minutes, and we all shuffle into the lounge room, where Jilly falls into an armchair and I curl up against Will on the sofa. "What happened?" I ask, and I notice the quick glance between Jilly and Will, and the impercept shake of Will's head that seems to answer the question in Jilly's gaze. "We woke up this morning and found a note on Phil's pillow saying he had run off, that he was sick of this family and this town. He left, and we don't know where he's gone," says Jilly, and then she finally begins to cry. I take Jilly's hand, and stroke it, as well as clutching Will like he is a life raft. "But why would he do this? He loves you guys, he's never seemed unhappy before. Why would he do this?" I ask, but neither Will nor Jilly answer. "How are your parents taking it?" I ask gently. "Not so good. Mum's just dead, and Dad is trying to be strong but it's not working. The others aren't doing so well. We just don't know what to do," says Will and my heart lurches again, so I hold Will even harder, like nothing else matters. "Please Will, I know you, please don't go after him, don't do anything stupid. I'm sure he'll come back eventually. Don't hurt yourself over this, Phil wouldn't want that," I say, and the ghost of smile touches his lips, and he leans down and kisses me softly, his lips wet with tears. "I won't." he says, and relief washes over me. As he settles back into the couch, I see a look of exhaustion cross his face, and I realise how tired he must be. "Why don't you go lie down Will? I'll come with you," I suggest, and he nods and lets me lead him to his room, where we lie together on his bed, talking and staying as close to each other as possible. I call my mother and tell her that Will needs me and that I'm staying the night, and then it's after midnight and I'm watching Will sleep, his face wiped clean of the sadness and grief that will mar his features as soon as he wakes. I rub his face, and he stirs, but then he's as silent as before. "Oh Will, why did this happen to you?" I whisper, and then I lie down and soon I too am asleep.

The next morning I wake up to see Will's eyes resting on me, watching me sleep like I did the night before. "Are you okay?" I whisper and he nods, but I know inside his heart is breaking. Then he suddenly jumps up and crashes into the wardrobe, and I start, sitting up in the bed reproachfully. "What are you doing?" I ask, but then I see the look on his face. He looks furious, not just with me, but with himself. "What's wrong?" I ask worriedly, looking him over to see if he's hurt. "You shouldn't have stayed. I can look after myself now. You should go," he says softly, and I stare, hurt as he strides over to the door and pulls it open. I take my cardigan off his desk chair and walk over to him, standing there waiting for me to leave. "What did I do?" I ask as my heart fills with sadness. "Just go," he says, and he looks away as I hug him tightly and then I walk out, my eyes filling up with tears of betrayal.