Chapter 20

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I opened the door and pushed it open so Bradley would follow. I glanced back. His hands were stuffed into his jacket pockets and he was looking at me almost nervously.

I led him into the family room. Where he sat on a barstool and followed me with his eyes as I disappeared into the kitchen.

I threw a frozen pizza in the oven and once it was ready we ate in silence. You would think it would have been awkward, but it was a comfortable silence.

We made some small talk but nothing that was the least bit significant.

Finally, Bradley stood up to leave.

"Wait," I called as his back was turned toward me. He turned away and met my eyes. I knew what I wanted to say but I was too scared to say it.

"Yea?" he asked, when he noticed that I wasn't saying anything.

"it's just..." I let out an uneasy breath and paused. "Can you stay?" I said so quietly that I was sure he hadn't heard me. His face didn't change and he was staring at me intensely.

"Sure." his voice was quiet but confident. He walked back into my room and sat on the long couch accross from my bed. I reached into my closet and pulled out a couple blankets and a pillow. I handed them to him silently and he gave me a small smile as he took them.

I went into my bathroom to brush my teeth and change my clothes. I walked back out into my room in sweatpants and tank-top. I then headed to my closet and pulled out a pair of Aaron's sweatpants that for some reason are always in my closet.

"Here, its Aaron's." I said to Bradley.

"Thanks." he said, taking the navy blue sweatpants from me.

"And there's an extra toothbrush in the medicine cabinet." I said, nodding to my bathroom. Bradley nodded and went inside. A few minutes later he came back out in just sweatpants and a white t-shirt that was under his jacket from earlier. I was sitting on my bed when he came out and we just stared at each other for a few moments.

"It's late." Bradley finally said, looking past me and at the clock. I nodded and crawled under my blanket. I watched as Bradley did the same on the couch.

"Good night." I whispered.

"Good night." he replied. I reached over to my nightstand and turned off the light. I stared at the dark ceiling for what felt like forever. I couldn't fall asleep. Restlessly I turned over in my bed. Through the dark, my eyes caught the bottle of Nyquil sitting on my dresser. I had the urge to grab it and drain the bottle. I would surely fall asleep, but then my eyes found Bradley sleeping peacefully on the couch and I knew he would be disappointed if he found out. So I turned over again, closed my eyes, and waited endlessly for sleep to come.

***

Tristan was there. He was beside me. I glanced at his face - it was scared. What's wrong? I tried to ask him, but I couldn't hear my voice. Tristan. I tried to yell. He hadn't heard me. He was swallowing pills four at a time. He poured alcohol into his mouth. STOP! I yelled. But again I couldn't hear my voice. Could Tristan even see me. I saw him fall to the floor. I ran towards him but I never reached him.

***

I sat up abruptly in my bed. I was looking all around my room. It was still dark outside. I felt someone shaking me but it took me a few moments to really understand what was happening.

"Hannah." someone whispered my name.

"Tristan." I breathed in disbelief when I met his eyes. My room was dark but the green eyes overwhelmed the blackness around us.

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