A Suicidal Boy and the Girl Who Could Read His Mind

26| mending broken things

MENDING BROKEN THINGS

Olivia Rodrigo's breakup songs were flowing through Laura's room that Sunday afternoon, as she laid motionless in her bed, the covers shielding her from the outside world. It was fair to say Laura hadn't been the same since the night she'd seen Oliver, which counting today would be five days ago. She'd been at school, of course, but had been avoiding Oliver like the god damn plague. It was weird. She and Ollie were never really together, but her heart ached for him as if they'd been together for years. As if they yearned for each other.

She'd screwed up, rather majorly.

Laura dialled the volume up on 'Favourite Crime' as she wiped her tear-soaked eyes. Pepper was curled by her feet, her fur tickling Laura's ankles as she tried to fall asleep. It was one o'clock, and Laura felt like shutting the world out and living in her bedroom forever. She could hear her parents mumbling and muttering downstairs, and her phone buzz every couple of minutes. It was probably Kate, she'd been MIA since Friday morning and Kate was no doubt concerned for her best friend. Even Tahlia, her biology buddy had texted once or twice asking if she was alright. Martha too.

The real kicker is...she hadn't felt like coffee since that night. That's right, Laura Summers with the overwhelming and borderline crippling caffeine addiction didn't feel like coffee. Her obsession came back to bite her in the ass though, as she had the worst caffeine withdrawal she'd ever experienced before. It was even worse when she had to go without it for a week on the 9th-grade camping trip. And when she made a bet with Ethan to see how long they could both go without, her avoiding coffee and him tea. She lost that one. Badly.

Laura popped some pain relief tablets, hoping it would ease the pounding migraine echoing through her head, it wouldn't kick in for at least half an hour, much to her dismay. A knock at the door sent Laura flying under her covers, hiding in a panic. By now, 'Driver's License' was playing and her mother recognised the song instantly.

"This is that song on the radio all the time," she spoke, opening Laura's window, flooding the room with cold air. Laura shivered and hid further under the covers, "It's very sad, you know that?"

Laura said nothing.

"Well, it's quite fitting now, isn't it?" Mom spoke, pulling the covers away from Laura's face, "You've been wallowing in your room for three days now, it's time to get up."

Laura frowned, "Was that a Gilmore Girls reference?"

"Only always," her mother replied, "I know how to get you to pay attention."

Laura sighed, sitting up, attempting to ignore the pain-inducing headache, "I guess you do."

"What's going on? Is this because of...you know? Did something happen with...?" She sighed deeply, "your gift."

Laura thought about this, it wasn't the entire problem, but it was certainly the root of her pain, "No."

"Does it have something to do with Wednesday night? When I picked you up from that random street corner? We never did talk about that, you know?"

Laura chuckled slightly, "Why now are you deciding to take an interest in my personal life?"

Her mother was slightly surprised by Laura's sharp tone, "What do you mean?"

"You've never asked about my 'power' or my personal life before, so why now?"

She faltered, "I don't know what you're insinuating here, Laur. I have asked before, you just never seemed interested."