Living to Loving

Chapter 13

TW: Mentions of suicide. If you can't handle it or are easily triggered, DON'T READ. I'll put the tl;dr at the bottom if you don't read it. Just scroll all the way down and you'll see it. And if you do read, and you have tips for me on suicide, PLEASE SHARE. I'll take all the help I can get for this chapter. It was really, really hard to write.

*Rina POV*

"I want to go check on her," Daniel says.

"You can do it tomorrow," Dad says, getting his coat off the coat rack. "We need to get dinner."

"How about afterward?" Daniel asks. "After dinner."

"Your mother wants to go shopping for Christmas lights," Dad says.

"What?" I ask. "It's like, November. We haven't even had Thanksgiving yet."

"She wants to be prepared," Dad shrugs. "And so they don't sell out before she gets to them."

"It's November!" I exclaim. "There's literally no need for this!"

"Rina," Dad looks at me sternly. "Watch the attitude."

I sigh. "Yes sir."

"Thank you," Dad says. "Now come on."

"Rina."

I look over. Daniel's face is paler than snow. "Danny? What's going on?"

"Rina..." Daniel's voice trails off.

I rush to his side and take his phone from him, examining the text.

Gemma: Help, Danny. I can't... I can't do this anymore.

I look at my brother. "Does this mean..."

"Rina, I can't-" Daniel's voice cracks. "I can't lose her. I love her."

"Guys, come on," Dad urges.

"Dad, I've got to go," I say.

"Me too," Daniel says, starting to follow me.

"No," Dad says. "Guys, it's been so long since we had family time. Please."

"Dad, I'm sorry," Daniel says. "I have to do this."

Dad sighs again. "What's going on?"

"Can't tell you," Daniel says.

"Then you're really not going," Dad says.

"Daddy, please," I say.

"No," Dad says. "Now I need to pick up dinner. Come on."

"No," I say firmly. I grab my keys and head toward the door.

Dad grabs my arm. "Rina Elizabeth-"

"Don't 'Rina Elizabeth' me," I snap. My tone softens. "Dad," I say, jerking my arm away. My eyes are painfully honest. "Dad, I need to do this. It's important. I'll be back in an hour, tops, okay? Please."

Dad searches me, his blue eyes scanning me. Finally, he nods. "Alright. Go. Be careful. It's dark out."

"Will do," I say. "I love you," I plant a quick kiss on his cheek and run out the door.

Thoughts whirl through my mind as I drive. It's so hard to go the speed limit when you're panicking. When I get to Gemma's house, I get out and desperately knock on the door.

No one answers. I squint to see inside. Completely empty.

I pull out my phone and shoot off a quick text to Gemma. I wait a minute. Nothing. I glance around. A fence. Glancing around to make sure no one is looking, I quickly climb their chain link fence and fall softly on the grass below. I reach out to steady myself. Good. I run to the backdoor and surprisingly, it slides open. No lock on the back door. Interesting security. But I don't have time to worry about that.