𝐓@𝐊𝐄 𝐀 𝐒𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐄| Brandon Darrow| Trevor Askill

i. 𝐰𝐞'𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠

When the name of Dunbar Rakes echoed from the mic, Trevor mocked a gun in his mouth to Sean. With a little grin, his eyes fell to the one student that wasn't here. He rolled his eyes as she hurried their way, hoping to go unseen. "Took you long enough."

"Oh, i'm sorry. I could have just came here like the rest of you." Ryan rolled her eyes back. "Considering i'm doing all Seans dirty work."

"It's not my fault your record is clean and mines-" Trevor started.

"Not." she cut him off, sitting down once he moved his laptop.

"Yeah, nice going." Sean cut in, nodding to her hands. "Great way of hiding the evidence."

Ryan looked down at her thumbs, the right one coated in red spray paint. Ryan put her hand under her leg, looking toward the principle again. "If you are confused or scared, if you need to talk to someone, we have counselors who will listen in a safe and private environment. If you are suffering from depression, ask for help. Depression is treatable, and you deserve a chance to find healing. And pay attention to your peers. Someone close to you might be depressed or thinking about taking their own life, and there are several warning signs for suicide, including increased use of alcohol or drugs, acting recklessly, isolation from family and friends, but if you are concerned that someone is thinking about suicide, it's okay to ask him or her the hard question: 'Are you thinking about taking your own life?' And it's important to really listen. A student who's suffered a painful loss wants to speaks with you today. This is Tessa Mitchell, Nicki Sullivan's cousin."

Ryan gave an uncomfortable shift at the mention of Nicki. Her shoulder brushed with Trevors, looking over as she reached an arm behind him to rub Sean's shoulders slightly. She kept her arm thrown around Trevors shoulders after that.

Tessa, with her brown roots and pink hair, stepped forward with an exhale. "Um, my cousin Nicki killed herself only a few weeks ago. We didn't hang out all the time. Uh, only on the weekends when our moms got together. I mean, we barley paid attention to each other at school, but, uh, Nicki's my best friend. I wanted to talk to you guys today because right before Nicki took her own life, a video was released, and you all saw it. I know you did. I can't imagine how exposed and vulnerable Nicki must have felt that night. Yeah, uh...How embarrassing and-and scared she must have been, knowing that everybody was talking about that video, watching it. There are all these signs that somebody may be thinking about hurting themselves, but today, I want to talk to you guys about the connection between suicide and bullying. Releasing someone's private video is hateful, and anyone who commented on that video, or watched that video, is a bully. And look, I made some mistakes, too, but we all have to be more careful about what we put online and whose life it may ruin. Because I, uh, I can't imagine how Nicki must have felt that night. Her parents were out of town and she was all alone. And she- she didn't leave a note. I don't- uh, I don't know why she- i'm not sure why she didn't leave a note."

The principle walked forward again to save her, letting her go back to her seat. Ryan felt a sense of guilt in her chest, not for Nicki, or maybe she did. Ryan didn't know. All she knew was that she would have ended up like Nicki if she hadn't changed everything about herself a few years ago. That alone caused guilt.

"And Tessa is absolutely right. Bullying is one of the risk factors we're going to be discussing this week, so after this, we're gonna split you up into groups and we're gonna be talking together."

"Wanna bale before we have to get put in groups?" Trevor asked in a minor whisper.

"Hell yes." Sean explained in relief. The trio grabbed their bags and escaped to the hallway, going unnoticed. "Didn't see Hailey in there."

"Are you still on about Hailey?" Trevor huffed as they walked the hallways. "She hasn't been to school in days."

"Exactly." he said back with a weird look.

"She's probably just having another Hailey moment." Ryan shrugged, pulling her backpack on her shoulder better. "You know how she is."

"Jesus, don't be such a jerk, Ryan." Sean looked at her in disbelief.

"How am I being a jerk? She always bails when she decides things are getting too tough. And leaves the rest of us to deal with her dirty work." the curly haired girl said back with the same look of disbelief. "Why are you even talking about Hailey right now? Let me rem-"

"Oh, look at that." Trevor cut in as the trio stopped at the lockers, staring at them. "Your best work yet, Ry."

The three stared at the large bubble letters, in spray paint red. We're Watching.

"Thanks, Ryan." Sean nodded her way. "Owe you one."

Ryan nodded. "You can start by getting me high before having to complete college applications."

"Let's roll." Sean hummed, headed for his truck.

•

kylie speaks

smh brandon had to be
in jail so the first few
chapters he's a little
absent.