CoMari Au (Omori)

Pt 12

We all arrive at HERO'S house. It feels weird and nostalgic, but in a bad way.

This situation is the definition of negative connotation.

KEL, though normally positive, is in tears, hugging me, and saying something I can't quite understand. I let him hug me, something out of character for me, as I hate physical touch from anyone other than BASIL or MARI. 

He needs me right now, and I'm done with being selfish. His needs are just as important as mine, and sometimes friends have to be there for each other.

AUBREY'S seemingly immovable wall around her feelings has gone down, revealing a softer side of her. KIM doesn't seem to be sad, as she never knew BASIL that well, but is sympathetic to her girlfriend. 

HERO is a shell of what he once was. He was the parent in our friend group no matter what, but seems to be taking that role even more seriously now, comforting and reassuring everyone, and making food for us all.

HERO makes sweet sugar cookies. I reluctantly try one, slowly sinking my teeth into it.

The cookies are hard, unlike MARI'S soft and chewy ones, and although it is incredibly sweet, it seems to taste like sand.

Sputtering, I spit out the cookie in disgust. I don't mean to be that harsh, yet I am. I regret my actions, but it would kill me to take another bite.

KEL takes a sugar cookie, and eats it, still crying, but less so. AUBREY refuses the sweet treat, but KIM takes one, and tries to get AUBREY to eat it.

Eventually, tired from crying, both AUBREY and KEL fall asleep, while HERO decides to go over to POLLY'S HOUSE. 

KIM and I are still awake, and the silence is awkward.

KIM is the first to attempt conversation. "Hey, SUNNY, right? I'm really worried about AUBREY. She hasn't been... eating as much as normal lately, or sleeping either. Sometimes she shows up at my house in the middle of the night, crying about... something."

"What was she crying about?" I ask.

"Um..." KIM sounds nervous. "Her mom being drunk, or that her house has no heat, or stress, anything really."

"What do you do?"

"Comfort her and try my best to fix the problem."

"That's good. What do you mean by she's not eating a lot?"

"She always tries to get the money to buy me candy when I'm with my mom, but rarely eats any of it herself. Or if we're at GINO'S PIZZA, she'll usually not even eat a full slice." KIM explains, sounding embarrassed on behalf of AUBREY.

I pause, trying to figure out the correct words. "She might have an eating disorder." I suggest.

"Is she gonna..." KIM lowers her voice to a whisper. "Die?"

"Eating disorders are more common than you think. I have one. Just try to be supportive of her eating. Does she have a lot of concerns about her weight?"

"She doesn't have a scale at her house so whenever she comes over she immediately uses mine. And pretty often talks about feeling fat. So... yeah?"

"It's possible she has an eating disorder then, but by no means am I a professional."

"Ok." KIM says. 

Shortly after our conversation, AUBREY wakes up. 

KIM kisses her on the forehead, and asks, "Are you feeling any better?"

"Um, a little bit." AUBREY answers.

KEL is woken up as well, and HERO comes home.

"We're going back to the hospital. Now." HERO says, an unreadable expression on his face.

We all get back in the car, and drive to the hospital.

"There's been a sudden, drastic change in MARI'S condition." HERO explains as we arrive at the hospital.

A thought runs through my mind.

MARI is dead.

I dash away from my friend group. 

I can't believe it finally happened.

I take the elevator to the floor BASIL is on.

I open up the door without a care for his condition.

"MARI IS DEAD." I announce as soon as I am in the room.

BASIL, who was busy pruning a plant with garden shears, snapped his head around to meet eyes with me.

"No. No. She can't be. MARI can't be dead." He says, garden shears still in hands as he turns around in the bed.

He slowly walks towards me. "It wasn't your fault. It was SOMETHING BEHIND YOU. SOMETHING BEHIND YOU killed MARI."

He gets inches away from my face. "Don't worry SUNNY, I'll kill SOMETHING BEHIND YOU. And then MARI will be alive again."

He takes the garden shears to my eye and...

It's gone.

I fall to the floor, while BASIL stands their, my blood on his hands.

It goes dark, and I'm in a hospital room in my hospital gown when the light returns.

I take an elevator up to the roof.

The air is fresh.

The sky is blue.

And the ground is a very very long way down.

I walk up to the railing.

I turn around, just to check that no one is their to witness my death.

And I see a familiar STRANGER standing in the door way.

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technically this is chapter 13, but next chapter is also technically chapter 13

both of them are the climax tho lol