Loved You In Another Life // A Skephalo Story

Chapter 3

Trying to relieve the tension in the room, Arran lets out a nervous giggle, "Maybe we could just watch a movie or something? Or something else fun?"

"Whatever." I reply.

Jacob and Mega come back into the room, holding a sandwich.

"Eat." Jacob instructs, pushing the plate towards me.

I push it away immediately, "Not hungry."

"You never told us when you last ate."

Wrapping my arms around my stomach, I whisper, "A little over a week ago, I think? It was with him."

Geo frowns, "That's really dangerous, Zak. You need to eat something."

"You guys are so selfish!" I snap. "He'll never get to eat food, hang out with his friends, watch a movie ever again! You act like he's still here!"

My voice is hoarse from crying, and I look away as everyone stares at me in shock and sadness.

Harvey frowns, "How can you say that? He was our friend too. We miss him too, but the way you're coping isn't helping anyone, especially not you."

"Harvey's right," Rose says, "We understand how much he meant to you, and it's really hard to get over loss, but this needs to stop. We're saying this because we care."

I just shake my head, "You don't understand, you'll never understand."

"Maybe not," Arran says, "But we can try. Please, take care of yourself."

The whole group wraps me in a hug, which I collapse into.

After a moment, we break apart.

"I'm sorry." I croak.

Everyone mutters comforting words, saying I have nothing to be sorry for, but everything just goes in one ear and out the other.

Mega gets up to put a movie on, but I don't even know what we're watching. The words don't process in my brain and the images on the screen just give me a headache.

Once the movie's over, Arran asks me, "Would it be ok if I stayed the night? I just want to be there for you."

"Whatever. Do what you want."

He puts a hand on my arm, "Well, what do you want?"

"I want Darryl back."

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

A few more hours pass by, my friends continuing to put on movies, talk to me, offer food, anything that they think would comfort me.

Nothing really helps, but I'm grateful for the effort.

Once everyone but Arran leaves, I go up to my bedroom, not bothering to shut the door behind me.

I can hear my friend shuffling around downstairs, he'd said earlier that he would try to clean my house the best he could.

It won't matter how disgusting the place is if one resident is dead, and the other will be soon, but I don't tell him that.

After endless amounts of nagging, Arran finally convinces me to shower and change my clothes.

I turn the water up so hot it turns my skin red, but I continue to stand there, drowning in my misery.

I stand there for hours, until the hot water runs out and I'm left in an icy stream.

The change in temperature makes me flinch, but I don't get out.

Once I've been in the shower for an alarming amount of time, Arran knocks on the bathroom door. "Zak? You good in there? It's been a few hours..."