Where The Dandelions Grow

06 - Listen

Thank God the supermarket is close by or else making the trip back to my apartment with all these bags would be hell.

When I get to my floor, walking off the elevator, the landlord is standing by my door.

My heart begins to race. What the hell does he want? Is he pushing the due date for rent up? Is he changing his mind about the extension?

"Ms. Johnson," he says.

I slug my way towards my door out of breath and panting and nodding. "I know, the rent is due soon, I promise it'll all be in on tim—"

He laughs but shakes his head. "No, no, that isn't what I'm here for."

I set all the bags on my welcome door mat and tilt my head. "Oh. Well, what's up?"

He raises his hand towards me with something inside of it. A piece of folded-up paper. He drops it in my hand. "This guy came around today looking for you. He said he had something for you and asked me to give it to you. I don't remember his name... I think it was B—Brian? No... B—"

"Brandon." I smile, rolling my eyes. The paper, it's his number on one side. On the back is a note.

In case you lost the other paper I gave you. I'll be waiting.

-B

I can't stop the wide grin on my face as I stuff the paper in my pocket and pull out my keys.

"Thanks, James."

He nods. "No problem, have a nice day."

Getting inside, I set all the bags—which aren't much—on the floor of the living room and collapsed on the sofa. I feel like I've just run a marathon.

I feel accomplished anyway.

I made it out of the house for something other than work today and for that, I deserve a metal. And maybe like 2,000 dollars. Maybe things are getting better.

I have a job, I have some food and a roof over my head.

I feel my head reaching into the mindset I wish it were always in, this mindset where everything's not so bad in my life. Until it pulls back, and I'm stuck in an endless cycle of torture from my own mind.

I pull out the piece of paper from Brandon and crumble it up in my hand, throwing it on the coffee table where the first piece of paper he had given me a few days ago lays.

Laying back down, my mind goes back to earlier with that weird lady from the supermarket. She never said if she remembered me or not, I wonder if she knew my dad and met me when I was younger or something. That wouldn't be surprising. After my mom died and I was born he's had multiple women, none that stuck around, none cared for him. Not that he cared for them either. Carter Johnson cared for no one besides himself. There's one thing I know for sure and it's that he loved my mom. I think I resembled her too much for him to handle, he always told me that I was reborn with a little bit of mom in me and that to him made life harder, knowing she couldn't be here herself.

The groceries I manage to put away after a few hours and I find myself feeling exhausted. Making my way to my bed with the sleeping medication I got from the supermarket, I pour a few pills into my hand, inhaling when the memory from only a handful of days ago pops into my head.

I pour a pile of the pills in my hand then pour them back into the bottle until there are only two in my hand.

Then I take them.

***

My heart drops to the pit of my stomach as I look at the road below the car zips past at a speed that's far past dangerous. The windows are open allowing the harsh breeze to attack my hair and face, making it hard to breathe.

I turn, hyperventilating, looking at the driver's seat to see Hailey.

Bother of her hands are tight on the wheel, her body stiff and leaning forward as she weeps loudly and strongly.

"HAILEY!" I shout over the loudness of the wind. "HAILEY, WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING? SLOW DOWN."

She shakes her head, and keeps her eyes on the road, zipping in and out of traffic, cars honking at us as we just barely miss crashing into them. I grab onto the handle above the passenger door as my body sways with the car.

She's headed towards a bridge. The bridge.

"I can't, Echo!" She cries.

"Yes, you can," My eyes begin to burn. "Tell me what's wrong, please!"

She shakes her head. "You never cared. The only thing you talked about was yourself. You didn't care about my problems or how I was treated at home. It was always about you, Echo. Now look! Look where it got you," She turns to look at me as I reach for her, my arm falling right through her hands like she doesn't even exist. And in a split second, the car is flying and I'm lifting out of my seat and towards the windshield as the water below gets closer and closer. "Friendless."

***

I scream, lunging out of my bed sheets, sitting upright with a hand clenching my heart.

Hailey. She's gone; she's angry.

Me. At me. She's angry at me.

She was.

Inhaling is like trying to suck air from a straw stuck in molasses. I can't do it. Tears flood my eyes and I blink rapidly as I rock back and forth on my bed, gripping and pulling the collar of my shirt as I try to control my breathing.

"It's all my fault," I wail.

Quickly, before my thoughts can consume me further, I grab my phone from the nightstand and dial Brandon's number that I memorized after repeating it nonstop in my head for days.

My hand trembles as I bring the phone to my ear and listen as it rings.

I listen.

I listen.

I listen.

*****
[Authors Notes]

Hey guys, I had my bf and I had our anniversary yesterday so that's why there was no update. But how's you like this one? Do you think Brandon answers the phone?

Ik I wrote it shush, but I feel bad for echo and her nightmares :/

Don't forget to vote!
Kayla