Senior Year with My Protector | Protector 1.2

Chapter 11

*trigger warning*

Chapter 11

       Rumors have been going around the school, but none of them evem came close to what really happened. My biology class knew I was involved and the students tried asking me, but I assured them it was nothing.

       I was still a bit shaken up and I honestly didn't get that much sleep at night. Images of what happened flashed through my mind. I hated it.

       Grayson was constantly apologizing to me for frightening me, but I told him to stop.

       Since it was lunch at school, I took the opportunity to video chat Grayson while I ate with Belle and Thalia. I had one earphone in so they wouldn't hear what Grayson was saying.

       He was still in bed, looking exhausted, but he was the one who wanted to video chat.

       "You look as exhausted as I feel," Grayson said.

       "I couldn't sleep," I told him. "Yesterday frightened me."

       "I'm so sorry," he said. "I thought....I thought it was....the only way to escape....everything. It's those damn anti-depressants." Recently, ever since yesterday actually, he had been pausing mid-sentence a lot. Grayson assured me it was nothing when I asked him about it. I was sure it was because he was so nervous or stressed over something.

       "Are you still on it?" I asked.

       Grayson sighed and nodded. "It's the only....treatment that's available....to me so far. It's working a bit. It's just the side effects that's....taking a toll on me."

       "I could tell," I said. "You have huge bags under your eyes."

       "I bet they make me look sexy."

       I rolled my eyes, a tiny bit happy he was making that joke again. "They sure do."

       "Poppy?" Belle said. "Can I talk to Grayson?" She was sitting beside me, so I handed her the other earphone.

       "Grayson, Belle wants to talk to you," I said. "Be nice."

       Grayson sighed as Belle came into view for Grayson. "I'm worried about you," Belle said. "I know you don't like me, but you are my best friend's boyfriend."

       "I'm fine, Belle," Grayson said, not even snapping at her like he normally does.

       Belle frowned. "Really? No offence, but you don't look fine."

       "I'm just tired," he said. "I didn't get much sleep."

       "Did Poppy tell you what happened yesterday?" Belle asked. "There was a level 2 school lockout and she knows why. She won't tell me, though."

       "She didn't have to tell me," Grayson said. "I was there."

       "You were?" Belle asked. "So you saw what happened?"

       Grayson shook his head. "No, I was....what happened. Belle, I decided to push my hatred....to you aside for Poppy's sake. And she trusts you, so I trust you. Yesterday, the school went in lockdown because....I was this close," he held his finger and thumb a tiny bit apart, "to committing suicide."

       Belle's eyes widened at that. "You....What?!"

       Thalia, who wasn't in on the conversation, looked confused and a bit worried. "What's going on?" she asked.